"Lord Ramirez, we're from Marine Headquarters, we—ah!" A Rear Admiral, having received orders that a battle was taking place nearby, rushed over, but it went badly.
Marine Headquarters had already issued the orders to all officers.
Even if Ramirez didn't personally know these Marine officers, the Marines in action all recognized this reinforcer sent directly by the World Government, because in his appointment, his command authority was on par with an Admiral.
Such high temporary authority shocked even mid-level Admirals unaware of the situation. Admiral-level power meant he could mobilize all forces in the Sabaody Archipelago.
Even Aokiji, if commissioned, would have to carefully consider Ramirez's arrangements without sufficient reason.
When the Marines arrived, Apo's pirate crew had almost been annihilated, with only the captain still resisting, severely wounded.
Ramirez had originally been about to finish Apo with a single strike, but the sudden arrival of the Marines snapped him out of a certain frenzy. He abandoned Apo and turned his murderous blade toward the Marines.
"Marines… what are you? Pirates… what are they? Strange… why am I here? Oh, right… to kill… but no target yet, so let's sharpen the blade first… hmm… just like this." Ramirez was covered in both enemy and allied blood.
"Damn, another lunatic." Watching Ramirez charge into the Marines, slashing wildly, at least seven or eight Marines were cut in half, including officers—no one could withstand his attack.
"If you're to blame, blame your own bad luck for stepping into my domain of blood. The dragon blade thirsts, not me…"
"What's his deal? He was supposed to be reinforcements sent by the World Government—why is he attacking us Marines?" A Captain shouted as he and the Marines retreated. In an instant, dozens of elite Marines became victims, including the recently screaming Rear Admiral.
They were terrified. This man was a living weapon of death; every movement snatched life away like a disaster.
"No!" the Captain cried, seeing the murderous fiend fix his gaze on him. In a single step, Ramirez was in front of him, as if teleporting, the massive blade raised like a blood rainbow descending from the sky.
Death approached instantly.
"Freeze Moment!" In that instant, ice formed rapidly from the ground, freezing Ramirez in place.
"Admiral Kizaru," the Captain survived by a thread, overwhelmed with relief, thinking all hope was lost.
"Calmed down?" Aokiji said coldly, watching the cracking ice sculpture. He despised this man, despite a brief time working together in the New World.
"What now? Let the dragon blade drink more blood—after all, protecting a master's army they can't handle, why bother?" When the ice broke, Ramirez was no longer frenzied but genuinely calm.
"If you raise your blade against the Marines or civilians again, don't blame me for dealing with you first," Aokiji warned coldly.
"Who told you you couldn't even handle a pirate crew, and humiliated the Celestial Dragons? I don't care about that, just tell me where to kill," Ramirez replied cautiously, wary of Aokiji.
He understood that this Admiral had always disapproved of him, just as he did of the Admiral.
But in battle, he often lost control. The sensation was intoxicating, making him forget both mission and enemies alike.
"The Dawn Pirates likely aren't on the island, but the Straw Hats should still be here. The only unsearched area is the unreachable zone."
"Lead the way." Ramirez wasted no words and, guided by the Marines, fought his way into the unreachable zone of the Sabaody Archipelago. He found the Straw Hats and Sabo, sparking a brutal battle. Sabo struggled to resist…
Ramirez, whose strength rivaled an Admiral's, displayed both overwhelming power and cruelty. If not for Rayleigh's timely intervention, the outcome would have been disastrous.
Even so, the entire Sabaody Archipelago was engulfed in bloodshed.
Meanwhile, some distance away, several pirate ships hid among the reefs.
It was Rosen and his crew.
"The Sabaody Archipelago is completely chaotic now. It's not safe to return for a while," Rosen said calmly. Those who could escape the Marine blockade had done so.
The unlucky ones were left to fate—pirates, where life and death are constant.
Finding them in the vast ocean was hardly easy.
If the conflict with Aokiji had erupted on the island, escape would have been difficult. But Rosen had prepared in advance, waiting by the coast for a swift departure.
"Heighten vigilance. Don't relax. Return to the Sabaody Archipelago only after the Marines sweep through."
"Yes."
Though some distance from the Archipelago, patrols were present in the surrounding waters. Coincidence could still lead to discovery; safety was not guaranteed.
"This is troublesome. You guys really have a cursed connection with the Celestial Dragons. Whoever encounters you ends up dead," Law, responsible for watch, muttered. He didn't trust others with vigilance in this situation.
"Don't overthink it. Doflamingo was also a Celestial Dragon—well, technically, he used to be."
"What?!" Law was shocked. Doflamingo was a Celestial Dragon? That made things even more complicated.
"Don't worry too much. Celestial Dragons are human too; they die. No matter their power, in death, the body is cold."
"Didn't expect such excitement right after boarding…" Uruki said, partly speechless but also a bit thrilled.
"It's just killing one person. What's the big deal?" Enel dismissed it, though he vaguely knew the target was a noble. The crew's tension seemed slightly excessive.
"That's because offending a Celestial Dragon draws Admirals, and killing publicly could make sea sweeps like the one near Water 7 routine," Daz Bones said, leaving Enel stunned.
Just killing a seemingly ordinary person, and the Marines mobilized such force to trouble them? Alone, it would have been dangerous.
Back in his room, Rosen showered. As a Sand-Sand Fruit user, he didn't particularly enjoy bathing.
Yet he maintained the daily routine, for psychological effect and to clear his mind.
Killing the Celestial Dragon had been impulsive, but he did not regret it. The outcome was manageable. With the upcoming War at the Summit, he expected Marine Headquarters would see them as true obstacles.
Given the powers of Hathaway, Enel, and others, their strength was underestimated compared to their bounties—including his own.
So it was done.
"BOSS! Meals are ready." This time, the two maids did not deliver the meal; Robin spoke instead.
"Okay, coming."
"BOSS, I…" Robin hesitated.
"Sorry for worrying you," Rosen sighed. He should have anticipated what Aokiji's appearance meant for Robin, but his priority had been overall safety, preventing him from noticing her state. Otherwise, he wouldn't have wasted words with Aokiji but acted immediately.
"No, it's not… I…" Robin panicked slightly, realizing her unnecessary tension caused him to apologize. She had many things to say, but at that moment, she simply opened her arms, hugged Rosen tightly, and softly said: "Thank you."
(End of Chapter)