Gillian-class Menos possessed almost no intelligence and acted largely on instinct.
Once a Gillian evolved further, however, it began developing a mind of its own.
Cyrus had never seen another Menos in this world, so he had no proper point of comparison and could not judge whether the creature before him was strong or weak by the standards of its own kind.
Compared with Cyrus himself, though, it was pathetically weak.
After silencing its scream, Cyrus kept one foot planted on its neck and stared directly into the eyes behind its mask.
The Menos met his gaze, saw the look on his face, and managed a stiff nod.
"Good. You get to live."
Satisfied, Cyrus stepped off its neck.
If it could understand speech, then it had considerable value.
The place it came from had already vanished, but a Menos could sense spiritual particles.
If another location connected to the world of the Soul Reapers, this creature could serve as a living compass.
Cyrus studied its enormous body again and frowned.
Then he raised one hand.
The Menos tried to retreat, but it was far too slow.
Several sharp cracks followed as Cyrus tore away most of the bone covering its head.
Its presence weakened further, and its gigantic body rapidly shrank.
Cyrus tossed the bone fragments aside and watched the creature contract from dozens of metres long to barely more than one.
It lay almost completely motionless.
Had the skeletal arms across its body not continued twitching faintly, Cyrus might have wondered whether he had gone too far.
"Send someone here to collect a few things."
A response immediately sounded in his ear.
The Hunter Guild's surveillance Den Den Mushi had captured everything that happened, so the observers naturally understood what he wanted.
A team of Hunters soon arrived.
"Gather these."
Cyrus pointed toward the bone fragments he had torn away.
"Then deliver them to Vegapunk."
"Yes, Chairman!"
The Hunters immediately began collecting them.
"Chairman, someone has already reached the final area."
Crocodile's voice sounded in Cyrus's ear.
"It's one of the candidates we were instructed to watch. Should the Hunters guarding the tower go easy on them?"
That was the real reason he had contacted Cyrus.
"Have them fight properly. If it's someone on our list, apply enough pressure to test them, then let them continue."
"Understood."
Crocodile ended the call.
Cyrus looked into the distance.
Several circular towers rose prominently far away, marking the final destination for the candidates.
This exam was primarily meant to judge both current strength and future potential.
The participants varied enormously.
Some were older and already powerful, while others were barely more than children but possessed far greater talent.
Treating them differently was unavoidable.
The Hunter Guild worked quickly.
The weakened Menos and every scattered bone fragment were soon packed up and transported away.
Cyrus turned toward the entrance of the circular arena.
Two heads cautiously poked out from opposite sides.
Only after confirming that the Hunters had left did Law and Bepo step inside.
"Have you come to challenge me?" Cyrus asked as they approached.
Law and Bepo nearly stumbled.
Challenge Cyrus?
What kind of lunatic would do that?
An awkward smile appeared on Law's face before his expression became serious.
"I came to make a deal with Chairman Cyrus."
He drew a deep breath as he approached.
"A deal? Let's hear it."
"It concerns Doflamingo."
Law's voice hardened.
"Go on."
Cyrus raised his chin, then sat upon the stone chair on the elevated platform.
Law looked up at him.
His lowered hand tightened into a fist as he gathered his resolve.
"You've probably heard of the Op-Op Fruit."
He slowly exhaled and revealed what he considered his greatest secret.
"I have. The Devil Fruit valued at five billion Berries."
Cyrus nodded with a smile.
He already knew what Law intended to offer.
"This fruit can grant eternal youth."
Law stared directly at him.
"I'll pay that price if you kill Doflamingo for me. For someone like you, it wouldn't be difficult."
"It wouldn't."
Cyrus nodded.
"Then you agree?"
Delight flashed across Law's face.
"Something being easy doesn't mean I've agreed to do it."
Cyrus immediately shook his head.
"But this is eternal life!"
Law's eyes widened.
It was a dream pursued by nearly everyone, especially the great powers of the world.
"I don't need it right now."
Cyrus shook his head again.
He did not know the limit of his own lifespan. It might already be extraordinarily long.
The people around him could certainly make use of the ability, though.
And with the Dark-Dark Fruit, the Op-Op Fruit could potentially be used to create more than one eternally youthful person.
Cyrus could even consume the fruit himself and perform the operation personally.
"Doflamingo has been hunting me for years," Law said with a frown. "The fruit originally belonged to him. If you refuse, it may eventually fall back into his hands."
Law understood that Cyrus was young and might not care much about his lifespan yet.
But he refused to believe Cyrus would willingly allow such an opportunity to disappear.
"Then defeat him yourself. You still have time."
Cyrus waved dismissively.
"Go continue the exam. Eternal youth isn't the only thing the Op-Op Fruit can provide. Its abilities are useful for far more than that."
As the conflict with the World Government intensified, many people would inevitably be wounded or crippled.
The Op-Op Fruit was not merely capable of granting eternal youth. It offered medical abilities so extraordinary they were practically unfair.
"Earn enough merit, and you can ask powerful people to train you—or hire someone strong enough to deal with Doflamingo."
"That could work."
Law considered Cyrus's words and knew they were reasonable.
He understood better than anyone what he could accomplish with the Op-Op Fruit. There were few illnesses or injuries beyond his ability to treat.
"But Doflamingo is here too. He may join the Hunter Guild."
If Doflamingo entered the organization and even rose into its leadership, what chance would Law have then?
"He'd have to be capable of that first."
Cyrus smiled without explaining and waved them away.
Law could only leave with Bepo.
Still, he understood the implication.
Doflamingo would not succeed in joining the Hunter Guild this time.
Cyrus also found that group remarkably reckless.
Mihawk was anything but an easy opponent.
Even with everyone Moria had gathered and Doflamingo's own forces, only Doflamingo and Kuma could somewhat resist Mihawk's attacks.
And even they could merely hold out for a while.
Whenever the world's greatest swordsman swung Yoru, no one wanted to test the blade directly.
Worse, Mihawk had truly mastered Conqueror's coating and incorporated it into his own swordsmanship, developing a method suited perfectly to his style.
Despite having two users of Conqueror's Haki among them, the challengers had not managed a single clash of wills.
Mihawk was chasing the entire group around the arena.
In only a short exchange, some had fallen, others had fled, and the rest were desperately struggling to survive.
'The Paw-Paw Fruit really is powerful.'
Cyrus followed the battle with Observation Haki.
Kuma, however, was an officer of the Revolutionary Army.
Cyrus shook his head.
The Paw-Paw Fruit was indeed exceptional, but it would not improve his own strength by much.
And even if someone else consumed it, they might never become as powerful as Kuma.
Kuma had developed the fruit to the point where it touched upon abstract rules.
He could repel almost anything, whether physical or intangible.
Even so, he was still forced to dodge Mihawk's slashes, and several wounds already marked his body.
He could not completely deflect them.
"Hm?"
Cyrus suddenly raised an eyebrow, curiosity appearing on his face.
Ace and Luffy had run directly into the circular arena guarded by Dragon.
The crowd chasing them slammed on the brakes and stopped outside.
The challenge arenas were not hidden. In fact, they were deliberately made easy to find.
Very few people genuinely wanted to enter one.
From outside the gate, the pursuers could clearly see the grim-faced man with the shoeprint tattoo waiting inside.
Gulp.
"Are we still chasing them?"
"Chasing them where? Do you plan to challenge that man? He's the leader of the Revolutionary Army."
Even those who had never seen Dragon knew his reputation.
Before Cyrus appeared, the World Government had declared him the world's worst criminal.
That title alone was enough to make most people hesitate.
They did not dare enter, but that did not mean they had to leave immediately.
Those two little bastards certainly could not defeat the Revolutionary Army's leader.
If they were capable of that, they would not have been fleeing from the crowd in the first place.
Then Luffy shouted something that left everyone frozen as though Hancock had struck them with the Love-Love Fruit.
"Dad! I came to find you!"
The entire area fell silent.
"Dad?"
That little bastard was Dragon's son?
People swallowed nervously.
The moment they recovered, several began quietly backing away.
Whoosh!
A violent gale swept through them.
Every one of the capable fighters outside was hurled into the distance and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"You…"
Dragon turned toward Luffy after dealing with them.
But when he saw his son's excited expression, his lips moved without producing any words.
Finally, he raised a hand and pointed behind himself.
"Go on. See whether you can make it through. I'll find you once the exam is over."
Luffy had been preparing to say something, but he immediately nodded and dragged Ace away.
Ace smiled at Dragon as Luffy pulled him along.
Dragon watched them leave and scratched his cheek.
"What's wrong? Don't know how to speak to your own son?"
Dragon had been lost in thought when Cyrus's voice suddenly sounded.
He turned sharply.
Cyrus had appeared beside him at some point and was now studying him with open curiosity.
"By all rights, I should beat you senseless."
Dragon spoke grimly.
"Go ahead. I'd like to test the strength of the Revolutionary Army's leader."
Cyrus immediately brightened.
"I said by all rights."
Dragon waved the idea away at once.
What a joke.
Had he been capable of defeating Cyrus, he would have attacked the moment he learned Cyrus had dragged Luffy away from East Blue.
"That child…"
Dragon looked at Cyrus.
"Right. I nearly forgot about him."
Cyrus slapped his forehead as though suddenly remembering something.
His body transformed into flames and vanished.
Dragon stared at the empty space where he had stood, the corner of his mouth twitching violently as he clenched his teeth.
Why had that bastard come here in the first place?
…
"Let's go!"
Luffy and Ace stared toward the distant towers and charged ahead.
"I'm definitely reaching it first this time, Ace! There's no way you'll beat me again!"
Luffy shouted as he ran, utterly convinced victory was his.
He waited for Ace's reply.
None came.
Luffy looked over his shoulder, his face going blank.
He had been airborne when he turned around. The shock made him lose his balance, and he flailed helplessly before crashing onto the ground.
"Ace?"
Luffy climbed back up, looking utterly confused.
Ace had been right behind him.
Where had he gone?
Luffy scratched his head and was about to retrace his steps when a grotesque smiling mask emerged from the bushes behind him.
"Huh?"
Luffy jumped.
"Smiling Freak!"
"Did you take Ace?"
His first instinct was to run, but the thought of Ace made him stop.
The stranger did not answer.
He moved as though gliding across the ground and appeared in front of Luffy in an instant.
Luffy grabbed both sides of his waist and pulled, bending his body sharply backward.
A long, narrow sword stabbed through the space where he had been.
"Gum-Gum…!"
After avoiding the thrust, Luffy drew both fists back and unleashed a storm of punches.
Countless afterimages filled the air.
"Hee-hee-hee!"
The smiling swordsman moved his thin blade, deflecting every incoming fist without apparent difficulty.
"Gear Second!"
Seeing his punches fail, Luffy pulled his arms back and prepared to advance to the next stage.
His skin flushed red as his blood accelerated, rapidly raising his body temperature.
White steam rose around him.
The swordsman showed no concern and charged directly at him.
Bang!
Just as Luffy prepared to attack, someone suddenly appeared and drove a fist into the swordsman's head.
The man who had moved so quickly only moments before was sent sliding toward Luffy and stopped at his feet.
"Ace is fine."
Dragon lowered his fist.
"Huh? Where did he go?"
Luffy immediately asked.
"Someone took him to meet another person."
Dragon turned and pointed in a particular direction.
"Oh!"
Luffy looked where he indicated and sprinted away without another question.
Dragon watched his reckless son leave and shook his head helplessly.
Then he looked down at the young swordsman lying unconscious like a sleeping infant.
"Dragon, you aren't allowed to attack candidates outside your assigned arena whenever you please."
Sand gathered nearby, forming Crocodile in front of him.
"The rules were created by your Guild, weren't they?"
Dragon was unsurprised by Crocodile's appearance.
He knew surveillance Den Den Mushi covered the entire examination ground.
"This is someone Chairman Cyrus specifically told us to watch."
Crocodile pointed toward the unconscious young man.
"He's certainly strong. You can tell he has considerable talent. With enough time, he may become a great swordsman."
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