"This is Sabaody Archipelago… are you sure it's really okay, Charlos…?"
A snot-dripping man who looked like his brain had been left to rot was riding on the back of a slave as if it were a chair. Even he sounded uneasy.
"It's fine, it's fine. This is Saint Ozz's territory. As long as we don't break the rules here, nothing will happen."
Beside him, Saint Shalria walked on her own two feet, full of disdain. In her eyes, her brother was simply pathetic.
"Y yes… Father was executed by the Holy Knights because he didn't follow the rules. It couldn't be helped, right?"
Charlos finally exhaled, then immediately regained that familiar Celestial Dragon arrogance, chin lifting as if the world belonged to him.
"As long as we don't slaughter commoners on this island, and we pay for what we buy, we'll be fine, right?"
"As for pirates… if they think they can offend World Nobles on Sabaody, then they'd better be ready to be erased."
Among Celestial Dragons, they acted meek and obedient because they were bottom-tier, with the least power and status.
But that did not mean outsiders were allowed to disrespect them.
As they walked down the street, every passing civilian dropped to their knees. Even Luffy was forced down, his head pressed by Hatchan.
When a slave was beaten to death right in front of them, Luffy tried to step forward, but he was restrained again.
They reached an open area and sat down.
Chopper, being a total backwater rookie in pirate terms, could not understand why big, fearsome pirates would be terrified of two men and one woman who looked so weak.
Then the starfish began to explain what Celestial Dragons really were.
"If you hurt a Celestial Dragon, Marine Headquarters will send an Admiral and troops to punish you."
That made everyone flinch.
Because they had seen Aokiji up close. That kind of strength was absolute, overwhelming, the kind you could not fight.
"Admiral Aokiji…?"
"Or Kizaru. Or Akainu. Any of them."
Chopper still did not get it.
"Why are they so special?"
"They're descendants of gods. The bloodline of the Twenty Kings from eight hundred years ago. The founders of the World Government. They have the greatest authority in the world…"
"Oh, right. Including the guy we met before. The true master of Sabaody Archipelago."
"Black Spear, Ozz."
"Rumor says he's also a mysterious Celestial Dragon."
"What?!"
Luffy shot to his feet, face twisting in exaggerated shock.
"Uncle Ozz is one of those disgusting people too?!"
Brook's focus went to a different, more chilling angle.
"Then does that mean… if Mr. Ozz wants someone dead, he can just call an Admiral whenever he likes?"
Chopper's face turned pale in an instant.
Because he remembered something important.
The Straw Hats were planning to fight that man.
What if he called Admiral Aokiji over?
"In theory, yes. But unless he's doing it for fun, there's no reason."
The starfish, an old hand from waters near Sabaody, crossed his arms and fell into thought.
"You lot don't even know what Celestial Dragons are. That tells me you're rookies on your first voyage…"
"You can't even imagine what the name Ozz meant to the sea, back then."
"That name was scarier than any Admiral…"
…
"Black Spear? What's that supposed to be?"
"Who the hell is that???"
Inside a dim, rowdy bar, a red-haired man with spiky hair gulped down liquor. Hearing his crewmates talking, his expression sank.
"We don't have enough intel. Too little time."
"But we do know he was once a world-famous pirate."
"And he's the true owner behind most of Sabaody's industries."
"A world-famous pirate?"
Eustass Kid curled his lips into a vicious, arrogant grin.
"The strongest of the old monsters I know are already Emperors in the New World."
"So this 'Black Spear' is one too?"
"Uh…"
His subordinate flipped through the scraps of information.
"No… he isn't."
"Then who cares?"
Kid slammed his drink down, eyes gleaming.
"Our goal is to cross to the other side of the Red Line and crush the Emperors."
"No need to waste time on some has-been."
Ozz had vanished from the sea for nearly ten years. Even after returning, he never made a grand public appearance.
So stories about him had become more legend than fact.
Beside Kid, Killer sat with his mask on, sipping through a straw. He reminded him calmly.
"Kid. Besides 'Black Spear,' a lot of rookies with bounties over a hundred million are arriving."
"I also heard there are Celestial Dragons…"
Most people would hear that and become cautious.
Kid did not.
"Killer, I know. We came to Sabaody for coating so we can reach the New World. I don't have time to get tangled up with everyone."
"But…"
Kid's voice turned sharp as he looked toward another table.
A longarm tribe idiot with a stupid face was actually provoking him.
Veins instantly bulged on Kid's forehead.
"If some blind bastard wants to pick a fight, it's more satisfying to kill him."
Scratchmen Apoo.
Apoo was drinking with his own men. When he caught Kid's stare, he immediately raised a very internationally unfriendly gesture in reply.
Young Supernovas were like that. One wrong look, and they wanted blood.
Smoke and dust exploded as Kid made his move.
Apoo was the first to go flying, tumbling through the air before landing on his feet.
"Captain Eustass Kid! And 'Massacre Soldier' Killer!"
"If you want to fight, save it for the other side of the Red Line!"
"You dared stare at me."
Kid's grin was savage.
"Then I'll kill you right now."
Civilians scattered in panic. Nobody was going to interfere when pirates with bounties over a hundred million started tearing the street apart.
But someone could.
Just as the two sides were about to clash, a squad of guards rushed in.
They did not attack.
Instead, they split into two lines, like a ceremonial honor guard.
Both pirate crews frowned, confused.
Apoo reacted first.
His pupils trembled as if he had suddenly remembered something. He tried to shout for his men to run.
But in the next second, he realized he could not even speak.
Not just that.
He could not move at all.
The same happened to Kid's crew.
Kid's eyes went bloodshot. His arrogant expression cracked, teeth grinding so hard it looked like they might shatter.
But he still could not move an inch.
"What the hell is this?!"
Then footsteps echoed from the end of the road.
Under the guards' respectful bows, a figure appeared slowly, like a king walking into his own court.
"Hmm…"
"Since I ran into you first, I'll start with you."
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