"Nani!!!"
The very thing everyone had prayed would not happen had happened anyway. Every Marine on the scene was stunned.
"Who's causing trouble?!"
"This is Duramos. Are they tired of living?!"
Guests who had come from all over the world were frowning, ready to condemn whichever idiot dared to make a scene here.
Then someone close to the commotion saw clearly and loudly passed the word along.
"It's… it's a Celestial Dragon! He's ordering his men to capture the mermaid princess from Fishman Island!!!"
The Marines froze, completely at a loss.
Especially the professional loafer himself, Borsalino. His expression grew stranger and stranger, a bitter helplessness creeping into his face.
But he did not lead his men into a reckless charge. Instead, he moved to investigate first. Once he got close, he finally saw what was going on.
"Wonderful, wonderful!!! Such a big, beautiful mermaid. I want to build a giant fish tank and keep her in it!!!"
That dim, idiotic voice rang out, as the bearded Celestial Dragon in a white space suit laughed with delight.
That was a Celestial Dragon.
This was already well beyond what the Marines could decide on their own.
"Clear the crowd. Let someone who actually can handle this handle it."
Borsalino spoke like he had seen this sort of thing a hundred times before. He curled his sleazy lips and smoothly directed the Marines to drive the noble spectators away.
He looked lazy and indifferent, but his real goal was clear.
He was trying to keep innocent guests out of the line of fire.
Doll did not understand this at all. Young and with no experience dealing with Celestial Dragons, she only felt one thing.
This had to be stopped.
Even if the ones causing trouble were privileged Celestial Dragons.
She strode forward, but before she could get close, a ring of men in black suits formed a wall around her.
Their faces were full of arrogance. These men, who in the eyes of commoners were terrifying elite agents, looked at the Marines like they were just government dogs.
Blocked, Doll stared at these swaggering CP agents. Her fists tightened on reflex and Armament Haki began to gather around her knuckles.
Almost at the same time…
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
A cluster of golden light sources flashed and gathered in front of her, taking the shape of a tall, lanky figure.
Vice Admiral Borsalino stood there, hands casually in his pockets, lips curled. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but his intent was obvious.
"Vice Admiral Doll, you cannot act on your own without orders."
Seeing his lazy posture and that familiar outline, Doll broke into a nervous sweat.
Monster Vice Admiral Borsalino.
He was the senior officer in charge of this operation. There were already rumors he was being considered for a position as one of the Marine Headquarters Admirals, a monster in every sense of the word.
"Damn it…"
With him blocking her path, there was nothing Doll could do. She could only watch helplessly as the giant mermaid girl was chained up by the Celestial Dragon's men.
"If only Mr. Ozz were here!!!"
That was the very first thought that flashed through her mind in the face of overwhelming oppression.
And it was not just Doll. Everyone who could not bear to watch this scene was silently praying for that man to appear.
"Marines, have you even considered what Mr. Ozz will think about you acting like this on Duramos Island!!!"
Neptune roared, veins bulging in his neck as Marine officers held him back. At his side, Queen Otohime was sobbing as she too was firmly restrained by Marines.
But the Marines still did not move.
If a Celestial Dragon caused trouble, Ozz would handle that himself.
Before that happened, no one was allowed to resist or harm a Celestial Dragon.
That was the rule of the World Government.
The Marines' actions were not only to protect the Celestial Dragon.
They were also to protect the guests and citizens on this island.
"Damn it… but who knows when Mr. Ozz will get here!!!"
"Uuu… Shirahoshi… my poor daughter…"
It was at that moment
A figure came charging in from the distance, moving fast, heading straight toward the Celestial Dragon.
The guards noticed the approaching person and immediately raised their guns.
"Enemy?!"
"On alert!!!"
"Open fire!!!"
One of the black-suited guards was already drawing his pistol, ready to shoot the intruder dead on the spot.
But before he could fire, the man in the lead white robe among the guards, the CP0 commander, finally saw the intruder's face clearly.
When he spotted the guard taking aim, his pupils nearly blew out. He launched a Shave in a burst of speed.
He knew exactly who that person was.
The man approaching was a legendary figure.
A great name of the Dotor family.
In that instant, it was as if this CP0 agent saw the fate of the entire World Government, of the Five Elders, of countless Celestial Dragons, all resting on his shoulders.
Because the man walking toward them was one of the people who decided whether the sea stayed calm or plunged into chaos.
Bang.
Screech.
The bullet spun and scraped across the CP0's body as he flung himself into its path. Sparks flew as he managed to block it.
"Idiot!!! Were you planning to drag all of Mariejois into the grave with you?!!!"
Eyes bloodshot, he roared at the guard in front of him.
His abnormal reaction naturally drew everyone's attention.
The figure dropped heavily from midair.
It was an old man with a pale face but a surprisingly vigorous presence. He looked plain at a glance, yet his arrival made countless pupils shrink tight.
"That… that is…"
Fingers pointed, voices stammered.
"His Majesty Dotor Gick!!!"
"The great pirate from the Rocks Era!!!"
"Black Gun's grandfather!!!"
"A man some people call a king in his own right!!!"
Riding on his grandson's reputation, old Gick's name had become widely known across the seas.
Some even joked that now that the Black Emperor had stepped down, if you offended him you might still have a chance to live.
But if you crossed that old man
You were just picking a fight with your own life.
Cries of shock rang out as various groups hurriedly restrained their own people from doing anything stupid. All of this soon drew the attention of Saint Rosward.
He turned his head and saw the old man at the center of everyone's stares, as if he were someone truly important.
It irritated him.
"Who is that old geezer? How dare he steal my spotlight? CP0!!!
Kill him!!!"
Saint Rosward stamped his foot and snarled.
But the CP all around him had already realized who the newcomer was. Their faces turned ugly and none of them moved.
Instead, it was Dotor Gick who slowly raised a fist and stared straight at Saint Rosward.
Armament Haki wrapped around his knuckles in an instant.
"Watch your mouth, brat."
"Back in God Valley, I killed more Celestial Dragons like you than I can even remember."
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