Chapter 105: One Strike
"You're all trash!"
Such obvious contempt naturally irritated the proud officer agents. They were all furious, each one taking up combat stances.
Mr. 1 transformed into his blade form, his body becoming as hard as steel. Miss Doublefinger sprouted thorns from her fingers. Mr. 2 Bon Clay displayed his okama kenpo techniques...
The rest of the group also revealed their signature abilities. Standing together, they looked quite imposing, their combined presence radiating murderous intent.
"What do you think now, Rhodes-san?"
Miss Valentine, controlling her weight, floated in the sky, smirking coldly.
In her opinion, with so many Devil Fruit users gathered together, even against a renowned dragon-slaying swordsman, they would have the advantage.
Of course, they were all posturing—none would dare initiate the fight.
Everyone knew that in a battle involving such a powerful opponent, the first to charge would inevitably suffer the most.
Furthermore, facing a world-renowned powerhouse like Rhodes, these people were naturally intimidated, especially the swordsman Mr. 1.
"Even if a bunch of weaklings gather together, they're still weaklings. Their fundamental nature won't change."
Watching this scene, Rhodes's expression remained calm and unperturbed.
Until... Mr. 5, the user of the Bomu Bomu no Mi, reached out his finger to pick his nose.
He even pretended to flick it toward Rhodes.
This crossed Rhodes's line! He absolutely refused to be hit by such a disgusting attack!
Even if it couldn't actually harm him, the mere thought of it made his skin crawl.
Crackle...
His eyes narrowed, and a sudden glow erupted from his body. Lightning surged around him.
The air became charged with the scent of electricity.
This thunderous power hummed and vibrated, and in an instant, it coalesced into a spear of pure lightning, more brilliant than the sun itself, instantly piercing through the air.
It was so fast!
The officer agents had no chance to react.
In a flash, the lightning spear pierced Mr. 5's body and exploded, erupting in a terrifying burst of light and heat.
BOOM!
The next moment, a devastating shockwave swept outward like a tsunami, the very air exploding.
The surrounding officer agents were almost instantly sent flying, spitting blood as they tumbled far away, unable to stand. Their faces were pale, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.
"Is this the power of the Dragon Slayer?"
"Incredible!"
Robin gasped.
A single strike had shattered all the officer agents of Baroque Works with overwhelming force.
What terrifying power!
As they say, seeing is believing.
Robin finally gathered her scattered thoughts, and a hint of awe gradually filled her gaze as she looked at Rhodes's back.
In this world where strength reigns supreme, absolute power is the easiest way to earn respect.
"If he truly possesses information about the Poneglyphs, working for him wouldn't be a problem at all." With this thought, Robin's resolve strengthened.
As for the agents who had survived the attack, their minds were completely blank, filled only with shock.
They reluctantly raised their heads and looked toward the center, only to find the area had been completely melted. Mr. 5, despite his size, had been practically vaporized!
"The Dragon Slayer truly lives up to his reputation."
The strongest among them, Mr. 1, was the first to recover, shaking his head with a bitter expression.
As the user of the Supa Supa no Mi, he was practically a natural-born swordsman and naturally possessed a certain pride. He hadn't expected the aftershock of Rhodes's casual attack to injure him so severely.
His steel-like body, which he had always been proud of, was now as fragile as paper—bloodied and suffering internal injuries.
"The difference is too great."
This thought flashed through all the officer agents' minds. They wanted to flee, but found their bodies numb, the slightest movement causing intense pain—a wave of despair washed over them.
And Rhodes showed no mercy.
He slowly approached Miss Valentine, looking down at her pitiful face, blood oozing from the corner of her mouth. His gaze was calm, with a hint of indifference toward life.
"No, don't kill me!"
Miss Valentine looked as if she had seen a demon from hell. Extreme fear distorted her beautiful features, completely destroying her elegance.
She pleaded desperately:
"I surrender! I'll do anything you want!"
She was already a stylish and beautiful woman, but her desperate demeanor, trembling voice, and torn clothes that revealed her fair skin made her appear quite pitiful.
Robin had assumed that Rhodes, having achieved fame at such a young age, would have no resistance to beautiful women—just like his earlier behavior with her.
Unexpectedly, Rhodes casually stepped down, his foot crushing Miss Valentine's chest. Such was Rhodes's immense power that Miss Valentine's heart was nearly shattered instantly.
"Ugh..."
Robin couldn't help but shudder at the sight.
Rhodes wanted a completely reformed Baroque Works—no longer an assassination organization. Of course, some of the toxic elements had to be eliminated.
After the bloodshed, only three remained: Mr. 1, the most capable and disciplined swordsman; Mr. 2, the user of the Mane Mane no Mi, who might prove useful in the future; and Miss Goldenweek, a professional agent who was essentially just an underage artist.
"So this is why he asked me about the information on these officer agents. He was selecting them."
Seeing this, Robin breathed a sigh of relief.
Working is working, regardless of the employer. Given a choice, Robin certainly didn't want her boss to be a ruthless, merciless killer without any principles.
Ultimately, she was a woman with compassion.
"Do you have any objections to me becoming your new boss?"
Rhodes said calmly, his hands clasped behind his back.
"We submit to your leadership."
Mr. 1 and the other two exchanged glances, ultimately sighing softly and bowing their heads in resignation.
Coming from assassin backgrounds, they were emotionally detached, so they didn't harbor resentment over their colleagues' deaths.
Instead, their biggest emotional impact was the sense of defeat they felt after being so decisively crushed by Rhodes.
"With these people, you should be able to maintain Baroque Works with your abilities, right?" Rhodes asked Robin.
"More than sufficient."
Robin nodded, tactfully adding, "Don't worry, Boss. I'll eliminate the remaining criminal elements."
Rhodes nodded in satisfaction. A secretary who understood her superior's intentions was truly invaluable.
"In the future, Baroque Works will specialize in intelligence gathering. You and the Alabasta royal family will support each other and work toward rapid development. As for the Poneglyphs, I'll share that information with you after this mission is complete."
"Understood."
Robin nodded earnestly. This arrangement suited her personality perfectly—it couldn't have been better.
After hearing the conversation between the two, Mr. 1 and the others couldn't help but show surprised expressions.
What was happening? Were they being pardoned?
Mr. 1 and the others had complicated feelings about this development.
Miss Goldenweek breathed a sigh of relief.
She had been recruited into the organization because of her special abilities. She had never liked the assassination business and just wanted to be a quiet artist.
This time she was getting exactly what she wanted, and the stoic girl couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Next, only Crocodile remains."
Rhodes said calmly: "According to the plan, Robin."
"Yes, sir."
Robin was already comfortable in her role as secretary. She just had to carry out her boss's orders completely.
(End of Chapter)
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