Saint Kurt's strength was formidable.
Especially after using his fruit ability for self-enhancement, he was no weaker than great pirates worth over 200 million Belly who specialized in physical combat.
But now, facing Silas, Saint Kurt was pinned to the ground like a dead dog.
"White Wolf Silas!?"
With half his face smashed by Silas, Saint Kurt still could not help widening his eyes in disbelief upon seeing him.
"Why are you here!?"
"Why can I not be here?"
Silas sneered coldly. Without even using beast transformation, just in human form, he pinned Saint Kurt completely immobile on the ground.
"You think your Vice-Commander could hold me back?"
"!!!"
Saint Kurt had assumed Silas either had not encountered Saint Garling or that Saint Garling was slacking off, allowing Silas to appear here.
But Silas's meaning was that he had defeated Saint Garling?
How was that possible!?
Forget Saint Garling's immortal body. Even without it, he had Marine Admiral-level strength.
How could he be defeated in such a short time?
Unless there was treachery involved.
"Did the Marines here also betray?"
Considering this possibility, Saint Kurt's expression immediately darkened.
He felt this was the only explanation.
Otherwise, no matter how strong Silas was, he could not defeat the immortal Saint Garling in such a brief time.
There must be traitors among the Marines!
"Damn it, let me go!"
Noticing Silas had not plugged his ears, Saint Kurt's heart stirred as he shouted loudly.
"Captain, watch out! His Devil Fruit ability can control others. To avoid being controlled, you must plug your ears!"
Having barely escaped Saint Kurt's influence, Newgate quickly warned.
"A Devil Fruit ability that can control others?"
Hearing Newgate's words, Silas raised an eyebrow. This was his first encounter with such power.
Not indirect control like the String-String Fruit.
The moment Saint Kurt spoke, Silas felt an impulse to release him.
But this level of fruit ability was insufficient.
Buzz!
Haki exploded from within Silas, easily suppressing the impulse.
Then the hand pinning Saint Kurt's head shifted to gripping his throat.
Crack!
Saint Kurt could even hear his own neck bones shattering.
"What do you want..."
Saint Kurt's voice came in fragments, but Silas was too lazy to listen.
Snap!
Silas directly crushed his neck, then froze him with his ability.
Throwing him into the sea.
"Clean up first. The danger is not over."
A Holy Knights member comparable to a 200 million bounty great pirate was defeated by Silas with apparent ease. Though this included some ambush elements, the strength Silas displayed still shocked everyone present.
"Is this White King Silas?"
"So strong. Just standing there makes my body tremble uncontrollably."
"That Celestial Dragon was instantly..."
Rocks looked at Silas with complex emotions. Though he had awakened his long-desired Conqueror's Haki in desperation, he felt no joy now.
This moment reminded him again of the gap between himself and Silas.
Silas could one-shot Saint Kurt.
He could one-shot him too.
Despite years passing, the gap between him and Silas remained like when they first met.
Like an insurmountable chasm!
"What is wrong, Rocks? Do not tell me one loss has discouraged you?"
Sensing Rocks's emotions, Silas asked with concern.
"Captain, Big Brother Rocks destroyed his hearing to deal with that Celestial Dragon. He cannot hear anything now."
Thinking of Rocks's sacrifice for this battle, Newgate's nose tingled, but he bit back tears.
Men of the sea could not shed tears!
"Do not worry."
Silas's hand rested on Newgate's head.
Newgate was already taller than Silas. If not sitting, Silas could not reach his head.
"There are countless ways to treat ears. You think your captain would let his subordinates become disabled from battle?"
Missing limbs might be troublesome, but just hearing damage, even Kureha had treatment methods.
Let alone those miraculous Devil Fruit abilities.
"Dean, these zombies fear seawater. Use Water Shot to wet them, and they will lose combat ability."
Seeing merman Dean still battling zombies, Silas shouted loudly.
He might not know other fruits well, but no one understood Shadow-Shadow Devil Fruit zombie legions better than him.
He just had not expected the Shadow-Shadow Fruit was now in Holy Knights hands.
"Newgate, protect the ship and take care of Rocks. I am checking on Ripley and Linlin. We need to prepare for retreat!"
Silas had rushed here first upon sensing Rocks and Newgate's deteriorating auras. Comparatively, Ripley's and Linlin's condition was much better.
"Mm!"
Hearing Silas's words, Newgate nodded vigorously.
In his view, since Silas had returned, any problem could be easily resolved!
Only Silas knew the current situation was not optimistic. World Government top fighters were assembling, and to support Rocks and Newgate, he had only briefly repelled Marine officers led by Ortega.
Actually, retreating now would be his best choice.
Having been coated once before, the Millennium Falcon needed little time for re-coating. While Silas visited the auction house, Dean had already prepared.
Whenever Silas wanted, they could dive underwater toward Fish-Man Island.
In water, ten Admiral-level fighters would not dare casually engage them.
But Silas had other concerns.
"If we just leave like this, did my crew members get beaten for nothing?"
Though Silas had beaten two Admirals and that Holy Knights Vice-Commander, he was not satisfied. Fleeing now meant abandoning countless Mariejois slaves.
This was something Silas would not accept.
After Silas's guidance, Dean quickly destroyed zombie legions around the Millennium Falcon. The slaves looked at the surrounding devastation with expressions of narrow escape.
Since White King Silas had returned, they could leave, right?
But soon, Silas vanished before them again.
"Wait, should we not be leaving now?"
"Where is Captain Silas going?"
"Captain Silas, we cannot do without you!"
Having witnessed Silas's overwhelming combat power, the slaves desperately wanted him to stay with them constantly.
But Silas was not their nursemaid.
Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 43.
Silas appeared at Ripley and Linlin's battlefield, also the location with the most zombie legions on all of Sabaody Archipelago.
Without Admiral-level fighters to restrain him, Silas moved unopposed through the battlefield!