CHAPTER 34 —
The old stone fort sat at the lonely edge of Kexzaz, half buried in vines, half swallowed by history. For decades it had been nothing more than a forgotten ruin—until today. Today, it became the battleground for something far greater than the island ever expected.
Dust hung lazily in the air as Domino leaned against one of the crumbling walls, his expression cold and unreadable. His white CP uniform fluttered softly in the breeze, the snail receiver in his ear buzzing with faint static.
On the opposite side of the courtyard, Brick Vand marched out from the shadows, heavy footsteps echoing across the broken stones. His cloak—patched with crude dinosaur teeth designs—flapped behind him. His chest was puffed out proudly, but fury burned in his eyes like wildfire.
Domino took a slow drag from his cigar.
"Brick… so you finally stepped out. Why are you here? I thought I told you not to disturb me."
Brick's eye twitched violently.
"You… you think I'm a fool, don't you?" he snapped. "I already figured out your plans—using your creepy CP acts and secret orders."
Domino didn't respond.
Brick stepped closer, voice rising with emotion.
"I'm tired of it! All your lies, your control! Did you think I wouldn't notice you planned to use me as a pawn and then dispose of me?!"
For the first time, Domino's expression shifted—only slightly, but enough.
"So you realized," he murmured calmly. "Good. It proves you aren't completely useless."
Brick's breath trembled.
"Thanks to Mr. Ren, I got a wake-up call. I've regained my former fire! You see this island? I'm not going to let you destroy it. I'll atone for my sins by kicking your—"
Domino interrupted with a shrug.
"What are you even talking about? What do you mean by Ren?"
Brick laughed loudly.
"So you mean you don't know Ren the Destroyer?"
Domino's eyes sharpened.
"So he was the one who leaked my plans to you?"
Brick blinked, confused.
"Are you stupid? Didn't you watch him at Marineford? He rekindled my fire!"
Domino's expression returned to flat calm.
"So he's just a fool. I guess I'll have to adjust my plans, then."
Silence settled between them.
Then—
BOOM!
Brick stomped down, cracking the stone beneath his foot.
"Pirates are scum, right? So what do you expect of my future, Domino? To die like trash?"
Domino exhaled smoke, unfazed.
"If you are trash… perhaps you should die like it."
Brick's eyes widened, then narrowed sharply.
"Heh… you just made this easier."
He spread his stance. The air trembled. Muscles bulged. Bones shifted. Skin thickened.
A deep, prehistoric roar shook the courtyard.
BRICK VAND — ANCIENT ZOAN: ALLOSAURUS FORM!
His jaw elongated. Teeth sharpened. Arms transformed into monstrous limbs. A thick tail slammed behind him as the ground quivered under his new weight.
Domino adjusted his glove.
"Transformation noted."
Brick lunged.
FWOOOOSH!
Domino vanished.
Soru.
He reappeared behind Brick and launched a palm strike aimed at the dinosaur's spine.
"Shigan!"
Brick twisted unnaturally fast.
"TOO SLOW!"
His tail whipped forward—
BOOOOM!
Domino was blasted into the wall, cracks spiderwebbing outward.
Brick charged again, jaws open.
Domino raised a hand.
A thin gray liquid oozed from his palm—and instantly solidified.
"Cemento: Wall Rise."
A thick slab of fresh cement erupted in front of him.
Brick smashed through it easily—
but the cement clung to his claws, sticking like living mud.
Domino's eyes gleamed.
"You underestimated the Cement-Cement Fruit. My cement obeys me… and traps whatever it touches."
Brick roared, shaking his arm—
but the cement hardened even faster.
Domino jumped into the air using Geppo.
He dropped sharply.
"Rankyaku: Cement Edge!"
A razor-sharp blade of cement shot downward.
Brick rolled aside, the attack carving a long trench into the courtyard.
"You think this cement nonsense can stop me?!" Brick bellowed. "I'll break free and tear you apart!"
Domino smirked—a rare expression.
"Then break free."
Brick yanked his arm harder.
The cement crawled up his elbow.
His eyes widened.
"What?!"
"Cement spreads through pressure," Domino said coldly. "The more you struggle, the faster it consumes you."
Brick's transformation flickered.
"NO—NO! YOU WON'T CONTROL ME AGAIN!"
He thrashed wildly. Tail smashing. Ground shaking.
Nothing worked.
Within seconds—
Cement swallowed his legs.
His torso.
His claws.
Even his tail.
Brick's roars turned desperate.
"LET ME OUT!"
Domino placed a hand on his chest, palm glowing gray.
"Cemento: Coffin."
A deep rumble shook the fort as cement engulfed Brick up to his neck, freezing him like a fossil trapped in time.
Domino leaned in.
"You lost, Captain Brick Vand."
Brick's breathing slowed… then gradually calmed.
From the distance—
Footsteps. Voices. Approaching.
Ren and Keptyn