"What's he doing?" Marigold asked, completely lost.
Hancock and Sandersonia were just as confused, staring blankly at Kael Draven.
The uneven stone floor of the dungeon suddenly cracked apart. From the fissures, trees and vines burst forth, growing wildly and uncontrollably, flooding the entire cell block like a tidal wave of greenery.
The supposedly indestructible prison gates, forged from reinforced steel, shattered like brittle tofu under the pressure. Within moments, they were blown apart by the relentless growth.
The sudden upheaval left the three sisters frozen in place, too stunned to move. For a moment, they thought some kind of monster had been unleashed inside the dungeon.
But the plants, though wild, avoided Kael's path. Under his control, they parted just enough to form a clear corridor leading out of the cells.
"Don't just stand there come on!" Kael shouted from the doorway.
Hancock was the first to regain her senses. She ducked through the living forest, still shaken but filled with awe. "You… you're a Devil Fruit user, aren't you?"
"No time to explain!" Kael said, shaking his head. "Get everyone out of here, now!"
Hancock's expression softened, gratitude glimmering in her eyes. She stared at him as if trying to etch his face into her memory. "Thank you," she whispered, then grabbed her sisters' hands and ran.
Kael wasted no time. Using his Wood Release, he shattered every cell door in the dungeon.
Moments later, a flood of captives surged out like a black tide, pouring through the corridors in a desperate rush for freedom. From a distance, the mass of escaping slaves looked like a dark wave consuming the underbelly of the Holy Land and that was exactly the chaos Kael wanted.
Once the last prisoner was free, Kael turned back to the dungeon that had been his hell for so long. He extended his hand, and flames erupted among the dense foliage. The fire caught quickly, devouring everything in sight.
Fueled by the very trees he had conjured, the inferno spread with terrifying speed.
Kael moved like a shadow through the night, igniting one section of Mary Geoise after another. Every vine, every branch he summoned became kindling for his rebellion.
But what Kael didn't know was that somewhere else in the city, another fire had already begun.
In the distance, a tall, muscular figure stood illuminated by the flames. His broad frame cast an imposing shadow across the walls, and his red skin glowed like molten metal in the firelight.
It was Fisher Tiger.
Once, Tiger had dreamed of nothing more than freedom and adventure. He had longed to travel the world, to see the seas beyond his homeland. But not long after he set sail, he had been captured by human traffickers and sold into slavery in the Holy Land.
For three long years, Tiger endured unspeakable torture and humiliation. He had witnessed the darkest side of humanity greed, cruelty, and corruption and it had left a permanent scar on his heart.
Yet instead of giving in to hatred, Tiger chose to fight for liberation. His dream was no longer just for himself it was for every enslaved soul, for every oppressed race that had suffered under the Celestial Dragons.
That was why, even after escaping, he had come back.
He had returned to free the slaves.
Tiger had just freed a few captives and set their cages ablaze when he noticed something strange the city on the other side was already burning.
"What the…?" he muttered, squinting at the rising flames. "Who got here before me?"
For a moment, he was dumbstruck. Then, as the fire spread even faster, panic set in. If he didn't hurry, every slave still trapped would be burned alive.
"Who the hell started this fire?!" Tiger roared, leaping through the chaos, freeing as many as he could.
Fortunately, his years as a slave had taught him the Holy Land's layout by heart. Though the flames roared higher with each passing second, Tiger moved quickly, breaking open cells and smashing locks until most of the captives were free.
Those he couldn't reach fled on their own amid the chaos.
Once his mission was done, Tiger turned to make his escape only to find a squad of Marines blocking his path.
A man in a crisp navy coat stepped forward, fury etched across his face. "You've got some nerve, fish-man! Releasing slaves and setting fires in the Holy Land?!"
Tiger squared his shoulders, his deep voice steady and defiant. "These people were innocent. They were kidnapped and sold here like livestock. And you, Marines you were supposed to protect justice! Instead, you've become accomplices to tyranny. You disgust me."
The Marine captain sneered. "Spare me the speeches. Compared to freeing slaves, your arson is a far greater crime. You're a dead man walking. Surrender, and maybe I'll make it quick."
Tiger froze for a second, then growled, "I didn't start the fire!"
"Still lying?" the captain snapped. "Fine. If you won't surrender, don't blame me for what happens next. Fire!"
Dozens of rifles went off at once, bullets screaming through the air toward Tiger.
But the fish-man stood his ground. Drawing in a deep breath, he clenched his hands into fists. "Fish-Man Karate: Air Strike!"
The very air bent to his will. He thrust his palms forward, sending out a massive shockwave that rippled like a tsunami. The bullets lost their momentum and dropped harmlessly to the ground, clinking like falling rain.
The captain's face twisted. "He's strong. Stronger than I expected."
He barked another order. "Close combat! Bring him down with blades!"
Tiger's muscles tightened. His kind possessed ten times the physical strength of humans, and against ordinary soldiers, he was nearly unstoppable.
The captain knew it too. He didn't need to win just stall long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
Tiger could tell what the man was thinking. "So that's your plan," he said through clenched teeth. "Then I'll end this quickly."
He charged forward, knocking aside soldiers like bowling pins. But sheer numbers slowed him down. No matter how many he threw off, more swarmed in, closing around him like a living tide.
"Give up!" the captain shouted triumphantly from behind the line. "You can't win!"
Tiger's expression darkened. The longer this dragged on, the more likely a Marine Admiral would arrive. He couldn't afford to be captured.
"If I have to go back to being a slave," he snarled, "I'd rather die fighting!"
Just as he braced himself for a final stand, the ground beneath them began to tremble violently.
The next instant, enormous trees erupted from the earth, tearing through the ground like spears. The entire Marine formation was thrown into chaos as roots and branches flung soldiers into the air.
"What in the world—?!" the captain screamed, panic flashing in his eyes.
Before he could react, a massive vine whipped across the battlefield, sweeping him off his feet and swallowing him whole. His screams were lost beneath the roaring flames.
Tiger stared in shock, muscles tensed, watching the forest come alive around him.
Then a calm voice called out, "You still here? Get moving."
A young human stepped out from between the trees, glanced at Tiger, and continued running toward the burning city.
For a moment, Tiger was speechless then realization struck. That boy was the one who had started the fire.
Without hesitation, Tiger followed.
Meanwhile, deep within the halls of power, the World Government was in an uproar.
"Unbelievable!" one of the Five Elders thundered, slamming his fist on the table. "Someone dares to murder and burn within Mary Geoise itself? They've trampled the Celestial Dragons' authority underfoot!"
"Who's behind this outrage? Have we identified the culprit?" another demanded.
"Reports from patrol units indicate it's a fish-man," a subordinate stammered. "He's been freeing the slaves amidst the chaos."
"A fish-man?" one Elder growled. "Those savages have grown far too bold in recent years!"
"Where's Sakazuki? Send him immediately! Capture every last one of them alive or dead!"
"Are you mad?" another Elder snapped. "The city's engulfed in flames! Sakazuki will only make it worse. Send Kuzan let him freeze the fires before they spread further."
And so, even as the Holy Land burned, the storm of justice or vengeance was already on its way.
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