I Will Become Hokage in One Piece

Chapter 66: Explosions

"Oh, are the Vinsmoke brothers so impatient? Since there's no ransom, I feel sad. If you're not going to pay the ransom, then it means negotiations have failed, right? Here, take this guy." He picked up Ichiji and threw him to the brothers.

"What do you mean?" Niji grabbed Ichiji, puzzled.

"The meaning is... Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags!" He formed a single-handed seal, and then...

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A series of explosions began, one after another, turning the entire castle into ruins.

"Damn, is this guy crazy? Doesn't he fear getting caught in his own explosions?" Niji and Ichiji rushed out of the blast range. The explosions had no effect on them, but they suddenly realized that the explosions were relentlessly chasing after them.

"What's going on? Why are the explosions following us?" Ichiji asked.

"I don't know, split up!" Niji grabbed Ichiji and flew in a different direction, but the explosions suddenly changed direction, following them.

 Ichiji instantly understood, "Niji."

"I see." Niji tore open Ichiji's shirt and found Ichiji's upper body covered in explosion seals.

"So, it's this, huh?" Niji snorted. 

He saw the explosion seals materializing out of thin air, following them, and then exploding. He understood that these papers on Ichiji were used for tracking and would also explode. He came up with a plan, so he threw Ichiji away, causing him to collide with one of the explosion seals that Rodney had summoned.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

An explosion occurred, and a dark figure flew out; it was Niji. In this state without his combat suit, he was caught in the explosion of dozens of explosion seals. But he remained unharmed; that was expected.

 Niji caught the injured Ichiji, and Niji's actions were normal to him. They lacked brotherly emotions, even though they grew up together. They didn't fear death; they would only fulfill their father's mission and obey his commands.

"Such a waste. We were just tricked by that guy. He's only slightly better than Judge; come to think of it, it's a bit of a pity that Judge is dead," Niji said.

Rodney, on the other hand, gazed at the sea with a pleasant smile, standing on the water's surface, floating with the waves. "How about it? Do you guys, Vinsmoke, like this big gift? I spent quite a bit of money to prepare this gift. Hmm, I wasted quite a few explosion seals, but it was so worth it."

"You bastard!"

Niji threw Ichiji and turned into a streak of lightning, rushing towards Rodney with a straight, electric-charged punch.

"Hidden Mist: Instantaneous Body Skill!"

The Instantaneous Body Skill combined with Rokusihki, making him even faster. However, the Observation Haki seemed to have trouble capturing Niji's movements, narrowly dodging the attack.

"What happened? Where's the spirited performance from earlier?" Niji mocked, "Provoking the Vinsmoke means you have to pay the price!"

"Heh, don't worry, kid. Next time we meet, I'll probably be able to pin you to the ground. So, I wonder, what will that cost be?" Rodney said.

"Your life!"

His fist carried an electric current, sizzling as it approached.

"Rokushiki: Tekkai!" (Six Powers: Iron Body)

His body turned as hard as steel, but he was still sent flying by the punch. In mid-air, he twisted his body with a step, pressing against his chest, gasping, "Fortunately, I left behind more energy from the original body; otherwise, I'd be done for after that last attack."

Clone bodies were fragile; a regular attack would make them disappear. So, to enhance the clone's strength, Rodney intentionally allocated more energy to them, strengthening the clone.

But if he got hit one more time, he would probably be defeated.

"Your body still holding up? Die!" Niji was about to make another move, but Ichiji stopped him, saying, "Wait, Niji."

"What? Why are you stopping me? Ichiji? I was about to finish him off!"

"Shut up!" Niji, more like a commander than Ichiji, asked, "Rodney, where's Reiju? Where did she go?"

"Hehe, her? Who knows? Maybe on some island or dead?" Rodney's skin turned red, and he emitted heat. Assuming a fighting stance, he said, "Taste my newly developed Boil Release: Unrivalled Strength!"

The hand signs were the same as for Earth Release: Fist Rock Technique, but when the fist was swung, high-temperature steam burst out, compressing the steam produced by the Boil Release onto the fist. When released, it formed a powerful steam punch that could inflict secondary burns on the target.

Niji covered himself with his cloak to block the steam fist. His eyes were filled with mist, making him displeased. "A boring attack. Ichiji, kill him. We'll look for Reiju later."

"I've been waiting for this!" Ichiji transformed into lightning again, leaving an electric current in mid-air, and instantly appeared in front of the clone. He punched through the clone's chest, and after showing him the middle finger, the clone vanished with a loud bang.

"Where is he?" Ichiji was bewildered; it felt like he was punching air. It was quite ethereal.

Niji said, "He ran away. Probably a Devil Fruit user. Anyway, let's go back, report to Father, and at least retrieve Yonji."

Yes, if you don't count the serious injury, retrieving him was certain.

Ichiji was also a cyborg, so this level of injury was nothing to him. He would recover in a few days.

"Such a waste of a coward. I must kill him when we meet again!" Ichiji was quite unhappy. Feeling resentful, he returned to the Vinsmoke castle with Niji. They reported the mission to Judge.

Judge was furious. Not only was Ichiji injured, but Reiju was also missing, and a snail was lost. What was more important was that Ichiji's battle suit was nowhere to be found. It was Vinsmoke Science's technological masterpiece; how could it be lost?

"What about the Raid Suit?"

"We never saw it from the beginning to the end. Shortly after we met, Rodney detonated those papers that could explode. The castle was blown up and sunk into the sea. We have had personnel salvaging the area," Niji said.

"Forget it, Rodney probably took it. Vinsmoke Science's technological masterpiece can't be without people coveting it. You guys bring Yonji back and treat him. I'm going to launch an attack on several kingdoms in the North Blue." 

Regarding the matter of the Raid Suit, Judge believed that with Rodney's methods, there was no way anyone could analyze it. 

He didn't need to worry about it, as he would eventually retrieve it, perhaps from Rodney's corpse. But he really overestimated Rodney's morals...

"Yes." Niji and Ichiji executed Judge's orders meticulously. The castle started up again, heading straight toward the North Blue.

...

Water 7

After receiving and organizing the memories of his shadow clones, Rodney chuckled, sharing his joy with Robin and Reiju. Reiju lightly laughed and said, "In that case, they don't know my location now."

"I wonder, your damned father didn't install any tracking devices on you guys, did he?" 

He himself had one, so it would be impossible for Germa, a significant fighting force, to be without them.

Reiju said, "It's impossible because he thinks we are perfect cyborgs and would never betray him. He didn't think there was a need for such devices."

That was Judge's arrogance, thinking that his experiment was perfect, not considering the emotions of his children, and underestimating Reiju's intelligence. 

Being deceived, Judge had no idea that his daughter had retained her emotions but suppressed them. She only showed her gentleness in front of Sanji, her only brother and the only person she recognized as family other than her mother.

Judge had no idea that Reiju, who retained emotions, would obey his commands but also harbor rebellious thoughts. Under Rodney's "seduction," Reiju awakened a rebellious heart, wanting to seize the freedom she desired.

"That's great, then. I still can't defeat your two brothers right now." Rodney said, "But after some time, once I become stronger, I'll have no problem taking them on."

Therefore, he needed to further develop his Ninja Body Techniques.