Ripley wasn't surprised by the appearance of the Holy Knights.
Magnus had warned them before the operation.
This time, they might face not Admirals or CP0—
But the trump card of the Celestial Dragons, the true hidden blade of the World Government.
The Holy Knights.
It was said each one wielded at least the strength of a Great Pirate, possessed absurd Devil Fruit powers, and—worst of all—bore undying bodies.
That was why Magnus had split the White Wolf Pirates into pairs.
One-on-one, few of them could truly defeat a Holy Knight.
Magnus had even ordered: if you encounter an equal number of Holy Knights—flee first.
But now—
"Only one?"
Seeing just a single knight appear before her, Ripley let out a breath of relief. But the surrounding carnage quickly soured her mood.
Slaves screamed all around.
The knight had severed their shadows with his fruit ability. Half the slaves had simply dissolved into nothing like bubbles. Others were slowly melting.
Tsuru's mind went blank.
As a former Marine recruit, the horror was too much—even her espionage instructors had never taught her of such things.
They hadn't needed to. She was still a rookie.
"Ah! My hand—it's gone!!"
"Mom!!"
The cries pierced her.
Tsuru had become a Marine to protect ordinary people. That was the dream of most recruits.
A dream often corroded by reality.
But not for her. Not yet.
Slaves were people too.
They deserved protection.
Why then were the Marines not saving them? Why were pirates—pirates—the ones doing it?
She clenched her fists. She would not yield. Even if she infiltrated the White Wolf Pirates, she would never forget her ideal.
Then her thoughts sharpened.
Her shadow too had been cut—but she hadn't vanished, nor melted like others.
Why?
"The sunlight!"
In a flash, she understood.
"Everyone! Get to the shadows! Don't stand in the sun!"
She dashed under the roots of the Yarukiman Mangrove, shouting.
"If your shadow's gone, the sunlight will erase you! Stay in the shade!"
Her cry drew the knight's attention.
"Oh? You realized so quickly?"
He was Pedro Saint, wielder of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit. Once he cut a shadow, its owner, exposed to sunlight, would vanish.
It wasn't difficult to deduce.
But to do so within thirty seconds—and warn the others—spoke of a cool mind and sharp intelligence.
"Splendid. A clever beauty, too. A pity I'm too old now…"
The white-bearded knight laughed in his black armor.
A massive boulder answered him, hurled down.
"You're one of the Holy Knights? Give their shadows back!"
Pedro's own shadow rose, slicing the rock clean in two.
"That I cannot."
He shook his head.
"Slaves who betray their masters? I'm merciful to merely take their shadows. What right have they to rebel?"
"Then I'll defeat you!"
Ripley shrank herself, abandoning her giant form. A smaller shadow was harder to target.
Magnus had taught them—Haki could counter Devil Fruits, but only if it was strong enough. Powers at this level could ignore weaker Haki.
"Linlin!"
"Oh oh!"
The child giantess also shrank.
Both attacked from opposite sides.
Pedro smiled.
"Changing your size? Even your shadows shrink. Amusing."
"But fighting isn't befitting of a gentleman. Before you become my trophies… come, behold my collection!"
"Rise, my Shadow Legion!"
Two huge shapes burst forth—one toward Ripley, one toward Linlin.
Ripley froze.
"Uncle Garong!?"
It was the horned giant vice-captain of Harald's guard, dead in Elbaf. She'd seen him fall.
But here he stood, revived as a puppet.
"Hahaha! Thank me. Such filthy corpses don't belong in the Holy Land, but I graciously kept them. As a Holy Knight, I have that right!"
Linlin's foe was a massive saber-tooth tiger.
This was Pedro's terrifying ability—cut shadows, stuff them into corpses, and command the dead, their skills intact.
With the endless strong slaves of the Celestial Dragons, and even criminals dragged from Impel Down, Pedro had crafted an army.
One knight. A legion.
Ripley and Linlin tried to push through to him—
But more corpses rose. Each once wielded Great Pirate-level strength. Now, with shadows of the strong, their power rivaled it still.
Ripley finally understood.
Magnus's warning had been an understatement.
This wasn't just "troublesome."
"If the captain doesn't come soon, we're doomed!"
Her eyes widened at the endless horde.
—
Elsewhere.
Rocks and Newgate faced their own foe.
"The Doombringer… Rocks?"
A green-haired knight sneered, glancing at the terrified slaves huddled aboard the Millennium Falcon.
"You dare steal them? Slaves are property. Taking them is theft. Do you know how much they cost? The sweat and blood of hard-working people paid for them!"
He smirked.
"But you're filthy pirates. No need to treat you as human."
"So die!"
The instant his words fell—
Both Rocks and Newgate felt it.
An urge to kill themselves.
"What!?"
Their veins bulged as their hands moved unwillingly, blades rising toward their throats.
Devil Fruit powers—absolutely!
But when had they been caught?
Against such powers, once caught, only near-Admiral-level Haki could resist.
Neither of them had reached that yet.
The blades edged closer—
"Stop!!!"
Rocks roared inside. He couldn't die before surpassing Magnus!
Just then—
"Fishman Karate: Water Shot!"
Water bullets blasted forth, forcing the knight to back away. One struck him, making his body stiffen.
The suicidal urge weakened.
Rocks and Newgate flung their knives aside, gasping at the bloody marks on their throats.
A moment more and they'd be corpses.
"Damn it! Why won't you listen? I am a Celestial Dragon! My words are divine! You must obey!"
"Begone!"
He snapped his command—every water bullet in the air exploded.
He was Kurt Saint, wielder of the Command-Command Fruit.
Whatever heard his orders, living or not, obeyed.
That was why Rocks and Newgate had nearly slain themselves.
It was also why dozens of slaves on the Falcon, hearing his command, fell dead by their own hands.
In an instant, the deck was painted red.
"Rocks, Newgate—be careful! His power's linked to sound!"
Dean shouted from the ship. He had intervened with seawater—Devil Fruits always feared the sea.
He realized those with sharper hearing, the stronger slaves, had succumbed fastest.
He himself had heard Kurt faintly, but resisted easily.
So—the clearer the voice, the stronger the control.
"What a cursed ability!"
Rocks and Newgate gritted their teeth.
But now they understood.
"Newgate—cover your ears!"
"Got it!"
They stuffed rags in, while Dean hurled more seawater attacks.
Kurt sighed.
"Why resist? Just die when I tell you. That is my judgment as a god."
"Suicide!"
Again his voice rang out—but muffled, faint.
The two froze briefly… then broke free.
But—
"Watch out!"
Dean's cry couldn't reach their stuffed ears.
Kurt had already closed the distance, iron staff smashing into both, sending them flying.
"You think plugs will save you? Even a whisper can enslave you for a heartbeat. And that's all I need."
He raised his staff again, eyes cold.
"Mortals cannot defy gods."
Two knights. Two battles.
And the White Wolf Pirates were already on the brink.
The true war had only just begun.
(End of Chapter)
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