The roles had reversed.
For beings like Magnus and the others, every swing of their blades carried the force to erase islands. To ordinary people, their battles were natural disasters—inescapable, irresistible.
If Magnus had still been fighting at the edges of Mary Geoise, then whether he wanted it or not, his clash with Stephens and Lucas Saint would have engulfed countless fleeing slaves.
All the more so down in Red Port beneath the Red Line.
But now it was different—Magnus had forced his way into Mary Geoise's heart.
Here, there were no liberated slaves.
Only those still shackled by loyalty to the Celestial Dragons—their guards, their servants, their lapdogs. Magnus had no reason to hold back for their sake.
It was Stephens and Lucas who now found their movements bound.
Watching Magnus charge deeper, Stephens shouted:
"Magnus, is this all you are? Too afraid to face us, so you prey on innocent civilians?"
"Innocent? Civilians? Hahaha! Stephens, do you want to make me laugh myself to death?"
Magnus sneered. When he struck at Celestial Dragons, it was "slaughtering innocents"—but Stephens threatening him with a herd of slaves?
What did you call that?
Garbage collection?
By wrecking havoc in Mary Geoise, Magnus had forced Stephens and Lucas into a dilemma—chase him, or watch him devastate their masters' holy ground. Even Grindlewin, still fighting Harald, was straining to break free.
This was Mary Geoise.
Even without toppling it, Magnus's destruction had already made him guilty of the highest sin. He had slaughtered a dozen Celestial Dragons, countless of their guards.
Grindlewin dared not slack off anymore.
He didn't want to face Magnus—but the price of failure terrified him more. He had no choice but to go all out against Harald.
"I won't let you pass."
Though Harald was down one leg and slower than before, he was still an Admiral-level powerhouse. His raw might still pressed Grindlewin.
And with his colossal reach, when Harald didn't want him to leave—Grindlewin couldn't.
Neither Magnus nor Harald had forgotten the true goal.
Not to conquer Mary Geoise.
But to buy time for more slaves to escape.
Now, most of the slaves had already begun climbing down the Red Line. Even with the world's monstrous physiques, to descend ten thousand meters was no short task.
Everything depended on how long Magnus and Harald could hold.
Meanwhile—
At the base of the Red Line.
Red Port.
The White Wolf Pirates, aided by Harald's giants, were rescuing those who made it down alive.
Their numbers were far too few—
But then came Rona, bringing with her not only the men who followed her, but also Marines who had chosen to stand beside her. Those who decided to save slaves, who believed in her, who still clung to their vision of justice.
"Quickly! Prioritize the old and the children!"
"Stronger ones—hold the Navy back!"
"Vice Admiral Aella—we are the Navy, aren't we?"
…
Aella fell silent for a moment. Then she shook her head.
"From the moment we chose to save these slaves—we stopped being Navy."
She admitted it. When Rona first said she would cooperate with the White Wolf Pirates, Aella had resisted fiercely. She could understand her admiral's strange attachment to that man Magnus—but couldn't accept aiding a pirate.
She was a Marine. Even stripped of the title, she still had her own convictions. Rank might change, but the heart that sought justice would not.
But what if Rona was right?
The institution of slavery should never have existed. The World Government itself had outlawed it—and yet, right here at the world's center, beneath the Navy's own headquarters, flourished the largest slave market on earth.
What a bitter irony.
"I won't join the White Wolf Pirates. I'll admit he's not like other pirates—but I can't deny he's still a pirate."
"I'm just… tired."
"I don't know if I am justice. But as a Marine Admiral, that title shackled what I truly wanted to do."
Rona's voice still echoed in her ears.
"So, I'll do what I believe is right."
"Aella. Can you watch over me?"
Yes, Aella had ended up with the world's most reckless superior. But after decades together, she couldn't say no.
She had only one condition—
"As long as, next time you sleep with Magnus, you keep me out of sight."
"Eh? You were there?"
"Are you stupid? I just went to buy food. Next thing I see—you chatting up that beast of a man."
Talking she could forgive.
But then she led him to an inn.
"Admiral, are you that desperate?"
And at fifty, still a virgin—desperation was almost to be expected.
But Aella forgot her Admiral excelled at sensing emotions.
"Aella, and you? You've room to talk?"
A thirty-something virgin mocking a fifty-something virgin.
Pot calling kettle.
Aella collapsed.
So, after that, the two had planned together—and now led hundreds in this liberation.
Rona had worn the Navy's coat for decades.
If she'd had more time, if she'd pulled more of her people, her charisma could have split the Navy itself.
Even as it was, she had taken hundreds of its finest.
For the Navy, it was a brutal blow.
Weaker in strength, yes. But worse—a blow to their honor.
For many would ask—
What atrocity had the Navy committed, that one of its proudest Admirals abandoned it?
If it had been only desertion, perhaps the shame could be contained.
But what they did now—
Had crossed the World Government's last line.
This wasn't something that "might" happen in the future.
It was already happening.
As Magnus and Harald stormed Mary Geoise—
Down below, at Red Port, warships loomed into view.
The reinforcements of Marine Headquarters had arrived.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]