The battlefield fell into stunned silence.
Right before everyone's eyes, the black bullets that had been fired at Eustace hung motionless in midair as if some invisible force had seized control of them.
"What's happening?"
"Why aren't the bullets moving?"
Someone gasped. "He must be a Devil Fruit user!"
The navy soldiers, more experienced with such phenomena, quickly recognized the signs. After all, in Marine Headquarters, Devil Fruit abilities were hardly rare. Over time, they had grown accustomed to such strange and terrifying powers.
Liam Ross, watching from a distance, furrowed his brows. "Magnetic powers? Don't tell me... that's the Magnet-Magnet Fruit?"
He recalled, two decades in the future, another pirate named Kid who wielded the same ability. But wasn't it said that when a Devil Fruit user died, their fruit would reincarnate somewhere in the sea, waiting for a new host?
Could it be... like father and son passing down the same legacy?
Liam shook his head. "That's too ridiculous," he murmured, unable to make sense of it.
Back on the field, all eyes were on Eustace. With a faint smirk, he raised his hand, magnetic energy crackling around him. The bullets suspended before him trembled.
A low hum reverberated through the air.
Then, all at once, the bullets shot backward like a storm of iron hail hurtling straight toward the kingdom's soldiers atop the city walls.
They didn't even have time to react.
The bullets ripped through armor and flesh alike, leaving trails of blood in their wake. Soldiers screamed and fell one after another, their eyes wide with shock and terror.
"Ahhhh!"
"Help—!"
The air filled with the sound of gunfire, screams, and collapsing bodies.
Those still standing trembled as they watched their comrades die beside them. Fear spread like wildfire through the ranks.
Above them, King Moriah stood between two bodyguards, surveying the slaughter below. His soldiers lay broken and bleeding, yet his expression remained cold, almost indifferent. To him, they were nothing but ants disposable tools of war.
Still, his hatred for Eustace flared brighter than ever. His face twisted into something grotesque as he bellowed, "Eustace! You usurper! I swear, upon my honor as King Moriah III, I will see you captured, paraded before my people, and flayed alive beneath the city gates!"
Eustace merely chuckled. "Then let's see if you can, Your Majesty."
"You—!" The king's voice cracked with fury. "Fire! Kill these filthy rebels! Leave none alive!"
The royal soldiers obeyed without hesitation, raising their rifles and unleashing a rain of bullets toward the rebels below.
"Ratatatatat!"
"Charge!" someone from the rebel ranks roared back. "For freedom! Take the capital!"
Both sides clashed in chaos and fire.
The rebels surged forward like wolves, fearless and furious, scaling the city walls despite the relentless gunfire.
"Bokdor!" the king shouted to one of his guards. "Kill Eustace!"
The guard a broad-shouldered knight in steel armor nodded silently. Drawing his blade, he fixed his eyes on Eustace like a hawk sighting its prey.
With a single step, Bokdor leapt from the wall, his sword slicing through the air.
A blinding arc of sword energy tore toward Eustace.
Liam recognized the name instantly. Bokdor the strongest swordsman in the Moriah Kingdom, famed as the First Sword.
Seeing that lethal strike approach, Eustace didn't dare take it lightly. He raised his right hand, magnetic energy flaring.
The surrounding metal armor shards, blades, fragments of weapons lifted into the air, whirling together into a massive mechanical arm.
"Clang!"
The giant arm met the sword energy head-on, sparks flying as the ground trembled beneath them.
Bokdor's eyes narrowed. "You think that'll save you?"
He swung again, faster this time. "Raging Blade Dance!"
Dozens of slashes shot through the air like a storm of petals beautiful and deadly, a rose of steel and blood.
Eustace charged forward through the chaos, raising his colossal arm. "Magnetic Cannon!"
The giant arm glowed red, power surging through it, before crashing down with earth-shattering force.
"BOOM!"
The shockwave swallowed Bokdor's attack and smashed straight into the knight's chest.
"Urgh!" Bokdor spat a jet of blood, his body sent flying like a broken arrow. He crashed into the city wall, leaving behind a deep crater.
Eustace didn't pause. He swung his mechanical arm again, charging straight for the king.
"Ahhh—! He's coming! Kill him! Kill him!"
King Moriah's face turned pale as death. His voice trembled as he screamed for help.
"Fire the cannons!"
Explosions thundered as shells tore through the air, aimed directly at Eustace.
But he didn't flinch. Raising his left hand, he unleashed a wave of magnetic force that shimmered like violet lightning.
"Boom! Boom!"
The cannonballs detonated midair, bursting into clouds of smoke and flame.
Eustace strode through the rising smoke, eyes cold and sharp as blades. He looked up at the trembling king atop the ruins and smiled.
The next instant, he slammed his massive arm into the wall.
"CRACK!"
The ground split beneath the force. The sturdy stone crumbled, fractures spreading outward like spiderwebs until the entire wall gave way.
With a thunderous crash, it collapsed.
"Ahhhh!"
King Moriah fell with it, screaming in terror. He hit the ground hard, rolling over in the dirt, his crown tumbling away.
"Eustace!" he gasped, trembling. "You can't kill me! I've joined the World Alliance if you kill me, the World Government will hunt you down!"
Eustace's expression remained cold. "You don't deserve to rule this kingdom."
He raised his arm. "So die."
The massive fist came down.
But before it struck
A black shadow blurred through the smoke.
"BANG!"
The blow stopped dead in its tracks.
A man stood between them, tall and broad, a cigarette glowing between his lips. His expression was calm, his eyes sharp as steel.
"Eustace," he said evenly. "The World Government will not tolerate extremists who threaten the peace."
He exhaled a thin stream of smoke. "By order of the Marines, I'm here to arrest you."
It was Vice Admiral Onigumo the Spider of Justice himself.
And for the first time, even Eustace's smirk began to fade.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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