...
After signing the contract, Harald was permitted to move freely in designated areas of the "Land of the Gods" and was led to the God's Knights' hall, Shangri-La.
This also served as an opportunity to meet the other God's Knights and "get familiar."
But at that moment, a repulsive figure appeared in the light!
The commander of the God's Knights, Saint Figarland Garling, was staring at this overly massive "new colleague" with a gaze mixed with scrutiny, confusion, and a barely concealed trace of disgust.
Time had left marks on his face. Compared to the God Valley period, he had lost some of his outward sharpness and impetuosity, gaining instead a gloomy and coldness…
A neatly trimmed beard on his chin added to his majesty and made him even more unapproachable.
Standing beside Saint Garling were two young Celestial Dragons of differing demeanors.
One had an indifferent expression, seemingly unconcerned with everything around him—his features identical to those of Red-Haired Shanks!
This was none other than Shanks' twin brother—the red-haired infant taken from Dragon by Saint Maffey during God Valley—Shamrock!
The other had a beard and sharp eyes—it was Saint Sommers.
He too had matured greatly since God Valley, exuding the restrained yet dangerous aura of a top-tier Celestial Dragon elite.
Saint Garling said nothing, simply handing a Den Den Mushi to Harald.
"Keep this. If there is a mission, you will be contacted through it."
Saint Garling's voice was cold: "You may return to the lower world and continue your previous work. But remember: everything here, the contract, anything you have seen—none of it may be leaked to anyone. Otherwise…"
He did not finish, but the icy threat was self-evident.
Harald silently accepted the Den Den Mushi and nodded.
Time leaped forward again…
Harald's figure appeared in the Ryugu Palace on Fish-Man Island.
He was drinking and chatting with Fish-Man Island's King Neptune. The atmosphere seemed relaxed, yet both could not hide the heaviness between their brows.
They spoke of their respective children.
Neptune's daughter would be born four years later, while Harald smiled bitterly as he spoke of Loki's stubborn, unyielding nature.
That personality—once he fixated on something, not even nine Sea Kings could pull him back—was exactly like his own when he was young.
Somehow the conversation turned to Neptune's daughter, due to be born four years later.
"Harald…"
Neptune took a big swig of wine, lowering his voice with pride and mystery: "My daughter is no ordinary girl! Though she's not born yet, I have a premonition—she will have incredible power!
When she grows up, how about betrothing her to your Loki? A marriage alliance between our families would make the ties between Elbaf and Fish-Man Island even closer!"
Neptune was half-joking, half-serious, but Harald didn't want to drag Neptune's daughter into it—he knew Loki's temper best…
He looked up toward the dark waters outside Ryugu Palace, his voice low: "Elbaf's future is uncertain. Loki… has his own destined path to walk.
Perhaps one full of thorns. I cannot… involve him in any more uncertain futures. Your daughter deserves a freer, more stable choice."
Neptune paused, then sighed, understanding his old friend's concerns, and said no more.
That same year, in Elbaf.
Harald established a library, and he was now welcoming a special giant…
The giant's name was—Saul!
This was the very Giant Race Vice Admiral who would later be spared by Admiral Aokiji and ultimately frozen while protecting Nico Robin.
After their meeting, Harald ultimately decided to open a school. He wanted future giant children to stay far from conflict!
Time on the light curtain flowed mercilessly onward once more.
Many years later, in the Holy Land Mary Geoise—this place regarded by the world as the center of the world, the abode of the Celestial Dragons, sacred and inviolable!
An earth-shaking event erupted that completely shattered its "sacred" image!
The scene showed chaos, flames, thick smoke, and… an unprecedented clamor piercing the eternal "tranquility" above the Holy Land!
Celestial Dragons' furious roars, terrified screams, exasperated complaints and curses all mixed together.
In the ornate palace corridors, slave pens, even on the plazas—everywhere one could see panicked fleeing Celestial Dragons.
Their lavish robes were stained with dust and fearful sweat; their bubble helmets cracked, revealing pale or twisted faces beneath.
And at the core of all this chaos was a towering figure drenched in blood, eyes burning with unyielding fury.
The fish-man adventurer, Fisher Tiger!
Somehow he had broken free from his slave shackles and was rampaging through the Holy Land!
"Get out! Run!!"
Tiger roared with his booming voice, smashing open a sturdy cage lock with one fist: "Do you want to be caged here forever, bought and sold like livestock, tortured to death?!
Take up weapons! Or follow me! Escape!!"
Under his shouts and leadership, more and more slaves—humans, fish-men, minks, longarms…
All races that had suffered endless torment—rushed out from dark cages and hiding places, forming a flood of survival surging toward the outskirts of the Holy Land.
Tiger dashed toward another direction. But just as he was about to break through a key checkpoint, a figure appeared like a ghost at the end of the passage, silently blocking his way.
The person wore the God's Knights uniform, his face wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, revealing only one eye as calm as a deep pool.
He held an unsheathed long sword, its blade glinting coldly in the light.
"Damn it! A God's Knight?!"
Tiger's heart tightened; cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
He recognized the attire and knew the terror of the God's Knights.
But he had no retreat—behind him were hundreds of eyes longing for freedom.
With a low growl, he gathered all his strength and charged like a cannonball toward the blocker, ready to fight with his life!
The mysterious knight seemed to move as well—his figure flickered, sword light flashing!
"Bang!"
A muffled sound.
The expected scene of blood and gore did not occur.
Tiger felt a sharp yet precise impact at his neck—not a slash, but more like a high-speed, concentrated "thrust."
At the same time, his forward momentum carried him past the other man. In the chaos, his hand accidentally grabbed the bandages on the opponent's face!
"Rip!"
Half the bandages were torn off!
Revealing half the face—sharp jawline, tightly pressed lips, and… a fresh, bleeding wound at the corner of the eye!
But the other reacted extremely quickly, immediately turning his head so the remaining bandages covered his face again.
Tiger staggered to a stop, touching his neck in shock.
No wound, but… the collar around his neck—the one symbolizing slave status that would explode if he left a certain range—had "crack" several fine fractures and was completely disabled!
That sword strike had not targeted his throat at all—it had precisely destroyed the core structure of his collar!
Tiger whipped around to look at the mysterious knight.
The other had already sheathed his sword and did not pursue. He merely looked deeply at Tiger with those calm eyes, then stepped aside, clearing the path, and said: "The side door to the armory… the lock is already open. Go quickly."
With that, he did not linger—his figure flashed and vanished around the corner of the chaotic corridor, melting into the shadows.
Tiger froze for a moment. Without time to think, he immediately organized the slaves to arm themselves as best they could and continued the charge out of the Holy Land.
In the fleeing crowd, the light curtain camera captured three small, tightly embracing figures with tear-streaked faces!
They were the young Boa Hancock and her two younger sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold.
They too had been swept into this flood of escape.
In the end, this unprecedented "Mary Geoise Assault Incident" concluded with a large number of slaves successfully escaping, the Holy Land left in ruins, and the Celestial Dragons utterly humiliated.
The name of the ringleader, Fisher Tiger—and his fish-man identity—shocked the entire world in an instant.
...