BOOM!
The space-time that had seemingly been frozen finally returned to normal.
A violent blast of air swept across the entire battlefield like a hurricane.
As the shockwave of the slash erupted, Island No. 1 of the Sabaody Archipelago, which had become the battlefield, was instantly cleaved in two.
Far in the distance, a colossal tree reaching toward the heavens stood with an enormous face of Aramaki appearing upon it. His eyes were wide with disbelief.
Then—
Crack!
The gigantic tree split cleanly in two.
The residual force of the slash continued onward, spreading toward the sea behind him.
Watching the slash extend from tens of thousands of meters away, pass through his body, and continue all the way across the sea behind him, Aramaki was completely dumbfounded.
That slash was far too terrifying!
BOOM!
The enormous tree split in two and crashed heavily onto the ground.
Looking at Saint Charlos and Spandam, who stood dumbfounded nearby, Aramaki rapidly consumed the nutrients stored within his body to regenerate.
He immediately extended a vine and wrapped it around Saint Charlos.
"CP0, stay here and hold off the Marine Admiral for us. I’ll take the great Celestial Dragon and escape first."
After throwing out those words, Aramaki turned around and prepared to flee.
Spandam was stunned.
He had never imagined that this man, who had received the Five Elders’ highest expectations and possessed combat power comparable to an Admiral, would actually leave him behind to cover the retreat.
Wasn’t that just sending him to his death?
And the way Aramaki had suddenly become a coward was completely different from his arrogant attitude moments ago.
However, as a CP0 agent and the person in charge of this mission, Spandam found himself unable to refute Aramaki’s words.
Staying here and fighting meant certain death.
Returning to the Five Elders after failing the mission also meant certain death.
For a moment, Spandam found himself completely caught between two impossible choices.
But just as that thought arose, an unexpected scene appeared before his eyes.
Saint Charlos, who had been wrapped tightly in vines like a dumpling, sniffled hard.
Then, right before everyone’s eyes, he casually threw himself onto the ground.
"Um... even someone with Admiral-level combat power can’t escape. I’ll just lie down and surrender."
His quiet voice seemed to carry some strange, almost demonic resonance, echoing throughout the heavens and earth for a long time.
Looking at the remarkably cooperative Saint Charlos, the muscles in both Spandam’s and Aramaki’s faces began twitching violently.
Was this really the supreme and incomparably noble World Noble they knew?
How had he somehow become so cooperative that it was almost painful to watch?
Spandam glanced at Lucas in the distance.
The muscles in his cheek twitched slightly.
He picked up some vines scattered nearby and skillfully wrapped them around himself.
Then, under Aramaki’s dumbfounded gaze, he simply rolled onto the ground and lay there.
"Aramaki, do as you please. I won’t interfere. I never thought that one day I’d be able to share the same experience as a World Noble."
Aramaki stood frozen.
Was this what happened when you couldn’t beat them, so you joined them?
He looked at Saint Charlos lying unusually obediently on the ground, sniffling as he waited to be captured.
Was this really the Celestial Dragon he knew?
If he hadn’t witnessed it with his own eyes, he absolutely would never have believed that a Celestial Dragon could be this cooperative.
Was this submission born from absolute trust in the strong?
Looking at Fujitora standing atop the floating rock in the sky, and the newly appointed Marine Admiral casually drinking his liquor beside him, Aramaki finally seemed to understand why Fujitora had suddenly appeared aboard Lucas’s ship.
This newly appointed Marine Admiral probably possessed enough overwhelming strength to forcibly bend the rules themselves.
Otherwise, the normally supreme and untouchable Celestial Dragons wouldn’t be acting this obediently.
"Marine Admiral, we’ve met again."
Saint Charlos sniffled before hurriedly speaking.
"In a little while, have your people carry me back onto the ship again. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my eyes closed and pretend to be asleep."
Lucas helplessly rubbed the tip of his nose.
Looking at Saint Charlos, who had completely immersed himself in his role, he wondered whether he should tell him that someone had paid ten million Berries to guarantee his safety this time.
But seeing Saint Charlos lying perfectly straight on the ground with his eyes knowingly closed, Lucas ultimately abandoned the thought.
It could be considered a well-intentioned lie.
"Caesar, notify Smoker and the others. Have them come and carry the Celestial Dragon back."
"Me?"
Caesar froze.
He had never expected such a menial errand to fall to him.
He looked around.
Only then did he suddenly realize that among the scientists present, he could proudly claim to be the strongest.
But in a gathering filled with monsters like this, running errands was pretty much the only job he could handle.
With the order given, everyone’s eyes turned toward Aramaki.
Aramaki’s expression immediately became ashen.
If it had been anyone else, he naturally would have found a way to escape.
But the moment he remembered how Lucas had instantly severed his connection to his Devil Fruit powers, the thought of fleeing was immediately extinguished.
He looked at Saint Charlos and Spandam lying on the ground.
His expression darkened.
Then, in the end, he burst into laughter and put an arm around Fujitora’s shoulders.
"Hahaha! Brother Fujitora, look! I was the one who captured them, and I’m the one who tied them up with my vines. That’s a pretty impressive show of loyalty, isn’t it?"
"We’re old acquaintances, after all. Can I still serve as one of your special combat forces?"
Blue Ogre Dorry and the others were completely dumbstruck.
Was this really the same man who, only moments ago, had loudly declared that he would stand up for the Celestial Dragons and boasted that he possessed combat power comparable to an Admiral?
His shamelessness had reached an entirely different level.
He had thrown every last scrap of dignity onto the ground.
"Heh heh. Brother Aramaki, joining the ship isn’t difficult."
Fujitora smiled.
"Just make it look like you’re worth twenty million. Admiral Lucas can afford to offend anyone, but he certainly won’t turn down a bounty. Am I right?"
Lucas smiled and patted Fujitora on the shoulder.
"Brother Fujitora, you’re giving me too much credit. I do like bounties, but what I like even more is hearing someone say, ’I’ll pay more.’"
"All right, Spandam. You don’t need to pretend to be dead anymore. You really are a walking money-maker. If you can still walk, perhaps we’ll work together again next time."
Spandam’s cheek muscles twitched violently as he lay on the ground.
Was Lucas planning to fleece him for everything he was worth?
However, seeing the hostile gazes surrounding him, Spandam could only smile bitterly.
"Admiral Lucas, please just let me stay unconscious for a while longer. It’ll make it easier for me to explain things when I return."
Meanwhile, at the entrance to Marineford, near the Sabaody Archipelago, the warship carrying Sengoku had just arrived at the harbor.
The moment Sengoku read the intelligence report that had just been delivered, his expression changed drastically.
He roared furiously,
"Those damn Five Elders! How dare they go this far!"
"Tsuru, quickly investigate the current situation in the Sabaody Archipelago!"
"We’re about to go to war against two of the Four Emperors. If the Five Elders keep acting like this, are they deliberately trying to make Marine Headquarters lose?"
"Do everything you can to stop Aramaki. Don’t let him attack Lucas!"
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT
◇ 1 bonus Chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus Chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70+ Chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789