Move! Fang Yi shouted. Something had gone wrong—Lord Musgarud had arrived with reinforcements to arrest them.
Luckily, only standard Mariejois guards and some Marines appeared. While numerous, their threat level wasn't extreme, but with Dini in tow, confrontation would risk everything.
They retreated while holding ground.
"Damn, you can't trust Celestial Dragons—even little girls can betray you! Fang Yi, don't spare her!" Barrett snarled, advancing to cover the party.
Silently, Fang Yi glanced over: Tiffany Palace was scorched by shock, being rescued at the same time. He whispered, "Let's retreat. No sign yet of their strong fighters—no needless fights!"
Shanks, shielding Dini, added: "We're close to the rendezvous. Let's fall back."
"Buggy, take Shanks and Dini out. Barrett and I will cover the rear!" Fang Yi instructed.
Buggy hesitated, but slowed—he couldn't ignore Fang Yi's orders.
"You, go too. What can a sniper do staying behind?" Barrett shot at Fang Yi.
Fang Yi rolled his eyes, nocked an arrow, and drew fire.
The flaming arrow seared into the rear guard, causing casualties.
"Don't let them escape! Kill them all!" Musgarud roared—his anger audible.
"Barrett—protect me!" he called out. Fang Yi raised his bow—everyone realized his accuracy was no joke.
"Shield Musgarud!" the guard leader ordered, stepping in.
Fang Yi grunted and released the arrow. It tore right through the shield captain's helmet, flashing a hair's breadth past Musgarud's forehead.
The arrow struck one guard dead, passing just inches from Musgarud's head. The sight sent his leader into a cold sweat.
"Musgarud!" the captain shouted, rushing to the fallen man.
No fatal wound—but Musgarud fainted in shock. Guards carried him off, yet vengeance boiled among them.
Fang Yi smirked: "Lucky him. A sniper's arrow doesn't fly straight—it curves like a fish in water, and each bolt hits only once. You can't rely on pinpoint accuracy every time."
Archers train for decades; even then, they can't guarantee a headshot every release.
Glancing westward, Fang Yi noted reinforcements streaming in.
"Go lead Shanks and Buggy out. I'll hold them off," Barrett suggested.
Fang Yi agreed: "We're not here to conquer Mariejois—we're just escaping. Every second counts. If Marines reinforce, we won't get out alive."
Barrett cheered: "I've missed fighting like this!"
Fang Yi started firing again, clearing a path toward the rendezvous.
"Move!" he shouted, and Buggy grabbed Tiffany while escorting Shanks and Dini ahead.
Barrett lagged, surrounded by guards.
"Barrett! Move!" Fang Yi urged.
Barrett grinned, cracking his knuckle against the floor: "Staying here? Nah—I'll draw them in while you escape!"
Fang Yi eyed the situation and nodded.
Grabbing a spear from a fallen guard, Fang Yi unleashed sweeping attacks, buying precious time.
Breathing heavily beside Barrett, they finally had cover.
"But we're cornered!" Barrett laughed, wiping blood. "Two fools stuck at center—they'll kill us any second!"
Fang Yi shook his head: "My final move's coming—when I release it, you carry me out. Don't get caught."
"Just make sure you fire far enough this time!" Barrett smirked—he'd seen Fang Yi's secret incendiary skill before.
"I'm giving you time to escape!" Fang Yi began charging his bow, but guards converged again.
"Charge Arrow… Flame Dragon Blast!"
An explosion roared ahead, rattling Mariejois.
Barrett stared as Fang Yi dashed toward him: "What the—did you stay to fight me intentionally?!"
They sprinted away as screams echoed. Behind them, guards surged forward—some dropped in their wake.
Powerless from exhaustion, they fled across courtyards, past shaking pillars.
Meanwhile, at Pangaea Headquarters:
A group of Five Elders paused in discussion.
"What in heaven happened? An explosion destroyed parts of Mariejois?" one asked.
Well, it seems someone attacked, another said intensely.
We can't allow this. Marines, arrest every suspect. No survivors, the third ordered.
And summon Tiffany Palace—she alone was present at the scene.