Trebol's "Sticky Chain" technique wasn't just about ensnaring the target. With the Sea King immobilized, Trebol gave a vicious tug on the mucus chains connecting him to it. The massive, mucus-coated serpent was instantly flung high into the air once more.
"Beta Beta Meteor!" Trebol cackled. Swinging the chain, he sent the Sea King spinning through the air, generating a tremendous whistling sound. Coated in layers of repulsive, sticky fluid, the great sea snake plummeted towards Bellamy like a falling star.
Meanwhile, Yonji, hovering nearby thanks to his jet boots, didn't immediately join the attack. Whenever Trebol used his Devil Fruit powers, viscous mucus tended to splatter everywhere. Yonji preferred close-quarters combat, and getting caught in Trebol's sticky discharge would be problematic. Friendly fire was a real risk. While his Germa Raid Suit could launch parts of itself like spring-loaded projectiles, trying to hit the agile Bellamy with such attacks seemed unrealistic after Bellamy had effortlessly evaded that earlier, massive cannon barrage.
The only viable strategy Yonji could conceive against Bellamy was a close-range battle of attrition. Wear down Bellamy's stamina first, force him out of his peak condition. Then, overwhelm him with a relentless, high-pressure offense, force an opening, and finish him with a decisive blow. Beyond that, Yonji couldn't imagine any other way to take down this frustratingly slippery opponent.
"Although... perhaps I could try that device," Yonji mused internally. He had brought a special piece of experimental Germa tech on this expedition. Maybe this battle presented an opportunity to test it. "For now, let the Snot Monster wear him down a bit," Yonji decided, hovering back. The nickname Bellamy had coined for Trebol—'Snot Monster'—fit the disgusting executive so perfectly that even Yonji found himself subconsciously adopting it.
Facing the mucus-coated Sea King plummeting towards him again, Bellamy felt a flicker of caution. The Sticky-Sticky Fruit was, fundamentally, a powerful counter to close-range fighters like himself. If his limbs got entangled in that adhesive mucus, his combat effectiveness would be instantly halved, if not worse. If his whole body got caught? He'd be a sitting duck. As good as dead. Against a skilled swordsman, Trebol's mucus defense might be easily sliced through, leaving him vulnerable. But against a primarily hand-to-hand combatant like Bellamy, Trebol could leverage his powers to devastating effect. That was the unique danger of the Sticky-Sticky Fruit.
Bellamy prepared to evade the incoming 'Mucus Meteor,' but suddenly realized his options were limited. Krieg's former flagship, their current battleground, was rapidly sinking. The stable footing available was shrinking fast. And wherever Trebol used his powers, the deck became coated in treacherous, sticky slime. The clear space available for him to maneuver was now reduced to just a narrow pathway on the tilting wreck.
"Are they trying to force me into the air?" While he could fight airborne using Second Gear, he wasn't quite as agile as on solid ground, and it consumed stamina much faster. Still, even forcing him airborne wouldn't make him an easy target. So their ultimate goal is attrition? Wear down my stamina?
He had to admit, Trebol and Yonji were experienced fighters. After only a couple of brief exchanges, they had both, almost simultaneously, arrived at the same tactical conclusion: Wear down Bellamy's stamina, then wait for an opening. Bellamy sensed their strategy and couldn't help but afford the pair a measure of respect. "They're veterans, alright." They'd quickly recognized his superior agility and immediately shifted their tactics.
But Bellamy wasn't about to play their game. Since this battlefield was becoming disadvantageous... he'd simply change the venue. Effortlessly sidestepping the plummeting Sea King 'meteor,' carefully avoiding the splattering mucus, Bellamy executed a short leap through the air, landing deftly on a large piece of driftwood bobbing nearby in the churning water.
"Nyeh-heh-heh! Hey, Hyena brat! Is running away all you know how to do?" Trebol taunted. Trying the same provocation again? Bellamy wasn't falling for it. "Snot Monster," Bellamy called back coolly, "This wreck you're standing on is about to sink completely." Yonji, thanks to his Raid Suit, could fly freely. Bellamy himself possessed unparalleled aerial mobility. But what about Trebol? If the Snot Monster couldn't fly, the next phase of the battle could get very interesting indeed.
Bellamy wasn't entirely certain. Could a veteran New World pirate like Trebol use Moon Walk? Probably not, he guessed. Widespread knowledge of the Six Powers, especially among pirates, seemed surprisingly limited. Countless pirates roamed the seas, yet very few utilized the Six Powers. It seemed the general understanding of Rokushiki among pirates was still hazy at best. Trebol had arrived on a small skiff, but such a flimsy vessel wouldn't survive the collateral damage of their fight for long. Once Krieg's sinking flagship finally went under, Trebol would have nowhere stable to stand.
Facing such a predicament, logically, the Snot Monster should be showing some signs of panic. Yet Trebol didn't seem nervous in the slightest. In fact, he was waving mockingly at Bellamy. "Ooh, scary!" Trebol jeered sarcastically. "I'm a Devil Fruit user, you know! If I fall in the sea, I'm done for!"
Was he trying to play mind games? Increase the psychological pressure by feigning vulnerability? No, that didn't feel right. Did this guy have some hidden ace up his sleeve? Some reason for this confidence? Trebol practically oozed a 'come at me' attitude, and it genuinely gave Bellamy pause. It felt like Trebol was... anticipating something. Waiting for Bellamy to attack him directly.
Meanwhile, Yonji had flown to perch on a nearby sinking mast, arms crossed, looking completely unconcerned. Bellamy caught a glimpse, however—Yonji was subtly using a specialized Den Den Mushi, likely issuing remote commands to his clone army, planning something in secret. The battle had barely begun, yet they'd already reached a tense standoff.
Standing balanced on the driftwood, Bellamy rapidly sifted through his memories, trying to recall everything he knew about Trebol. What was the Snot Monster's trump card? What made him so confident inviting a close-range attack?
Just then, a crucial piece of information clicked into place. A flash of insight. "I get it!"It's his body shape! His 'stomach'! Trebol, the insidious bastard! He always wore baggy clothes that made him look like a large, obese man. A big, blubbery target. But the real Trebol, underneath that outer layer, was actually incredibly thin, almost skeletal! That 'fat stomach,' that entire bulky appearance—it wasn't fat at all! It was a thick layer of his own sticky mucus, molded around his thin frame! If anyone attacked his 'body' directly, aiming for the center mass, their fist or weapon would just sink into the thick mucus, becoming instantly trapped and immobilized!
With stable ground disappearing, and being a Devil Fruit user vulnerable to the sea... Trebol still dared to adopt that 'come hit me' posture because he was banking on Bellamy falling for the trap! He wanted Bellamy to attack his body!
"Insidious bastard." If Bellamy hadn't recalled that crucial detail about Trebol's true appearance, he genuinely might have fallen for the bait. And once Bellamy was immobilized by the mucus, Yonji, lurking nearby like a vulture, would undoubtedly swoop in for the kill.
"Still," Bellamy mused, "if you're setting a trap like that, wouldn't feigning weakness be more effective?" If the Snot Monster had pretended to panic about the sinking ship, Bellamy might actually have been tempted to press the attack quickly. The disgusting executive had plenty of battlefield experience, clearly, but his tactical acumen seemed pitifully low. No wonder his actual combat strength hadn't seemed to improve much over the years compared to Doflamingo's other top men.
"So, he has that mucus armor as a trump card. If I throw a punch straight at his torso, he definitely won't dodge." Bellamy had initially considered using a Tempest Kick to test Trebol's defenses from range. But now? There was no need for testing.
Bellamy's eyes narrowed slowly, a plan forming. He now knew exactly how to deal with this insidious Snot Monster.