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A heavy silence fell in the surroundings, and an inexplicable, chilling aura swept over everyone present.
Emotions such as tension, disbelief, fear, and shock surged and clashed within their hearts.
"Bang!"
A dull, muffled impact echoed out, sending dust billowing up from a street hundreds of meters away.
Saint Mjosgard's body trembled slightly before going completely still. His eyes rolled back, becoming unfocused and vacant. The scene remained deathly quiet. No one could believe what they had just witnessed; it felt unreal, like a dream.
At the very pinnacle of the world, a Celestial Dragon had actually been struck, ruthlessly, with a punch.
"Hiss...!"
After a long moment, someone gasped while their entire body trembling.
"You... you actually dared to do that to Saint Mjosgard?!" The Black-Clothed Guard's voice shook as a chill ran down his spine.
He was utterly stunned by the sheer audacity of it. To assault a Celestial Dragon in Mary Geoise was unheard of for centuries.
"Damn it! You've caused a catastrophe!" Another Black-Clothed Guard said in a trembling voice.
They moved instinctively to rush forward and punish this reckless man but were quickly stopped by those beside them.
"Are you insane? That's Kojin!"
Those words struck them like lightning.
In an instant, they all remembered this man's legendary feats; his terrifying strength was something they simply could not contend with.
"Hurry! Notify the enforcement unit!"
"Call a Marine Admiral!"
The attack on a Celestial Dragon was a grave incident that would undoubtedly send shockwaves through the world, especially with the Levely about to begin.
"Get lost. If you want to do something to me, you're not enough." Kojin spoke calmly. Then, glancing at the distant Saint Mjosgard, he added, "Instead of standing here in a daze, why don't you check if your master is dead?"
His words snapped them out of their stupor, causing the black-clothed guards to immediately rush back.
"He's just injured and unconscious!"
"Thank goodness… it's not a major incident."
After a quick inspection, they all let out sighs of relief.
One of them quickly dialed a Den Den Mushi to inform the nearby patrolling Marines and guards.
"Kojin!" Taking a deep breath, Cobra called out, his voice trembling with concern.
"Relax. By status alone, we're Celestial Dragons now as well." Kojin replied indifferently.
Cobra was momentarily stunned, then nodded.
Narrowing his eyes at the heavily guarded city fortress ahead, the King of Alabasta wore an unusually grave expression on his face. He suddenly recalled what his younger brother had said at the banquet not long ago about the origins of the Nefertari family, and he could feel the pressure intensifying.
Stepping into this Holy Land at this moment truly meant venturing deep into enemy territory.
At the same time, Cobra was astonished by his younger brother's boldness. Even within this fortress crawling with enemies, he dared to act so recklessly.
Meanwhile, Kojin stood calmly, with not the slightest hint of tension on his face. His gaze shifted to the battered Fish-Man lying on the ground before him.
"Fish-Man, tell me your name."
The man's fearless, death-defying courage earned Kojin's admiration. Usually, slaves captured and brought to Mary Geoise had long since lost the will to live, becoming thoughtless puppets.
Someone this bold, with such a strong spirit, was extremely rare.
"My name is Tiger! Fisher Tiger!" The Fish-Man took a deep breath and shouted.
His emotions were in turmoil. He had, of course, heard of Marine Vice Admiral Kojin. The words that Kojin had once spoken to the world had ignited a fire in his heart.
It was precisely that inspiration that had led him to leave Fish-Man Island, only to be captured by a Celestial Dragon.
Since leaving Fish-Man Street, he had pursued the ideal of equality, dedicating himself to a world in which humans, Fish-Men, and Merfolk could coexist as equals.
Kojin was a banner of equality to him, someone he deeply admired and respected.
"I never expected... he's a Celestial Dragon too, and so lawless! But because of that, he's even more worthy of reverence!"
Upon hearing the name, Kojin was momentarily stunned. He carefully examined the Fish-Man before him.
"Fisher Tiger?"
The founder of the Sun Pirates. A leader of Fish-Man Street. The future elder brother of Jinbe, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and Arlong, the overlord of East Blue.
This man would one day escape Mary Geoise and spark a massive slave liberation movement, saving countless captives from the Holy Land.
To many, he became a great hero, the first man in history to wreak havoc upon Mary Geoise.
"Now this is a man with guts." Kojin grinned.
Suddenly, he moved one hand to the hilt at his waist.
With a sharp clang, the blade was drawn and sliced through the air in a curved arc towards the collar chain around the Fish-Man's neck.
"From today onward... you're free!"
His voice rang out with laughter. The blade passed through the collar as easily as cutting butter, cleanly severing it without triggering an explosion.
Fisher Tiger trembled all over as he stared blankly at the chains and collar falling from his body.
For a moment, even his thoughts seemed to freeze.
"A Celestial Dragon… saved me?"
"He saved a Fish-Man like me?!"
Fisher Tiger stared blankly at the smiling face before him.
With sunlight shining down on the man from behind, Tiger had a fleeting thought of the sun itself.
It was as if a radiant sun stood behind him, illuminating his entire world.
"In this sensitive city, your identity might cause some trouble, so… Would you be willing to temporarily stay with my group?"
"Tiger."
A gentle voice followed as Kojin bent down and helped him up from his dazed state.
"I… I'm willing!" Tiger answered blankly.
For some reason, his heart was beating wildly. Thinking back to the torment and suffering he had endured since entering the Holy Land, and comparing it to the gentle, kind man before him... His nose stung and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
Kojin, understanding, patted his shoulder. Then he took off his own coat and draped it over Tiger's shoulders, covering the shocking wounds on his body.
"Your Highness, your clothes!" Igaram exclaimed painfully.
The outfit had been custom-made with gold thread in the trim and was extremely valuable!
"Igaram, it's just a piece of clothing. If it can save this warrior and shield his wounds, then it has already served its greatest purpose." Kojin frowned as he reprimanded him.
"Clothing is merely meant to cover the body. And right now, Mr. Tiger needs it more than I do. Apologize to Tiger."
Igaram froze for a moment, then bowed, looking guilty.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Tiger."
Fisher Tiger panicked and waved his hands repeatedly.
"N-no, it's fine!"
"I… I'm just a slave."
As he spoke, he tried to take off his coat.
Even at first glance, it was clear that the coat was expensive. But at that moment, a firm hand pressed down on his shoulder, stopping him.
"I said already that you need it more than I do."
Tiger's heart trembled and his eyes instantly reddened.
"Kojin is right, Mr. Tiger. You need it more." Cobra added, smiling, from the side.
Fisher Tiger nodded heavily, engraving their faces deep into his memory, and said in a trembling voice...
"Thank you!"
Soon after, Eveya pulled him into the group, and he stood among them.
On one side of the street, a girl of about fifteen or sixteen watched the scene secretly. A glimmer of hope and courage suddenly appeared in her eyes.
Taking a deep breath, her frail and thin body sprang up from the ground and ran toward them.
"Hm?" Kojin turned his head.
The Black-Clothed guards also took notice, and their expressions turned cold.
"A mere slave dares to...?"
One of them drew a pistol from his waist but was quickly stopped by another who shook his head.
"The Nefertari family is still here. Don't act recklessly in front of them."
The man froze for a moment before his body trembled.
Although there had recently been conflict between the two sides, that was a matter for the Celestial Dragons. If they interfered, they might not even know how they died.
The girl ran all the way over. Though her face was smeared with dirt, her graceful figure and delicate features could still be made out.
"Vice Admiral Kojin Sama, please, I beg you, save the three of us sisters!" The girl knelt down in panic, crying as she spoke.
Kojin narrowed his eyes and looked at her.
He was no saint, especially in this Holy Land where one had to act with caution.
After scanning the area, he saw that, aside from the girl in front of him and the two women watching anxiously from a distance, everyone else had their foreheads pressed to the ground, remaining completely unresponsive.
The word 'slave' itself represented a kind of numbness. Even when hope appeared, it was often difficult to grasp.
"I am willing to give those who hold onto hope... a chance to live. Tell me your name." Kojin said with a faint smile.
"Hancock. My name is Boa Hancock," The girl replied quickly.
Kojin was momentarily stunned and looked at her carefully.
Much of her beauty was obscured by dirt, but her exquisite features could still be seen. Even at such a young age, she was already a beauty in the making, especially given her figure, which was accentuated even beneath the maid outfit.
No wonder Saint Mjosgard had taken a liking to her at first glance.
"Bring your sisters and hide within my group." Kojin nodded.
Hancock immediately expressed her gratitude and called out to the other two girls behind her. After joining the group, the three sisters hugged each other tightly, crying with joy.
Fisher Tiger watched them, his expression filled with emotion.
"Let's go." Kojin said at this moment.
He paid no attention to Saint Mjosgard. A Celestial Dragon without any real ability wasn't enough to affect him.
Just then, two tall figures strode forward, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Admiral!"
"It's an Admiral!"
(End of Chapter)