Chapter 278: Fulfillment
At the entrance of the research institute.
Rhodes and Law arrived to find a massive metal door blocking their path.
They hadn't come with good intentions, so waiting for someone to open it wasn't on the agenda.
Whoosh!
Several flashes of light appeared, and the metal door was sliced into pieces, collapsing with a thunderous crash.
"So fast!"
Law's eyes widened. He'd barely seen Rhodes swing his sword—the speed was terrifying, beyond the limits of normal vision.
If he were facing Rhodes in combat, he probably wouldn't even know how he died, with no time to activate ROOM and dodge.
Rhodes calmly stepped into the dark corridor, composed and unhurried, as if he were taking a leisurely stroll rather than infiltrating a dangerous research facility.
A moment later, scattered footsteps echoed from deeper inside.
"Intruders..."
Caesar's subordinates—the institute's guards.
Rhodes' eyes remained fixed ahead, his steps unwavering as he continued forward.
Law followed behind, saying nothing but keeping his guard up, watching the group of figures carrying large tanks and wearing gas masks approaching from the opposite direction.
As the two sides drew closer, Caesar's men tensed, preparing to unleash a poison gas attack.
But at that moment, Rhodes slightly raised his gaze, and an invisible wave surged forth, instantly knocking the entire group unconscious.
"Conqueror's Haki..."
Law swallowed hard.
Even though Rhodes hadn't directed it at him, he still felt overwhelming pressure, as if the figure before him had suddenly become taller than the Red Line itself.
Meanwhile, in the biscuit room,
Monet arrived, looking up at the children playing inside. A complex expression flickered across her face.
These children had been kidnapped by Caesar, used as test subjects for human gigantification experiments under the guise of medical treatment.
Such human experimentation naturally involved countless sacrifices. It wasn't even two years into the arrangement yet; Monet had only recently begun this work, and her compassion hadn't completely faded.
"Sister Monet! Sister Monet! Will you play with us?"
A child twice Monet's height asked innocently.
The other children looked at her with longing eyes.
In this gloomy research institute, Caesar and his subordinates were all cold and intimidating, their very appearances enough to frighten children. Only Monet was kind and approachable, beloved by the children.
Monet remained silent for a moment before saying, "Someone very dangerous has arrived. You should all return to your rooms and rest."
Their traumatic experiences had made the children extremely perceptive, and they clearly sensed something was different about Monet today.
They didn't dare object and quickly stood up one after another.
But just then, the door at the far end of the biscuit room suddenly opened, and two unfamiliar men walked in.
The children froze in fear before quickening their pace toward the exit.
"Am I really that scary?"
Rhodes couldn't help but touch his face, genuinely bewildered.
He recognized these children—they were the ones Big Mom had commissioned Caesar to use in his human gigantification research.
Though he didn't concern himself with questions of justice or morality, being feared by a group of children was an unexpectedly unpleasant feeling...
Law couldn't help but chuckle quietly. He hadn't expected the infamous Thunder God Swordsman to have this sensitive side—it was quite amusing.
"Hurry! You all need to get out of here!"
Monet's expression changed drastically. She hadn't expected Rhodes and Law to arrive so quickly. Had all the traps and defensive mechanisms along the way completely failed?
Her voice rising urgently, Monet ushered the children toward the exit.
Startled by Monet's sharp tone, the children ran toward their sleeping quarters.
To Monet's slight relief, the Thunder God Swordsman simply watched with mild interest, making no move to stop them.
Soon, all the children had evacuated the biscuit room, leaving only Rhodes, Law, and Monet.
Monet's expression turned ice-cold. She spread her arms wide, and snowflakes began to condense around her, swirling and dancing before forming a pair of crystalline snow wings behind her back.
Whoosh.
Monet beat her wings and took flight, circling overhead like a predatory bird, her golden pupils flashing with deadly intent as she searched for an opening to attack.
Within moments, a thick layer of snow had accumulated throughout the room.
"Planning to kill me? You alone aren't nearly enough."
Rhodes' tone was indifferent, but he could clearly see the deep-seated hatred and suicidal resolve burning in Monet's eyes.
This woman had come here to fight him with no intention of leaving alive.
Monet remained silent. She was only here to buy time.
Rhodes didn't seem particularly rushed either, simply smiling as he said,
"Let me guess—is Vergo coming too? No, ten Vergos wouldn't make a difference. It's probably the Marine Headquarters, which is relatively nearby. Is it the Fleet Admiral? Or perhaps an Admiral?"
"That's interesting. I'd genuinely like to test myself against Sakazuki and see exactly how strong I've become."
Sakazuki's strength might not quite match the Yonko, but he was definitely stronger than most top-tier combatants.
Hearing this, Monet's pupils contracted sharply. She hadn't expected Rhodes to deduce their plan so accurately in an instant.
"Looks like I guessed correctly."
Noticing Monet's involuntary reaction, Rhodes smiled faintly.
There were many powerful individuals in this world, but those who could actually threaten him were few and far between. It was relatively easy to narrow down the possibilities.
"So what if you guessed right? They're already on their way and will arrive soon. Unless you're willing to abandon the experimental equipment, abandon Caesar and everything you came here for, and simply run away."
Monet's tone carried obvious disdain, clearly attempting to provoke him.
"You don't need to provoke me. A mere Marine Admiral isn't enough to make me afraid. By the way, I don't like talking to people while looking up, so you should come down."
With that, Rhodes slowly opened his eyes wider.
A terrifying surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted instantly, so powerful it seemed capable of warping reality itself.
Wherever it passed, the air vibrated violently, forming a visible shockwave.
"Ugh...!"
Overwhelmed by this world-class Conqueror's Haki, Monet's eyes widened in shock. Like a fallen angel, she plummeted from the air and crashed hard against the ground.
Fortunately, her willpower was strong enough that she didn't lose consciousness—but she temporarily lost all control of her body.
"How is this possible? The difference... is too vast!"
Half-sprawled on the ground, Monet's eyes filled with disbelief.
She had considered the possibility of being instantly killed by Rhodes, knowing that the Thunder God Swordsman's greatest asset was his speed, comparable to Admiral Kizaru's Pika Pika no Mi abilities.
But she had never imagined that with just a single look from Rhodes, she would lose all capacity to resist and become utterly helpless.
"Should I finish her?"
Law slowly drew his demon blade, Kikoku, his expression cold. He held no goodwill whatsoever toward anyone from the Donquixote Family.
Rhodes frowned slightly. The Logia-type Yuki Yuki no Mi was an excellent ability. If developed to its full potential, it might even enable freezing the sea like Kuzan, making it a strategically valuable power.
However, Monet's potential was merely average, and her hatred for Rhodes was bone-deep. She wasn't worth investing in.
As for her beauty—there were far too many beautiful women in the pirate world. One more or less made no difference.
Just as Rhodes was considering this,
Monet gradually regained control of her body. A death wish flashed through her eyes, and with a powerful beat of her wings, she charged toward Rhodes like a moth drawn to flame.
"Kamakura—Snow Sword!"
Monet cried out, the feathers on her wings undergoing a transformation, becoming hard as steel blades, sharp enough to slice through anything.
"Grant her wish."
Rhodes sighed softly.
Loyalty was an admirable quality—unfortunately, hers wasn't directed toward him.
And Rhodes had no habit of allowing his enemies to walk away.
(End of Chapter)
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