Shakky was swiftly taking out the Marines—she had to capture this Celestial Dragon before any admirals showed up. The Memory Seahorse was slaughtering soldiers left and right while devouring their memories, and now its strength had surpassed Fisher Tiger's by several times!
Following Brook, it had absorbed memories from multiple high-quality big-time pirates, and with the boost from its Devil Fruit, its power had skyrocketed.
"Pirate! Don't kill me! You want money or a Devil Fruit? I can give you whatever you need!"
Saint Chalm watched as Marine after Marine fell, a sinking feeling growing in his gut. Could he really be the second Celestial Dragon to die at the hands of pirates?
"Killing a guy like you—does that really awaken Conqueror's Haki?"
Shakky grabbed Saint Chalm excitedly. Back when she was hanging around the Sabaody Archipelago, she'd always steer clear whenever Celestial Dragons paraded through with their entourages, terrified of having to kneel and bow to those idiot morons!
"You can't kill me, or the Celestial Dragons won't let you off the hook. The World Government and the Marines will hunt you to the ends of the earth!"
Saint Chalm dangled from Shakky's grip around his neck, humiliation and fear flooding through him. If he made it back to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, he'd make sure to get brutal revenge on these damn pirates!
"Yo-ho~ And what about the overlord Brook? Why haven't you taken him down?"
Shakky saw the Memory Seahorse finish off the last Marine, then she snatched up the fat pig of a Celestial Dragon and soared into the sky!
"Don't kill me~"
Saint Chalm flailed his limbs in the air, a stream of yellow urine splashing down below. The people of Sabaody on the ground stared up in horror at the pirate holding the Celestial Dragon hostage.
This was way too bold!
"Captain Rocks is the nemesis of the god clan! He'll lead the people to overthrow the Celestial Dragons' rule!!"
Shakky shouted from the air as she paraded Saint Chalm around, flying from the 60s groves straight toward the 50s. That's where Ibadonbo's pirate ship was docked!
"A cadre from the Rocks Pirates has captured a World Noble—a Celestial Dragon!!"
"Is Rocks declaring war on the Celestial Dragons?"
"Someone's actually daring to ignore the Celestial Dragons' authority!!"
Countless civilians buzzed with talk, and at the same time, just like two years ago, they fled the Sabaody Archipelago in terror. If an admiral showed up and started blasting everything to catch pirates, who knew how many innocents would get caught in the crossfire!
In the original story, when Admiral Kizaru arrived at Sabaody, he wrecked plenty of buildings. Sure, he took down a bunch of Supernovas, but he didn't kill or capture a single one for Impel Down—he was just there to show off and cause destruction!
Shakky held Saint Chalm tight; the World Noble Celestial Dragon was trembling like a chick in her grasp!
"If he can be replaced, why not me?"
Shakky recalled a story Brook had once told. Back in the day, she'd hide at the sight of a Celestial Dragon, afraid of being spotted. But today, this Celestial Dragon was begging for mercy in her hands.
'The throne changes hands— this year, it's my turn!'
After following Brook, Shakky felt no fear toward the world's major powers anymore. Not even the Celestial Dragons or the World Government could scare her!
She knew this was a shift in her mindset.
Even if she didn't awaken Conqueror's Haki this time, she'd gained the heart of a true powerhouse!
The position of captain of the Kuja Pirates and empress of Amazon Lily—it's mine for the taking!
"A Celestial Dragon's blood really is filthy!"
Shakky tasted a drop of the World Noble Celestial Dragon's blood and immediately spat it out. What a waste—worse than your average pirate's.
Under the eyes of so many onlookers, she hauled Saint Chalm to the port in Grove 55 and tossed him from the air right onto Ibadonbo's pirate ship.
"You guys head out first—I'm going to help Ibadonbo! Long live the Rocks Pirates!!"
Shakky snapped Saint Chalm's neck and hurled him hard from the sky into the cabin of Ibadonbo's pirate ship, kicking up a cloud of dust!
She turned away excitedly and left. She'd killed a Celestial Dragon—she'd actually killed a Celestial Dragon!
Who knew when her Conqueror's Haki would awaken!
She dove into the crowd and vanished.
...
Not long after, Shakky made it back to the Kuja pirate ship.
"We're pulling out!"
At Shakky's command, the Kuja Pirates set sail back to Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt. As they departed, just a few groves away, an admiral's warship pulled into port, and a figure swiftly Geppo'd ashore!
...
On Ibadonbo's pirate ship.
"No—the coating's ruined! We can't dive into the deep sea to head back to the New World!"
"Where's Ibadonbo? Why isn't he back yet!"
"This is bad—the Celestial Dragon's already dead!"
"We gotta go—can't wait anymore. The admiral's coming!"
...
The crew panicked. Unable to submerge and return to the New World, they hoisted the sails and got out of there fast, planning to hit the nearest island and scatter to retire.
They couldn't be pirates anymore—not with a dead Celestial Dragon on their ship. Whether they killed him or not, they'd all pay the price.
Was that flying pirate really a cadre sent by Captain Rocks?
Dumping the Celestial Dragon on their ship in front of everyone—that was basically dooming them all!
What a dirty trick!
They ditched their boss and sailed off. If they didn't run now, they'd never get the chance!
...
Ibadonbo barely shook off Vice Admiral Pepon and fled back to his pirate ship in terror. An admiral was here—that terrifying presence, he could feel it through countless buildings!
When he reached the port, all he saw was his ship as a tiny silhouette in the distance. His eyes bulged in rage—he'd been betrayed by his own crew?
Ibadonbo panted heavily, veins popping, eyes bloodshot. What the hell was going on!!!
Why were they sailing back toward the first half of the Grand Line?
Why hadn't they dove into the deep sea to return to the New World?
"Pirate!! Where did you take Saint Chalm!!"
Admiral Kong spotted the slaughtered Marines near the Marine garrison and erupted in fury. The civilians had already cleared out, leaving him no one to question!
Along the way, he grabbed a few shop owners fleeing with their belongings and got some info: a cadre from the Rocks Pirates had grabbed the Celestial Dragon and flown toward the shipyard port.
Kong Geppo'd through the air, booming explosions echoing as he charged toward the coating port. These pirates couldn't have escaped back to the New World like Brook did, right?
Suddenly, he spotted Vice Admiral Pepon chasing a pirate, reigniting his hope. As long as the pirates hadn't fled, there was still a chance!
He couldn't let the Celestial Dragon be kidnapped or killed!
...
Seeing Vice Admiral Pepon closing in and the admiral bearing down, Ibadonbo gritted his teeth in hatred, despair creeping in!
He plunged headfirst into the sea, swimming frantically away, hugging the coastline of the Sabaody Archipelago to hide out on the islands for now!
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+400 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg