Thatchers Mafy Palace no longer wore her usual smile; after months of trying, she still hadn't managed to kill that runaway earl's son.
It was a stain on her pride.
Coupled with the failure of her infiltration mission aboard the Rocks Pirates, she now seemed farther than ever from the post of Commander of the Gods Knights.
Yet even Saint Garling's failure to capture Fang Huo had dealt a heavy blow, shattering his aura of infallibility.
Meanwhile, Saint Shepherd Ten Somaz—who had done nothing at all—was gaining louder and louder calls to become commander.
Two Gods Knights had already pledged their support.
Truly, comparisons are odious!
Knights born into the Gorosei families really did enjoy advantages the rest of them lacked.
—Real-time transponder snail conference between Enies Lobby, the World Government, and Marineford.
'The Soul Queen Charlotte Linlin has struck!! She's a demon—she's harvesting our souls, our very lifespans!'
'Great Demon Venerable Gu Yue Fang Huo's Vampire bats have drained our soldiers dry!'
'Rocks is smashing the Gate of Justice!'
'Other Executives of the Rocks Pirates have joined the battle…'
'Reinforcements—send reinforcements…'
—CP9 agents and Marine colonels poured despairing updates through their transponder snail.
Charlotte Linlin and Gu Yue Fang Huo's Conqueror's Haki alone had felled most of Enies Lobby's troops.
The fortress's mighty artillery couldn't even breach Fang Huo's Gravity field.
They couldn't destroy that Flying Battleship at all!
'Damned pirates!!'
In Marineford, the Fleet Admiral listened to the panic crackling through the transponder snail, his fury mounting.
Were it not for fear that the Rocks Pirates might swing around and raid Marineford itself, he would have set out personally for Enies Lobby.
To settle accounts with Rocks and Gu Yue Fang Huo once and for all!
Right now, apart from him, the Marine chief instructor, the chief strategist, and the head of the Marine Criminal Investigation Bureau were all standing guard over headquarters.
News that Rocks' main force had struck Enies Lobby had already eclipsed Vice Admiral Kong's 'minor victory' in crushing Golden Lion Shiki and Silver Axe.
Under Kong, Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru had matured rapidly.
Garp and Sengoku had even defeated Smuggler Ganzi and Silver Axe—ready for promotion to Marine Vice Admiral.
Golden Lion Shiki had fled in disgrace after Kong's drubbing.
Tsuru had fought Bolo Gram to a standstill.
The Rocks Pirates' North Blue squad now dared not show its face after Kong's fleet mauled them!
The Fleet Admiral felt Kong's continued pursuit of those slippery Executives was pointless—a waste of time.
The training exercise was over; graver trials lay ahead.
He quickly ordered Kong to quit the North Blue and return to Marineford.
If the World Government and Marine HQ failed to deal the Rocks Pirates a heavy blow at Enies Lobby,
and if Rocks' main force sailed to the North Blue to join Golden Lion Shiki, Kong's lone Admiral-level fleet would be in mortal danger.
—Enies Lobby.
Fang Huo gorged himself, harvesting blood by the barrel.
In this war there was no right or wrong—only sides.
Most Marines might be just soldiers, but they had chosen to stand with the Celestial Dragons.
Fang Huo had also captured two CP9 agents with Devil Fruit powers.
A Cat-Cat and a Mutt-Mutt, both common models.
Using his overflowing Vampire blood-energy, he forcibly converted them into Vampire Blood Servants, bent their wills with the seven star demon sword, and flung them into the Lost World.
A handy addition to his Vampire thrall army!
Had other Executives not already targeted the CP9 chief, the Hound Unit commander, and the grand judges, he would have kept converting.
But Deep Sea Titan Babel and Maron wanted the notoriety—and higher bounties—those bigwigs would bring, so Fang Huo let them go.
Amid the carnage, lightning crackled as Fang Huo appeared before a CP Agent, flashing an evil grin.
'Calling for help from the World Government, are we?'
The CP9 agent, transponder snail hidden in hand, froze at the sight of the demon before him.
Fang Huo snatched the silver transponder snail and booted the agent away.
'Hello? Is that Mary Geoise on the line?'
'CP HQ—or maybe the Gorosei listening?'
Fang Huo asked, amused.
'Who is this?'
A cold, imperious voice replied.
'One of the Gorosei, is it?'
'I'm Koyuki Fang Huo—the man you and the Gods Knights personally hunted!'
'Isn't old Maz around? He didn't recognize my voice?'
'Saint Maz, how's it going? Got any dirt on Saint Satan to make him dance to your tune?'
'He should be obeying you by now, right?'
'And don't you want to break free of Imu's leash?'
'Thanks for looking the other way last time—worth every hint I dropped about Satan's little schemes!'
Fang Huo didn't know which Gorosei was listening, but that didn't stop him spinning a web of lies.
'Silence, Koyuki Fang Huo! If you couldn't flee into the sea, I'd have erased you last time!'
Markus Mazesaint's heart clenched, a sliver of dread creeping in.
He crushed the fear and blustered back in fury.
Saint Satan, sitting nearby, gripped his cane, shocked.
So it was Fang Huo who had leaked the intel to Maz.
But how had the youth learned of the ancient robot he had secretly kept for a hundred and fifty years?
He had hidden it even from Imu and the other Gorosei.
Gorosei Warcury, Nasujuro, and Peters glanced oddly at Maz and Satan.
What was going on?
What were Maz and Satan hiding from them?
And what did Fang Huo mean about 'breaking free of Imu's control'?
In Warcury's eyes, the immortality Imu granted was heaven's gift,
certainly not control!
Were Maz and Satan unhappy with Imu?
'Don't try to sow discord, brat!'
'We have stood together longer than you can imagine!'
'Your tricks are far too shallow!'
Saint Satan hid his unease, face calm as he dismissed Fang Huo's words as a clumsy ruse.
The Gorosei had worked side by side for centuries—three sentences from Fang Huo could hardly shake that trust.
'Tsk, is that Saint Satan? I've seen your future: Imu obliterates you!'
'Heh, your screams and pleas while Imu's black flames burn you to a skeleton—music to my ears!'
'Oh yes! Figarland Garling will earn Imu's favor and become Leader of the God's Knights!'
'In time he'll even replace you as the new Science Defense Martial God!'
'Enjoy what little time you have left, Jegarcia Satan!!'
Fang Huo's grin stretched wide, his voice a devil's whisper echoing through the Hall of Power…