“Why should I relinquish something I acquired through my own merit?”

As soon as he spoke, the entire room was enveloped in silence.

All eyes were fixed upon Rhodes in disbelief.

This young man, having emerged from the rags, dared to confront Talon head-on, a representative of the Donquixote Family!

Even Soros was taken aback.

Rhodes’s sword had inflicted a heavy blow on a Sea King, leaving Soros deeply shocked, and his mysterious background made Soros consider allying with him; however, the Donquixote, or rather, Doflamingo, was a true big shot.

In the world of pirates, the Donquixote Family is ranked second only to the Four Emperors. In fact, due to Doflamingo’s special unknown status, the family held sway with the World Government and wielded influence throughout the world, particularly in chaotic places like Saboady.

Even the common folk, were filled with trepidation and dared not get involved in this incident, a testament to the family’s power.

Talon’s eyebrows arched as his eyes shone with a cold light.

The incident with Gates was merely a robbery, a routine operation for them.

But Rhodes’s words were a true slap in the face.

Not just to Talon, but to the reputation of the Donquixote Family as well!

“Os, Odin, both of you, go and take care of this arrogant brat.”

As soon as he spoke, two men jumped out from behind him, both dressed in rough animal skins and wielding large swords.

These two men were the Donquixote Family’s elites, Os and Odin.

One man brandished a long sword, while the other wielded a giant sword, both clearly adept at utilizing raw strength.

“This brat can be taken down by me alone. Boss, what’s the point of calling us both out?” one of the men groused.

“He committed a taboo. Whoever deals with him first will be generously rewarded,” Talon said coolly.

Os and Odin exchanged glances before leering at Rhodes with malevolent intent, cackling grotesquely, “Such a comely little white face, is far superior to the ones back home. Brothers, we can truly savor this moment…”

Yet they didn’t finish their sentence.

With a “swish,” a bolt of lightning shot by in front of them. It shone brilliantly, yet was gone in an instant. Many people thought it was an illusion and were left confused.

But then Os and Odin both shuddered.

A wound on their neck rapidly spread, spewing out gouts of blood.

The two men looked terrified and instinctively reached for their necks.

But before their hands could even move, their heads had already tumbled from their bodies.

Blood was sprayed everywhere.

The entire field fell silent.

Everyone stared at the young man in white, who seemed to have barely moved, and saw him say with some delight, “As expected of a great-grade sword, it’s fast and sharp as advertised.”

He held the sword in his hand and scrutinized it closely, not missing a single detail or grain.

The more he looked, the more excited he became.

Aranakiri appeared to be inherently attuned to the power of thunder, and in its transmission, was clearly far superior to the former fine long sword.

The speed of that sword just now was not only due to Aranakiri’s own strength but also due to the enhancement of lightning that Rhodes’ channeled through its blade.

With a snap of his finger, a crisp hum emanated from the sapphire sword, its surface emitting a faint glow and eliciting a feeling of joy within those present.

While Aranakiri was pleased, on the opposite side, Talon and the others were filled with dread, their scalps were tingling and their backs chilled.

Talon, in particular.

Os and Odin had barely taken two steps when they were suddenly killed.

As the two heads landed, they faced Talon, their gazes fixed upon him as if silently accusing him, nearly causing Talon’s soul to flee his body.

He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and was about to utilize the Donquixote Family’s reputation to intimidate Rhodes, yet he suddenly noticed that the latter seemed to be ignoring him. This caused his heart to skip a beat, and he quickly silenced himself.

Talon, with his vast experience, knew that this territory belonged to the Donquixote Family, and the current situation was likely already known to the higher-ups.

When the main force arrives, this presumptuous youth, Rhodes, will not be spared!

Talon returned to his senses, his thoughts wicked as he absorbed the scene before him.

And so, the atmosphere abruptly calmed.

Rhodes carelessly examined his new sword, exuding an air of ease and relaxation.

Talon, meanwhile, hung his head low, effectively concealing the malice in his eyes as he waited patiently for backup.

Time ticked away, one minute, one second.

However, events did not unfold as Talon had imagined. Before Diamante could arrive, Rhodes sheathed his sword with a loud clang, called out to Soros, and began walking toward the edge of the crowd as if to leave.

Talon’s brow furrowed. He calculated the time and believed Diamante should arrive soon, so his confidence soared. He approached Rhodes, stopping several dozen meters away, and shouted, “Do you really think you can just walk away so easily after disrespecting the Donquixote Family?!”

His demeanor was arrogant and his tone haughty, but speaking from such a distance did not carry much conviction. Even the passersby couldn’t bear to watch and secretly chuckled.

“What…did he say?”

Halfway through the sentence, Talon’s vision suddenly blurred, and he saw the figure in the distance fade away. Then, on his neck, a deep blue sword blade suddenly appeared.

The piercing sharpness made Talon feel a chill down his spine as if he were about to join Os and Odin in the next moment, even without actually being touched by the blade.

“…?”

Talon swallowed and opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing the enigmatic expression on Rhodes’s face, he didn’t manage to say anything.

For he perceived that the youth before him was a veritable madman, unafraid of heaven or earth. If he dared utter a single false word, it was likely that he would meet his demise in the next instant.

Just as he was drenched in the cold sweat, feeling as though the days stretched on interminably, a distant, icy voice emitted, carrying a commanding tone.

“Brat, if you have the guts, cut me down with that sword and let me see your mettle.”

Upon hearing this familiar voice, Talon’s countenance shook violently, and he straightened himself haughtily:

“That’s right, I’ll stand here motionless and I dare you to slice…”

Splat!

A head flew up.

Blood spattered everywhere.

Rhodes fell back, avoiding the splattered blood, and shook his head lightly, stating:

“I’ve never heard such a strange request before.”

“You’re Diamante, right?!”

Rhodes gazed at the sword-wielding man in the red cloak who had just arrived.

This individual was none other than the highest-ranking member of the Donquixote Family, Diamante, a Paramecia Devil Fruit user!

He had the ability to transform any object he touched, from stones to steel, and even his own body, into a soft, cloth-like form.

His garments were all made of extremely sturdy special steel, and although they appeared to be cloth, they were in reality highly resilient and possessed an unbelievable defensive power.