"Yohoho... what a bunch of pathetic lowlives," Brook sighed as he cut down the last guard charging at him with reckless abandon.
They knew they were going to die, yet they still charged forward without hesitation. It showed just how deeply the Celestial Dragons had instilled their control over them.
Wasting no more time, Brook attacked the young Celestial Dragon.
Faced with Brook, the fear that had already begun when the guards died was now magnified exponentially.
The Celestial Dragons relied on their lackeys to wield their power, but these lackeys also depended on the Celestial Dragons' status to act with impunity.
Now, with all his lackeys dead and the opponent clearly unafraid of his status, the young Celestial Dragon rolled his eyes and fainted.
Brook looked calmly at the unconscious Celestial Dragon.
Back when he was the captain of the Rumbar pirates, these Celestial Dragons were like mythical beings, inspiring fear. But now, after shattering the aura of their so-called majesty, it was clear they could die just like anyone else.
Brook picked up the fainted Celestial Dragon with one hand.
The people who hadn't fled or were secretly watching were either shocked or stunned.
Someone actually dared to openly attack a Celestial Dragon in broad daylight! This was going to be a big deal.
A few minutes later.
Nicholas and his group arrived at the most bustling area of Sabaody Archipelago.
Along the way, countless eyes were drawn to the Celestial Dragon being casually carried by Urouge, causing quite a commotion.
Meanwhile, the World Government and the Marines had already received news of the Celestial Dragon being attacked and abducted.
"What? Nicholas showed up in the Sabaody Archipelago, not only taking CP0's target Jewelry Bonney but also abducting the Celestial Dragon Sun Sheng?"
In the power corridors, the atmosphere among the Five Elders grew tense upon receiving the CP department's report.
To them, neither Jewelry Bonney nor the Celestial Dragon Sun Sheng was of real significance. What concerned them was Nicholas's appearance so close to Mariejois, the holy land.
Considering Nicholas's past atrocities, they couldn't help but fear the worst.
"This era is indeed chaotic. The prisoners from Impel Down haven't been dealt with yet, it's confirmed that the one who killed Waldo was the missing Roger, and now Nicholas has resurfaced. Add in the Revolutionary Army active worldwide and the uncertain intentions of the Four Emperors, and the situation is certainly not in our favor."
"We anticipated this, didn't we? Especially since Joy Boy might reappear. The upheavals surrounding him could change the world."
"But if we overcome this hurdle, we'll usher in another millennium of rule."
"What about the Marines? How have they responded to the Sabaody incident?"
"Marine HQ has dispatched Admiral Kizaru to the Sabaody Archipelago. Since Akainu and Aokiji are pursuing Kaido and the escapees from Impel Down, only Kizaru could reach Sabaody in time."
"For now, it seems the Marines are still reliable and can be trusted."
…
In a vast square, Bonney looked around in disbelief.
"You're going to publicly execute a Celestial Dragon in Sabaody?!"
Her voice trembled with shock. She knew Nicholas had a peculiar way of doing things, but this was beyond anything she had imagined.
"Hmm? What's wrong? Do you feel sorry for this little brat?" Nicholas asked curiously while directing Simon to set up the broadcast transponder snail.
Bonney quickly shook her head. Feel pity for a Celestial Dragon? No way. Most of these people were inhumane, like this kid, who had countless lives on his hands despite his young age.
"Of course not. It's just... won't this provoke the World Government and the Marines?" Bonney struggled to find the right words. Nicholas was already considered extremely dangerous by them. According to their propaganda, it was abnormal for him to go a day without destroying an island or causing mayhem.
Urouge glanced at Bonney and continued setting up the temporary execution platform. The captured Celestial Dragon, now awake, had gone from arrogant to completely terrified as the execution platform took shape.
"Urouge, here you go. Use this weapon for the execution; it will be quite a spectacle," said Katie, appearing with a massive executioner's axe.
Urouge caught the giant axe with a smile and gave it a few practice swings. The sight of this made the Celestial Dragon faint again.
Katie, bored, turned her attention to Bonney.
"Your Devil Fruit ability is quite unusual, isn't it?"
"Huh?" Bonney was startled that the usually aloof swordswoman spoke to her.
"My ability can change a person's age, making them young or old. It can shift their physical state to any stage," Bonney explained.
"That sounds useful. It could give old people a second chance at youth. No wonder they want to control you," Brook chimed in.
"Exactly. So, have you made up your mind about the deal? If not, never mind. It's not like I have an old man on the brink of death," Nicholas said nonchalantly into the transponder snail.
On the other end, Marco, in Wano Country, looked conflicted. Nicholas's offer was tempting. Whitebeard's health was deteriorating rapidly, and this might be their only chance to restore his vitality.
"Alright, I agree," Marco said.
He wasn't worried about Nicholas deceiving him. Nicholas's reputation for keeping his word was well-known.
"Great. Looking forward to working together. Oh, and don't miss the live execution broadcast. You don't get to see a Celestial Dragon executed every day," Nicholas said before hanging up.