"Linlin! Quick, call Zeus and Prometheus and run!"
"Those two good-for-nothing flops!"
Fang Huo instantly spread a pair of demon bat-wings, boosted them with his Gravity Ability, grabbed Charlotte Linlin and Stussy, and shot out of the tree of knowledge, racing for the open sea.
Inside the magic teleportation array, Markus Mazesaint—the Martial God of Environment—was still striking a pose, unleashing Conqueror's Haki to announce the descent of a god.
Makas Petygrew immediately bowed respectfully to her ancestor.
Saint Figarland Garling cursed inwardly at the commotion Mazesaint was causing; suppressing his irritation, he was about to salute the Gorosei.
Then he spotted three figures fleeing through the sky.
"No! Kozuki Fang Huo is escaping!"
Garling's pupils shrank and he shouted at once.
Ignoring the Gorosei who was still flaunting his majesty, Garling gave chase.
When Mazesaint saw his prime target running, he transformed into a colossal monster bird and shot after them.
Makas Petygrew was startled by the sudden turn.
She had assumed the three of them would surely capture Kozuki Fang Huo.
Yet the moment they arrived, Fang Huo had already slipped away.
Recovering, she raced after them.
"Linlin! Blast it!"
Fang Huo flew at top speed while channeling his Gravity Ability at the Itzuta-no-Ori Monster Bird behind them.
With Thunder Cloud Zeus and Sun Prometheus back at her side, Charlotte Linlin followed Fang Huo's order and unleashed a combined lightning-flame strike at the pursuing monster.
"Boom!!"
The Itzuta-no-Oori bird answered with a fiery shockwave, but Fang Huo's Gravity still slowed its flight.
On Ohara's shore, Saint Garling could only watch the three fugitives and Mazesaint disappear into the distance.
He couldn't very well chase by Moon-walking across the ocean.
"Damn it!"
The young Saint Garling raged at his failure, certain it would displease Lord Imu.
This was the first time, since becoming a Celestial Dragon Knight, that he had summoned a Gorosei!
The Five Elders rarely descended to the lower world on missions.
Who could have guessed their arrival would cause such a ruckus of wild Conqueror's Haki?!
When he summoned other Knights of God there had never been this snake-startling eruption of Haki.
Makas Petygrew arrived just in time to see black dots fading in the sky.
Seeing Saint Garling's fury, she wisely took a step back.
"We must trust the ancestors' power!"
Makas Petygrew could only offer this; she had never imagined Mazesaint's entrance would be so loud—or that Fang Huo would flee so swiftly and decisively.
They had not even clashed head-on before the mission collapsed.
"Let's hope so!"
Garling ground out; if Mazesaint could drag Fang Huo back, he might still share the credit.
But if Fang Huo escaped, they would all face Lord Imu's wrath.
Mazesaint, a Gorosei, would be safe, but Garling—competing to lead the God's Knights—would be in grave trouble.
Petygrew, lacking the strength to vie for leadership, would suffer far less from failure.
—Meanwhile, above the Ohara seas—
"Fang Huo! What is that monster?!!"
Held in Fang Huo's arm, Stussy stared in panic at the hideous bird behind them.
"One of the Five Elders—Markus Mazesaint!"
Fang Huo had never expected a Gorosei to come for him so soon; it was a real shock.
Had their arrival not been so loud, he might have walked straight into an ambush.
The Thunder Cloud Zeus and Sun Prometheus he'd sent to scout were total flops—utterly unreliable.
Thank heavens he had reacted fast and run even faster!
If the Five Elders and God's Knights caught him, it would be over.
"That's actually a Gorosei?!"
Stussy's eyes bulged; a legendary figure was chasing them?
Even as Executives of the world's worst pirate crew, they hardly warranted the highest power of the World Government.
Stussy knew she wasn't worth that.
Charlotte Linlin, the iron balloon, had roamed the New World for six or seven years without ever facing a Marine Admiral, let alone a Gorosei.
There could be only one answer!
The Gorosei had come for Fang Huo!
Recalling Fang Huo's multiple abilities, Stussy realized how priceless he was to the World Government and the Five Elders.
He was a treasure trove of secrets and research value.
Her gaze at Fang Huo grew increasingly smitten.
She had to claim him soon and become his first woman!
She would bear his children.
Perhaps their offspring would inherit Fang Huo's god-tier talents.
Then the Gu Yue Clan would be the true god-race of this world!
Fang Huo, ignoring Stussy's lovesick stare, frowned at the relentless Itzuta-no-Ori Monster Bird.
Should he turn back with Linlin to fight?
But this was an undying monster who wielded Conqueror's Haki Coating and had awakened a Mythical Zoan form.
Linlin had yet to reach her prime.
Even together, they probably couldn't defeat—let alone kill—the creature.
Without Conqueror's Coating themselves, they stood no chance of slaying a Gorosei marked by the abyss mark.
Even Rocks, a top-tier Conqueror, had failed to kill Saint Garling, who bore only the deep sea mark.
At best they could slow the immortal's regeneration.
If the bird caught them, disaster would follow!
After speeding out of Ohara's waters, the monster bird still pursued relentlessly.
At least the God's Knights were falling behind—for now.
"Linlin! Take Stussy and go—find Rocks!"
"I'll hold him off!"
Fang Huo quickly decided; he still had an ace and was confident he could escape.
But dragging Linlin and Stussy along would complicate things.
"No! I want to protect you!"
Charlotte Linlin refused at once; she wouldn't abandon Fang Huo.
"Sorry for being a burden, but I won't leave you either!"
Though terrified, Stussy knew this was the moment to swear loyalty and win Fang Huo's heart.
"Shut up! You two will only get in my way!"
"Go! I'll rejoin the Rocks Pirates soon!"
Fang Huo roared, silencing the two dawdling women—he had plenty of escape tricks; did they? Stop this melodrama!
Enough of this sappy nonsense!
He tossed Stussy onto Linlin's shoulder; Linlin already stood on Thunder Cloud Zeus.
"Fang Huo!"
Both women, frightened by his glare, bit their lips and obeyed, flying toward Red Line Island.
"Fang Huo, you must come back!!"
Charlotte Linlin left in anguish; first Sister Carmelo, now Fang Huo—why was fate so cruel? If anything happened to Fang Huo, she would destroy the World Government!
—if Fang Huo fell, she would raze the World Government!
Fang Huo halted, activated Moonrise over the Sea, and opened the Moon Treasury; countless Moonlight Weapons flooded toward the Itzuta-no-Ori bird.
Invisible Gravity waves crashed from the sky, slamming the monster and punching a vast crater into the ocean.
"Staying behind to cover them? The stupidest of human sentiments—bonds!"
Mazesaint sneered when Fang Huo stopped, unconcerned that the two insignificant pirates, Charlotte Linlin and Stussy, were escaping.
His target was solely Kozuki Fang Huo!
—