The pitch-black night sky lit up with thunder, splitting open in relentless flashes as flames spread from the outskirts of Mariejois inward.
Amid the roar of the fire, many sleeping Celestial Dragons were jolted awake. The descendants of the Creators, now dressed, gathered in the square near Pangu City.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Startled and furious, they demanded answers from the servants around them, but all they got back was dead silence.
Explosions kept thundering. Wounded Holy Land guards dragged themselves in to report.
"Report… the Holy Land… has been invaded!"
Panic spread like wildfire among these nobles of divine blood. The usual etiquette? Out the window.
"How could anyone invade us? What are you guards and CP even doing?!"
"The Knights—tell the Knight Corps!"
"Huh? You're saying they're all down in the lower world for a hunting tournament?"
"What about the Navy? Call Marine Headquarters and send an Admiral!"
"Huh? The only Admiral's in the New World right now?"
Flames everywhere, endless, swallowing the whole Holy Land.
Under the Celestial Dragons' chaotic orders, what should've been an organized rescue turned into a total mess, making the fire spiral even more out of control.
In the end, the Cipher Pol agents and Holy Land guards could only escort them back into Pangu City, waiting for high-level reinforcements.
In the slave quarter, blood dripped from Sakura's axe blade, only to freeze solid in the raging frost.
One by one, CP agents collapsed unconscious at her feet.
A handful of masked CP0 operatives faced her down, too scared to close in.
"Witch Haruno Sakura—attacking the Holy Land? You declaring war on the World Government?!"
A tense shout exploded. An Armament Haki-charged finger thrust forward, packed with years of CP0's brutal training.
Shave and Finger Pistol alternated, closing the huge gap in an instant—the girl right in front of him.
A savage grin spread across his face. He could already see her body torn to pieces and himself basking in glory.
"Not pure enough!"
Sakura's blood-streaked face lit up with a wild smile, flames dancing in her emerald eyes.
Chakra boiled, muscles surged, unstoppable fighting spirit screamed at her.
Fight! Fight!
"That's all the will to dominate you've got? Not nearly enough, CP0!"
Heavenly Axe of Joy!
The massive axe reflected thunder and fire. Swung with berserk force, the blade erupted—shockwaves crushed, expanded, spread, detonated!
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BOOM!
Light and shadow spun, merged, clashed. Pure axe-light bloomed in the void with the girl's crisp voice.
A figure—cut clean in two.
The remaining CP agents and guards froze, staring at their colleague's gruesome end.
The girl was wounded, sure, but fresh blood still dripped from her axe, evaporating in the heat.
Scorching air and the stink of iron seared every enemy's heart. Through warped air, they saw it—a horned silhouette standing in blood and fire, looking down with contempt.
"D-Demon!"
Under her murderous aura, some guards wailed, threw down their weapons, and bolted like madmen.
Even if endless flames waited behind them, anything felt safer than facing the girl in front.
"Don't run! Hold the line! Just stall her—we've got a chance!"
The CP agents tried shouting them back, but it barely worked.
The first coward broke the dam. More and more ditched their gear and fled past the girl.
"Hahaha! Run all you want—surrender and I won't kill!"
Sakura laughed, kicking their crumbling morale while it was down.
"Damn witch!"
A hoarse roar rose from the flames. The Celestial Dragons' strongest shield—drenched in blood—charged, diving straight at her.
Then the giant axe whistled through the air, sparks flying, a deafening crash.
BOOM!!!
Sakura stepped out of the fire. Behind her, the agents lay in infant-like sleep.
She vaulted over a tower, snagging the keys to the slave cells from a guard.
Activating the Flying Thunder God seal she'd left on Tiger, the next instant—she vanished into Mariejois's underground.
"This is…"
Her voice echoed in the vast prison. All she could see: a jungle of steel. Chains of every thickness crawled over metal cells.
These weren't like normal prisons. Rough welds, tiny cramped spaces, dripping with gloom.
Foul air, filthy clothes, rotting food, rusted bars, dead eyes.
"Yeah… this is the Celestial Dragons' slave pen."
A voice like dry twigs scraping came from behind her. Even in pitch-black depths, Fisher Tiger's tears shone clear.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry I'm late… AAAAAHHH!"
The massive fish-man gripped the bars, collapsed to his knees, and wailed.
The enslaved fish-men just curled tighter, eyes cloudy on the floor, flashing fawning smiles.
They didn't dare make a sound—terrified of drawing Celestial Dragon torture.
"Tiger…"
Sakura put a hand on his shoulder and passed him the keys.
"Right! Home—I'm taking you all home!"
Spotting the keys, Fisher Tiger's trembling hands took them. He yanked open the cell door, reaching to unlock his people's chains.
"No—stay back!"
His approach only terrified them. They yelled at him!
"Why…?"
The big fish-man's pupils shook. He instinctively stepped back.
"You'll… you'll get killed by the Celestial Dragons!"
Chains rattled. One slave dropped to his knees in despair. His outburst dominoed—stifled sobs rose from every corner.
Overhearing hearts long dead with Observation Haki, Sakura clicked her tongue.
She stepped past Tiger, snatched the keys.
This pirate from another world didn't do gentle. She grabbed the loudest crier by the collar. Click—the locks hit the floor.
Right fist clenched. She decked the burly guy square in the face, sending him flying, skidding across the ground.
"What's your name?!"
"G-Gildo… Tesoro…"
Sakura raised an eyebrow. The guy looked so gaunt she almost didn't recognize him.
She hauled him up again and told him flat-out, "You're free. Right now."
"I…"
Hanging in the air, he clawed at his neck—nothing there.
Then he clutched his forehead and laughed. The laugh cracked, twisted, turned into gut-wrenching sobs of newborn joy.
Slowly, the other slaves peeked at the freed man. Hope flickered.
"Listen up!"
"I know—in this shitty world where power rules everything—you've been hurt, crushed!"
"But ask your heart: is the fire dead? Do you still wanna fight, run, live free?!!!"
Pure will surged like invisible force. The girl's shout cracked like thunder through dead souls.
That resolve to rise even in hell, that courage to swing a blade at gods…
How does she live so wild, so bright?!
Hands reached toward the light. Tears soaked the floor without them noticing.
"I wanna live!"
"I miss my family—I wanna see them again!"
"I don't wanna die—I'm done with this hell!"
Tiny wishes gathered, streams became a flood, a roaring tide of unstoppable power!
Whispers stacked, built, finally exploded into a deafening roar.
We want—we NEED to live!
Hearing those souls ignite with their rawest cry, Sakura laughed and slashed cell doors to pieces.
The ring of freedom keys spun in the air. The rebellious conqueror dragged them from the shadows with brute force.
"Come on! Follow me—let's run to the sea together!"