One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

"I clearly know there are things outside that could blast me to the heavens, yet I'm still wandering around aimlessly here."

The small, thin Frakenstein's dry, messy silver-white short hair stood up as always. At the ends of his hair were several golden bronze bells woven in, jingling with his movements. He wore a pair of round-framed observation goggles, and his gaunt face, paired with a white research coat, made him look every bit the mad scientist.

But what drew the most attention wasn't his attire—it was the highly mechanical prosthetic attached to his left leg. The large alloy spring ensured that every step he took was both swift and effortless, allowing him to keep pace with the massive, burly man beside him with ease.

"If you're bored, just go blow up a few more Marine bases and government offices."

The muffled voice came from his companion, who had his entire face hidden behind a gas mask. His pig-like belly sagged downward, and his exposed skin was covered with large patches of white spots.

"I still can't believe what that pig-brained fool told me a few days ago. Marco, what did you say again?"

The erratic madman lifted his head to look at his unusually gloomy bodyguard.

The bulky man called Marco raised his head and gazed into the distance.

"We're already getting close to Mary Geoise and Marine Headquarters. With every step forward, my hatred and fury only grow stronger. Damn that World Government!!!"

His final words were almost a growl.

"Hahahaha! You're already a dead man anyway! Lead poisoning is a fatal disease, so why not cause some chaos before you go?"

"What?!"

The people walking along the street recoiled with looks of disgust and shock.

"I was wondering about those white patches on that fat guy's skin."

"Hey, hey, isn't that disease contagious?!"

"What?! Run for your lives!"

With just a few words, panic erupted and spread through the street like wildfire. In the blink of an eye, the once-bustling street was left deserted, strewn with discarded belongings in the wake of the fleeing crowd.

"Hmph! Just as expected."

The masked man sneered coldly. He hailed from the nation known as "The White City"—Flevance. This country, famed for its underground Perlead mines, boasted stunningly pristine white trees and soil due to the mineral. At the same time, Perlead was a prized material for crafting exquisite ceramics and luxury goods.

But the World Government had concealed the truth about Perlead: once extracted, the mineral's toxicity accumulated in the human body, leading to Perlead Disease. Each generation suffered from increasingly severe symptoms as the poison built up over time, shortening their lifespans. Victims could do nothing but watch as their skin and hair turned whiter, enduring unbearable pain until they ultimately perished.

Marco had watched his parents die in agony. He had set out to sea as a pirate after taking advantage of a chance encounter—a certain bomb-crazed madman who had been exiled from Baltimore had stopped in the White City to rest.

"Well, now I don't have to evacuate the crowd. You two really saved me the trouble."

A cold, indifferent voice rang out from behind them.

"Mm? Hahahaha! You look like someone who needs to be blown up!"

"Marine..."

The two turned around to see a lone figure slowly approaching from the end of the street.

There were no unnecessary words exchanged.

Frakenstein instantly raised the grenade launcher in his right hand. Angling it at 45 degrees, he fired in a flat arc. Several grenades bounced repeatedly off the street's walls, sealing off every possible avenue of escape for the Marine ahead.

Yet Sakazuki didn't dodge or evade. He simply watched the incoming grenades activate upon contact with the ground, erupting in front of him.

"Boom! BOOM! BOOM—"

The shockwaves from the explosion spread outward, lifting both Marco's and Frakenstein's white hair into the air.

A perfectly calculated chain of detonations engulfed the street in smoke and fire. But instead of looking pleased, the bomb maniac's face remained unsettled. His grenades were highly destructive—there was no reason for anyone to take them head-on with their bare body. The Marine's unreasonable actions made him uneasy.

"Get out of the way!!"

Marco's sudden shout rang out. Despite his massive bulk, he moved with startling agility, swiftly dodging to the side.

From within the thick smoke, a dark red colossal fist tore through the haze. Accompanied by a bubbling, boiling sound, it shot forward, aiming straight for the two pirates.

The scrawny madman cackled as he tossed a flat, oval-shaped object from his left hand. Then, using his mechanical prosthetic, he stomped down forcefully.

Just as the searing heat of the magma-coated fist was about to scorch his nose, Frakenstein was blasted backward into the air by the explosion beneath his foot, narrowly avoiding being swallowed by the molten attack.

"Even the techniques are the same?"

After his probing first punch, Sakazuki raised an eyebrow as he watched the airborne pirate propelled skyward by his own explosives. He launched another punch.

"This is getting ridiculous."

Still unable to maneuver mid-air, Frakenstein shouldered his grenade launcher and fired a barrage of rounds directly at the towering magma fist, attempting to blow it apart.

"Clang—"

Accompanied by the crisp sound of chains, a hooked chain shot out at high speed from the side of the street, latching onto the mad doctor's waist. With a forceful tug, he was yanked out of harm's way just before Sakazuki's attack could land.

Having just barely escaped death, Frakenstein showed no fear. Instead, he let out a crazed chuckle, sticking out his tongue to lick his upper lip.

"What kind of freaks and lunatics are in this place...? But… I like it~~"

"The opponent is a Logia user. Your bombs are useless against him," the fat man gripping the front end of the chain hook reminded.

He chose to charge forward, his obese belly wobbling from side to side with each step. Hatred had already consumed him—endless days and nights of training, all to ignite the flames of his own life and burn those profit-driven bastards to the ground.

Marco had witnessed his homeland turn into a slow, agonizing deathtrap, forever changing his fate. The first time he destroyed a World Government facility with Frankenstein's help, he understood—those arrogant lords, who usually stood high above everyone else, had collapsed at his feet, their faces covered in snot and tears as they begged for their lives. Not a single one of them cared whether they might contract the Amber Lead Syndrome.

Revenge was so sweet. Using the oversized shotgun provided by that insane mercenary, Marco blasted the guts out of those nobles, who, in their panic, had promised him treasures and gold.

Marco had gone mad—mad, yet terrifyingly clear-headed. He set sail from the Grand Line, and along the way, he and his rat-like companion ambushed Marines and government officials. Of course, they also attacked any civilians who dared to look down on them—anyone who showed even the slightest expression of disgust upon seeing his Amber Lead-tainted body.

Stronger, stronger! Every night, the pain in his veins and organs reminded him that he had only a few years left to live. Marco trained himself with increasing madness. Only with greater strength could he make the World Government officials—those who had encouraged his people to mine the poisonous Amber Lead despite knowing its fatal effects—taste true regret.

Only overwhelming power could drag the whole world into the grave with him!

Closer, closer! The World Government!!

The massive pirate suddenly hurled his chain hook, aiming to give the Logia-wielding Marine before him a fatal surprise!

In the first half of the Grand Line, most pirates had no way of mastering Haki, but Marco had forced his body to the absolute limit—at unimaginable cost, he had done it! His body had suffered countless injuries, leaving behind more hidden wounds than he could count.

The alloy hook, now coated in Armament Haki, locked onto the seemingly defenseless Marine with pinpoint accuracy.

The pirate, known as "Road Tyrant," yanked on the chain with all his strength, preparing to blow the Marine's head off with his Haki-infused shotgun.