Aboard the Issho, the Marines stood rigid.
None of them spoke.
But their eyes were fixed on the blind Admiral at the bow.
Fujitora's Observation Haki washed over them like a tide. He felt everything—the trembling hands gripping rifles, the shallow breaths, the unspoken fear.
Not fear of death.
Fear of meaninglessness.
If the hostage had been anyone else, this would not have spiraled so far.
But a Celestial Dragon was not measured like ordinary lives.
In the eyes of Mary Geoise, the combined worth of this entire ship of Marines would not equal a single strand of Rosward Saint's hair.
Fujitora's jaw tightened.
"Captain Buggy," he said slowly, "if a life must be exchanged… can mine suffice?"
The words were heavy.
Across the sea, murmurs erupted.
Buggy tilted his head.
"No," he replied calmly. "If you died, what would be the fun in that?"
His smile sharpened.
"Besides, if you sacrificed yourself, your colleagues would come whispering comfort into your grave. 'You did what was necessary.' Just like they did for Zephyr."
Fujitora's grip tightened around his sword.
Before he could respond, Lucci stepped forward.
"If Fujitora's men die," Lucci asked coldly, "will you keep your word?"
Behind him, the other CP0 agents emerged from the shadows, masks gleaming.
Fujitora turned sharply.
"Lucci!"
Armament Haki coated his blade instinctively.
"You would consider that?"
Lucci did not even glance at the drawn sword.
"The safety of Rosward Saint takes priority," he said evenly. "This is an order from the Five Elders."
The wind seemed to stall.
Buggy's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Oh?" he said softly. "You plan to do it yourself?"
Lucci's subordinates drew their weapons without hesitation.
"As you said," Lucci replied, "this minimizes sacrifice."
Buggy's smile vanished.
"No."
Lucci frowned. "Why? The result is identical."
"It isn't," Buggy said flatly.
He stepped forward, cloak snapping behind him.
"Fujitora may cling to flawed justice, but he still believes in something."
His gaze shifted to the masked agents.
"You," he continued, voice lowering, "are nothing but rats in gutters."
Lucci's expression hardened.
"We follow Dark Justice."
"Dark Justice?" Buggy scoffed. "Overthrowing nations. Capturing slaves for Celestial Dragons. Selling children."
A shockwave rippled through the world.
Across islands and seas, taverns erupted into chaos.
In Marine bases, faces stiffened.
At the headquarters of the World Economic Journal, Morgans nearly fainted from excitement.
"Yes! Yes!" he squawked. "Expose it all!"
Lucci's voice cut through sharply.
"Baseless accusations. Where is your evidence?"
Buggy laughed.
"Evidence? I am a pirate, not a judge."
"You slander the World Government openly?"
Buggy's boot pressed Rosward's head harder into the deck.
"The entire world knows what the Celestial Dragons are," he said calmly. "Do I need to prove it?"
At Marine Headquarters, Garp stared at the screen.
"Sengoku," he asked quietly, "has Cipher Pol trafficked children?"
Sengoku did not answer.
His silence was enough.
Garp's fists clenched.
"That clown is right," he muttered. "This world's rotten."
In the Gorosei chamber, one Elder slammed his cane against the floor.
"This broadcast was a mistake."
The damage was spreading faster than gunfire.
Marineford had been a battlefield loss, and victory intertwined. It had strengthened unity.
This—
This planted doubt.
On the deck of the Issho, Lucci's voice remained steady.
"The Celestial Dragons are the gods who shaped this world. Without them, there would be no order."
"Then offer your life to your gods," Buggy replied casually.
A faint crackle of energy danced across his fingers.
Lucci's instincts flared.
"What do you mean?"
Buggy smiled thinly.
"You've annoyed me."
The words were light.
"Commit suicide."
For a moment, even the sea seemed stunned.
Lucci stared at him.
"You jest."
Buggy shrugged.
"I hold a hostage. A divine hostage, as you'd call it. Threats are expected."
His sword flashed again.
Another finger fell.
Rosward's scream echoed across every Den Den Mushi in the world.
"There are eight of you," Buggy said conversationally. "Eight fingers remain."
He counted them.
"For each one of you who refuses to die, I remove one of his."
He tilted his head.
"If none of you comply, your god will be left with stubs."
No one understood the strange metaphor he almost used—but they understood the meaning.
Lucci felt cold sweat slide down his back.
"You promised to release him after the game," he said sharply. "Before the entire world."
Buggy raised an eyebrow.
"Did I say the game was over?"
The blade rose again.
Lucci hesitated.
The sword fell.
Another finger hit the deck.
Buggy nodded slightly.
"One of you is spared."
Across the seas, reactions fractured into confusion.
In Marine assembly halls, mid-ranking officers whispered.
"He's torturing a Celestial Dragon… and yet…"
"And yet what?"
No one finished the sentence. The smoker exhaled slowly.
"If this continues," he muttered, "a Buster Call is inevitable."
Momousagi crossed her arms.
"Even if Sakazuki refuses, others will push for it."
Silence followed.
One officer finally spoke.
"Without the Revolutionary Army aboard, Fujitora could end this."
"So the Celestial Dragon is Buggy's shield?"
Another shook his head.
"He doesn't seem to care about that shield at all."
On screen, Buggy lifted his blade again.
"Wait," Lucci said quickly. "I require further instruction."
He withdrew a Den Den Mushi.
The line connected.
The voice of one of the Five Elders rang out across the broadcast.
"Clown Buggy," it said coldly, "you have committed an unforgivable sin."
Buggy did not let him finish.
The sword descended.
"Six."
"You insolent—"
"Five."
"Your entire crew will—"
"Four."
The Elder's voice cracked with fury.
"You dare—"
"Three."
"Stop this—"
"Two."
"We can negotiate—"
"One."
The blade hovered above Rosward's final thumb.
Rosward's face twisted in agony and terror.
"You idiots!" he screamed, tears and blood mixing on his cheeks. "Are you trying to get me killed?!"
He turned on the CP0 agents with venom.
"You worthless dogs! Hurry up and die!"
The world fell silent.
Only one thumb remained.
And Buggy's sword hovered above it.
---
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