"Hey, Kamusari!"
Roger, standing on top of the giant bird, drew his sword 'Ace' and launched a Divine Departure at the Five Elders.
Facing Roger's attack, even the Five Elders couldn't afford to be careless and dodged in unison.
"Roger! What do you think you're doing!?"
The Five Elders with a scar on his head angrily questioned.
"What I'm doing? Isn't it obvious? I'm here to protect that unconscious guy until he wakes up!" Roger said matter-of-factly, slinging 'Ace' over his shoulder.
Following his words, the crew members of the Roger Pirates on the bird's back also brandished their weapons, posing in various impressive stances to show their resolve.
"Hey, skinny over there, Lord Buggy is going to chop you into pieces later!" Buggy, emboldened by Roger backing him up, taunted the Five Elders while drawing his dagger.
The Five Elders ignored Buggy's provocation, their focus solely on Roger.
"Roger, you should know that your crew alone cannot stop us," said the tall and slender Elder calmly. Although Roger was strong, if they all fought at full strength, the Roger Pirates couldn't hold them off. However, it would take a lot of time, and glancing at the flaming bird carrying Nicolas and June, the Elder thought that if that bird chose to flee, they would have a hard time catching up.
"Attack!"
With a shout, the Five Elders moved.
The blond Elder instantly charged at Roger with a clenched fist, while the Elder with the Air-Air Fruit spread his hands wide and then suddenly clapped towards the center.
With his movement, the surrounding atmosphere rapidly compressed, squeezing towards the Roger Pirates and June.
At the same time, when the Roger Pirates were about to make a move, the Elder with the Blood-Blood Fruit reached out and clenched his fist in the air.
With his action, several members of the Roger Pirates immediately rolled their eyes and collapsed, even Rayleigh and Gaban momentarily staggered.
"Hey, Crocus, what's happening!?"
Gaban asked the ship's doctor Crocus, looking at the fallen comrades.
Crocus checked them and began administering emergency treatment.
"It's thrombosis. Because of the sudden blood clots, their blood supply has been disrupted. If we don't address this in time, it'll be a big problem!"
Crocus shouted, clearly frustrated. Although treating blood clots wasn't particularly difficult for him, having so many comrades in danger at once, with the enemy still looming, meant they could suffer heavy casualties if not treated quickly.
"Damn it!"
Gaban cursed under his breath, clearly not expecting the abilities of the Five Elders to be so troublesome.
Seeing the Roger Pirates suddenly losing so many members, the Five Elders rarely showed a smile.
They had been frustrated when fighting Akainu and Aokiji earlier. Despite having almost invincible powers, they hadn't been able to exert even a tenth of their effectiveness.
Now, seeing the Roger Pirates almost wiped out instantly, they couldn't help but feel relieved.
Meanwhile, as the nearly solidified air walls were about to crush the flaming bird and June, several figures appeared around them as if teleporting, shattering the compressing air walls.
With the attacks dissipated, Vista and the others appeared around Nicolas.
"Hmm, so many people."
Just as the tension was escalating, a tired voice rang out.
Nicolas, who had been leaning on June, slowly sat up with her help, surveying the surroundings.
Seeing Nicolas awake, the Five Elders couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety.
The monster... woke up!
"Thanks, Roger. If not for you, I might not have made it here," Nicolas said to Roger with a smile, showing no signs of having narrowly escaped death.
Roger merely smiled back. His Observation Haki had clearly told him that while Nicolas's condition looked bad, he was far from death. The electrical energy in the air was still highly active. Roger believed that even if he hadn't intervened, Nicolas wouldn't have been in any real danger.
Slowly, Nicolas stood up without any extra movements.
Despite this, the Five Elders were still on high alert, their hearts pounding with each of Nicolas's actions.
Nicolas's previous display had been too terrifying, and coupled with the overwhelming sense of powerlessness they felt from Im, they dared not make the slightest move, fearing to draw Nicolas's attention.
Nicolas, however, was not in good shape. Even standing up was difficult for him.
He had nearly exhausted his mental strength by connecting the entire planet's magnetic field. If not for his extraordinary mental resilience, he might have ended up in a coma, or worse.
After all, humans are small compared to the entire planet.
"Issho, you will regret this!" Sengoku, who had sensed Nicolas's awakening, shouted. Nicolas's presence was like a blazing sun in everyone's Observation Haki.
"I'm just following my conscience and doing what I think is right," Fujitora said, without looking in Nicolas's direction, his white eyes focused on Sengoku.
Meanwhile, at Mariejois.
Vice Admiral Smoker was panting heavily, his body covered in wounds, and the blood on his forehead blurred his vision.
Standing before him was the Golden Emperor Tesoro, with a cold expression and indifferent eyes.
The ground around them was already riddled with craters from their fierce battle.
Faint golden light lingered in the craters.
"Marine, you're really putting in effort to protect that sinful bloodline, or is it as they say on the seas: you're just dogs of the Celestial Dragons."
Tesoro mocked Smoker mercilessly while a golden sword formed in his hand.
"Ah, I don't know if the Celestial Dragons are guilty, but I know a child is innocent. If you want to kill an innocent child who knows nothing, then how are you any different from those disgusting Celestial Dragons?"
Smoker held a child in one arm and gripped his jutte with the other, staring at Tesoro, hoping to sway him with his words.
However, Tesoro was unmoved.
To Tesoro, all Celestial Dragons deserved to die!
"If you know children are innocent, then did the Marines spare those children in their past operations? Don't try to glorify yourselves! Marines!"
Tesoro sneered. Having become the Golden Emperor, he had collected a lot of confidential information. He was well aware of things hidden from the public.
Hearing Tesoro's words, Smoker was speechless. The actions of the Marines under the World Government in the past had even made him feel disgusted.
In the moment Smoker was distracted, Tesoro's golden sword shot out, aiming for the child in Smoker's arms.
"Damn it!"
Realizing Tesoro's sudden attack, Smoker's pupils shrank. Instinctively, he wanted to block it with his jutte.
"Not in time!"
Knowing he couldn't block it in time, Smoker twisted his body, shielding the child with his back, ready to take the blow himself.
But the expected pain didn't come.
When Smoker turned his head, he saw the golden sword stopped less than a centimeter behind him.
"Did he hold back? No..."
Smoker quickly dismissed the thought as he noticed the barely visible strings wrapped around the sword.
Following the strings, Smoker looked up and saw a figure squatting on the ruins of a nearby building, watching them with a mischievous grin.
"Doflamingo, what are you up to!?"
Tesoro glared at Doflamingo, his tone full of undisguised killing intent.
For him, all Celestial Dragons were his enemies. But since Doflamingo had been cast out, he wasn't on Tesoro's hit list. Still, if Doflamingo intended to interfere, Tesoro wouldn't mind taking him out too.
"Don't get me wrong. My hatred for these guys isn't any less than yours. But hearing that Marine's words gave me an idea."
Doflamingo chuckled.
"What idea?"
Tesoro frowned, curious about what Doflamingo was up to.
"Simple. Since the Marine says children are innocent and you say all Celestial Dragons deserve to die, why don't we play a game?"
"A game?"
Both Tesoro and Smoker furrowed their brows, not understanding what Doflamingo was planning.
"What kind of game?"
"It's simple. We'll spread all the under-one-year-old Celestial Dragons across ordinary families in the four seas and see what they turn into. Of course, this game might last ten or even twenty years.
Fufufufu, what do you think? Isn't it an interesting game?"
Doflamingo laughed excitedly as if imagining something amusing.
"Sounds like a fun game, and more interesting than just killing them," Tesoro said, rubbing his chin with interest.
Playing with the lives of these Celestial Dragons seems more interesting than simply killing their descendants.
With Tesoro and Doflamingo reaching an agreement, Smoker's opinion became irrelevant.
"Then the game starts now. Marine, you can help that baby in your arms find a family you think is suitable, and share their information with us. Likewise, we'll share what we find. Don't worry, we won't intentionally choose unfortunate families.
Of course, during the game, no one can interfere with their growth. Let's see if they turn out like normal people or inherit the evil from their bloodline!"
After Doflamingo finished speaking, he and Tesoro left, clearly heading off to find their "test subjects."
Hina, silent, pulled out a cigar from Smoker, lit it, and took a deep drag.
"Cough, cough…"
Not used to cigars, Hina choked and coughed violently for several seconds.
"So, Smoker, are you really going to play this 'human game' with those two?" She looked at Smoker and the baby in his arms.
Smoker was silent for a moment.
"Yeah…"
"Wait, are you serious?" Hina stared intently into Smoker's eyes.
Smoker raised his gaze, surveying the ruins of Mariejois, and said, "I want to see if blood truly continues the cycle of evil." He clearly took Tesoro's words to heart, given that the Marines had also believed bloodlines could be a continuation of sin.
Hina bit her lip, unsure of what to say.
Meanwhile, June took out a transponder snail, which had a resemblance to Princess Mansherry of the Tontatta tribe.
"Miss June, do you want me to come over?" Mansherry's voice came from the other end.
"Yes," June replied softly.
"Nicolas, that little Tontatta princess's ability can indeed heal your wounds instantly, but your haki and stamina probably won't recover, right?" Dragon asked, frowning.
"Right," Nicolas nodded calmly. "But once my wounds heal, my haki and stamina will recover faster. And don't forget, I'm the master of lightning."
"Got it," Dragon said, transforming into a whirlwind and joining the others to attack the Five Elders. After all, dealing with the blood-manipulating Five Elders was easier for a Logia user like him.
Moments later, a paw-shaped shockwave sped towards Nicolas.
With a whoosh, Mansherry landed on the back of the flaming bird.
"Ahhhh!" Mansherry panicked, not used to this unique method of transportation.
However, when she saw Nicolas, her fear vanished.
"Mr. Nicolas, let me heal you first."
Without any surprises, as her ability activated, Nicolas's injuries healed in seconds, even his severed arm grew back.
In terms of treating external injuries, Mansherry could make all doctors weep.
"Whew… Mr. Nicolas, how could you be hurt so badly?" Mansherry panted, clearly exhausted from the effort.
"Thank you, Princess Mansherry. Don't worry, the Tontattas will soon be able to live openly in the world," Nicolas smiled, not answering her question.
Hearing his words, Mansherry's face lit up. This had always been her dream.
Seeing Nicolas's wounds heal quickly after Mansherry arrived, the Five Elders became frantic.