After the brief exchange, No. 1 didn't even bother turning back to check what had happened. Instead, he quickened his pace, hurrying toward their destination.
Their Mission objective was very clear, and every member of the squad was ready to sacrifice everything to complete it. Although No. 1 was enraged by the deaths of his teammates, he didn't feel much else emotionally.
Seeing the look on his face, Lordling guessed that the ones who stayed behind had probably run into misfortune, and her heart instantly relaxed.
"If he's upset, then that means Rojen's group is safe." She thought, overjoyed.
Inside the wooden house, Crocodile dumped a bucket of icy water onto No. 3's face. The freezing cold made No. 3 shudder violently as his eyes snapped open.
But when he saw the two men before him, his pupils contracted. He immediately realized that his entire body felt shattered, pain seared through every part of him, and he had no strength left to move.
"Who are you people?" He asked hoarsely.
"You really don't want to know the answer to that," Crocodile said coldly.
"Trust me, if you don't start talking, you'll regret it." Crocodile crouched down, his eyes icy as he gently tapped No. 3's right leg with a finger. In that instant, an invisible energy pulse surged, and half of No. 3's leg shriveled into a mummified state.
"AHHHHHHH!!" No. 3 screamed in agony. The experience of watching his own body lose sensation and dry up into a corpse-like limb filled him with dread.
"Speak. Otherwise, next time, it'll be your other leg that turns into this," Crocodile said with a cruel smirk in his otherwise indifferent gaze.
"You've made enemies of the one group no one in their right mind would ever dare provoke…" No. 3 gritted his teeth.
With a flick of Crocodile's right hand, the desiccated half-leg crumbled into sand with a tremble.
"Spare us the nonsense." Crocodile warned coldly.
"We are a secret force under the Celestial Dragons, part of the World Government, code name: Eighth Division." No. 3 said with his eyes shut.
"To the world, we do not exist. We have no names, no identities… not even dignity!" A bitter smirk twisted the corners of his mouth as he spoke.
"The World Government and Celestial Dragons don't like getting their hands dirty. Whatever needs to be done, they send us to do it. That is our sole reason for existence."
"Celestial Dragons?" Crocodile's pupils contracted. Despite his experience and boldness, just hearing those words made him uneasy. His eyes subconsciously flicked toward Rojen.
"Your mission, what was it? And where was she taken?" Rojen asked calmly, showing no surprise.
"Our objective was naturally Princess Yilu. We were sent to retrieve her and return her to the Holy Land. That was our mission. As for killing your lot… that was just an added bonus."
Seeing how unfazed Rojen looked, No. 3 showed a trace of surprise in his eyes.
He continued: "Do you people even know who you've angered? They are the peak of this world, the descendants of the Twenty Kings. From now on, you'll live like rats, hiding in the shadows, always on the run. The power of the Celestial Dragons isn't something you can resist! And to think you were dumb enough to ally with Princess Yilu… You clearly don't understand that just one finger from a Celestial Dragon can crush you like ants!"
"You talk too much." Rojen suddenly opened his eyes, a powerful aura flared in them, making No. 3 shut his mouth instantly.
At that moment, he felt an overwhelming pressure emanating from the young man sitting before him, like the majesty of a lion or tiger, a presence so oppressive it left him breathless.
"Where will she be taken?" Rojen asked.
"The Holy Land, to the Ilinulay Family," No. 3 answered without hesitation, his voice full of scorn.
"Give it up. In front of a colossal force like the Celestial Dragons, just being lucky enough to survive is already a blessing. Compared to someone like Lady Yilu, you're worlds apart! You seriously think you can be her friend? What a joke."
Rojen slowly stood up. He gave no reaction to No. 3's mockery; he simply took a step forward and walked up beside him.
"For someone who's spent a lifetime bowing, how could your spine remember the pride and dignity of standing tall?"
That calm voice made No. 3 pause for a moment, and Crocodile's eyes flickered with interest.
"Even in the face of the sea's roar and fury, I have never backed down." Rojen said. "So why would I fear the likes of the Celestial Dragons?"
Shing,
The crisp sound of a sword leaving its sheath echoed through the room as Rojen drew the Rainbow Abyss from his waist.
"She is my companion, I will personally bring her back. Whether it's Marine Headquarters, or the Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons… I fear nothing!"
The sword flashed and in a clean, decisive motion, the blade sliced across No. 3's neck, and blood bloomed in a brilliant arc. His face froze in its final expression, and life faded from his body.
"But you won't be around to see any of it." Rojen's voice was calm, but within it was a will as strong as iron, firm and resounding.
Staring out the window at the now-destroyed rapeseed flower field, Rojen's gaze turned deep and resolute.
"I will never allow my companions to be taken by force. Even if the ones behind it… are the Celestial Dragons."
The descendants of the Twenty Kings who founded the world, the rulers of the globe, and the ones who enjoy supreme privilege, the Celestial Dragons are known as the most powerful and influential beings in the world.
Their authority is untouchable. Any disrespect toward them is immediately answered by a dispatch from Marine Headquarters, usually an admiral, to suppress and destroy the offender.
To show their "greatness" and distinguish themselves from commoners, they even wear bubble helmets to avoid breathing the same air as the "inferior people."
Anyone who dares oppose these World Nobles must possess incredible willpower, a spirit bold enough to shake mountains. Just a moment of hesitation or fear could spell total defeat.
Throughout history, those who've offended the Celestial Dragons have never had a good ending.
Why? Because in this era, angering a Celestial Dragon means going to war with the entire world.
And how many people in this world have the courage and madness to challenge it all?
No. 3 wasn't wrong, the Celestial Dragons' power is not something any ordinary force can contend with. This isn't just a test of strength; it's also a war of strategy, intelligence, and courage, involving every aspect of battle and survival.
In the original story, the Straw Hats punched a Celestial Dragon, and only lived because of their "protagonist halo." If it were anyone else, in a world this realistic and unforgiving, the result would've been instant death.
Yet standing against the Celestial Dragons… Rojen felt neither fear nor doubt.
It was as if something deep in his blood was awakening, a courage, a wild defiance that surged from his very soul.
"The Celestial Dragons, huh? Then let me see what you're really capable of."
His eyes narrowed. In that moment, a towering aura exploded from his body, fierce, tyrannical, unstoppable.
The cold glint of his sword pointed unwaveringly toward the heart of the Grand Line.
(End Of This Chapter)
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