"This is quite a long story. There are some things better left unknown by you. In short, these people were long dead, their memories frozen in time from over a decade ago."
"Is that so? Then were they... resurrected?"
This would explain why these people knew nothing about the Hundred Beasts. At the time when Roger had just become the Pirate King, the Hundred Beasts hadn't yet risen to the top; they were merely a strong pirate crew in the New World.
Gol D. Roger's execution was an event known across all seas. Both pirates and the Navy, civilians and crooks, were aware that Roger had been executed by the World Government.
Yet these self-proclaimed members of the Red Arrow Pirates were utterly ignorant of this fact, which clearly didn't align with common sense. If it were said that they had died before Roger's death, then it all made sense.
But if they were long dead, then what exactly are these people before us?
The word 'resurrection' surfaced in Emmalyn's mind but was quickly dismissed by Shaina.
"It's not resurrection; they don't possess such skills. It's merely an alternate kind of forbidden usage. Get ready. It might require some effort later on."
A flame appeared in Shaina's palm. After a simple compression, she tossed it directly into the sky.
The flame exploded like fireworks in the high altitude, resembling a cross shape. The surrounding pirates also noticed the cross fireworks in the sky, and they put down the items in their hands, gathering towards the fire's position.
This was the gathering signal of the Hundred Beasts. Even if they didn't know the reason, they were converging here.
"Boss Lady, are the enemies tough to deal with?"
Aside from the absent Arceus and Darkrai, the two of them represented the highest combat strength on the ship. If even they couldn't resolve the situation, summoning subordinates wouldn't make much sense.
In such times, it would be more appropriate to dispatch a distress signal. But Shaina was merely rallying her subordinates.
"We'll have to see, but don't worry. I hadn't heard of the Red Arrow Pirates over a decade ago. This kind of ability doesn't enhance strength; it's just troublesome. I'm preparing this just to prevent any unforeseen incidents."
Quickly, the pirates of the Hundred Beasts gathered. Miaona and Wolf were carried over by Chansey, and the surroundings were soon surrounded by Red Arrow Pirates' members. As for the pirate who had undergone a transformation, he now lay wholly on the ground like a corpse.
By human definition of life, he had lost all signs of life.
The expressions on the faces of those looking at the "corpse" on the ground were quite strange, yet they seemed accustomed to it. Within their understanding, this seemed to have become a norm.
Only one person was an exception—the island's owner, the Baron of Ecstasy. Upon seeing his subordinate turn into a "corpse," his expression turned exceedingly ugly.
"Break's over, time to continue the hellish trials!"
"You truly can't wait, can you? Hey, Miaona, Wolf, have you had enough fun?"
"Mhm, mhm, that big fish was really interesting."
"Those people were also quite funny; one even looked like a Kappa."
Contrary to the Baron's comments, Shaina wasn't nervous. Instead, she asked the two children if they'd had enough fun. After receiving a positive answer, her demeanor changed.
"Since you've played enough, be obedient now. The grown-ups have their own matters to attend to. Everyone! Defensive formation, the first priority now is to protect yourselves! Emmalyn, you and Chansey take care of the two little ones."
"Boss Lady, are we not annihilating them?"
Shaina's command seemed strange to them. It was clearly a call to arms but chose a defensive stance, a rare occurrence in the Hundred Beasts' past experiences, especially against an unfamed enemy.
"You can't kill what's already dead. I need to find something, and you might have to hold out for a while."
"Understood."
Shaina's words today were rather peculiar, but that didn't affect them from executing her orders. Quickly, they assembled into a semicircular formation.
"Are you abandoning the trial and opting for rebellion?"
"Cut the crap, the game's over, I won't waste my time anymore. Where's the core of that flower?"
"What... What are you talking about? What flower's core?"
Upon hearing Shaina's inquiry, the Baron's expression instantly stiffened, no longer as relaxed as before, as if his greatest secret had been discovered, and he vehemently denied it.
"Stop pretending. The Lily Carnation on your shoulder says it all. These botanical puppets are inherently the most forbidden of usages..."
"Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting!"
The Baron's left hand suddenly produced a longbow, and his right hand conjured a bizarre plant vine, which eventually turned into an arrow.
"Get him!"
The arrow transformed into a rain of arrows after being shot, tracing multiple arcs in the sky before aiming at Shaina. Simultaneously, other subordinates began surging towards the pirates of the Hundred Beasts on skate-like apparatuses.
"This level of attack... Seems like I was worrying too much."
Looking at the approaching rain of arrows, Shaina felt a wave of relief, not even making any defensive maneuvers. The arrows turned to ash just as they neared her.
As she intended to apprehend the Baron to inquire about the flower's core's whereabouts, from the island's center, a massive black pipe suddenly began flailing wildly, even emitting a series of lamentations.
"This aura... Damn it!"
It was no ordinary black pipe; it was the core of the flower Shaina sought. Now, a very familiar energy signature was emanating from there.
Unfurling her wings, Shaina flew in that direction. The Baron was no real threat—Emmalyn could easily handle him—but such opportunities might not come again.
"Lily!"
Seeing the strange occurrence at the island's center, the Baron panicked entirely, equally sprinting toward that direction. But lacking the ability to fly, he was doomed to lag behind Shaina's speed.
The key players from both sides disappeared from the scene, but those left behind continued unaffected, quickly clashing together. It didn't take long for Emmalyn to understand what was going on.
Those individuals were weak, helpless against these elite members of the Hundred Beasts, yet their bodies were abnormal.
Just now, her arm turned into a scythe landed on one, and even a body made of rock would be split in two by her, yet that person sustained no injuries other than a tear in his clothing.
The results of other battles were the same; neither blade nor axe harmed them, merely sending them flying without inflicting injuries. After several repetitions, some reverted to the initial state, becoming peculiar corpses.
Seeing this, they ceased exerting effort in combat, opting instead for a defensive counterattack.
...
Meanwhile, at the island's center, observing the gigantic flower stalk before them, a glint of disappointment flickered in Darkrai's lone exposed eye.
"Apologies, Your Grace. This isn't quite how I envisioned it..."
"Lord Sacred Beast! Have mercy, refrain from harming that entity for now!"