Sabaody Archipelago.
After two Holy Knights members appeared, Ripley and the others fell into hard battles.
Especially at Ripley and Linlin's location.
Massive numbers of zombie soldiers controlled by Saint Pedro surged toward them like an unstoppable tide, surrounding Ripley and Linlin completely.
But neither panicked in the face of overwhelming odds.
"Linlin, once more!"
"Mm!"
Giant-form Ripley grabbed Linlin with practiced ease, swinging her like a devastating weapon at the surrounding zombie soldiers. With her formidable physique, Linlin's body was this world's hardest shield.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Zombie soldiers struck by Linlin fell like toppled dominoes, clearing large swaths instantly with bone-crushing impacts.
These zombie soldiers had a critical weakness.
Though powerful shadows could grant dead bodies certain combat techniques, the dead lacked spirit, naturally producing no Haki whatsoever.
So great pirate-level zombie soldiers were the zombie legion's strongest existence.
Like a zombie swordsman whose casual slashes spanned hundreds of meters. Combined with extremely hard corpses, even without Haki, they caused Ripley great trouble.
Fortunately, there was Linlin.
After learning Haki and beginning to develop her monstrous constitution, Linlin's defensive power had strengthened dramatically.
If initially Linlin's defense could only immunize against hundred-million-level great pirate attacks, even she and Rocks going all-out could potentially damage Linlin's body back then.
Now, except for the White Wolf Pirates' veteran crew members, neither she nor Rocks could harm Linlin's body anymore.
To penetrate Linlin's defense, only one method existed.
Learning an advanced Armament Haki application called internal destruction!
But even Rocks had not mastered this technique yet.
Let alone her.
A group of zombies unable to use Haki, despite their numerical advantage, could not threaten Linlin at all.
But it was not without cost.
"Sister Ripley, I'm hungry!"
Continuously struck by zombie legion soldiers, Linlin's steel body provided extremely strong defense even without actively using Haki.
But the cost was massive stamina consumption.
Though Linlin appeared completely uninjured when attacked, her consumption naturally exceeded normal levels.
Plus Linlin herself used Haki attacks constantly.
"Let us break through!"
Seeing Linlin's deteriorating condition, Ripley made the tactical decision.
Silas's original orders were to help slaves while preserving themselves. Helping others was admirable, but not at the cost of their own lives.
Sorry, we cannot get your shadows back.
Thinking of slaves whose shadows Saint Pedro had stolen, Ripley sighed helplessly. If they did not defeat Saint Pedro now, those people would wait very long to reclaim their shadows.
Under the Yarukiman Mangrove roots.
A group of fist-sized small figures hid where zombie legions could not attack, also avoiding deadly sunlight.
"What is the situation outside?"
"All zombies created by that Celestial Dragon!"
"Can the White Wolf Pirates win?"
"One woman, one child. How can they win? Is White Wolf Silas not here?"
"White Wolf Silas is fighting Marine Admirals!"
Noisy chatter echoed under the roots.
Many slaves already regretted their choices. When seeing rescuers, they had fled without thinking clearly.
Only after escaping did they realize all of Sabaody Archipelago was hostile territory. Even Marines attacked them.
"What did we do wrong?"
Female slaves holding young children wept bitterly. They were just small village residents when human traffickers suddenly invaded, openly plundering food, burning homes, and enslaving them without mercy.
Though they were citizens of World Government member nations, traffickers claimed they came from non-member nations.
Trafficking member nation citizens was illegal.
But trafficking non-member citizens was not.
One word's difference meant heaven versus hell.
In the crowd, Tsuru's expression was complex with conflicted emotions.
She was just a Marine rookie with brief training.
Should Marines not protect everyone equally?
Why were people divided into member and non-member nation citizens, just because non-members did not pay Heavenly Tribute?
Why, when these people most needed help, were pirates standing before them instead of Marines?
Tsuru did not understand this cruel reality.
Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 41.
Saint Pedro's zombie legion had already bypassed Ripley and Linlin, appearing before Rocks and Newgate like harbingers of death.
A group of newly freed slaves could only take up weapons to fight desperately.
But some slaves were not originally strong fighters.
Plus, dealing with Saint Kurt's abilities required plugged ears, leaving everyone unable to communicate face-to-face effectively.
The scene was utterly chaotic.
Everyone could only fight individually without coordination.
Most difficult were obviously Rocks and Newgate battling Saint Kurt. Facing his strange ability, they could not even counterattack properly.
"Stop!"
Saint Kurt's single word froze charging Rocks mid-stride, forcing them to stand motionless for half a second.
Just that half second of vulnerability was enough.
Bang!
Saint Kurt's rod struck Rocks with devastating force, nearly making him hear his bones crack audibly. Even Haki could not defend against Saint Kurt's attacks.
Because if he used Haki, Saint Kurt would use his too.
For the first time, Rocks saw no hope of victory.
Though Saint Kurt's physical techniques were formidable, Rocks did not consider them unsolvable.
Unsolvable was his insidious ability.
Even with cloth plugging ears, hearing everything was impossible.
But glancing at distant Newgate, like him, covered in blood and in even worse condition, Rocks knew this could not continue.
Rocks looked at Saint Kurt, his eyes flashing with ruthless determination.
If he could not handle even this opponent, what right did he have to surpass Silas?
"What, giving up already?"
Saint Kurt chuckled with sadistic pleasure. He liked using rods to beat these rebellious people into submission.
Mortals should obey Celestial Dragon commands without question.
Though ordinary people, they dared resist Celestial Dragons.
Such treasonous behavior was absolutely unforgivable!
"Let me think what command to give next..."
"Right."
"Slaves, kill each other!"
Saint Kurt's face showed a fanatical smile. Though ears were plugged, many slaves still heard his commanding voice.
Earlier he had mainly targeted Rocks and Newgate.
Now with both nearly finished, it was entertainment time!
Suddenly, Saint Kurt saw Rocks charging again with renewed determination.
His expression grew bored with disappointment.
"Stop."
Mere humans should just accept his commands obediently. Why resist while already wounded so severely?
But this time, something was different.
Rocks's body showed no hesitation, appearing directly before Saint Kurt, punching his protective glass helmet with everything he had.
The helmet shattered into countless fragments.
Saint Kurt stared wide-eyed at Rocks in complete shock.
"Impossible!?"
His fruit ability had no effect whatsoever?
Suddenly, Saint Kurt noticed Rocks's bleeding ears.
"You actually..."
"If hearing anything will not work, then I will hear nothing at all."
Rocks looked at Saint Kurt with a fierce grin, blood trickling from his ears.
"As for treatment afterward, that old geezer will not abandon me!"
"Now, let us begin round two!"