About five minutes after the two ships crossed paths, Rosen led his fleet past Sabo's vessel, each heading in their respective directions.
Koala and Hack studied Sabo with curiosity before Koala hesitantly asked, "Are we really going to work with him? He's a Shichibukai. What if—"
"No. He couldn't have predicted my arrival, so the likelihood of him colluding with the Marines against us is low. Besides, not long ago, he killed the base commander here. The Marines wouldn't sacrifice someone like that just to set a trap," Sabo replied confidently.
As the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff, Sabo was methodical. Even when taking risks, he always had a plan.
"That may be true, but our original goal was just to delay the Buster Call ships. We never planned to confront an Admiral directly," Hack countered, uneasy at the idea of targeting a Marine Admiral without consulting their leader.
"Relax. Admirals are strong, but everyone has weaknesses. If we can deal a heavy blow to one, it'll be a huge morale boost for our comrades. And honestly, it's worth trying," Sabo said, considering the agreement they'd struck.
Though impulsive, Sabo trusted Kuma's judgment on Crocodile—his enmity with the World Government ensured he wouldn't side with the Marines against them. Even if the plan failed, the fallout would be minimal.
"Your luck's holding, Queen of Lantis," Rosen murmured to himself. Earlier, he hadn't been sure if Hathaway would escape, but after meeting Sabo and coordinating their moves—assuming neither side betrayed the other—everyone, including Hathaway, could make it out alive.
Using Hathaway as bait had been a necessity. Rosen couldn't risk himself—the danger was too great—and his Sand-Sand Fruit was better suited for protecting the fleeing Lantisians. Hathaway's strength lay in offense, not shielding them from the island's flames and bombardment.
"Land the ship. We need to move fast—two guides, come with me." Rosen brought the transport ship to where the pirate vessels were hidden. Until the Lantisians were ready to retreat, he couldn't risk bringing the ships too close to the island, where they'd be easy targets for the Buster Call's cannons.
With two Lantisians, Rosen rowed a small boat to the Ninth Garden. Once there, he'd cover their retreat to the shore before summoning the ships for their escape to Hanabana Island.
Thanks to the queen's guards and their verification methods, Rosen gained the Lantisians' trust immediately—especially since Hodman and Alice were in charge.
By the time Rosen arrived, the Ninth Garden had already endured multiple bombardments. Large sections were unrecognizable, though the heaviest fire hadn't yet concentrated there. Hodman, Alice, and a few others had managed to intercept most of the shells, but without Rosen's intervention, they'd eventually be overwhelmed.
"Uncle!" Natalie cheered when she saw Rosen.
"Thank you," Alice said stiffly. Rosen had not only confirmed the queen's survival but also given them hope.
"Time is short. Stay within two thousand meters of me." Beyond that range, Rosen's sand cyclones would weaken, leaving them vulnerable.
"Everyone, move out! Strongest fighters form the outer ring. Children first, elders behind—we're leaving Lantis!" Hodman's booming voice echoed across the crowd.
Tens of thousands of Lantisians mobilized swiftly, forming up within minutes.
"Sand Fortress!" Rosen raised his hand, sending swirling cyclones of dust into the air, shielding the group. Two falling shells detonated harmlessly within the sandstorm.
Hodman and Alice sliced apart any shells that broke through, while the rest crashed into the cyclones. Even when explosions shattered the barriers, Rosen effortlessly reformed them.
The dense formation advanced toward the coast through fire and artillery. Most zombies had been wiped out by the Buster Call, leaving only the luckiest or strongest stragglers. The outer ring of fighters kept them at bay—a precaution against surprise attacks.
Surprisingly, aside from the bombardment, they faced little resistance. The Marines never expected anyone to land on the island under these conditions, let alone possess an ability that countered their firepower.
Few Devil Fruits surpassed the Sand-Sand Fruit's utility on land. With it, Rosen could manipulate terrain for defense or concealment with ease.
"Can we really leave Lantis?" Natari asked.
Rosen ignored her—whenever she phrased questions like this, it signaled the start of a chatterstorm.
"Why aren't you answering? Hmph. It's so sad the demon lands are gone. If we don't escape, we'll all starve. That's a terrible way to die. Uncle, what's your worst fear? I heard Devil Fruit users—" She tugged his sleeve.
Whoosh.
A small sand cyclone lifted her ten meters into the air. Peace, at last.
"Boats! I see boats at the shore!" Natalie shouted, spotting the approaching fleet.
"Are we really saved?!" The Lantisians stirred at her words. Most didn't know Rosen's connection to them—they'd followed orders because they had no other choice. But now, hope flared anew.
"They're here," Robin said aboard the Dawn, watching the approaching sandstorm. Rescuing them had seemed almost too easy.
And it was—because Hathaway had drawn the Marines' strongest fighters. Otherwise, the fleet would've been detected immediately. Regular Marine ships wouldn't dare pursue alone; they'd wait for reinforcements, buying time for the escape.
But then—
BOOM!
A shell struck one of the fleeing ships, sinking it instantly. Pirates and Lantis plunged into the sea.
"Marine ships! Two of them—damn it! Why?! The Buster Call fleet's on the other side of the island!" a Lantis warrior roared.
"Extra ships? O'Neil's intel never mentioned this," Rosen muttered, frowning at the sudden complication.
Two Marine vessels posed a serious threat—especially if they carried powerful fighters.
Worst of all—they'd been exposed.
(End of Chapter)
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