Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Investigation and Gaji (Request for Continued Reading!)

Roa was sparring with Dylan.

Although he could continuously grow stronger simply by relying on black energy, that only increased his base stats. To truly learn how to fight, he had to practice in person. Therefore, Roa, who was idle most of the time, dedicated enough hours every day to honing his techniques and Haki.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sword scabbard, wrapped in Haki, collided repeatedly with Dylan’s pitch-black hand blades, producing sounds like metal striking metal. As for why he used the scabbard instead of drawing his blade, it was because the Tiger Soul, having evolved to its absolute peak, was far too sharp; even Dylan’s Armament Haki could not withstand its edge. He would be drained dry.

"That's enough for a warm-up. Give it your all, Dylan," Roa said casually while effortlessly parrying Dylan's attacks. His own strength was far greater than Dylan's, and even Dylan's advantage in Haki could not bridge that gap.

"Yes, Lord Roa!"

Dylan raised his right hand. Suddenly, invisible ripples began to emerge from his pitch-black fist. This was a technique that involved circulating Haki from other parts of the body to concentrate it into a single point for an attack. Compared to simple hardening, this technique possessed much greater explosive power and the ability to project Haki outward to form shockwaves. Roa didn't know much about this particular application of Haki, having only relayed the theory he remembered from the original story—taught by Old Man Hyo to Luffy—but he had successfully helped Dylan master it. However, he was still far from the higher realm of internal destruction.

The power of flowing Armament Haki was quite staggering; when Dylan attacked again, Roa had to take it seriously.

While Roa and Dylan were busy clashing, Doflamingo watched from the shadows of the deck. This guy named Roa was only four years older than him, yet he was an unimaginable monster! There were over a hundred of those so-called puppets on the ship—the very things that had left Doflamingo completely helpless. Just thinking about how immense that power was made Doflamingo’s scalp tingle. As for Roa himself, he didn't even dare to contemplate him.

Doflamingo could never forget the moment of terror he had experienced before. That despair and fear, like a tsunami, were deeply carved into the depths of his body, and every time he recalled it, he would tremble all over. He couldn't resist him. Having gained power and reclaimed the arrogance of a Celestial Dragon, Doflamingo颓然 admitted this fact. Even the mere thought of resisting Roa made him break out in a cold sweat. In front of that monster, he was simply too insignificant.

"What are you daydreaming about?"

A merciless fist swung toward his face. Doflamingo was sent flying, crashing heavily into the cabin.

"Ugh!"

His body was in intense pain, but Doflamingo only dared to let out a muffled grunt. He immediately scrambled up, picked up the dumbbells on the floor, and began training in silence without uttering a word.

"Remember!"

Barrett let out a cold snort. "Since Lord Roa let you join, you must never bring him shame! Even if you train until you die, you must forge yourself into a powerhouse! If you can't do that, I will strangle you with my own hands!"

This guy was too weak! Although he was a Devil Fruit user and had awakened Conqueror's Haki, his physical condition was inferior even to the boy soldiers of the same age in the Kingdom of Endless War! Without physical fitness as a foundation, his abilities and Haki were nothing more than castles in the air. The only thing this guy needed to do right now was train! To train with the determination that if he didn't die from it, he would train until he did!

Facing Barrett’s bullying, Doflamingo remained silent. This guy, too, was a powerhouse he could never hope to contend with!

*Just you wait!* Doflamingo vowed to himself. *When I become strong enough, you'll all see! Roa... Barrett! You just wait!*

The ship was a hive of intense activity that day.

A few days later, in the North Blue, in the capital of the Samir Kingdom, the war had reached its climax.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Artillery roared and the earth shook. The sturdy city walls were becoming precarious under the continuous bombardment. Before the walls could collapse, a deafening explosion shattered the city gates into the sky. Like a tide, soldiers stormed into the city. In an instant, gunfire erupted, and the defenders retreated step by step. With the fall of the gates, the entire city descended into absolute chaos. Some citizens hid in their homes, families huddled together, praying silently to the gods. Others fled in a panic with their families, only to find in despair that the roads were completely blocked by others with the same idea.

"The feeling of home!" Roa stood on top of a building near the palace in the city center, breathing in the air with intoxication. "War is truly the best thing!"

"..." Doflamingo said nothing. A madman! He already knew that human suffering was Roa's nourishment. For this reason, Roa had even kept a group of pirates in the hold of the ship as supplies during the voyage. Upon learning this, Doflamingo couldn't help but feel his scalp tingle with fear once again. Was he truly human? He must be some kind of monster wearing human skin.

"However, Lord Roa, we really came to the right place." Dylan carefully observed the two sides exchanging heavy fire in the square below, with the high walls of the palace as the dividing line. "The Germa Kingdom is far more powerful than the average nation in the sea, both in terms of weaponry and soldier quality!"

Especially the equipment. While the kingdom's army was still using flintlocks, the invading Germa Kingdom's troops were already equipped with rifled muskets, complemented by howitzers, rocket launchers, and heavy machine guns. The firepower of the two sides was simply not on the same level.

"Right?" Roa smiled. "Vinsmoke can become the cornerstone of the company. However, soldiers and weapons are not the point—" Roa looked down. "Oh! The main event is here!"

A tall man with wild blond hair similar to Shiki's strode forward, guarded by a group of soldiers. He wore a peculiar combat suit and held a long spear that flickered with electricity.

"Let me cut off the king's head to herald the revival of Germa!"

The man raised the spear in his hand and threw it with all his might toward the palace gates.

*Swoosh!*

The spear of thunder pierced the sky like a meteor, jumping with electric arcs as it punched straight through the heavy palace gates. The defenders' line completely collapsed, and Germa Kingdom soldiers swarmed into the palace.

"Lay down your weapons if you don't want to die!" roared the man—Vinsmoke Judge, the current King of the Germa Kingdom. The soldiers guarding the palace finally fell into total despair, their weapons clattering to the ground.

"Still too slow." Judge was quite dissatisfied. It had taken him nearly a month to conquer such a weak nation! It wasn't enough. Germa's strength was still far from sufficient! With power like this, how could he talk about recreating the glory of his ancestors and turning the North Blue into the "Vinsmoke Sea"? The Raid Suits needed further iteration, and the project to create genetically modified super-soldiers had to be prioritized!

Just as he was thinking this, his vision blurred.

"I've heard so much about you! Mr. Judge!" A young man suddenly appeared before him, shaking his hand enthusiastically. "Welcome to my team! From today on, you are the Director of the Company's Research Department!"

Judge was bewildered. *Who is this?*