"A Devil among the 'Calamities'...?"
On the smoke-filled battlefield, the sea breeze carried a scorching scent.
Bullet knelt on the ground, his eyes fixed on the man before him.
Gern Reginald Sigma, the Marine who had once defeated him with a single punch and now pushed him to the brink.
Gern's black blade eight desolations was already sheathed, its gray-white bandages fluttering in the wind, as if the earth-shattering battle had never occurred.
His gaze was calm, yet it held an undeniable authority. His outstretched hand hovered in the air, awaiting Bullet's response.
"Join the Marine?" Bullet sneered, his voice hoarse with a hint of mockery.
"Do you think I'll be like those weaklings, submitting to so-called 'justice'?"
"Heh, justice?" Gern didn't withdraw his hand, merely raising the corner of his mouth slightly: "No, I'm inviting you not for justice."
Bullet frowned: "Then for what?"
"To let you witness with your own eyes what a true 'strongest' is," Gern's voice was deep and powerful, continuing,
"Roger gave you a goal, then personally crushed it.
And now, I can give you a broader world—
a world where you can never reach the peak, yet are compelled to pursue it."
Bullet's pupils constricted slightly.
He had never seen a guy like this—no, he had never even seen a person like this.
Especially at this moment, there was no pity in Gern's eyes, no false recruitment, only an almost arrogant self-confidence,
as if he had already seen through everything, including the emptiness and unwillingness in Bullet's heart.
"Ridiculous..." Bullet growled, his fists clenching with a cracking sound, "Do you think a few words can make me submit?"
"Submit?" Gern chuckled, "No, I want you to surrender to the fact that I am 'unbeatable'."
Before he finished speaking, a terrifying oppressive aura suddenly erupted from Gern's body.
Conqueror's Haki swept out like a tsunami, purple-black lightning tore through the air, and the ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch.
In that instant, Bullet seemed to see a figure standing at the pinnacle of the world, looking down upon all beings, unshakeable.
"This is..." Bullet's breath hitched, his heart pounding violently.
He had seen Roger's Haki, seen Whitebeard's oppressive aura, but at this moment, the aura emanating from Gern was completely different.
It wasn't just power; it was a "qualification" that transcended all things.
Although everyone has Haoshoku, this kind of true
【King's Aptitude】 is completely different!
"How about it?" Gern retracted his Haki, his gaze like a torch, "Still want to waste time?"
Bullet fell silent.
His pride wouldn't allow him to bow his head, but deep down, a long-dormant flame was quietly ignited.
If he couldn't even defeat a man like this, then perhaps following him was the true "challenge."
Finally, Bullet bared his blood-stained teeth, revealing a ferocious smile: "Interesting."
"Hahaha... Hahahahaha!!" A wild laugh echoed through the sky as Bullet suddenly looked up, his eyes burning with unprecedented battle intent.
"Good! Very good!!" He grinned, revealing a ferocious smile.
"Since you dare to make such a boast... then let me see how far you can take me!!"
Gern's smile widened, his outstretched hand still suspended in the air.
"I won't disappoint you, Bullet."
Bullet stared at the hand, silent for a second, then—
"Clap!" He grabbed it, using the leverage to stand up. His tall body cast a shadow, blood still flowing, but his back was straight, and there was no longer any confusion in his eyes.
"Remember your words, Heaven Quake," he growled, "If one day I find you unworthy..."
"I will tear you to shreds!!"
"My pleasure," Gern smiled, and the two stood face to face, very close.
And at that very moment—
"Click!" A crisp metallic clinking sound rang out.
Bullet didn't even react before he felt all his strength drain away like a tide. His legs went weak, and he heavily knelt back down.
He looked down, his pupils suddenly constricting.
Sea Stone handcuffs!
The dark shackles had clamped his wrists at some unknown point, the cold Sea Stone pressing against his skin.
The power of the Devil Fruit was completely suppressed, and even the flow of his Haki became sluggish.
"Heaven Quake," he suddenly looked up, fury surging in his eyes: "What is the meaning of this?!"
His voice was deep like a beast's roar, "Were you just drawing me a big picture?!"
"My apologies," Gern maintained his smile, slowly withdrawing his hand and looking down at him.
"Before that, you might need to spend some time in Impel Down."
Bullet's muscles tensed, veins bulging, as he tried to break free with brute force, but the Sea Stone's suppression made it difficult for him to even clench his fists.
"You..."
"This can't be helped. The World Government is currently clearing out Roger's forces," Gern interrupted him, his tone calm yet undeniable.
"And I also need to gain enough influence during the upcoming power transition..."
As he spoke, Gern crouched down, meeting Bullet's gaze, and lightly tapped the black blade eight desolations on the ground.
"But don't worry, when the time is right..."
"I will personally come to pick you up."
Bullet stared intently into Gern's eyes, as if trying to see through his soul.
A few seconds later, he suddenly bared his teeth and laughed, a ferocious and mad grin: "Good! I believe you; I'm a loser anyway."
"But if you dare to lie to me..." His voice was hoarse, laced with naked killing intent.
"When I get out..."
"Don't worry!" Gern chuckled, standing up: "I always keep my word."
"So..." He turned, waving his hand at Bullet's back: "You should rest up well on the sixth level of Impel Down, Devil's Heir Barrett."
Soon after, once safety was confirmed,
in the distance, the Marine soldiers finally dared to approach, carefully helping Bullet up.
The "Devil's Heir Barrett" who once made the New World tremble, now confined by Sea Stone, still held his head high, his eyes burning with an unyielding flame.
At the same time, Tesoro walked up to Gern, whispering: "Is this really okay, Vice Admiral Gern?
This guy doesn't look like the type to obey willingly."
"He was never going to obey. After all, he's been away from the Roger Pirates for so long; he's used to being wild," Gern looked at Bullet being escorted away, a slight smile on his lips.
"Therefore, precisely because of that, he needs to be tempered."
"The darkness of Impel Down will soon make him understand..." Gern turned, the bandages of the black blade eight desolations fluttering in the wind, "In this world..."
"Only I can give him a home."
In the distance, Bullet suddenly looked back, his Sea Stone shackles clanking.
Their gazes met amidst the smoke, one still arrogant, the other determined to succeed.