"Navy!" "We've surrendered!" "Damn it!" "What do you take us pirates for?!"
Seeing more and more pirates awake from the mountain of fatigue caused by absorbing Bartholomew Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit energy, expressions changed drastically. They glared furiously at the Marines.
Especially the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates—Vista, Jozu, and others who had already laid down their weapons—looked ready to fight to the death.
"You can choose to take up your weapons again," Sakazuki turned, his Justice Cloak billowing without wind. A violent, intense aura erupted—like molten lava storming across the battlefield. As he clenched his right fist, magma spread instantly, engulfing Vista and his remaining crew. "But if you do, you won't face this fatigue. You'll face my Hades."
"Whitebeard and the monsters of the Big Mom Pirates, I advise you to calm down."
Borsalino opened his arms. Golden light burst forth, and the Kusanagi Sword materialized in his grip. Though his aura lacked Sakazuki's fiery violence, it was no less oppressive.
"Ara ara ara ara! Over ten thousand pirates sharing this burden might not die. But if you resist? You will certainly die."
Kuzan stood enveloped in chilling aura. As he exhaled, the ice behind him shattered, and a gigantic ice bird burst forth, its wings unleashing a blizzard of extreme cold.
Faced with the three Admirals at full power, the enraged remnants of Whitebeard's and Big Mom's crews fell silent. As pirates, they might not always be reasonable—but they certainly understood reason. Especially when misunderstanding it meant facing the combined attack of the Demon Dog, Ama no Kuma, and Bartholomew's Beak.
As Kuzan had said: sharing the fatigue expelled from Bartholomew Kuma's body by ten thousand pirates might not kill them, but taking the three Admirals' combined blows—magma, ice, and light—would mean certain death.
Therefore, Vista and the other pirates, after their initial rage, chose to share the fatigue.
"You've really got it, Vice Admiral Tesoro," Momonga praised, watching the pirates collapse. "These ten thousand-plus pirates, after carrying Admiral Rosen's fatigue burden, won't recover for at least ten days to two weeks. When we escort them to Impel Down, no need to worry about trouble."
"A win-win situation," Doberman grinned. "True that when pirates suffer, the Marines are blessed."
...
Ignoring the praise, Gild Tesoro instructed Dole: "Dol, pay attention to distribution. Don't let everyone bear the same fatigue. Stronger pirates get more; weaker ones get less. Ensure every pirate is fully exhausted but survives."
His words caused Marines unfamiliar with him to secretly marvel. The world's richest man—truly kind-hearted.
"Why?" Dole asked. She'd planned to cut the island-sized bear paw bubble into uniform pieces for speed.
"We need to think long-term," Gild Tesoro explained. "If we distribute fatigue equally, over half these pirates die. But if we distribute as I suggest, ninety percent survive. These pirates can be reused—enduring fatigue later or other experiments."
"..."
The previous praise vanished. Almost all Marines involuntarily stepped back from Gild Tesoro. Even as pirates' opponents, they couldn't help feeling he was cruel.
"rich and kind-hearted? He's just a heartless capitalist."
"Expected of you," Dole replied, indifferent. Big capitalists prioritize profit. She followed his advice—taking more time but gaining long-term benefits.
"By the way," Gion remembered. "Tesoro. Stella..."
Seeing Bartholomew Kuma's fatigue resolved, Gion recalled Rosen's power. If he could resurrect the dead, Stella must have been able too.
"Yes," Gild Tesoro's face showed happiness and overwhelming gratitude. In his eyes, if Celestial Dragons were demons destroying his life, Rosen was the god rewriting their fate. "Stella has come back to life. She's the first resurrected after Admiral Rosen mastered the Shield of the Six Flowers."
"Can someone truly be resurrected after so many years?" Gion asked, then remembered: before the Marineford War, she'd seen Rosen—face pale, panting—collapse on his office sofa for a full day. She'd feared he was ambushed. Now, knowing he'd resurrected hundreds of Marines, she understood. The only thing making invincible Rosen weak was refusing to die.
"The technology to copy Paramecia-type Devil Fruits must be mastered," Gild Tesoro declared, looking at Bartholomew Kuma. "Even if I must gamble everything, I'll make the Marines conquer this technology."
He'd never forget Rosen collapsing after reviving Stella. Before, he had no choice. But witnessing Bartholomew Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit expel fatigue gave him another reason: large-scale Paw-Paw Fruit users. So Rosen wouldn't fall into weakness again.
Gion's eyes flickered. She said nothing but regretted eating the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Logia-types were powerful, but if she'd eaten an artificial Paw-Paw Fruit instead, she could've spared Rosen that weakness.
...
Under the three Admirals' suppression, Doll's Op-Op Fruit cut and distributed the island-sized bear paw bubble. It was quickly absorbed by Whitebeard and Big Mom's remnants, preventing its return to Rosen's body. Using Gild Tesoro's method, only a few pirates died from exhaustion. The others simply fainted.
Sizzle.
Rosen tore the sky open, creating dozens of black cavities—Garganta—leading to Impel Down. After Bartholomew Kuma expelled a third of his fatigue, Rosen's Devil Fruit ability returned. Coupled with his natural vitality and regeneration—surpassing even the strongest creatures on land, sea, and air—he recovered quickly.
Opening so many Garganta was effortless.
"Hold on a little longer," Rosen told the Marines, a slight smile on his lips. "After escorting the Whitebeard and Big Mom remnants to Impel Down, I'll take you all home."
The words "take you home" sent chills down every spine. Awe and respect filled them. No one commanded, no one led—Admirals and Marines alike saluted in unison. Methodically, they escorted prisoners through the Garganta to Impel Down.
"Edward Newgate, Charlotte Linlin, Shiki, Dracule Mihawk—and Charlotte Katakuri. Transport them all to Marine Headquarters and seal them," Rosen ordered Doll.
"Yes, sir!" Her eyes flashed. Understanding the intent, she rushed to Rosen's battlefield, taking the three corpses.
"Double Heaven Return Shield." Rosen helped Bartholomew Kuma recover. Though stamina hadn't fully returned, restoring him wasn't a burden—no refusal of death, no time manipulation.
At Rosen's low shout—"I refuse"—Bartholomew Kuma, covered by the orange-yellow barrier, stood again.
"Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Rosen."
"Should be thanking you," Rosen shook his head, opening a black portal to the Kingdom of Sorbe. "Go back first. Let Ginny know you're safe. I'll come find you later."
"Waiting for your arrival," Bartholomew Kuma replied. The war was over, all four Emperors wiped out, but many things awaited Rosen. He left his words for later.
For the other Seven Warlords, Rosen said nothing—just opened Garganta, ordering them home. Donquixote Doflamingo and Gecko Moria, once unruly and arrogant, didn't dare breathe loudly, returning like obedient guard dogs. Doflamingo didn't even put his hands in his pockets.
"Rosen," Boa Hancock walked straight to Rosen, knelt, and offered her head to his palm—like a cat seeking reward. The Pirate Empress's love and longing were laid bare.
...
—-
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