"Ahh… what a bother. Truly troublesome indeed," Borsalino sighed, his ever-lazy eyes narrowing slightly with wariness. "If this turns into a fight and a Celestial Dragon gets hurt, Sengoku will drag me in for tea again—and that's never a pleasant kind of tea…"
"So it's true," Rosinante said with a faint smile, his tone light but his eyes sharp. "Sorry for sending your guards and slaves as a little 'gift' to the Marines."
The words were apologetic, but his expression wasn't. Not even a trace of it.
Rozwald's face darkened. "Guards and slaves—kill them if you must. But you killed one of my prized pirate captains, and the bullet you fired grazed my face! It nearly wounded me! Donquixote Rosinante, don't think you can walk away from that."
"Oh?" Rosinante's voice was calm, but his gaze turned icy. "I hear you like collecting pirate captains. Well, I'm a pirate captain too. Are you thinking of adding me to your little collection?"
Oi oi, Borsalino thought, tilting his head, his smile crooked. You don't need to provoke him like that, Rosinante. Looks like you've come here fully intending to make trouble today, huh?
Rozwald snorted. "Even if you've fallen from grace, you once bore the blood of the gods. Though you were expelled from the Celestial Dragons, you still carry the divine lineage. Naturally, I won't treat you like a commoner."
Phew, Borsalino thought, a hint of relief twitching at his lips. Maybe this won't turn into a bloodbath after all…
But Rozwald's next words shattered that fragile hope.
"However, you must hand over the subordinates who offended the Celestial Dragons. They'll become my slaves—and only then will I consider forgiving you."
The temperature seemed to drop. Rosinante's face went cold as frost.
Ah, great, Borsalino sighed inwardly. You just had to say that. Now there's no avoiding a fight, is there?
"Your Majesty," Enel said with a mocking grin, "this weakling sure talks big. Or are all the weaklings in this 'Blue Sea' this arrogant?"
Rosinante turned slightly toward him. "This world isn't ruled by strength alone, Enel. There's also power. And the Celestial Dragons possess the greatest power of all. The entire World Government and Marine Headquarters stand behind them. That's why they can do whatever they please."
Rozwald laughed, the sound dripping with disdain. "You degenerate fool. You think the Celestial Dragons rely on the Marines or the Government? How pitifully ignorant. You, a family that chose to become filthy humans—how could you possibly comprehend the divinity of the gods?"
He raised his chin high, arrogance radiating from every pore.
"It's laughable. You had the status of gods, yet you threw it away to live as worms among humans. And your reward? Your brother came crawling back to Mariejois, carrying your father's severed head, begging for forgiveness. But gods do not forgive traitors. Don't think that just because you've gained some power, or founded some pirate crew, you amount to anything. Before the Celestial Dragons, you are nothing."
Rozwald's eyes gleamed coldly. "Be smart, Donquixote Rosinante. Hand over your subordinates. Earn our mercy. Otherwise… you know what happens when the gods are angered."
"Your Majesty," Enel said, his smirk spreading, "can I take his head off?"
"Whoa there! Scary, scary! Definitely not," Borsalino quickly waved his hands, chuckling awkwardly. "Not while I'm here. If anything happens to a Celestial Dragon, Sengoku will chew me out for months."
Enel's grin turned sharp, and a faint crackle of electricity ran through the air—but before he could move, a hand pressed down on his shoulder.
"Not now," Rosinante said coolly. "He's not someone you can take on… yet."
Though Enel looked reluctant, Rosinante's word was law. He stepped back silently.
"Rozwald, you're really putting me in a difficult position," Rosinante continued, his tone calm but eyes sharp as a blade. "The last person who did that was… oh, right. That crazy woman, Big Mom. In the end, she gave me face. But before that—her Cake Castle was half in ruins. Are you sure you want to make me that kind of 'difficult' again?"
Rozwald swallowed hard. Under Rosinante's piercing gaze, a chill crept up his spine. For a moment, it felt as if some ancient beast from the depths of the world had fixed its eyes on him.
The memory of that bullet whizzing past his head returned vividly—the same cold, killing intent now hovering in the air.
This man wasn't like others. He wasn't someone who bowed to the name of "Celestial Dragon." He was the kind of man who'd threaten Marine Headquarters itself—and send a Celestial Dragon's head as a gift.
"Well, well," Borsalino chuckled lazily from the side, "that explains it! I did hear Big Mom's Cake Castle collapsed not long ago. I thought she'd just gone mad again… but turns out it was Dragon King's handiwork, eh?"
"Hmph! Don't think a little strength makes you great," Rozwald snapped, though his voice wavered slightly. "Celestial Dragons are gods of this world. You, a man who abandoned his divine blood, will never understand what true nobility is!"
"But," he continued, forcing composure back into his tone, "since you still carry the blood of the gods, I'll give you a chance. I recently bought a new pirate captain. Choose one of your subordinates—if your man can defeat mine, I'll let this matter go."
"Oh? You're sure?" Rosinante asked quietly. "Because when my crew fights, it's to the death. If your prized slave ends up dead, don't come crying to me."
Rozwald scoffed. "A slave is just a slave. Kill one, I'll buy another."
He tugged on the chain in his hand, smirking. "Hey, Number One! If you please me today, I might just let you go free. But if you lose—then die!"
At those words, a fierce gleam ignited in Bewick's eyes.
"Go," Rozwald ordered.
The chain was released.
Freed from his shackles, Bewick rolled his shoulders, glaring toward Rosinante's crew with a cruel grin.
"Don't blame me," he growled. "You're the ones who angered a Celestial Dragon. Still, I should thank you… you've given me a chance at freedom!"
He knew he couldn't touch Rosinante—the man was far beyond his reach—but defeating one of his subordinates? That, he believed, he could do. He was, after all, a pirate captain with a bounty of over 230 million.
Rozwald smiled smugly.
Fool, he thought. You dream of freedom? Death will be your only freedom. But before that—kill a few of Rosinante's men for me. That's your true worth.
Rosinante's gaze was steady. "No need to thank us," he said softly. "Because you'll soon realize—hope breeds disappointment. And disappointment… breeds despair. That's all we'll be giving you."
Then he turned slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"As an apology for what happened last time," he said evenly, "I'll send out my weakest subordinate. Enel—you're the only one here who's even a trainee of the BloodSworn Guard. You go."