To be honest, the moment Yamato's gaze landed on him, Mr.1's hair stood on end.
Thankfully, he was bald, otherwise, he would have instantly cosplayed a Super Saiyan.
'What's going on?! This person!'
'Despite being full of openings all over, I have a feeling that if I attack, I will die.'
'And this unreasonable defense, is it Armament Haki?'
Don't think Mr.1, usually so taciturn, doesn't have an inner monologue… his internal drama is no less than anyone else's.
But in the eyes of Mr.3 and Buggy, he seemed to be scared silly at that moment.
—Yamato thought so too.
So, after thinking for half a second, she, who originally intended to seriously counterattack, decided not to bother with the fool.
Her other arm lifted, slowly clenching into a fist.
"Human Blade!"
Mr.1, as if blessed with sudden inspiration, instantly retracted his hands, spread his feet into a horse stance, pressed his fists together, and his entire body transformed into a 'blade form'.
Originally, through rigorous training, his body strength was already higher than an average person's. After using this ability of the Supa Supa no Mi, the hardness of his body would increase even further.
The only drawback was that when using the [Human Blade] move, his body would also become like a blade, unable to bend or move freely.
It sounded quite similar to the Tekkai from the Rokushiki of the Marines.
There was no helping it… without mastering Armament Haki, this was the strongest defensive move he could perform.
Bam!
Mr.3 only felt a gust of fierce wind blow against his face, even the 'number 3' hairstyle he had shaped on his head was blown apart.
He stiffly turned his neck and saw Mr.1 lying on the ground, unconscious.
This iron-like man still had a steaming fist imprint on his cheek. His proud fruit ability hadn't bought him even an extra second.
Actually, this was already Yamato holding back.
If she had really struck Mr.1 with full force, his head would most likely have burst apart like a watermelon.
Thinking of that scene, Yamato chose to restrain her strength.
With so many people watching, it wouldn't be good to scare them, right?
—By the way, these small-time crooks were really fragile. She had to hold back when fighting them.
She really wanted to have another exhilarating fight with Naruto.
"Mr.1!!"
Mr.3 instinctively cried out, then immediately covered his mouth.
Because he saw Yamato's gaze turning toward him.
'N-no... we can't fight this monster… I had to escape!'
Mr.3 watched helplessly as Yamato, as if feeling nothing, effortlessly broke free from his Candle Lock with her feet and turned to walk in his direction.
He instinctively wanted to flee.
But when his peripheral vision caught sight of Mr.1 on the ground and his boss still in the fight not far away, he gritted his teeth.
Slap!
Both palms slapped his own face hard, finally dispelling a bit of that timidity.
Mr.3, who usually seemed a bit comical, actually stood between Mr.1 and Yamato at this moment, his hands in a fighting stance.
"Come! I'll be your opponent!"
Honestly, at this moment, even Mr.3 felt he might be crazy. How could he possibly stop such a strong enemy who could one-shot Mr.1?
But giving up on his companion just like that… he couldn't do it.
After all, Mr.1 and Crocodile hadn't given up on him when escaping from Impel Down.
'Consider it me repaying you!'
He shouted in his heart, but his face remained deadly serious.
He used to be a cowardly person. After being defeated in battle with Luffy and the others, he lacked the courage to tell his boss, which once led to him being hunted by the agency.
But after the trials of Impel Down, the timidity originally in Mr.3's heart was gradually replaced by something more resilient.
Mr.3 stared at Yamato's silent figure, sweat gradually beading on his forehead.
No helping it… attitude was one thing, but ability was another.
Facing Yamato in her serious state, that suffocating pressure was truly too much torture for the nerves.
"Interesting."
Yamato's sudden speech almost made the highly-strung Mr.3 instinctively attack.
"You, even though you're so scared your legs are shaking, you still don't plan to run?"
As she spoke, she even pointed at the other's legs.
Mr.3 also instinctively looked down.
Sure enough, despite his brave words, his body was honestly expressing the most primitive fear.
His legs were practically shaking with afterimages at this point.
"Damn it! Don't look down on me! Candle Champion!!"
Perhaps feeling his resolve had been insulted, or worried that if he didn't act now he might completely lose the courage to act, Mr.3 decisively unleashed his most powerful move.
Countless white wax rapidly covered his entire body, then gradually shaped into a giant 'candle armor'.
Mr.3 himself was at the very center of the candle armor, staring intently at Yamato's every move.
This was the most outstanding work of art among all his designs. That wax was the product of repeated reinforcement and hardening, unafraid even of steel.
"Wow!!"
Looking at the candle man that resembled a giant mecha, stars practically sparkled in Yamato's eyes.
This was partly Naruto's fault.
While bringing rebellious ideas to Wano Country, he also brought comic books from other parts of the sea.
Among them were best-selling comics fantasizing about 'giant robots'.
Thanks to this, Yamato, whose personality was already quite boyish, was instantly captivated and had always longed to pilot a super robot herself.
Unfortunately, Queen always sneered at such unreasonable fantasy creations. No matter how Yamato tried to persuade or reason with him, he never agreed to build one for her.
"You! You're really something!"
Yamato even excitedly clapped her hands.
This, however, made Mr.3's originally high fighting spirit suddenly stall, feeling a bit out of the scene.
Fortunately, Yamato didn't maintain this state for long.
After being moved and finishing her applause, she reached behind her back, took down her kanabo [Takeru], and gripped it with both hands.
Even though she hadn't given Mr.1, who was stronger, a proper glance.
"This is truly moving to me!"
"Naruto-san once told me, 'Fear is the instinct of living beings, and courage is the hymn of humanity!'"
"Knowing you might die yet still not giving up on your companion… this courage, I acknowledge it!"
It was clear that Yamato highly approved of Mr.3's actions.
"Out of respect for this courage, and respect for this 'work of art'! I must bring forth 120% seriousness! Please be careful!"
Saying so, Yamato gripped the kanabo with both hands, and a terrifying aura capable of tearing the world poured into it.
Faintly, Mr.3 seemed to see black lightning dancing on the kanabo.
He didn't understand the principle, nor why things had escalated to this point.
He only knew he might die here.
With difficulty, he swallowed, then glanced back at Mr.1, and silently raised his fist.
"Raaaaah!"
He actually charged toward Yamato.
'Hey, hey, hey! Is this guy crazy?!'
Buggy, thrown on the ground trying to play ostrich to hide his presence, stared dumbfounded at Mr.3's actions.
'Just an ordinary assassin, not even knowing Haki, yet daring to attack such a monster?!'
You can laugh at Captain Buggy's lack of strength, but don't underestimate Buggy's vision.
As one of Roger's crew members, his experience was no less than Naruto or Shanks.
'Conqueror's Haki Infusion?!'
'That kind of ghostly thing should only be used by guys like Uncle Rayleigh, Kaido, or Big Mom, right?!'