"Magnus-san, is it really okay to just kill a Celestial Dragon like that?"
The death of Rosward Saint had thrown the entire auction house into uproar.
Toki, standing at his side, looked at Magnus with concern.
From her perspective, if Rosward hadn't dared speak so crudely to her, Magnus wouldn't have struck so hard.
"Haha, just a Celestial Dragon."
Magnus glanced at the headless corpse and laughed. If he couldn't even raise his blade against one Celestial Dragon, what right did he have to defy the World Government?
Besides, killing him wasn't without reward.
[Year 1483 of the Sea Calendar: In order to protect Tsuru, a Navy Vice Admiral, you clashed with a Celestial Dragon. As a pirate who feared nothing, you beheaded him in one stroke, shocking the world.]
[The World Government flies into a rage, dispatching Admiral Kong, former Admiral Ortega Siwen, Vice Admiral Garp, and Vice Admiral Sengoku to capture you.]
[This battle will shake the world.]
Magnus's eyes flicked to Tsuru, still shackled at the center of the stage. He had wondered if, with her enslaved, the fates of Garp and Sengoku might have changed.
But the system's message cleared that doubt.
They had already joined the Navy.
If Tsuru was only seventeen now, then surely Garp and Sengoku weren't far in age.
In twenty years, if they really became Vice Admirals—then maybe he would have abandoned this plan.
But right now? Could those two boys even match Whitebeard's left hand?
The White Wolf Pirates weren't the Navy.
They poured everything into nurturing their talents.
As for Sengoku and Garp—without fortune or opportunity, they'd be grinding years just to master Rokushiki and Haki.
"Captain, everything's ready!"
The voice of Rocks crackled from the pocket Den Den Mushi. His face appeared, arrogant as ever.
"We've located the enslaved giants and found the keys to their collars. The Acropolis Port group is prepared as well."
This operation split the White Wolf Pirates across several fronts: Rocks and Newgate freeing slaves on Sabaody, Lily and Stussy leading the Acropolis Port group, Ripley and Linlin liaising with the Giant Pirate captains.
Two years ago, Magnus would never have dared divide his forces like this.
But things were different now.
Even the weakest of the four rookies, Newgate, already had near–Great Pirate strength. Rocks, Ripley, and Linlin were even stronger.
Great Pirates were those who shook the New World—powerhouses beyond the reach of ordinary Vice Admirals. Only elite Vice Admirals could stand against them.
In later times, Great Pirates would be akin to the All-Stars of Kaido's crew, or the Sweet Commanders under Big Mom—top officers of emperor-class crews.
The White Wolf Pirates now lacked only those who could clash evenly with Admirals.
But with Rona and the two Giant captains, that gap was filled.
At this moment—
The White Wolf Pirates were not weaker than any future emperor's crew!
"Oi, Hernandez. Still standing there like a fool? Get the keys. You know exactly what I'm here for, don't you?"
Magnus didn't need to free the slaves himself.
Wasn't the auction house full of people for that?
Hernandez had thought to run the moment Magnus walked in, but under his watchful gaze, there was no escape.
Now forced to act, he plastered on a miserable smile.
"I-I'll release them right away!"
He had expected Magnus to wreck the place.
But to do it in front of a Celestial Dragon? To kill one outright?
Unthinkable.
Everyone knew what it meant.
Strike a Celestial Dragon, and the Admirals would come.
For ordinary pirates, an Admiral was an insurmountable wall.
But Magnus?
"Don't look so grim."
Magnus clapped Hernandez on the shoulder with a grin.
"Even if Admirals come—aren't I here?"
Oddly enough, those words calmed Hernandez.
That's right.
It wasn't him who killed the Celestial Dragon—it was Magnus.
The Admirals would come for Magnus, not him.
And wasn't Magnus the man who had already fought Admirals and lived?
At least one or two Admirals wouldn't be enough to bring him down.
Meanwhile, Tsuru and the Navy spies hidden in the hall were pale with shock.
Magnus had killed a Celestial Dragon—for the sake of "stealing" their undercover agent!
It was insane.
The moment this news spread, even if Tsuru herself hadn't done it, the Celestial Dragons would never forgive her.
Her future as a Navy Admiral was cut down in a single stroke.
But regrets meant nothing now.
Magnus strode toward her.
"You—"
"Don't move."
He gripped the explosive collar around her neck. She wanted to warn him—the collars would detonate if tampered with.
But in a blur, it was gone.
A blast sounded ten meters away, harmless.
"It's done."
His voice was calm in her ear.
"You're free now. Don't misunderstand—I didn't save you because you're a pirate. You're still just a rookie, you've done nothing unforgivable yet."
"Head south. My ship is waiting. I'll free the others and send them to Sphinx. This place will soon be a battlefield. Staying means death. Once in Sphinx, decide your future."
He would see it through—rescue meant getting them somewhere safe.
Tsuru stood stunned.
She wasn't truly a slave—this had been her cover to infiltrate the White Wolf Pirates.
But why was it that the nobles, meant to be her protectors, lusted after her, while the pirate, branded as evil, had saved her?
"Tsuru, are you alright?"
Her fellow undercover, disguised as a slave, was freed along with the others—by Hernandez and the auction staff, no less.
When he heard Magnus had slain a Celestial Dragon for Tsuru, Garrett trembled first in terror—then in joy.
The Celestial Dragon was dead. There was no undoing it.
But Magnus had done it for Tsuru.
Her plan had worked perfectly.
'One Celestial Dragon's life, in exchange for the White Wolf Pirates' downfall.'
'A fair price.'
To Garrett, destroying such a crew would never be cheap. Sacrifices had to be made.
If he and Tsuru could be sacrificed, why not a Celestial Dragon?
'Even in death, that noble should be honored. His sacrifice will bring justice.'
"I'm fine," Tsuru said quietly.
"We part ways here. Magnus offered me passage to Sphinx. From here on, this is my mission alone."
"That's fine."
Garrett nodded. His task had been to deliver her this far. If she had a better path into the crew, his job was done.
Though he still prayed she wouldn't be killed in the clash to come.
"Magnus-san."
"Hm?"
"Did you truly want to buy that girl?"
"Hmm, want or don't want…?"
Seeing Toki's pout, Magnus laughed.
"Don't overthink it, Toki. I only saw potential in her."
"Potential?"
"Of course. She's a gift hand-delivered by the Navy. If I don't take her in, wouldn't it be wasting their effort?"
"You mean… she's a marine?"
"Exactly."
His suspicion had been confirmed when he overheard Tsuru's whispered exchange after leaving the auction.
"They're still too green."
With his gift of hearing the voice of all things, Magnus could easily eavesdrop across the hall. Tsuru was only seventeen—how could she cover every angle?
Even if she fooled him now, once inside the crew, he would have all the time he needed to test her.
"Freeze! Don't move!"
"Move, my ass! That's White King Magnus—we can't fight him!"
"Are the Admirals here yet!?"
"..."
As Magnus and Toki stepped out of the auction house, hundreds of marines surrounded them.
Sabaody was, after all, right next to Marine Headquarters.
Especially during the World Summit, the Navy had scoured the archipelago of pirates.
But the strongest among these marines was only an elite Vice Admiral.
"Just you lot?"
Magnus grinned at the circle of soldiers.
"Fall."
Conqueror's Haki erupted, blanketing all of Island No. 1. Not a single slave was touched—every target was a marine.
Buzz!
One thousand six hundred marines collapsed, officers and all.
Only one elite Vice Admiral remained standing.
"Tch. Didn't they say killing a Celestial Dragon strengthens Conqueror's Haki? I just killed one, and nothing's changed."
Magnus knew his Haki was strong, but it could be stronger. He thought a Celestial Dragon's blood might push it. But no—it would only grow through battle against true warriors.
Magnus walked past the trembling Vice Admiral, who stood frozen, half-drawn blade shaking in his grip.
Draw, and he would die.
His instincts screamed it.
Meanwhile—
With Magnus drawing the Navy's attention, Rocks and Newgate freed the giants.
"Let's move to the others!"
Freed giants roared, joining them. Some were not warriors, but even ordinary giants were terrifying in battle.
With Magnus leading, and Rocks at their side, an army of freed slaves surged.
But Sabaody was too close to Marine HQ.
Within the hour—
As marines fell back, a cheer rang out.
"Headquarters reinforcements!"
"It's Admiral Kong!"
"And Admiral Siwen!"
"..."
From far across the sea, Kong leapt from a warship, landing on the island with a thunderous crash.
"Tell me—where is Magnus!?"
His booming voice shook the archipelago.
(End of Chapter)
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