As the first light of dawn broke, the sun's rays spilled across Mariejois. The morning light stripped away any remaining illusions of grandeur, revealing the palace atop the summit of the Holy Land, once the ultimate symbol of absolute power, in its current state of ruin and decay.
The icy-blue aura of the Mantra that had previously enveloped the palace began to dissipate, and with it, the eight immense signatures of power vanished as well.
The faces of Kong, Chaton, and the various Vice Admirals present twitched. Had they disappeared simultaneously, one might have hoped the battle had ended in a victory for the Gorosei and the Celestial Dragons. But the signatures had flickered out one by one, leaving only one grim conclusion: Alucard had slaughtered them all.
"Commander-in-Chief, let me go up and investigate the outcome of the battle!" Chaton stepped forward, volunteering.
"Hey! You soldiers! How much longer are we going to be kept from our palace?!"
"I was planning to enjoy myself at Gran Tesoro. What do you think you're doing, keeping me trapped here?!"
On the warships docked at the pier, the relocated Celestial Dragons were already raising a clamor. Their entitled shrieking made Chaton's eyes throb with irritation. Do these fools truly not grasp the gravity of the situation?
Just as Kong was about to give the order, the ground, freshly illuminated by the sun, plunged into shadow once more. Some instinctively looked up, assuming a stray cloud had blocked the sun, only to see a sight that defied belief: countless pirate ships were floating in the sky, drifting slowly toward the summit of the Holy Land.
"S-Ships... the ships are flying in the sky!"
"That emblem... it's the Immortal Pirates! And their subordinates... the Golden Hair Pirates, the Kuja Pirates, the Heart Pirates, and Barto Club!"
"But why are the ships flying?!"
Kong's gaze fixed on the underside of the hulls, specifically on the Dials blasting out high-pressure gusts of wind. He suddenly recalled a proposal submitted by the Science Unit years ago regarding sky-faring warships.
Then, Kong remembered the world's greatest scientist, Dr. Vegapunk, who now worked under Alucard. His brow furrowed deeply. "Have you already developed flight-capable warships to this extent? Vegapunk!"
Chaton scanned the passing fleet. After a moment, he noted, "Judging by the Jolly Rogers, nearly everyone from the Immortal Pirates' alliance is here, with the exception of Dr. Vegapunk's Science Unit, his bodyguard Bartholomew Kuma, and the Female Dragon Knight Aranea. Though we can't rule out the possibility that they are on one of those ships."
"Eh?"
Chaton suddenly spotted Kuzan standing by the railing of the Heart Pirates' submarine. Kuzan waved toward them and flashed an "OK" sign.
The sight made Kong's eyelid jump in fury. "That brat Kuzan... what is he playing at?"
"Kuzan is in a difficult position, but I don't believe he has abandoned his inner justice," Chaton remarked. "Commander-in-Chief, we should retreat for now."
"Vile pirates! What do you intend to do to our palace?!"
"That is the territory of the noble Celestial Dragons! Get lost, you maggots!"
Seeing ship after ship approach the Holy Land, the Celestial Dragons on the warships couldn't restrain their vitriol. They soon turned their anger toward the Marines.
"Kong! What are you doing? Offer up your lives and protect the Holy Land this instant!"
"Who do you think gave you the right to stand there in the first place? Stop them!"
Now, it wasn't just Chaton, most of the officers present had veins bulging on their foreheads. These damn Celestial Dragons... even at a time like this, they didn't know how to keep their mouths shut.
Vrummm—
Suddenly, several ships descended from the sky. Bartolomeo vaulted over the railing and landed in front of Kong and the others. Simultaneously, the Heart Pirates and the Bonney Pirates touched down, accompanied by Kuzan.
"Kuzan, what is the meaning of this?"
Kong's focus remained on Kuzan, not just because of his former rank, but because he was undeniably the strongest among them.
"Arara..." Kuzan scratched his head. "Well, Kong-san, as you can see, the Government is pretty much a shell now. Those Celestial Dragons behind you and the high-ranking officials... maybe you should hand them over?"
Law stepped forward, his face a mask of cold fury. "I am Trafalgar D. Water Law. During the 'Flevance' incident years ago... who exactly was it that gave the order to cover up the fact that Amber Lead Syndrome wasn't contagious?"
"Hey, hey! Hand over the bastard Celestial Dragons who slaughtered my hometown just for the sake of eternal youth! Do it, or I'll slaughter your whole army!!" Bonney barked fiercely. While her threat carried a hint of bluster, the rage behind it was genuine.
"Hehehahaha!" Bartolomeo cackled, making faces at the Celestial Dragons on the warships. "I bet Alucard-sama will be thrilled if we bring him all your heads!"
Looking at the sharp-edged youths behind him, Kuzan let out a weary sigh. "The Government really did rack up a lot of enemies, didn't it?"
"Um... look, for various reasons... well, it's this and that..." After stammering for a bit, Kuzan finally just pointed toward the officials and Celestial Dragons on the ships. "Basically, it would be a huge help if you just handed those people over to us. Cool?"
"Enough talk, Aokiji."
Law spread his left hand. "ROOM."
A faint blue spherical curtain expanded, covering a one-mile radius. Law vanished, reappearing instantly on the deck of the ship carrying the Government officials. His expression was chilling. "The tragedy of the White Town... I'm going to make you tell me exactly who was responsible, one by one."
"AAAAHHH!"
"You ignorant pirate! Do you have any idea who I am?!"
"Marines! Save me!!"
As Law began to systematically dismantle the Celestial Dragons with grim efficiency, the screams of the "World Nobles" filled the air. Bartolomeo and Bonney immediately voiced their complaints.
"Hey! Traffy! Don't kill them all! I need them as gifts for Alucard-sama!"
"The bastard who destroyed my home is mine to kill! If you try to steal my kill, I'll turn you into a senile old man, you 'Dead-Eyes'!"
Kong felt a profound sense of humiliation. Although he had long been disgusted by these people himself...
After a long silence, Kong turned away in frustration and barked, "We're leaving!"
A look of relief washed over Kuzan's face. "Phew... that's for the best."