Although King Taklama wore a golden mask, the gaze he directed at Dragon from beneath it was fervent. Initially, he had considered sparing Dragon out of reluctance to provoke Garp. But now, his thoughts had changed!
Here was a Logia-type ability user—what could be a more superior slave? He wanted to turn Dragon into his slave, his pet. For this, he was more than willing to incur Garp's eternal enmity. After all, the allure of a Logia-type ability was simply too irresistible.
Moreover, after this battle, he planned to disappear into the shadows once more, retreating into the dark world. All he had to do was avoid Garp and ensure he wasn't found, right?
These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.
King Taklama swung his golden scepter with force, creating a terrifying sonic boom as it tore through the air. Wrapped in an invisible layer of Armament Haki, the scepter shot straight toward Dragon's back.
"Ryusoken!"
Dragon reacted swiftly to the impending threat. His right hand transformed into a claw, coated in a dark hue, and he forcefully intercepted the ferocious strike.
Clang————
The clash of claw and scepter sent shockwaves rippling through the air, dispersing the swirling sand around them. Dragon and King Taklama emerged into the view of everyone present.
Before anyone could act, Dragon was sent flying by the impact, crashing heavily onto the deck of a nearby warship. Fortunately, his Elementalization ability prevented further damage, as his body dissolved into a gust of wind before reforming into his human shape.
"Such powerful Armament Haki!"
Dragon's cold eyes locked onto King Taklama, who stood mid-air, his feet resting on a swirling mass of yellow sand. That single strike had made Dragon acutely aware of the gap between their strengths.
While King Taklama's Armament Haki wasn't overwhelmingly superior, it was still a notch above his own. However, Dragon had already prepared himself for this. After all, the man before him was the Slave King of the dark world. It would have been strange if he didn't possess such strength.
But so what?
Whoosh————
Dragon's body trembled as a whirlwind enveloped him. Transforming into a streak of green light, he charged forward with unrelenting force.
Naturally, King Taklama had no intention of backing down. His golden scepter, now hardened with a layer of black Armament Haki, was wielded with masterful precision, sending arcs of dark energy through the air. More sand surged from beneath his feet, rushing to meet Dragon's attack.
The green whirlwind collided once more with the yellow sand, but now they were merely a dazzling backdrop. The true focus was the flurry of claw strikes and scepter blows exchanged between the two combatants.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The chaotic clashing of metal echoed across the skies of Sabac. Each collision produced a sonic boom that reverberated through the area, visible shockwaves rippling through the air like water.
Amid the intense battle, there was no time for words, but King Taklama couldn't help but admire Dragon's martial prowess.
He thought to himself, Truly, he is Garp's son!
The more Dragon excelled in this fight, the more delighted the Slave King became. Initially, he had assumed that Dragon, being only a Rear Admiral, would have little to offer beyond his Logia-type ability. But after just a few exchanges, it was clear that Dragon's strength far surpassed that of a Rear Admiral—he was even stronger than the Vice Admirals King Taklama had encountered in the past.
It's just not enough! You're still far from being able to defeat me, King Taklama thought to himself, laughing wildly. In the next moment, a bright green light emanated from his empty left hand.
Compared to the green whirlwind surrounding Dragon, the green light on his hand appeared even more eerie and unsettling, enough to make anyone frown at a glance.
"Huh?!"
Dragon, who was fully resisting the golden scepter, sensed an impending danger in his consciousness—a warning from his Observation Haki. Without hesitation, he immediately used Elementalization, dispersing into strands of wind and swiftly retreating backward.
In the process of transforming into wind, Dragon also saw the source of the danger—a green ring that flashed past the spot where he had been just a second ago!
"So, your ability is the Paramecia-type Pet-Pet Fruit. The intel was correct," Dragon said with an icy exterior, though he felt a lingering fear inside.
If that ring had caught him, he would have been finished!
Indeed, Armament Haki can counter Devil Fruit abilities, but only if the former's level surpasses the latter's development. Otherwise, the latter's ability will break through and land a hit.
Given the Slave King's current strength, Dragon didn't dare to gamble. From now on, he had to be cautious of those green rings and avoid them at all costs! "Hahahaha!"
Hearing Dragon's words, King Taklama opened his left palm, which was glowing with green light, and let out a maniacal, arrogant laugh.
"Yes, isn't this ability wonderful? It can turn everyone into my slaves! Soon, you'll become my slave too—my best slave!"
Dragon showed no anger at the Slave King's words. Instead, he continued to coldly question, "Then what about your ability to control wind and sand?"
As he spoke, his Observation Haki was also scanning the surroundings, as he suspected that the Slave King might have used the Pet-Pet Fruit to control someone with the ability to manipulate wind and sand.
"That, I'm afraid, is not something I can reveal. After all, as a king, mystery is an essential trait~" King Taklama sneered.
He wasn't some rookie who had just set sail—how could he easily divulge the details of his abilities? Dragon merely snorted in response. He was just testing the waters; after all, there were too many muscle-headed fools in this world.
Huh, why does the image of that idiot father of mine picking his nose pop into my head as soon as this thought arises?
"Enough talk, kid!"
King Taklama was growing impatient. With a gentle wave of his glowing green hand, green rings began to materialize out of thin air behind him, densely occupying a large space. At a glance, there were already over a thousand, and more were still forming.
"Be a good boy and become my slave. I'll treat you well, hahahaha—"
In the next moment, all the rings transformed into green meteors, shooting toward Dragon like a torrential downpour, covering the sky and the earth.
"Wind Dragon's Protection!"
Dragon immediately activated his hurricane ability, and a lifelike wind dragon appeared, swirling around him. The wind dragon then detached and, ten meters ahead, transformed into a surging green wind wall, blocking the path of all the incoming rings.
[Puff, puff, puff]
The seemingly magnificent green tsunami-like wind wall was effortlessly pierced by the rings upon contact, as if it were nothing more than a bubble.
Though it couldn't be said to be as insubstantial as air, it certainly couldn't stop the dense barrage of rings, only managing to slow them down slightly with the force of the wind.
Seeing this, Dragon's expression turned grim, while on the other side, King Taklama burst into laughter, as if he had expected this outcome.
"The contest between Devil Fruit abilities depends on the level of training and development. Although the Logia type is considered the strongest among the three categories, that alone cannot bridge the gap between us!"
"So what? Justice will always triumph over evil. This time, the loser will definitely be you!" Dragon's gaze remained resolute, showing no fear.
Facing the dense, layered assault of rings, he moved with incredible speed, leaving behind afterimages as he focused all his attention on dodging, surrounded by a green whirlwind.
"Justice?"
"What a joke! In this world, there are only masters and slaves. The weak are slaves, the strong are masters, and the strongest is the master of all. And I, Taklama—"
King Taklama raised his royal scepter high, his golden mask gazing up at the blazing sun as he declared his greatest ambition.
"Will become the master of the entire world under the name of the Slave King!!"