"As I thought—no, wait, this is trouble!"
When Magnus actually severed Figarland Granreed Saint's arm—and the arm failed to regenerate—Ortega's face lit with joy. But he quickly sobered.
He was a Marine Admiral.
He and Granreed were supposed to be on the same side.
If Magnus had cracked Granreed's immortality, he should be worried!
"Damn, damn, damn!"
Even when Magnus first showed strength beyond his own, Granreed hadn't panicked. But now—now he was truly rattled.
"Damn pirate, what did you do!?"
Panic gnawed at him.
The only reason he had lasted this long against Magnus—was because of his immortality.
Without it, could he really fight Magnus?
"Ortega!"
Granreed roared, "You still haven't finished off those two giants? Get over here and help me! Kill this damn pirate! Aren't you a Marine? Taking down pirates is your job!"
He had completely forgotten that it was he who had demanded a one-on-one duel to begin with.
"Troublesome," Ortega muttered. Dorry and Brogy weren't weaklings. They were slow, yes, but their sheer size gave them overwhelming advantage—there was no easy way to slip away.
Granreed was paying the price for his recklessness.
If he had realized earlier that Magnus had disrupted his immortality, he could have shifted to defense and dragged out the fight.
But his confidence in his "immortal" body blinded him.
By the time he realized it—his arm was already gone.
Magnus noticed keenly: even when he embedded Haki into the severed limb, the arm was still regenerating.
Just slower.
But that was enough.
Even a top fighter couldn't be unaffected by the loss of a limb. Granreed had already been weaker than Magnus—now, with an arm gone, he struggled to even defend.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
For the umpteenth time, Magnus slammed him into the ground. Gone was the composure of before; Granreed was seething with rage.
"What are the others doing? Why hasn't anyone come down to help? Without me, can Claude Saint not even protect the Holy Land!?"
"Aaaahhhhhh!"
Another scream ripped out as his sword arm was severed next.
He felt no pain—his immortal body dulled it—but the humiliation alone made him howl.
Pathetic.
Magnus had fought countless strong foes—but never had he seen one with such a weak mentality.
Just an arm, after all.
And yet—
As Granreed howled, he noticed his first arm was already halfway regrown.
Magnus hadn't destroyed his immortality. He had only slowed it.
Realization emboldened him.
"Haha, you can't kill me!" Granreed laughed wildly. "I am immortal! We'll never forgive you—no one who insults the Celestial Dragons will be spared!"
A blade of light answered him.
This time—
Magnus severed his head.
Yet even headless, Granreed's mouth kept running. Even this couldn't kill him.
"Annoying."
Magnus sighed.
"Good thing I prepared a backup plan."
He had expected this. If they were facing the Holy Knights, he wasn't coming without countermeasures. He and Rona had already discussed it.
If direct killing failed—then seal them.
Like Edo Tensei corpses in ancient legends: they couldn't be killed, only bound.
Magnus seized Granreed's yammering head and flung it. It traced a neat arc—then splashed into the sea.
The ocean might or might not block the regeneration. But as long as Granreed couldn't rejoin the battle, it was enough.
Magnus froze the head in ice. Let the sea swallow him.
Now, only one real threat remained—Admiral Ortega.
—
Mary Geoise.
The Holy Knights weren't slow to respond. The Vice Captain, Granreed, had arrived first. Next would be the Captain and the rest of the order.
Plus Marine Admirals.
The Five Elders were beyond furious. A Celestial Dragon dead? Magnus would pay.
But then—
Explosions rocked the Holy Land, halting the Holy Knights' deployment.
Mary Geoise housed millions of slaves. And now, during the World Summit, dozens of kings as well.
The knights were forced to scatter, containing chaos instead of reinforcing Sabaody.
"A planned strike, then," muttered the Holy Knights' Captain—Figarland Claude Saint. He wondered bitterly if his foolish younger brother would survive. Either way, the priority was clear: protect Mary Geoise itself.
One Celestial Dragon dead—or many. The choice was obvious.
Though an Admiral was stationed here, Claude trusted the Knights' strength far more. Even the Navy's strongest Admirals had fallen before him. Why expect more from the one left behind?
And when he saw her—
"Rona. It's been a long time."
The Captain smiled at the "late-arriving" Admiral. But his irritation vanished. Beauty had privileges. And Rona was both beautiful and strong.
"Figarland Claude Saint," Rona said coolly. Her face showed polite disgust, but she bowed regardless.
"Lord Claude, twenty-six explosions have been confirmed across Mary Geoise—all in grain depots. I believe this was a premeditated attack."
"Oh? By the White Wolf Pirates?"
"Possibly."
Claude's favorite sight was proud women forced to bow before him. He nearly invited her to dinner. But now wasn't the time.
"Whoever it was, they'll pay." His tone brimmed with confidence. "Rona, protect the other Celestial Dragons. Leave these vermin to us."
The remaining six Knights split across the city. Even they couldn't cover everything. The Navy's help would be necessary.
"I understand," Rona said softly. She turned to leave—
But Claude stiffened suddenly.
"Who's there?"
He slashed at a burning building.
At the same time, Rona closed in.
"An ambush!"
"Don't worry. These rats can't harm—"
Claude's words cut short.
He saw a flash—faster than anything.
The attack came from behind.
Future sight? Observation Haki? None of it mattered. Against a peer's killing strike, there was no time.
Rona's blade was at his neck.
"Tsukiyomi!"
His Armament flared desperately. But against a master swordswoman, it wasn't enough.
"Rona Von Braun!!!" Claude roared. He abandoned defense, swinging to kill her.
But she didn't care. Even if she took a mortal blow, she would take his head.
"My immortality makes this useless!" Claude sneered, his headless body still upright. He had already guessed: this whole rebellion was her doing.
A traitor. A Marine Admiral, no less.
But it didn't matter. Immortal was immortal.
Rona's cut left her wounded too, blood pouring from her abdomen. A slower dodge, and she'd have been cleaved in two.
But it was worth it.
Claude's headless body collapsed.
Rona hacked his body apart piece by piece.
But already, his severed head was regrowing a torso.
Seconds passed—and his upper body was a third restored.
Another slash cut it short.
Even as the Captain, even with greater power than Rona—surprise and speed made the difference.
"Ela!"
"I'm here!"
The short-haired Vice Admiral crawled out of rubble, pale. She wasn't Rona—she couldn't clash with a Holy Knight. But she could do one thing.
She hauled out a chest—made of seastone.
The hardest mineral in the world. Even an Admiral would struggle to break it—let alone an immortal head.
Claude's face finally changed.
"You know what you're doing, Rona!? This is betrayal! Stop now, and I'll beg for mercy! I'll even make you my wife! Be honored—"
Bang!
His words cut off as his head was smashed into the seastone chest, body parts stuffed in after.
"So noisy," Rona muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Who gave that pig the confidence to think I'd marry him?"
If she had wanted to kneel to Celestial Dragons, she wouldn't be here at all.
"Continue the plan."
With Claude sealed, the Holy Knights were still dangerous. But the chaos was already enough.
Mary Geoise burned. Slaves were freed.
She and Magnus had given them the same choice.
Stay, and live as slaves. Or flee, and risk death.
Few would choose chains.
As for Rona—she had hunted Magnus half her life.
Now?
She too was becoming the hunted.
And strangely—
She liked it.
(End of Chapter)
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