Douglas Bullet, the Demon Heir and former member of the Pirate King's crew.
He had probably been among the prisoners the World Government released from Impel Down to cause trouble for Cyrus.
The situation had developed so quickly, however, that Bullet was only now finally reaching him.
Cyrus calmly studied the man standing across the arena, but his indifferent attitude immediately irritated Bullet.
If people had not constantly filled his ears with stories about Cyrus, he would never have gone through so much trouble to find him.
Bullet had initially searched throughout the New World, only to hear halfway through his journey that Cyrus had returned to Sky Island.
He had been forced to turn around, making the trip even more troublesome.
Still, after seeing the gash Cyrus had carved through the Red Line and hearing countless legends about his strength, Bullet became convinced the journey would be worthwhile.
Now he had finally reached the man himself, only for Cyrus to look completely uninterested.
"I'm Douglas Bullet! Don't tell me you've never heard my—"
Black lightning erupted around Bullet as he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.
Before he could finish, Cyrus appeared directly in front of him and pressed a hand against his face.
His palm, hardened with Armament Haki, slammed Bullet headfirst into the stone floor.
Boom!
The entire Sky Island trembled faintly.
"Watch your mouth when you speak to me."
Cyrus kept one hand pressed against Bullet's face, his voice perfectly calm.
Bullet's head rang from the impact, but the moment he heard those words, his entire body tensed and he swung a fist upward.
Cyrus casually stepped back twice, allowing the punch to pass harmlessly before him.
"This trip wasn't a waste!"
Bullet rolled upright and stared at Cyrus with undisguised excitement.
"You really are a worthy opponent."
"A worthy opponent?"
Cyrus laughed.
"What makes you think you're qualified to call yourself my opponent?"
Bullet possessed tremendous talent and strength, along with mastery of all three forms of Haki.
In the events Cyrus remembered, Bullet had beaten Luffy and the other Supernovas like an overly strict father disciplining a group of unruly children.
It had ultimately taken Hancock's explosive kick to break through his defenses and create the opening that led to his defeat.
But that was all.
Had Cyrus met Bullet shortly after first setting sail, he might have been excited simply to encounter someone from the original story.
Now, he barely considered Bullet worth his attention.
"Bastard! Show me some damned respect!"
The dismissive smile on Cyrus's face sent a surge of anger through Bullet.
The moment another insult left his mouth, a foot struck him squarely in the chest and launched him backward.
Cyrus lowered his leg and watched Bullet crash through the arena wall before turning his attention toward one of the other challenge zones.
"Has Shiki really become that weak with age?"
Under the combined attack of three Warlord-level fighters, Golden Lion was clearly beginning to lose ground.
Had his strength truly declined so far?
Cyrus's confusion was understandable. His own power had long since exceeded ordinary standards.
In his eyes, Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Big Mom differed in strength, but not by an especially large margin.
If Cyrus fought any of them himself, none would withstand more than a few serious attacks.
In reality, however, Golden Lion's body was far less monstrous than Whitebeard's or Linlin's.
He had also lost both legs, was considerably older than either of them, and still carried the effects of the severe injury to his head.
His strength had indeed declined greatly.
Meanwhile, the three former Warlords attacking him were hardly weak.
Besides Doflamingo and Kuma, Moria had regained much of his former courage, allowing his strength to recover considerably.
Boom!
Bullet's massive figure charged toward Cyrus once more, his fist coated in both Armament and Conqueror's Haki as he aimed directly for Cyrus's head.
Cyrus raised one hand and caught the punch with ease.
"Hey, I'll give you an opportunity."
Still holding Bullet's furious fist, Cyrus lifted his chin.
"What?"
Bullet answered instinctively, momentarily caught off guard.
Only then did he realize Cyrus had stopped his punch completely. His body reacted on instinct, one leg sweeping toward Cyrus's side.
"See that direction?"
Cyrus lifted his left leg and blocked the kick.
With his free hand, he pointed toward Golden Lion's battlefield.
"Go interfere in that fight and throw those three brats out of the arena."
"Hmph. Beat me first, and—"
Bullet's refusal was cut short when an enormous palm swung toward his face.
Smack!
His eyes rolled back as Cyrus slapped him sideways through the air.
"You really don't learn."
Cyrus shook his head after sending him flying.
"Chairman, Doflamingo and the others appear to have already learned about our declaration of war against the World Government."
Crocodile's voice came through the miniature Den Den Mushi near his ear.
"Oh? Was the announcement broadcast on Sky Island?"
Cyrus frowned.
"No. He must have received the news through his own channels."
"That explains it."
Cyrus nodded.
No wonder Doflamingo's group had begun fighting Golden Lion with such desperation.
Doflamingo in particular had used his awakened abilities almost immediately.
He intended to use this chance to enter the Hunter Guild and then participate in the war, allowing him to seize even greater benefits.
Doflamingo clearly understood that if he failed to take part now, he might be completely pushed aside in the future.
"However, the man you just sent over…"
Crocodile stared strangely at one of the surveillance screens.
For something to make him wear such an expression amid all the chaos, the sight had to be remarkable.
Bullet had flown through the air like a cannonball and struck Moria directly in the back.
Moria's enormous body was thrown straight into one of Golden Lion's flying slashes.
An attack that would otherwise have missed struck him cleanly and left him severely wounded.
Crocodile suspected Cyrus had done it intentionally.
The sudden interruption made everyone in the battle stop, including Bullet, who climbed to his feet while clutching his swollen cheek.
"I already know what happened. Leave them alone."
Cyrus's voice reached Crocodile.
"If they manage to pass even after this, let them join."
"Understood. Chairman, Germa has also requested a promise from you."
"A promise? What makes them think they're qualified to demand one?"
Crocodile's mouth twitched at Cyrus's immediate response.
Germa was still a technologically advanced military nation with considerable strength, and the Hunter Guild maintained extensive cooperation with them.
Without Germa's cloned personnel, even handling the Guild's enormous need for receptionists and support workers would have been difficult.
"Germa wishes to return to its ancestral homeland and rebuild its kingdom after we win."
"Hm? Why do they need my permission for that?"
"Judge should be capable of doing it himself."
"He wouldn't dare without your approval."
Crocodile sounded slightly helpless.
"You may not realize it, Chairman, but most kingdoms throughout the Four Seas have sided with the Guild."
"The territory Germa calls its homeland now belongs to another nation, and that kingdom has publicly declared its support for us. They've even offered troops to fight on our behalf."
"I see. Then reject Germa's request."
Cyrus considered it briefly.
"They can choose another location afterward. If the two countries eventually come into conflict, the Guild won't interfere."
"That may not be the best approach."
"That will be the Marines' problem."
Crocodile's expression shifted.
He understood immediately.
Cyrus truly intended to leave the task of maintaining order in the future world to the Marines.
Crocodile opposed the idea on principle.
It felt as though the Hunter Guild were voluntarily surrendering authority that should rightfully belong to them.
But he also understood that the Guild's current structure was genuinely unsuited for governing nations or resolving territorial disputes.
Even Germa's request alone was far more complicated than it first appeared.
"All right. Handle it that way."
Cyrus continued, "Make sure the aftermath of the exam is managed properly. I don't want any unnecessary problems."
"And once it ends, distribute some of the remaining Devil Fruits among our people."
"Understood."
Crocodile drew a deep breath and accepted the order.
…
Inside the examination grounds, Moria lay flat on his back.
A massive bloody wound stretched across his chest.
"Bastard…"
He groaned weakly.
The slash across his chest was severe, but the impact against his back had done even more damage, injuring his spine.
"So it's you, brat."
Golden Lion floated in the air.
He looked somewhat battered, but his presence remained powerful.
"The Demon Heir, Douglas Bullet!"
Doflamingo immediately recognized him, though his heart began pounding.
Bullet had clearly not entered the battlefield by choice. One look at the swelling across half his face made that obvious.
Bullet climbed to his feet while covering his cheek, scanned everyone present, and finally focused on Golden Lion.
"So it's you, old man."
He recognized Shiki instantly and grinned.
"You were on Whole Cake Island, weren't you? Ganged up on that bas—on that guy with several others, and still lost."
Bullet stopped himself after the first syllable of the insult.
He glanced around warily before continuing, as though expecting Cyrus to appear and strike him again.
Golden Lion's expression darkened, but he merely snorted without denying it.
The incident was no secret.
Besides, losing to Cyrus was hardly humiliating anymore.
"I came here to challenge that man myself."
Bullet lowered the hand covering his face.
Only then did he remember what Cyrus had told him before slapping him across the island.
His gaze shifted toward the two men still standing.
So these three had been his targets.
Bullet did not know why he felt compelled to follow Cyrus's instruction.
But now that he was here, defeating these men seemed like the only way to earn another chance to challenge him.
A battle-hungry grin spread across his face.
The swollen half of his face made the expression look somewhat ridiculous, but neither Doflamingo nor Kuma dared underestimate him.
Bullet's reputation was considerable, and his strength lived up to it.
From his posture, it was obvious that he intended to attack them.
Doflamingo could guess why Cyrus had sent Bullet and felt no anger.
He had never expected his attempt to join the Hunter Guild to proceed smoothly.
After all, he and Cyrus had once been enemies.
This newcomer was most likely their final test.
If Doflamingo could defeat both Bullet and Golden Lion, he should finally obtain what he wanted.
The report he had received on the way here still made it impossible for him to calm down.
The pillar of light that attacked Sky Island had been identical to the weapon used against Dressrosa.
But this time, the result had been different.
Cyrus had genuinely declared war.
Open hostility and a formal declaration of war were entirely different things.
Now that war had begun, only one side would remain in the end.
Doflamingo had to break through the obstacle before him if he wanted to claim greater rewards from the coming upheaval.
Cyrus probably would not care how much profit Doflamingo seized along the way.
He might even receive the chance to attack Mary Geoise personally and tear the entire place down.
"Ever White!"
Doflamingo swept one hand outward.
Five white strings extended from the fingers of his right hand and connected to the ground.
The string-covered earth immediately surged upward, transforming into countless white threads that rolled forward like a massive wave toward Golden Lion and Bullet.
"Bastard! I'm still here!"
Moria's shrill shout rang out.
The wave of strings swallowed him completely, cutting off the end of his complaint.
"Hmph!"
Bullet planted both feet and exploded forward, crossing the distance to Doflamingo almost instantly.
Cyrus had beaten him effortlessly.
Did these people think they could do the same?
If so, Bullet might as well return obediently to Impel Down.
Bang!
His fist struck a palm marked with the pattern of a paw.
A strange repulsive force immediately surged back through Bullet's arm and sent his entire body flying away.
"Handle him for now."
Doflamingo did not look back, as though he had already known Kuma would intercept the attack.
"I'll finish this old man first, then help you."
Kuma said nothing.
He stepped forward and faced the airborne Bullet with a grave expression.
"Jihahahaha! So you've decided I'm the easier target?"
Golden Lion laughed in fury when he heard Doflamingo.
It was an insult.
Especially since he could already sense Whitebeard and Charlotte Linlin watching from their own arenas.
Shiki landed on the ground and fixed Doflamingo with a murderous stare.
Countless white strings immediately stabbed toward him.
He pressed both hands against the earth.
The strings abruptly became weightless and drifted helplessly into the sky.
"If Cyrus hadn't forbidden me from using my power freely, do you honestly believe you would still be standing?"
Golden Lion's hair and clothing billowed as he unleashed the full force of the Float-Float Fruit.
The entire Sky Island holding the examination grounds trembled violently.
"Golden Lion."
A distant voice carried across the island.
"Damn it!"
Shiki immediately stopped, his face twisting with rage.
He knew perfectly well that if he fully unleashed the Float-Float Fruit, shattering the entire island would not be difficult.
But Cyrus had forbidden it.
Fighting while constantly restraining himself was infuriating.
Whoosh!
A sword flew through the air trailing a streak of red and stabbed into the ground before him.
"Hm?"
Golden Lion paused and looked down at the weapon.
Glowing crimson patterns covered its blade, brightening and fading rhythmically as though the sword itself were breathing.
Shiki reached down and grasped the hilt.
After releasing a slow breath, his mood improved considerably.
"That man's sword."
Doflamingo frowned.
He remembered the weapon well.
It was En, Cyrus's personal blade.
What was Cyrus planning now?
"Hmph. Come at me again, brat."
With En in hand, Golden Lion raised the sword and pointed it at Doflamingo.
Golden Lion's Three-Sword Style.
The blades replacing his legs, combined with the sword in his hand, technically made three.
There was nothing wrong with that.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three slashes crossed through the air and raced toward Doflamingo.
The white strings Golden Lion had sent floating upward were shredded apart by the intersecting attacks.
But under the power of Doflamingo's awakening, the strings were practically endless.
They could also be hardened with Armament Haki.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
More strings surged forward and darkened beneath a coating of Haki, catching the incoming slashes.
The waves of thread twisted and rebounded repeatedly until they forcibly redirected the attacks into the sky.
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