The light of evolution opened the way for Mandrell’s evolution, but he never evolved. This is because he lacked a catalyst. Magikarp’s evolution requires not only level, but also the belief that it can turn over a new leaf.
Most Magikarp evolve when there is a significant emotional upheaval at the right level, such as extreme anger or pushing themselves to the limit. Many Magikarp even go as far as scaling waterfalls to force their bodies to evolve.
Now, Mandrell has found his catalyst, and a boundless power filled his body.
“So, this is evolution? Rusalka, wait for me, I’ll be there soon.”
Sensing the power within him, he felt he could defeat ten of his former selves. Rushing out of the bubble, he transformed directly into Gyarados, his streamlined body rushing towards the water’s surface.
Although not as massive as Kaido’s Azure Dragon form, his Beast Form resembled a small sea beast.
His ten-meter-long body continued to accelerate.
On the sea surface, two Fish-Men delivered Rusalka, who was in a sack, to the World Government’s ship. They had learned of the plan from the hired pirates, so they didn’t capture these two Fish-Men, instead they decided to wait until their objective was accomplished.
Once they have lured out the target Merfolk, they would capture them all together. Although their main target was the escaped slave, capturing more would surely lead to a higher reward.
They didn’t intend to let the two Fish-Men get on board. Instead, they observed the struggling sack and discussed.
“Does that guy have a wife?”
“Who knows? How could anyone like those ugly Fish-Men? Monsters with a fishy smell.”
Reaching for the sack’s opening, they opened it to reveal the bound Rusalka.
“Hey, that guy has good taste. This is a high-quality item, worth more than 100 or 200 million at auction.”
“Indeed, in recent years, the price of Merfolk has skyrocketed, all because of that fool Whitebeard’s actions, sheltering that island as a human.”
Their gaze on Rusalka was like looking at a commodity. They are members of the World Government, and normally, they should be protecting allied nations. However, for them, the Ryugu Kingdom doesn’t really qualify as an allied nation.
If it weren’t for the fact that directly attacking them would have negative repercussions, the World Government would likely have a dedicated team go directly to Fishman Island to capture slaves, instead of waiting for other slave-catcher teams.
“Hey, kid, keep your hands to yourself. This one’s for the Celestial Dragons. The rest of you, don’t get too lax. If that guy managed to escape from them, he surely has some skills. Don’t be careless.”
The leader stopped his subordinates and ordered them to be vigilant.
“Weird, Captain, those two Fish-Men in the water seem to have disappeared.”
A suited special agent standing by the ship’s railing noticed a problem, but it didn’t catch their attention.
“Fish-Men can swim; it’s normal. If those two really ran off, it doesn’t matter. As long as we can lure out that escaped slave, the value of this one Mermaid would be enough.”
Their words didn’t escape Rusalka’s ears. Listening to these humans, she couldn’t believe that they had captured her just to lure out Mandrell. Her eyes were filled with disbelief, and at the same time, she recalled the rumors that any male who gets too close to her would be cursed.
She had thought since Mandrell had been fine for three years, the curse was just a baseless rumor. Unexpectedly, today such an incident occurred and she was powerless to do anything.
After all, she is just an ordinary Mermaid, without any real combat abilities.
The people on the ship were planning to ambush Mandrell, but Mandrell had already arrived here. At this moment, he was holding a Fish-Man in each hand; they were the one who had disappeared.
Zoan user’s transformation will affect their physique, with their Beast Form generally based on the size of the animal. Meanwhile, the Human-Beast Form will slightly expand based on the human physique, with the basic principle being that it only grows larger and not smaller.
Because Devil Fruit users experiencing a reduction in size due to Zoan-type transformations are extremely rare. Mandrell’s transformation into Magikarp form resulted in minimal changes in body size, but it was a different story for Gyarados.
At this moment, not only did he gain an extra tail and turn blue, but even his height had increased significantly, reaching around three meters, around Jack’s height.
“I’ll ask, and you will answer. If you dare say one more word, I’ll take your lives, understand?”
Feeling the pressure on their necks, the two Fish-Men quickly nodded to indicate that they understood.
“Which ship Rusalka is on?”
There were more than one ship docked here, so he had to confirm the target first. Being underwater, he couldn’t determine his target.
The two Fish-Men simultaneously pointed to a ship, and after getting the answer he wanted, Mandrell didn’t kill them, not because he didn’t want to but because he couldn’t at the moment.
If they died, their bodies would float up, potentially alerting the enemy. He didn’t lose his rationality because of evolution; in fact, the anger he felt after evolution had diminished.
“Get lost.”
Temporarily letting go of the two Fish-Men, Mandrell then took out a piece of coral, blew a bubble space, and took out his Den Den Mushi.
“It’s me, Mandrell. There’s a World Government ship at the dock on the periphery. Find a way to attract their attention, no matter what method you use, just be quick.”
The one he had contacted was the Beasts Fruits branch stationed on Sabaody Archipelago. Mandrell was currently the highest ranked officer of the Beasts Pirates in this region, able to mobilize manpower from Sabaody Archipelago and the entrance to the New World.
At Mandrell’s request, the Beasts Fruits’ people organized a random promotional event. With their shameless and relentless shouting, they managed to attract the attention of some World Government agents. Meanwhile, at this moment, Mandrell also began to take action.
Even after evolving, he hadn’t lost the Splash ability. Using the seawater beneath his feet as a launchpad, Mandrell burst out of the water. Although he now had the ability to fly after evolving into Gyarados, his flying speed was relatively slow, especially in close proximity, where this mode of movement proved far superior.
At the moment he leaped into the air, he locked onto Rusalka’s position.
While this method of movement was fast, the drawback was the loud noise, especially since Mandrell, using the air as a platform, created a near-sonic boom.
The person next to Rusalka had just heard this sound, and when he turned around, he only saw a blue claw getting larger. He couldn’t even use Tekkai before Mandrell twisted his neck.
“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
Embracing Rusalka, Mandrell intended to take her into the sea. He was here to save her, and protecting Rusalka was his top priority.
However, an air blade thwarted Mandrell’s plan.
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