Deadly Drug!
It was definitely the effect of the deadly drug.
When Aaron saw the reactions of Hodgson and the others, now fully confirmed to be the king's undercover agents after they swallowed those unknown pills, he immediately realized what they had taken.
At that moment, the situation, which had seemed unfavorable to the royal army, reversed in an instant.
The scales of victory in this civil war began to tilt once more.
If the royal army truly possessed this deadly drug as a trump card, it was hard to imagine them ever losing. After all, their forces outnumbered those of the rebel army led by Gilbert several times over.
If every soldier in the royal army were equipped with such a drug, the rebellion could be crushed in mere minutes.
"Still, it's hard to say who will win. From the look on Gilbert's face just now, he clearly knows about this drug too. He might have his own batch of it. The only question is whose trump card is stronger?"
With that thought, Aaron shifted his gaze toward Gilbert, the rebel leader, pondering quietly.
From the very start of the battle, he had been using his Observation Haki to monitor the situation. His focus had always been on Gilbert, Hodgson, and the CP7 lackeys of the Celestial Dragons.
Thus, he had clearly seen Gilbert's expression when Hodgson and the others took the deadly drug.
It was a look of shock mixed with fear.
That emotional reaction told Aaron everything he needed to know: Gilbert was aware of the drug's existence. In fact, it was likely one of his own secret weapons for winning this war. But now, realizing that his enemy also possessed it, he was both astonished and shaken.
Gilbert was no fool. He could see the same thing Aaron did, his army was smaller, and if the royal forces had the means to mass-produce and distribute the deadly drug, their explosive surge in power could easily annihilate his troops.
"Damn it! How could Gresham have known about the drug?! It's that bastard Caesar, has to be him! The greedy lunatic! I gave him all that money for research, and it still wasn't enough for him. He's betting on both sides trying to profit off this war! That wretched fool!"
Gilbert's rage flared as he cursed inwardly, remembering that avaricious scientist.
But now was no time to settle scores with that damned madman. He knew all too well how dangerous the drug was. Someone like Hodgson, already strong, would gain terrifying power for a short while after taking it power born from burning away their very life force.
Just as he expected, the tide of battle turned sharply. Hodgson, who had been on the defensive against Watt and Wicks, now overpowered both of them with ease. Within mere seconds, Watt and Wicks were bloodied and battered.
One of Watt's horns was severed, and a deep slash ran across his chest.
Wicks fared even worse, having lost his speed advantage, he overextended and was struck down, losing an arm in the process.
The guards fighting for Gilbert were in dire straits as well. Their earlier numerical advantage had disappeared. The royal army's undercover agents who had taken the deadly drug transformed into hulking brutes, their bodies brimming with muscle and raw power. The momentum of battle flipped completely.
These drug-enhanced soldiers tore through Gilbert's private troops like wolves among sheep. Within moments, nearly half of his men had been slaughtered.
From Aaron's Observation Haki, the auras of those once-weak royal infiltrators now rivaled that of mid-tier gang bosses.
The strength of Vililia Port's gang leaders varied widely, but most of them were hardened veterans who had fought their way up through blood and chaos. On average, their combat power was on par with a Marine Headquarters Ensign well above common grunts.
Hodgson and the others who had taken the drug clearly understood that its effects were short-lived. They couldn't afford a prolonged battle. After injuring or killing their opponents, they immediately regrouped and charged straight for Gilbert himself.
They knew that if they could slay the root of this rebellion, Gilbert, the war would end swiftly and the Drum Kingdom wouldn't bleed its strength away.
But one major obstacle still stood in their way: the members of CP7.
These lapdogs of the Celestial Dragons remained unwaveringly loyal to their masters. Realizing the danger, they quickly regrouped around Gilbert, forming an impenetrable defense.
Each CP7 agent was exceptionally strong, masters of the Rokushiki martial arts. Even with the deadly drug amplifying their power, Hodgson and his allies couldn't break through.
The masked man with the red tear-mark was particularly formidable. Facing Hodgson, now a monstrous Devil Fruit user empowered by the drug, he still held his ground. Cunning and composed, he relied on Soru and Tekkai to dodge and counterattack, stalling for time.
The other CP7 agents fought just as tenaciously, tying down the royal infiltrators and preventing them from getting anywhere near Gilbert.
Among them, one Zoan-type Devil Fruit user stood out, his power nearly rivaled the masked man's. He ruthlessly cut down several drug-fueled royal soldiers in rapid succession.
Once again, CP7's cold efficiency stabilized the battlefield. The chaos began to subside, and even a faint counteroffensive was forming.
Yet the royal loyalists who had taken the deadly drug showed no fear of death. They charged again and again, ignoring their wounds, refusing to retreat even when the assassination attempt was doomed to fail.
"What incredible loyalty… That old king truly commands unwavering devotion."
Watching from the sidelines, Aaron couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Though King Gresham was now aged and gravely ill, he had once been one of the most capable rulers in the Drum Kingdom's history. Under his reign, the nation's power and prosperity had flourished, earning him the love of his people and the loyalty of many.
Over the years, his influence had spread into every corner of the kingdom. In truth, no one in Drum had greater power than the old king himself.
His one fatal flaw, however, was that he had never been a good father. His two sons were both cruel men, and now, lacking a worthy successor, his once-solid power base had fractured into civil strife.
Still, many remained loyal to him willing to die for his sake.
Hodgson was one of them. An orphan of war, he had grown up under Gresham's care. For over a decade, he had lived in secret by Gilbert's side. And now, when ordered to carry out what was essentially a suicide mission, he did so without hesitation forsaking wealth, rank, and even life itself.
"Damn it! Damn you, Gresham!"
Gilbert's eyes burned with fury as he watched Hodgson, his former bodyguard, who had saved his life countless times, now turning against him. The realization that this man had always been loyal to his hated brother drove him mad with jealousy.
For years, Gresham had stolen his throne, suppressed his ambitions, and humiliated him. Gilbert's rage exploded.
"Kill him! Kill those traitorous dogs!" he roared.
But the moment his command left his lips, a scream cut through the battlefield.
One CP7 agent, who had been holding off three of the royal infiltrators, was suddenly overwhelmed, their speed spiking unexpectedly. Before he could react, they seized his limbs.
There was no escape. The drug-fueled soldiers tore him apart limb by limb.
For the first time, the Celestial Dragons' dogs had suffered casualties in this blood-soaked banquet of chaos.
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