Sabaody Archipelago.
After two members of the Holy Knights appeared, Ripley and the others immediately fell into bitter struggle.
Especially where Ripley and Linlin were.
A massive horde of zombie soldiers controlled by Pedro Saint surged toward them, surrounding Ripley and Linlin so tightly that not even water could pass through.
Yet the two showed no panic.
"Linlin, one more time!"
"Mm!"
In her giant form, Ripley grabbed Linlin and swung her like a weapon against the zombie soldiers. With her overwhelming physique, Linlin's body became the toughest shield in the world.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Every zombie soldier struck by Linlin was sent flying like dominoes, a swath of them cleared in an instant.
The zombies had one fatal weakness.
Though powerful shadows gave their corpses combat techniques, the dead had no spirit—naturally, they could not use Haki.
So—
The peak of these zombie soldiers was only Great Pirate level.
For example, one zombie swordsman.
A single slash from his hand could span hundreds of meters. Combined with the corpse's hardened body, even without Haki he brought Ripley great trouble.
Fortunately, she had Linlin.
After learning Haki and beginning to develop her unique physique, Linlin's defense had been strengthened further.
If at the beginning Linlin's defense could only withstand attacks at the 100-million level—so much so that even when she and Rocks went all out, they could still harm her—
Now, aside from the older veterans of the White Wolf Pirates—
Neither she nor Rocks could inflict any damage on her at all.
To pierce Linlin's defenses—
There was only one method.
Mastering the advanced application of Armament Haki: Internal Destruction!
But even Rocks had yet to grasp it.
Much less her.
And so, against an army of zombies with no Haki, no matter how many there were, they couldn't truly threaten her.
But there was still a cost.
"Ripley-neesan, I'm hungry!"
Even though Linlin's steel-like body provided extreme defense without using Haki, every blow she received consumed vast energy.
She looked uninjured—
But the drain was real, far greater than usual.
And she had also been attacking with Haki herself.
"We'll have to break through!"
Seeing Linlin's condition, Ripley made the decision.
Magnus's orders had been clear: help the slaves only if you could keep yourselves safe. Helping others was good—but not at the cost of their own lives.
'Sorry, we can't get your shadows back this time.'
Ripley sighed helplessly as she thought of the slaves whose shadows Pedro Saint had stolen. Unless they defeated him now, it would be a long time before they had another chance.
Beneath the roots of the Yarukiman Mangroves—
A group of tiny people, no larger than fists, hid in a place unreachable by the zombies, also staying clear of the sunlight.
"How's it outside?"
"All zombies made by that Celestial Dragon!"
"Can the White Wolf Pirates really win?"
"A woman and a child—how can they win? Isn't White Wolf Magnus here?"
"Magnus is fighting a Marine Admiral!"
"..."
Noise filled the roots.
Many of the freed slaves already regretted running. When the rescuers had arrived, they fled without thinking.
Only to realize too late—
The entire Sabaody Archipelago was enemy territory. Even the Marines struck at them.
"What did we ever do wrong?"
One woman sobbed, clutching her young child. They had only been villagers. One day traffickers raided their town, openly seizing their food, burning their homes, and enslaving them.
They were citizens of a World Government member nation, yet the traffickers falsely claimed they were from a non-member.
Selling citizens of a member state was illegal.
But selling those from non-members was not.
Just one word different—heaven or hell.
Among the crowd—
Tsuru's expression was conflicted.
She was only a Marine recruit, with minimal training.
Weren't Marines supposed to protect everyone?
Why divide people into member nations and non-members—just because the latter hadn't paid the Heavenly Tribute?
Why, in the moment these people needed protection most—
Was it pirates standing before them, and not Marines?
Tsuru couldn't understand.
Sabaody, Island 41.
Pedro Saint's zombie army had already bypassed Ripley and Linlin, appearing before Rocks and Newgate.
A group of slaves who had only just shed their shackles picked up weapons to fight.
But many were weak to begin with.
And to resist Kurt Saint's ability, they had plugged their ears—making it impossible to even communicate with each other.
The scene was chaotic.
Each fought alone.
And the hardest struggle, clearly, was faced by Rocks and Newgate. Against Kurt Saint's bizarre power, they couldn't even counterattack.
"Stop!"
At the sound of Kurt Saint's word, Rocks froze mid-charge, his body stiff for half a second.
In that instant—
Bang!
Kurt Saint's iron staff smashed into him. Bones cracked audibly. Even with Haki, Rocks couldn't block it.
Because if he used Haki, Kurt Saint could use Haki too.
For the first time—
Rocks saw no hope of victory.
Kurt Saint's martial arts were strong, but not without flaw.
What was insurmountable—was his ability.
Even with cloth stuffed in his ears, one couldn't block out every sound.
But then—
Rocks glanced at Newgate nearby.
Covered in blood, in even worse condition.
They couldn't go on like this.
A fierce light burned in Rocks's eyes.
If he couldn't even handle an enemy like this—
How could he ever surpass Magnus?
"What's wrong? Giving up already?"
Kurt Saint sneered. He loved using his staff for one reason—to beat down the arrogant and unyielding.
Mortals should obey Celestial Dragons.
How dare ordinary humans resist?
Such defiance could never be allowed.
"Now, let me think of your next command…"
"Ah, yes."
"Slaves—kill each other!"
Kurt Saint's face twisted with mad joy. Even with ears blocked, many slaves still heard his voice.
Before, he had targeted only Rocks and Newgate.
Now that they were nearly finished—
It was time for his entertainment!
But suddenly—
He saw Rocks charging at him again.
His face turned bored.
"Stop."
Pathetic mortals. Why not just obey?
Bleeding and battered, and still thinking of resistance?
But this time—
Rocks's body didn't halt at all. He appeared right in front of Kurt Saint, fist slamming into the glass bubble over his head.
It shattered.
Kurt Saint's eyes widened.
"Impossible!?"
His Devil Fruit power hadn't worked!?
Then he noticed—blood running from Rocks's ears.
"You—"
"As long as hearing doesn't work, then I'll make sure I can't hear at all."
Rocks grinned at him.
"As for the treatment later, that old man won't let me die."
"Now—round two begins!"
(End of Chapter)
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