Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Doffy’s Reflection
After a few sharp pecks with his beak failed to harm Jack, Lynstan transformed into his hybrid beast form. Jack, noticing the change, followed suit.
Glaring at Lynstan's red, fleshy wattles hanging under his chin, Jack couldn't resist a jab:
"Nice face you've got there—looks like a flapping clam!"
Lynstan shot back without missing a beat.
"And you've got three dicks growing on your face! Who are you to judge me?"
Jack's smirk vanished. His gaze dropped to his trunk-like nose, his fingers brushing the smooth surface of his tusks.
Damn it. This bastard's really asking for it!
Infuriated, Jack struggled to come up with a retort but ultimately said nothing. Instead, he swung his spiked club down toward Lynstan, the frustration evident in his forceful strikes.
"You're just trying to humiliate me! Damn it!"
Lynstan, who was roughly the same height as Jack, focused primarily on kicks in his attacks. Though Jack had encountered plenty of skilled kickers before, Lynstan's technique stood out as the most formidable he'd ever faced.
In his hybrid form, Lynstan's legs resembled sharp chicken claws—thin but deadly. Despite their appearance, they matched Jack's spiked club blow for blow. Lynstan wasn't as strong as Jack, but his agility more than made up for it. Dodging and weaving, Lynstan avoided head-on collisions, striking only when he had the advantage.
Unlike his rooster form's beak, Lynstan's clawed feet were devastating. Each slash with his talons left Jack feeling the sting. The claws even managed to pierce his tough skin.
Realizing this, Lynstan doubled down. As he lunged again, his claws glinted with Armament Haki, ripping a small chunk of flesh from Jack's torso.
"Gah…" Jack hissed. The wound wasn't deep, but it made him cautious.
This damn chicken! His claws are no joke… Bet he's been working out those legs for years!
Jack shuddered at the thought of Lynstan targeting his head. Losing a patch of hair would be bad enough, going bald would be unbearable.
The battle grew more measured as both sides became more wary. Jack, wary of Lynstan's claws, fought cautiously. Lynstan, narrowly avoiding being swatted away by Jack's trunk-like nose, danced just out of reach. The stalemate dragged on.
...
Meanwhile, Rim's fight with Ostec was anything but stagnant.
Unlike Lynstan, Ostec—a user of the Dove-Dove Fruit—didn't rely on his legs in his hybrid form. Instead, he sported massive wings.
Faced with Rim's relentless barrage of attacks, Ostec shielded himself with his wings. Armament Haki coated the feathers in a glossy black sheen, effortlessly deflecting Rim's strikes.
"Feather Slash!"
With a powerful flap of his wings, Ostec sent a blade of wind slicing toward Rim. The green-haired swordsman barely dodged, but the slash cut his hair cleanly to the scalp, leaving him stunned.
"You bastard…" Rim muttered, rubbing his now-bald head. A chill ran down his spine; if he'd been just a second slower, his scalp would've gone with it.
"Ha! Rim, you poor little brat!" Ostec laughed, doubling over and pointing at Rim's bald head. "That look really suits you!"
"Shut up, Ostec! You ungrateful beast!"
Rim's hands trembled with anger as Ostec laughed louder.
"What's the matter, Rim? Getting mad, huh?" Ostec sneered, taunting him further. "You want to kill me to avenge your mother, don't you? Too bad you'll never get the chance! You can't even keep your emotions in check—what kind of swordsman are you?"
Smirking, Ostec added, "Oh, and by the way, thanks to you and your dear mother, we got our Devil Fruits. Courtesy of the World Government. A fitting reward, wouldn't you say?"
The taunt struck a nerve. Rim's trembling intensified, but his expression remained unreadable.
"Poor Rim! Did I hit a nerve? Let me share one more thing!" Ostec laughed cruelly. "Your mother was—..."
"Enough." Rim's trembling ceased. He raised his head, his face calm and composed.
"Trying to rile me up, Ostec? Don't bother. I've carried this hatred for twenty years. The moment you failed to kill me back then, you should've known this day would come. You're not flying away this time."
Rim's steady tone unnerved Ostec, whose grin faltered.
"Oh, one more thing," Rim added, his voice sharp and deliberate. "I was there, under the crate, when you killed my mother. If you'd just checked properly, none of this would be happening."
"Damn you!" Furious, Ostec lunged with his wings like blades. Rim met him head-on with his sword.
Since recovering from his injuries under Master's care, Rim had experienced a surge in strength and Haki control. Now fully adjusted to his revitalized body, he exuded confidence.
Still, Ostec's technique was an unexpected challenge. Using his wings as swords, the Dove-Dove Fruit user displayed an unorthodox but deadly swordsmanship. His movements were erratic, his wings swaying like pendulums, and his strikes carried the weight of Haki-hardened steel. Rim found himself accumulating small injuries as he struggled to keep up.
Meanwhile, at a distance, Trebol observed the fight with disdain.
"Beh-hee-hee… Doffy, that Jack guy's not so tough after all. I thought he'd crush his opponent in no time!"
"Trebol… Stay away from me," Doflamingo said, his tone sharp. "And don't underestimate Jack."
Doflamingo's eyes gleamed as he analyzed the battlefield.
"He knows exactly what an awakened Zoan means in a fight. He's waiting for the right moment to land a decisive blow. Can't you see? His attention's not even fully on Lynstan. He's watching Ostec."
Doflamingo's lips curled into a smile.
"Jack's positioning himself to strike the moment his subordinate is in real danger. That boy… Only fourteen, yet his mastery of Haki and strategic thinking are remarkable. With time, he could surpass even Kaido."
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