"It's the power of the Heal-Heal Fruit! Truly terrifying, isn't it~" Kizaru explained casually, before clashing blades with King once more.
Eight hundred soldiers against over ten thousand pirates, yet they felt no fear. Because they believed in the Holy Light.
In truth, these eight hundred men had already been "converted." They were loyal to Grimm, just like Whitemane herself. The Navy had no idea they were actually enemies within.
Minutes earlier, Whitemane had received a message from Grimm: "End this battle quickly. There is no more purpose to it."
That was why she defied Navy orders—the Scarlet Crusade was only to be used as a last resort—and took action herself.
The red-clad soldiers threw themselves into the fray, trading blow for blow with the Golden Lion Pirates. But whenever they were wounded, a golden light would flare up and heal them instantly.
Everyone was reminded of one man… Grimm!
But the Navy believed this was simply the ability of the Paramecia-type Heal-Heal Fruit.
And the wielder of this godlike power was the High Inquisitor of the Scarlet Crusade, and the woman known as the Navy's Goddess: Sally Whitemane.
---
After another hour of intense fighting, the Golden Lion Pirates, once over ten thousand strong, had been reduced to barely eight thousand. Their losses were catastrophic.
In contrast, the Scarlet Crusade had lost merely a hundred men.
As long as the wounds weren't instantly fatal, they were healed in the blink of an eye.
But then, something truly bizarre happened.
High in the sky, a glowing blue portal appeared. Plank, Yasuo, and Kaido leaped high into the air and dove straight inside.
And just like that…
The five of them were gone. Vanished along with the portal.
Shiki saw it happen, but he had no idea what it was. He assumed it was just some Devil Fruit technique.
In reality, it was Jaina opening a gateway to extract them. It was all part of Grimm's plan.
They were just leaving Shiki behind to take the fall!
Grimm had told them: "Once the Crusade moves out, it's time for you to leave."
Plank and Yasuo followed orders without question. Kaido and his crew were also happy to leave—they'd had their fun already.
Now, Shiki was completely surrounded.
And then, the horror show continued.
Whitemane raised a slender hand, and golden light erupted.
"Rise again, my warriors!"
In an instant, the hundred soldiers who had fallen stood up once more… alive and ready to fight!
The Golden Lion Pirates completely broke. Their minds and spirits shattered.
"Shiki! You are at the end of your rope! Surrender and rot in Impel Down!"
Golden light flashed, and the giant Buddha form of Sengoku appeared before Shiki, fist already descending.
"Damn it! That woman… isn't she a spy planted by Grimm?!" Shiki growled, realizing too late that he had been played.
"Lion's Might: Thousand Cuts!"
Golden blades of air exploded outward like sunlight, possessing enough power to split the heavens. It forced Sengoku back momentarily.
"Spy? Don't try to sow discord! This is the true power of our Navy's elite!" Sengoku roared. "This is the awakened form of the Heal-Heal Fruit! Give it up, Shiki! Your legend is over!"
Shiki just laughed dismissively, glancing toward Tsuru and the others.
"Kuhahahaha! Who cares? I can see it on your faces! Something very… entertaining must be happening at Mary Geoise right now!"
Even though most Den Den Mushi cameras were destroyed, a few loyal crew members managed to keep the broadcast alive, so the world could see the Golden Lion until the very end.
---
Meanwhile, Mary Geoise.
Grimm, still disguised as Saint Epthelm, continued chatting with Saint Garbatia.
He was learning much about the history of the Celestial Dragons, though Garbatia clearly didn't know the identities of the two powerhouses Kel'Thuzad had killed.
It seemed even among themselves, they had secrets and hierarchies.
But even the lowest-ranking Celestial Dragon held power beyond imagination—power that sometimes forced even the Five Elders to bow.
Snap!
Grimm snapped his fingers, summoning a guard. He smiled coldly. "How goes the battle at Marineford?"
The guard looked confused—why would his master care about such things? But he answered obediently, "My Lord! Word has just arrived! Kaido, Plank, Yasuo, and the others have retreated! The Golden Lion Pirates are being crushed by our special unit, the Scarlet Crusade! Shiki himself is on the verge of defeat!"
"Hmm… can you show me?" Grimm asked.
"Y-Yes! Of course, My Lord!"
The guard glanced at "Epthelm" with strange eyes before hurrying away.
"My friend, why do you even ask?" Garbatia said beside him, finally explaining the guard's reaction.
"We are Celestial Dragons! We do not ask… we command. We take whatever we want, unless speaking to an equal!"
I see, Grimm thought to himself. This is what it means to be a Celestial Dragon. Rotten to the core. Yet… isn't this the life everyone else secretly desires?
Two minutes later, the guard returned carrying a large, silver Den Den Mushi.
"My Lord, this is connected directly to Marineford. You can see everything clearly!"
"Good. Turn it on… and get out."
The guard placed it on the table, pressed the button, and literally crawled out of the room on his belly, not daring to look up.
Grimm smirked inwardly. These people… truly are hopeless.
The screen flickered to life, showing the battlefield in perfect clarity.
At the same time, in Sabaody Archipelago, only two screens were still working. The entire crowd held their breath.
---
Back at Marineford, Sengoku let out a sigh of relief. He was glad the five strongest enemies had left. If they hadn't, he would have been forced to recall Garp and Zephyr immediately, or the losses would have been unbearable.
They would still win, but it would have been a very ugly victory.
But right now, Sengoku's mind was elsewhere. His greatest worry was… what was happening at Mary Geoise? How was Grimm's battle against the World Government going?
__________________
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