"Idiot! Get down now!"
A burly middle-aged man with a scarred face nearby glared fiercely at Sanji and hissed in a low, angry voice:
"You brat, how dare you remain standing before a Celestial Dragon! Did your elders never teach you manners? What insolence—this is outright disrespect!"
Celestial Dragon...
Sanji remained frowning, pinching his chin as he struggled to recall.
The term felt vaguely familiar, something he might have read about in books during childhood. But it was too distant now—he couldn't quite grasp what it referred to.
What was it again?
In the few seconds Sanji hesitated, the procession in the distance drew closer.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
More Marines, wielding flintlocks, marched with lowered heads in silence, flanking the path. Between them walked over a dozen black-suited agents wearing sunglasses.
Together, they escorted two figures riding atop towering slaves—
One was a lecherous-looking man with a mushroom-shaped haircut, the other a slender, fair-faced young woman.
Both wore bubble helmets, each holding a chain that was fastened around the necks of the slaves beneath them.
"You're on your own."
Law's expression darkened as he quickly pulled Bepo into the crowd. They had done all they could by warning him this far.
"Fool!"
The scar-faced man finally lost his patience. "At this point, there's no choice—get down!"
Whoosh!
A sweeping kick sent Sanji sprawling face-first into the dirt before he could react.
Who—
Who kicked me?!
Sanji seethed with rage, trying to push himself up, but the scarred man—clearly no ordinary thug—pinned him down with surprising strength, making escape impossible.
Flat on the ground, limbs splayed, rear raised.
From a distance, he looked even more devoutly reverent than the kneeling civilians nearby.
"Hmm?"
Charlia Palace noticed the commotion and glanced over. Seeing the scene, she nodded in satisfaction before turning away.
"Hey, Charlia, isn't that a Mink Tribe member lying over there?"
The mushroom-headed Celestial Dragon spotted Chopper on the ground. "Looks like a tanuki with that blue nose—pretty rare. Want me to buy it for you? Interested?"
"Pulming."
Charlia Palace replied coldly, "I only care for giants or slaves with giant blood. Have you forgotten?"
"Pity."
The mushroom-headed Celestial Dragon, Pulmin Saint, shrugged. "Personally, I love collecting Mink Tribe specimens, but feline-types... my walls are already overflowing with them. What I lack are bears—huh?"
His eyes suddenly lit up as he spotted Bepo in the distance.
"A bear-type Mink! And a rare white one at that!"
Pulmin Saint grinned excitedly, pointing at Bepo. "What luck! Hey, you! Hurry! Go! Seize that white bear!"
"Yes, sir!"
Most of the black-suited agents immediately sprang into action, cutting through the crowd to surround the Heart Pirates.
"..."
Law halted mid-step, his expression instantly darkening.
That clueless blond brat was completely ignored, while he, who had the sense to leave immediately, was inexplicably targeted instead?
"Captain..."
Bepo was startled at first, flustered and unsure what to do. But after glancing at Law's back, he gritted his teeth in determination, stepping forward with his arms raised high as he shouted:
"Hey! I'll go with you! Just don't hurt my—"
"Bepo!"
Law suddenly turned around, sharply cutting off Bepo's words. A resolute glint flashed in his eyes as he took a deep breath, his right hand already resting on the hilt of Ghost Cry.
"Don't say such foolish things."
Law's gaze swept over the black-suited agents closing in around them. "Our Heart Pirates have never had the habit of bowing to anyone."
Bepo froze, murmuring, "But Captain, they're Celestial Dragons! If we defy their orders, a Navy Admiral will come after us..."
"Navy Admiral? That title used to intimidate me."
Law sneered, flicking his thumb to unsheathe the Demon Blade Ghost Cry. A pale blue Room instantly expanded, enveloping the surrounding area within a radius of several dozen meters.
"But ever since learning about that man's deeds, don't you think the so-called Navy Admirals seem... rather unimpressive?"
A sharp glint flashed in Law's eyes.
Room!
Before the surrounding black-suited agents could react, their bodies were already sliced into pieces, floating up toward the ceiling, eliciting terrified screams from the nearby civilians.
"Audacious!"
"How dare you resist Pulmin Saint's orders!"
"Surround these pirates!"
A large group of Navy soldiers immediately raised their flintlocks and took aim, firing upon the commander's order.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The bullets lost all momentum the moment they entered the pale blue space, floating upward harmlessly.
"So many lackeys."
Law snorted coldly, raising his right hand to expand the Room's range when a figure suddenly dashed ahead of him, charging into the Navy formation like a whirlwind.
"Diable Jambe · Party Table!"
A scorching kick streaked like a meteor, knocking over a dozen rifle-wielding Navy soldiers flying one after another with resounding thuds.
Then, spinning mid-motion, his right leg swept out again!
"First Meat!"
Another group of Navy soldiers screamed as they were sent flying, toppling like dominoes and crashing into each other.
The Navy's encirclement was instantly torn open with a massive gap.
Tap!
Sanji landed gracefully, pulling out a lighter. He shielded the flame with his hand as he expertly lit a cigarette.
"Hey, old man."
He grinned at the scar-faced man on the ground, who looked utterly stunned. "You've got some serious strength there. I appreciate the gesture, but in a situation like this, it's hard not to step in."
"Hey! Curly Brow!"
Law frowned and snapped, "This isn't a fight for a 50-Berry bounty like you to meddle in. Don't get in my way!"
"I'm helping whether you like it or not!"
Sanji retorted irritably. "I just saved your life, got it? Otherwise, those bullets would've turned you into Swiss cheese!"
Using my own words against me?
"Petty as hell." Law facepalmed in exasperation.
"Hey, that bear—Bepo, was it? Do me a favor and keep an eye on Chopper."
Sanji bent down and picked up Chopper from the ground. "You guys hurry and leave first. Leave this place to me and your Captain. I have to protect this guy's safety—after all, in this chaotic situation, he's the only reliable doctor left on the island willing to treat Chopper."
Bepo, looking utterly bewildered, took Chopper from him.
"I like the sound of that," Law remarked, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at his crew. "His suggestion isn't wrong. You all retreat through the gap. Navy reinforcements will probably arrive soon. As for covering the rear, leave that to us."
"Understood, Captain!"
"Be careful yourself!"
"Don't worry, I know my limits."
The remaining members of the Heart Pirates immediately shielded Chopper and broke through the gap, while Law and Sanji exchanged a glance before standing back-to-back.
"How dare you!"
Pulmin Saint roared in fury, pulling out a pistol from his coat and aiming it at them. "The Mink Tribe I've taken a liking to is mine! You lowly commoners actually dare to defy me?!"
"Exactly! Utter lawlessness!"
A furious shout suddenly rang out from the side.
Sanji instinctively turned his head and saw the scar-faced man who had restrained him earlier striding forward with a dark expression, positioning himself protectively in front of the Celestial Dragon.
"Blond, curly-browed brat! You reckless fool! Not only did you refuse to kneel earlier, but now you even dare to join forces with another pirate in rebellion!"
With that, he suddenly turned and knelt before the Celestial Dragon, raising his arms in fervent devotion.
"This is a Celestial Dragon! The creator of the world, the true and perfect gods! O great divine one! I am a patrol officer from a South Blue-affiliated nation, here on Sabaody for vacation with my dear friend. Since I have the honor of serving you, allow me to deal with these two insolent commoners who don't know their place—"
Bang!
A sudden gunshot abruptly cut him off.
"..."
The scar-faced man looked down in disbelief at the blood gushing from his chest.
He froze for a moment before lifting his head again, only to see Pulmin Saint holding a smoking pistol, his face twisted with impatience.
"Annoying commoner."
Pulmin Saint blew the smoke from the barrel. "I will execute these two lowlifes myself. Who gave you permission to stand in my way and meddle?"
Beside him, Charlia Palace nodded slightly in agreement.
"I... I..."
The scar-faced man opened his mouth as if to say something, but all that came out was a mouthful of blood before he collapsed heavily to the ground.
His eyes remained wide open, as if unable to accept his fate—unable to comprehend why his unwavering loyalty had led to such an end.
"See that? That's what happens when you displease me!"
Pulmin Saint sneered as he raised his pistol again. "Now, it's your turn—"
...
Sabaody Marine Base.
Red lights flashed as the piercing wail of the highest-level alarm blared throughout the facility.
"Emergency! Disturbance in Sabaody Paradise—two Celestial Dragons under attack!"
"All units mobilize immediately! Proceed to the scene at maximum speed!"
"Identities of the assailants confirmed! Aside from the blond curly-browed man, the other leaders are Supernovas of this generation—Poison Doctor Chopper and the Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law!"
"The enemy is too ferocious; the branch base may not be able to handle it. Headquarters, we request Admiral support! Repeat, request Admiral support!"
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Top-floor office, beneath the plaque that read "Absolute Justice."
"What?"
Sengoku's expression changed abruptly as he stood up sharply. "The Celestial Dragons' guards were attacked on Sabaody Archipelago? Are there really Pirates bold enough to go this far?"
"Is it this year's Supernovas… Damn brats, I see now!"
After hanging up the call, Sengoku let out a long sigh.
"They've laid hands on the World Nobles, huh? Seems we can't ignore this anymore."
Kizaru, lazily trimming his nails on the sofa, sighed leisurely. "No need to worry. In that case, I'll make the trip myself, Fleet Admiral."
Normally, someone missing an arm wouldn't be able to trim their own nails—even if they had a pet eagle.
But he was different. As a Logia, he could use photon mimicry to recreate his other arm, concealed within his suit and glove, making it indistinguishable from the real thing.
Though, it still wasn't as dexterous as five fingers.
Glancing at his over-trimmed nail, which exposed the nail bed, Kizaru sighed regretfully before slowly rising to his feet and habitually slipping his hands into his pockets.
"Speaking of which…"
Kizaru tilted his head. "Fleet Admiral, Vegapunk's latest project seems to be in its final stages. What's missing now is field testing. A few units are already near Sabaody. Mind if I take them along for a trial run?"
"The Science Defense Unit has always been under your direct command. No need to consult me on such matters."
Sengoku said gravely, "Do whatever you want with them. But one thing—ensure the Celestial Dragons' safety above all else. Understood?"
"Of course."
Kizaru nodded with a smile before turning his gaze toward the distant horizon.
The next instant—
Crash!
The conference room's glass window shattered as Kizaru transformed into a streak of golden light, darting straight toward the harbor.
...
Bang!
Bang! Bang!
Gunfire roared like a storm, one volley after another, nearly uninterrupted, punctuated by the thunderous blasts of mortar shells.
"Hey, Curly Brow!"
Law weaved through the hail of bullets, the blade of his Demon Blade, Ghost Cry, tracing pale blue arcs as he sliced through incoming rounds:
"You were pretty talkative earlier. Why so quiet now?"
"Shut it!"
Sanji flipped sideways to evade a cannonball, his right leg igniting with flames as he kicked a charging Marine away:
"People get tired, damn it! These lackeys just keep coming!"
In the distance, Pulmin Saint's furious roar pierced through the smoke:
"Vermin! How dare you defy me! How dare you attack me! Do you really think you can escape? An Admiral is on the way! Once they—"
The rest was drowned out.
Another barrage of cannonfire erupted. Law gritted his teeth and activated Operating Room again, barely managing to block the onslaught.
"The firepower's getting heavier. Ever since last year's Sabaody incident, the Marines seem to have reinforced their forces here."
Law narrowed his eyes. "Bepo and the others, along with Chopper, should have reached safety by now. We can't possibly take out all the Marines here, so let's just break through now."
"Leaving already?"
Sanji snorted. "I was hoping to give those bubble-headed bastards a kick each before we left."
"It's not worth risking our lives just for revenge."
With a swing of his Demon Blade, Law pointed towards a direction and commanded in a low voice, "That's the weakest point in their formation—now's our chance! Move!"
"Got it!"
Sanji knocked back the surrounding Marines charging at them and leaped high, preparing to break through alongside Law when—
Hum!
A golden flash suddenly erupted between them, exploding violently the next instant.
(End of Chapter)