Chapter 480: Capturing Shirahoshi as a Slave?
The Holy Land of Mary Geoise—the "Social Plaza."
This was the most solemn welcoming ground prior to the opening of the Reverie.
The plaza was paved with white stone symbolizing "Purity and Order," and the surrounding flowerbeds were adorned with crimson and gold roses. Kings, nobles, and envoys from over fifty nations across the world were gathered here. With melodious music playing, the atmosphere was both solemn and resplendent.
The arrival of the Ryugu Kingdom undoubtedly became the focal point of the entire area.
Shirahoshi's dazzling pink hair flowed like liquid pearls under the sunlight, drawing countless gazes involuntarily wherever she went.
"Is that the legendary Mermaid Princess...?"
"She really is just like the legends say, a beauty transcending the mortal realm..."
Whispers spread through the crowd, and the flashes from the reporters' Camera Snails rained down constantly.
Right at this moment—
"Gegegegege—!!!"
An ear-piercing laugh shattered the tranquility.
A hovering carriage pulled by two slaves slowly drove into the plaza.
The golden carriage reflected blinding light. Upon it sat an obese, hideous man adorned in jewels. He half-squinted, a sickeningly lecherous smile hanging on his lips.
—Celestial Dragon, Saint Charlos.
Draped in a robe woven with gold threads and encrusted with gemstones, he breathed heavily, a diamond-studded walking stick gripped in his hand.
The two slaves beneath the carriage knelt on the ground, crawling forward with expressionless faces.
When his gaze swept across the crowd and finally landed on Shirahoshi, he froze entirely.
Immediately following, a grotesque expression of wild ecstasy appeared on that greasy face.
"Ooh ooh ooh—isn't this the legendary Mermaid Princess?!!"
"Hahahaha! With this... my collection will finally be perfect!!!"
He licked his lips, his gaze greedy and obscene, completely ignoring the shocked expressions of the surrounding nobles.
—Yet to the bystanders, this scene wasn't entirely unexpected.
Over the past two years, due to the secret schism between the Marines and the World Government, the privileges of the Celestial Dragons had been partially tightened.
Ordinary Celestial Dragons were forcibly restricted, reducing their frequency of travel. Coupled with the fact that Fish-Man Island was under Roy's protection, no one dared to capture Fish-Men anymore.
However, in the world of the Celestial Dragons, "slaves" were a symbol representing status and power.
Whoever possessed the rarest and most precious slaves was the noblest.
Among them, a Fish-Man slave was the ultimate symbol of status.
Although Saint Charlos was foolish and greedy, under his father's strict discipline, he hadn't dared to touch Roy's bottom line over the past two years.
Especially recently, after the incident where Sakazuki and Kuzan wreaked havoc in the Holy Land—
Hearing that several Celestial Dragons had died on the spot, he was even more terrified and didn't dare to act recklessly.
But now...
This tall, elegant, and dazzlingly brilliant "Giant Mermaid Girl" was right at his doorstep, just within reach.
He looked around and didn't see Roy anywhere.
That long-suppressed greed finally spiraled completely out of control.
"Roy? Hmph, he's not even here... Hahahaha, this is the will of heaven!"
Hearing this, the CP0 members beside him immediately changed their expressions and hurriedly tried to dissuade him in low voices:
"Honorable Saint Charlos! This is the eve of the Reverie. Any breach of decorum will—"
"Shut up!!!"
Saint Charlos abruptly pulled out a golden pistol and pressed it directly against the CP0 agent's forehead.
"Say one more word, and this Saint will have you chopped up and fed to the slaves!!!"
Cold sweat ran down the CP0 agent's temple, and ultimately, he could only forcibly swallow the words of advice he was about to speak.
As Saint Charlos's ear-piercing, maniacal laughter echoed, he led several fully-armed guards and CP0 agents, striding brazenly toward the Ryugu Kingdom's formation under the gaze of countless royalty and nobles.
—In that moment, the entire "Social Plaza" fell into a complete standstill.
"H-Hey... wh-what is he going to do?!"
"Shh—! Keep quiet! That's a Celestial Dragon; we can't afford to provoke him!!"
The nobles and kings whispered among themselves. Some wore faces full of horror, while others gritted their teeth in silence—
Even though they were furious, no one dared to take a single step forward.
Shirahoshi, who had been gently bowing to the surrounding guests, instinctively turned her head upon hearing the commotion behind her—
Only to see that gold-plated hovering carriage had already stopped right in front of her.
That obese, hideous Celestial Dragon on the carriage was looking down at her, his greasy face almost pressed right up against her eyes, his mouth split open in a drooling grin.
"Hehe... So beautiful... truly beautiful!"
"Even prettier than any fish in my collection!!!"
Treating her like a toy, he reached out that fat, ring-covered hand, aiming straight for Shirahoshi's hair.
"?!!"
Shirahoshi let out a soft gasp, retreating in panic, while Neptune's face instantly turned livid!
"Stop—!!!"
His furious roar shook the plaza. The golden trident instantly swept out, but was blocked by several CP0 guards who stepped in to intercept it, sparks and Haki erupting in the air.
"Stay your hand, Your Majesty!"
"The other party is a World Noble—do not act rashly!"
Although their voices were respectful, they carried an irresistible, icy tone.
Veins bulged on Neptune's forehead, his eyes widening in anger. That killing intent made the ground tremble slightly.
But he knew very well that even as a king, he had no right to lay a hand on a Celestial Dragon.
"That's... a Celestial Dragon... We can't interfere..."
Low murmurs spread through the crowd. A king from the West Blue gritted his teeth so hard his knuckles turned white, yet he still dared not step forward.
Saint Charlos's laughter grew even more unrestrained. He spread his arms, seemingly enjoying the unspoken fear of the crowd.
"Hahahahaha!! I am the God of this world!!"
"A mere Fish-Man—what right do you have to tell me I can't touch her?!!"
His fat fingers were almost touching Shirahoshi's hair. Neptune roared and raised his trident again, but the surrounding CP0 agents instantly drew their blades and surrounded him. The atmosphere in the plaza had practically reached its breaking point.
—Just as everyone had fallen into a silence of powerlessness and fury.
Crunch—chomp chomp chomp.
A series of crisp sounds shattered the dead silence, as if someone was deliberately chewing exceptionally loudly.
"Hey—who's that dog yapping and making such a noisy racket?"
That familiar, gruff, and somewhat impatient voice drifted leisurely from behind Shirahoshi.
Accompanied by footsteps, an unusual aura slowly spread outward.
The nobles and reporters turned their heads in unison, only to see a figure swaggering out—
White hair, a cape, shoulders as broad as a mountain, holding a rice cracker in one hand, with that eternally grinning, punchable expression hanging on his face.
"Oho~ Quite lively, isn't it~ We haven't even started the meeting yet, and you're already putting on a 'slave play'?"
Garp's tone sounded like he was just making casual conversation, but the faint oppressive pressure within his laughter made the CP0 agents and guards in the plaza instantly tense up.
Behind him, Ace and Luffy stood shoulder to shoulder.
Unlike Garp's casual demeanor, there wasn't a single trace of a smile on either of their faces.
Crimson flames slowly ignited around Ace's fists. The firelight danced, reflecting Saint Charlos's greasy face in his pitch-black pupils.
Luffy's military cap was tilted slightly, the brim casting a shadow over his eyes.
He didn't speak a word, but that calm, extremely cold stare made Saint Charlos involuntarily shudder.
They had already heard during the escort voyage that Shirahoshi was someone Big Brother Roy treated like a younger sister.
That meant, in their hearts, she was their younger sister too.
And now, in broad daylight, someone actually dared to try and capture their "sister" to be a slave right in front of them?
Ace and Luffy took a step forward together. The sound of their soles scraping against the ground was exceptionally clear in the dead silent plaza—
In that moment, Saint Charlos was still smiling smugly, entirely unaware that he was standing face-to-face with the people in this world he should absolutely never provoke.
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