The moment the hatch swung open, a one-armed Fishman charged out first.
His remaining fist was wreathed in a dark, grey-black Armament Haki.
"My brethren! Let the Marine Admiral witness the wrath under the sun!"
Horn turned his head and froze. Three hundred of the first batch of escaped Slaves roared as they surged forward.
At that instant, he felt the gaze of three hundred burning eyes pierce him, and his hands involuntarily paused.
Belo Betty, triumphant, waved her tattered battle flag vigorously. A strange light radiated from it, enveloping the charging Slaves.
"The iron wall will eventually rust one day!"
"Now, checkmate!"
As she spoke, the one-armed Fishman's Haki-infused fist lunged at Horn.
Horn swung his long sword, effortlessly knocking him aside. But driven by the Empower-Empower Fruit and an unquenchable yearning for freedom, the others pressed on relentlessly.
The Empower-Empower Fruit not only amplified their fighting spirit but also significantly boosted their combat power.
The Slaves surged like a tidal wave, surrounding the iron wall.
"Finger Pistol!"
"Fish-Man Karate!"
Attacks collided. One former CP member, demoted to a Slave after a failed mission, pierced the opponent's cloak of justice with a Finger Pistol.
A Fishman restricted movement with Fish-Man Karate. The Giant Race hurled collapsed crane wreckage toward Horn. The Longarm Tribe swordsman swung twin blades to breach his defense.
Golden light erupted from Betty's flag, fully channeling the Empower-Empower Fruit:
"Watch closely! This is the power of freedom!!!"
Betty's ability was remarkable, capable of boosting a small girl to rival a Pirate Captain worth over 100 million Beli. Among those besieging Horn were not only strong Slaves but also a future Warlord of the Sea.
Combined with Arlong, Hachi, and the Sun Pirates, even the skilled iron wall faced the inevitable: 'too many ants can kill an elephant.'
Three hundred empowered attackers overwhelmed Horn he seemed worse off than the future Teacher Kaido.
When Horn's famed sword, Immovable Mountain, cracked for the first time, he looked up at Betty, blood on her lips but smiling:
"You... planned this all along?"
"No!" Betty plunged the flagpole into the ground. "They chose to fight themselves."
The crack of Immovable Mountain echoed across Red Port. Horn's strength surpassed the Revolutionary Army's expectations.
Had Jinbe not arrived in time, Betty could not have held until the Slaves came. Even in the final clash, strengthened Jinbe led the charge. Relying solely on the Slaves even with a few strong fighters and Betty's buff they might have failed.
When the second wave of rescued Slaves arrived, a small girl darted across the battlefield, picked up Horn's fallen epaulet, and placed it on the Giant's chain. They laughed together.
Meanwhile, Black's manor remained untouched. Any intruding Slaves were cut down by Mandy, Koala, Hancock, and the Kalifa sisters. Peace reigned.
Until a sudden, thunderous crash shattered the calm.
A side wall of the manor collapsed under the impact of a charging figure. Everyone turned. The maids froze, flustered, unwilling to move. Riotous Slaves usually attacked via the main gate. Who would barge through the wall?
From the dust, a burly figure rose.
"Stella! I've come to save you!"
Black: ???
No, who are you?
Since he was here for Stella, it must be Gild Tesoro, right? Nearly ten years had passed since Black first saw Stella on Slave Street, Area 16, Sabaody Archipelago. If Tesoro hadn't appeared, Black might have forgotten him entirely.
Back then, when Black bought Stella, he hadn't encountered Tesoro. Perhaps Stella was purchased too early, before Tesoro could save enough money.
Tesoro had lost control, confronting the Slave shop owner, who turned out to be a genuine Slave trader with numerous thugs. Tesoro was seized and enslaved.
Later, due to his burly, handsome appearance, during the Celestial Dragons' house arrest, he was sent to the Mary Geoise Slave market. He was bought and forced into the Slave gladiatorial arena.
Fortunately, he survived, honing remarkable combat skills. When Fisher Tiger raided the arena, Tesoro escaped but he refused to leave Stella behind.
Years of emotion and obsession drove him; his first goal after escaping was finding Stella. Logically, Mary Geoise was vast, but when Black visited the gladiatorial arena, Tesoro spotted Stella in a cage. Following this clue, he tracked Black's manor.
Black, unaware, watched Tesoro charge with interest. Surprise events are full of twists, but a wall-ramming intruder still needed to pay.
"Koala!" Black called. Instantly, Koala transformed into golden light, appearing before Tesoro. With Observation Haki suppressed in Mary Geoise, Koala finally wielded the Glint-Glint Fruit freely.
She lifted her foot, leather shoe aimed at Tesoro's temple.
Years in the gladiatorial arena had honed Tesoro's combat instincts. He blocked the kick with his arm.
Boom! Tesoro smashed into two stone statues in the manor.
"Oh? He even learned Haki?" Black muttered. Had the arena been his training ground? Tesoro wasn't just surviving he was thriving, developing skills and even emanating a protagonist's aura.
Oh no. Not again. Black thought. Am I about to play villain once more?