One Piece : From Slave to Fleet Admiral Chapter 3 3

A soft, yet remarkably gentle golden luminescence sliced through the surrounding gloom.

The delicate chime of silver bells then resonated, immediately followed by the warmth of blood being spattered.

"Judgment Hammer Strike!"

A powerful strike cascaded from above, its brilliance unfurling like a blooming flower of hope within the desolate dungeon!

The light poured downwards, enfolding the entire prison in a tranquil radiance.

Beneath this glow stood Jake, his form exuding an aura of pure sanctity.

A subtle flicker crossed his faint golden irises as he observed Monet on the verge of being struck by Bell's retaliatory blow.

With a single, swift movement, spatial distortions shimmered in his wake.

Monet's vision swam briefly—and then she found herself safely positioned on the ground.

Now standing between Monet and the danger was Jake, having just activated the Priest Character Trial Card!

In this moment, Jake was bathed in Holy Light, a faint, serene expression gracing his features as he regarded his own transformed state.

Behind him, Bell, whose left arm had been severed and was now consumed by unbridled fury, stood reeling.

The sharp agony seemed to have completely overwhelmed Bell's capacity for rational thought.

Confronted by an adversary capable of cleaving his arm with a single blow, Bell let out a furious roar, hefted his greatsword, and charged forward with utter recklessness.

However, Jake did not even spare him a glance.

With a casual flick of his hand, an incredibly potent sphere of pure light erupted outwards, obliterating Bell's entire form into a smoldering ruin.

Every drop of blood and grime appeared to possess an awareness of its own, meticulously avoiding both Jake and Monet.

Observing this dramatic turn of events, Monet gazed at Jake, her eyes overflowing with an emotion too profound for words.

Before Monet could utter a single syllable, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from behind, their owners revealed to be pirates with contorted faces, illuminated by the erratic flicker of torches.

"Bell's down? Damn slaves! Causing trouble at a time like this—if the master learns of this, we'll all face death! Hurry! Secure these wretched souls before he arrives!"

At the directive of a gaunt elderly man, the battle-worn pirates advanced in a furious swarm.

They brandished their weapons without a second thought, their visages twisted with malice as they confronted the enslaved individuals.

Within this grim place, inflicting harm upon a few of the slaves was of no consequence to them.

Upon witnessing their aggression, the old man's apprehension lessened somewhat.

As long as the situation was contained before the master's arrival, a few deceased slaves would be a negligible issue.

But in the very next instant, an overwhelming cascade of radiance coalesced into a formidable barrier, ruthlessly obliterating all opposition in its path.

Before the elder could even process the unfolding chaos, every charging pirate was flattened against the ground by the luminous wave, instantly annihilated without any possibility of defense.

The architect of this devastating display now pressed a tarnished dagger, still faintly shimmering with golden light, against the old man's throat.

Gripped by terror from the dagger's decrepit yet captivating gleam, the old man's legs faltered, his face bathed in a sheen of cold sweat.

With a smile more akin to a pitiful grimace than any genuine amusement, he directed his desperate gaze towards Jake, his expression one of utter supplication.

"L-lord, if we have caused offense, please accept our most sincere apologies. It was never our intention to provoke someone of your immense power. There must be some grave misunderstanding. Should you wish to depart, we shall readily procure the finest vessel for your journey, complete with the most reliable log pose and detailed charts. T-this is Joker's territory, belonging to Doflamingo. We implore you... please, just leave."

The elder's proposition was skillfully constructed—addressing Jake's immediate requirements while subtly embedding a veiled menace.

This was Doflamingo's domain, after all.

Should he desire to circumvent any repercussions, his wisest course of action would be to depart promptly.

Typically, such an offer would be readily accepted by most individuals, and Jake was no exception to this general rule.

However, upon observing the desperate pleas in the eyes of the slaves positioned behind him, Jake resolved to offer them some assistance—at the very least, a chance to secure their escape.

Yet, just as Jake turned his head, the old man swiftly produced a pistol concealed within his pocket.

The acrid scent of gunpowder filled the air as the projectile launched with fierce intent towards Jake.

As the bullet sped towards him, a subtle golden aura flickered momentarily across Jake's form.

In the subsequent moment, the projectile was repelled by an unseen force, veering off course to embed itself in the darkness beyond the old man.

The old man's face contorted in stark terror as he cried out to the surrounding pirates, his voice nearly a sob.

"No! It wasn't me! I didn't intend to fire the weapon!"

Simultaneously, a chilling and deranged laughter echoed from the space behind him.

"Fufufufufu! What a delightfully unexpected turn of events! While the North Blue serves as my dominion, I seldom venture into these remote corners. Little did I imagine that on a whim for a patrol today, I would stumble upon such an amusing spectacle! I shall extend a single opportunity to you—pledge your allegiance to the Donquixote Family, become one of my own, and I shall overlook this flagrant insolence. I might even grant freedom to all these wretched slaves."

Before Doflamingo could complete his pronouncement, the mere initial words caused Jake's brow to furrow in displeasure.

In a sudden flash, a blindingly brilliant light erupted forth!

His extraordinary power, however, was destined to endure for a mere five minutes.

Even if he were to accept Doflamingo's proposition at this juncture, the moment the latter perceived his lack of true worth, his word could easily be retracted.

Furthermore, his actual ability was of an exceptional nature—it was not a Devil Fruit power whatsoever.

He harbored no inclination to forge a close relationship with an individual like Doflamingo.

In that fleeting moment, an oppressive force of a deep violet hue materialized from an unknown source, bearing down with immense weight upon Doflamingo.

This was a standard technique employed by the Priests—the Sin Eater's signature move, the "Burden of Sin"!

As the terrifying pressure assaulted him, Doflamingo's lips curved into a subtle grimace.

The sheer might of this assault surpassed his projections by a significant margin!

Curses! This wretch's formidable power was undeniably on par with his own!

What manner of Devil Fruit abilities could this be?!

First, he manifested a luminous shield, and now, an exertion of power resembling gravitational control!

Could it be some obscure Mythical Zoan variant?!

How could a person of such caliber possibly be apprehended by those worthless underlings? There is a definite anomaly at play!

Could this be an agent of CP? Or perhaps a subordinate of Kaido?!