Seeing Borsalino appear before him with his usual lazy demeanor, Yemu finally stopped walking.
As the first true top-tier opponent he had encountered after entering the Grand Line, meeting him again after several months really did stir a strange sense of "nostalgia."
But before Yemu could say anything, the Celestial Dragon behind Borsalino, Saint Chatham, suddenly started shouting. The fear that had filled his face moments ago vanished, replaced once again by blatant arrogance.
When he had just learned that the people before him were the very criminals who had killed Saint Mjosgard, Saint Chatham had been genuinely terrified. Especially when Yemu had dared to walk straight toward them.
At his age, he had lived through God Valley, that horrific war that had nearly wiped out the Celestial Dragons. Unlike his dull-looking son, he understood exactly why the Celestial Dragons dared to act so recklessly. It was because they firmly believed that no one in this world would ever dare raise a hand against them.
But if someone truly dared to kill a Celestial Dragon, then everything changed. Just like that terrifying demon, Rocks.
Saint Mjosgard's death had caused a massive uproar among the Celestial Dragons.
Rocks had only been dead for a little over a decade. The memory of that demon was still fresh in everyone's mind.
And now, another existence had appeared, someone who dared to kill a Celestial Dragon.
It made them instinctively afraid, worried that the tragedy of God Valley might happen all over again.
What they found even more intolerable was that the Celestial Dragons had repeatedly pressured the Marines through the World Government to eliminate these criminals, yet nothing had ever come of it.
And now, of all days, he had run into them himself.
In that instant, when that criminal's gaze fell on him, he truly felt as though he might be killed.
But now things were different.
After all, as a Celestial Dragon, he was used to lording over others. Fear was only temporary. The moment he saw Borsalino appear, Saint Chatham's excitement surged again.
"If we can take their heads, no…"
An even more deranged idea took shape in his mind.
"Borsalino, seize them for me! I want to turn them into my slaves! If I do that, Donquixote and that Rosward guy will definitely envy me. I'll steal the spotlight completely!"
His son beside him grew even more excited, pointing straight at Flare as he shouted.
"Dad, I want that woman! I want her to be my thirteenth wife!"
The moment those words left his mouth, Flare felt the true repulsiveness of the Celestial Dragons for the first time.
Yemu, hearing this, spoke with an unmistakably cold expression.
"Borsalino… looks like I won't be able to do you that favor after all."
Borsalino rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"Hey… what a hassle. Why did I have to get dragged into this? Looking at it now, those monsters in the New World seem a lot more likable."
"But I'm really sorry. No matter what, I can't let you hurt them."
He then turned his head and called out.
"Hey, you guys in black over there. You're CP, right? What are you standing around for? Get the two Celestial Dragons out of here. That's Fleet Admiral Kong's order!"
The black-clad guards finally snapped out of it. One of them quickly helped their wounded companion up, while the others turned to the two Celestial Dragons.
"Chatham-sama, please return at once. A fight is about to break out here. Those criminals really will harm you."
"What!?"
Saint Chatham's face was filled with unwillingness, but sensing the murderous tension that had settled over the entire plaza, he had no choice but to back down.
"Damn it! Borsalino, you make sure you capture those bastards for me! I want them as my slaves! Hawkins, where's my cargo?!"
On the theater stage, Hawkins Coco, who had been hiding behind the curtain, nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the Celestial Dragon's shout. He hurriedly slipped out from behind the drapes, forcing a fawning smile as he nervously rubbed his hands together.
"P-please wait a moment, Chatham-sama. The goods you requested will be brought to you immediately."
As he spoke, he turned and shouted toward the backstage.
"You idiots, hurry up and bring Stella over here."
"Hey!"
In just a few seconds, under everyone's gaze, a woman was dragged out. She had flowing golden hair and emerald-green eyes filled with despair. A collar was fastened around her neck as two men gripped her arms and forced her forward.
Her beauty instantly drew every eye.
"S-so beautiful!!!"
"Oh, she really is stunning!"
At that moment, even Kizaru had to admit it. This woman named Stella was undeniably breathtaking. No wonder the Celestial Dragons were in such a hurry.
That said, to someone of Kizaru's level, interest in women only went so far.
Right now, all he wanted was for the Celestial Dragons to leave as soon as possible. Then he could clock out on time and go home to drink tea and have some snacks.
Still, something felt off.
Kizaru looked at Yemu, who hadn't moved an inch. He watched as the traffickers escorted the woman straight into the Celestial Dragons' hands, yet Yemu showed no reaction at all. That didn't seem like him.
"Is he trying to avoid trouble? If that's the case, things just got a lot easier."
Kizaru scratched his head as he thought this through.
He wasn't the only one who found it strange.
In a nearby hotel, watching the scene unfold, the Corrupt King curled his lips into a mocking smile.
"So the Sky Pirates' captain is only this much, huh. Not nearly as bold as the rumors say. What a shame. I was hoping for a real show, meow."
Doflamingo frowned deeply as well.
At that moment, Bartholomew Kuma, who had remained silent all this time, spoke up in a voice gentle and calm, completely at odds with his massive frame.
"The wind is about to rise."
"Huh?!"
Everyone froze for a moment.
On Yemu's side, Flare watched as the beautiful woman was escorted step by step by the traffickers toward the Celestial Dragons. Her heart tightened with distress. She looked anxiously at Yemu, about to speak, but Yemu spoke first.
"Don't rush, Flare. We've already killed Celestial Dragons before. So even if we kill two more here, it doesn't really mean anything to this world or to us. At most, it would just be venting our anger. But if something else interesting happens, that's a different story…"
Yemu made no effort to lower his voice. Not only did Flare and the Sky Pirates behind him hear it, but even Kizaru, standing not far away, heard every word.
Kizaru didn't quite understand what Yemu meant by something "interesting," but that didn't stop a sense of unease from creeping into his chest.
He soon found out why.
Across the vast plaza, countless people were kneeling on the ground.
In this tense standoff, no one dared make a sound. Everyone kept their heads lowered, terrified of bringing trouble upon themselves.
The only sounds that could be heard were the clinking of the shackles dragging across the ground and the faint, broken sobs of the woman being treated as a slave.
Then, suddenly, a voice rang out, completely unexpected.
"Stella!!!"
In an instant, all eyes turned toward the source of the shout. Even the ordinary people kneeling on the ground, who hadn't dared lift their heads before, looked up in shock and stared in that direction.
A handsome young man with green hair was rushing forward. Blood ran down from his forehead, tears filled his eyes, and he ran desperately toward the enslaved woman.
When the girl named Stella saw him, light returned to her despair-filled eyes. Tears welled up as she smiled gently and called out his name.
"Tesoro!!!"
In that moment, it was as if the entire world's focus had shifted to this pair of unfortunate young lovers…