Unless a special event like God Valley occurred, or they joined the elite God's Knights, other Celestial Dragons would not encounter any danger from birth.
Even on the night of the Slave riot, Grothius was beaten by a group of rebellious Slaves, but he only suffered minor injuries; for him, it was more a matter of losing face.
So, even though everyone on the ship could see that Sakazuki was on the verge of berserking, Grothius remained completely oblivious.
He looked at the other party's unrepentant expression and became even more enraged, pointing at the sinking treasures:
"You idiot! Not only did you kill my crew, you also destroyed my treasures!"
"Look at the stupid things you've done! They've all been burned to ashes by your magma!"
If it weren't for the bubble headgear, Grothius's saliva might have extinguished Sakazuki's magma.
Sakazuki still had his head bowed, but the deck beneath his feet had silently melted into two clear footprints.
This Admiral, who could melt through the earth, was now being verbally abused by an idiot he could crush with a flick of his hand, unable to lift his head.
He was afraid that if he lifted his head, the fury erupting from his eyes would instantly incinerate this Celestial Dragon into ash.
Grothius continued to curse Sakazuki for a long time, then roared at the Slaves:
"Hurry up and set sail! Find me another ship!"
He turned his head and glared, threatening Sakazuki:
"You stupid dog, if you dare to act on your own again, I'll demote you to a Slave!"
This, of course, was just Grothius boasting.
No matter how elderly the Gorosei were, they would not allow a Celestial Dragon to casually harm an Admiral-level combatant.
Moreover, Sakazuki's physique was only stronger, not weaker, than Bullet's.
Even Bullet could withstand the weakness brought by Sea Stone and train in Impel Down; Sakazuki, even with the highest purity Sea Stone handcuffs, was absolutely no match for an ordinary Celestial Dragon.
For the next few days, the God Pirates continued to sail aimlessly in the New World, searching for the next target that would please their Captain.
A few days later, the lookout Slave shouted again, but this time his voice held less panic and more familiarity:
"Captain! Starboard side! Another pirate ship!"
Grothius, who had been somewhat bored, immediately jumped up with a jolt, instantly becoming energized.
He first gave Sakazuki a warning glare, then excitedly shouted:
"Finally! Hurry, hurry, hurry! Prepare for battle!"
Sakazuki did not make a move this time; he stood like a cold statue, his gaze beneath his hat brim as sharp as a knife.
He had figured it out: anyway, these pirates would all be dealt with eventually, so whether he personally took action was not important, as long as the pirates were ultimately eliminated.
"What are you all staring at?!"
Grothius roared at the bewildered Slaves:
"Don't you see my new toy is getting away?!"
Under his urging, the Slaves and CPs could only brace themselves and steer the gilded battleship closer to the target.
The mast of that pirate ship bore a flag with three dripping curved swords, belonging to the inconspicuous Blood Blade Pirates of the New World.
In stark contrast to the situation on this side, everyone on the Blood Blade looked solemn.
"B-boss! On the ship opposite... standing there is... a Celestial Dragon!"
The lookout's voice was tinged with a sob.
Barton, the Captain of the Blood Blade, was now deathly pale:
"Turn around! Quickly turn around! Get out of this sea area at full speed!"
But their speed was still a step too slow.
Grothius's battleship had already approached, and he waved excitedly:
"Quick! Jump over! Bring me back the strongest ones!"
Two CPs took the lead, jumping onto the Blood Blade's deck first, with the Slaves following closely behind.
Barton held his scimitar and whispered:
"As soon as the battle starts, break out immediately! You absolutely cannot harm the Celestial Dragon! Otherwise, all of us will be fed to the Sea Kings!"
The battle unfolded in a strange atmosphere.
The pirates barely held out for a few moments before the First Mate, Colt, decisively threw down his weapon, knelt on the ground, and saluted in a French military style:
"Don't move! I surrender!"
The swordsman, Brad, seeing this, immediately chimed in:
"Yes, yes, yes! We surrender!"
The CPs exchanged glances, then had the Slaves come forward to tie up the two of them along with their Captain, Barton, while the rest were all cut down.
When the three were escorted before Grothius, he grinned from ear to ear, rubbing his hands excitedly:
"Hey, you scum, you look a bit stronger than these good-for-nothings on the ship."
"Now I'll give you a chance: kneel, pledge allegiance, become a member of the God Pirates, and assist me in competing for the Pirate King's throne!"
These words made the three, who had originally been despairing, all freeze.
Although they didn't know what was wrong with this Celestial Dragon, Colt reacted quickly, immediately realizing this was a way to live.
Not only that, but they might even turn misfortune into a blessing, clinging to a Celestial Dragon's leg and going legitimate.
A fawning smile immediately spread across his face, and he instantly prostrated himself on the ground:
"To become a member of the God Pirates is an unparalleled honor for us!"
The other two, seeing this, began to express their loyalty in Colt's manner.
Grothius laughed heartily:
"Excellent! From now on, you are members of the God Pirates!"
He walked over to Sakazuki and poked the other party's chest with his finger:
"See?! This is what a real pirate should do!"
The three pirates, who had just been untied, saw the figure in the red suit and were so scared they almost collapsed to the ground again.
In the New World, Akainu was infamous; few pirates who encountered him survived.
However, they quickly realized that they were now subordinates of a Celestial Dragon, so what was an Admiral?
Sakazuki remained silent, only the black smoke emanating from his body indicating his current mood.
At this moment, some clever fellow, who appeared from who knows where, sidled up to Grothius:
"Captain, according to pirate tradition, when new members join, there should be a feast to celebrate. What do you think...?"
It was unclear whether this fellow was simply craving food or trying to curry favor with the Celestial Dragon when he made such a suggestion.
Grothius, hearing that this was a pirate tradition, immediately decided:
"Yes! A feast! Start the feast immediately! I want to experience the most authentic pirate life!"
He was a man who intended to compete for the Pirate King, so naturally, he couldn't break the rules.
Actually, he wasn't so particular about rules even when he was in the Holy Land.
However, as his order was given, the Slaves quickly became busy, and the deck soon transformed into a noisy carnival.
Barton, Brad, and Colt, who had just been recruited, were initially very reserved and anxious, but under the influence of Grothius's excited mood, they gradually loosened up.
Especially Barton, a few cups of strong liquor later, completely washed away the fear that had been weighing on his heart.
He held a wine bowl, swaying through the crowd, and walked to the silent Akainu on the other side of the deck.
Barton, reeking of alcohol, brazenly pointed a finger at the medal on the other's chest:
"Oh! Isn't this Admiral 'Akainu' Sakazuki?"
He deliberately dragged out his tone, his face full of the arrogance of a small man who had achieved his goal:
"Tsk tsk, didn't you claim you'd send all pirates to hell?"
"Now why are you following behind pirates like a guard dog?"
"Don't you want to move?"
Seeing that Sakazuki didn't react, Barton became even more smug.
He even took a step forward, practically pressing his face against Sakazuki's:
"Look closely! I am a pirate!"
"And now I'm a crew member personally recruited by your master! *hiccup*..."
He patted his chest hard, spraying alcohol fumes onto Sakazuki's face.
Barton, seeing that the other party still didn't speak, raised his hand and extended the wine bowl over Sakazuki's head. With a tilt of his hand, the liquor spilled down.
He laughed heartily:
"Just a stray dog guarding the house!"
"What—can—you—do—to—me—huh?"
Sakazuki slowly raised his head. The wine slid down his face, and before it could even reach the ground, it was evaporated by a burst of heat.
In the rising steam, Sakazuki's eyes glowed with terrifying red light, and his entire right arm transformed into rolling magma.
"Dog Biting Crimson Lotus!"
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