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...
The sea near Sabaody Archipelago, where the black fog had vanished, was now surrounded by layers of Marine ships.
Kizaru, having received no word from Z, was growing suspicious. What exactly did that black fog do?
If it was a teleportation, why hadn't Fleet Admiral Sengoku received any sighting reports?
A sense of unease settled over Kizaru. Such a large Marine presence scattered across the globe would undoubtedly cause a stir – unless they hadn't emerged from the fog at all!
A chill ran down Kizaru's spine. He was about to return to headquarters to report his suspicions to Sengoku when the mysterious black smoke erupted from the sea once more. Noir emerged from within.
The Devil was back!
The surrounding Marines raised their flintlocks, cannons on the warships trained on Noir.
Noir, ignoring the wary crowd, pulled out a mirror on his small boat. The mirror shimmered, and an obese, repulsive man was released from within.
Kizaru raised an eyebrow. Another Celestial Dragon.
Because of the Celestial Dragons Noir held hostage, the Marines had been hesitant to act, their hands tied.
Noir held his sword to the Celestial Dragon's throat. The terrified noble, feeling the cold steel against his skin, frantically knelt and cried for mercy.
The Celestial Dragons, initially arrogant, had finally realized the gravity of their situation.
One by one, their brethren had met various gruesome ends at this man's hands, and he showed no signs of stopping.
They now understood that they were next. This ruler of the underworld had no scruples, no hesitation to kill.
Kizaru, watching the once-proud Celestial Dragon grovel, struggled to suppress a laugh.
These parasitic scum had finally met their match.
Noir, using the Celestial Dragon as leverage, addressed Kizaru. "Here's a suggestion: let me go."
Kizaru spread his hands, feigning helplessness. "I can't make that decision."
"I have a suggestion for you too. How about releasing Instructor Z and the others?"
Noir chuckled and tossed another orb of light from his Underworld mirror. The familiar, towering figure of Z materialized.
Kizaru's face hardened as he looked at Z, his eyes vacant and unresponsive. "What did you do to him?"
Noir waved dismissively. "Just rendered him unconscious."
Noir reached into the mirror and pulled out the black blade, Shusui, he'd acquired from Thriller Bark. He pressed the blade against Z's throat.
With two swords held against the necks of Z and the Celestial Dragon, Noir grinned like a villain. "How about we play a game?"
A sense of foreboding washed over Kizaru. "What do you have in mind?"
Noir pressed the blades deeper, his voice chilling. "Choose one to die. I'll return the other to you unharmed."
Kizaru felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. He forced a casual tone. "Is there an option where both of them live?"
Noir's grin widened, revealing his fangs. "There's an option where both of them die."
Kizaru clutched his head, rapidly calculating his chances of rescuing both hostages.
It was easy to determine whether light or a sword was faster. Even against Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, Kizaru was confident he could retrieve the hostages.
But Noir also possessed the Pika Pika no Mi... it was a different story...
Seeing Kizaru's hesitation, Noir chuckled. "Or perhaps I should make the choice for you."
He applied pressure to both blades, drawing blood. The Celestial Dragon let out a shriek of terror.
Kizaru immediately yelled, "Stop! I need to report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Noir paused. Report to Sengoku?
That wasn't a bad idea. If Sengoku chose to save Z, he'd annoy the Government. If he chose to save the Celestial Dragon, he'd disillusion Z.
Noir, relishing the drama, grinned. "Go ahead, report."
Kizaru had no choice but to relay the situation to Sengoku, leaving the decision to the Fleet Admiral.
The news quickly reached Sengoku at Marine Headquarters, and just as quickly, it reached the Five Elders.
The two parties were once again at odds.
"Rescue the World Noble first!" one of the Five Elders commanded. "Celestial Dragons Lives Matter!"
Sengoku felt a pang of disappointment for his old comrade. "Is Z's life not matter? He dedicated everything to the Marines!"
The Elder remained unmoved. "Z has lost an arm. His strength is a shadow of its former self. We cannot waste resources on him."
So, they're saying Z's death wouldn't be a great loss?
Sengoku's suppressed frustration finally erupted. "That's bullshit! Z doesn't deserve to die!"
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, someone seemed to restrain the Elder who had spoken. A different voice said calmly, "Sengoku, calm down."
Sengoku struggled to regain his composure. "My apologies. I lost my temper. But the safety of my old friend concerns me deeply."
The Elder's tone softened slightly. "What do you plan to do?"
Sengoku, regaining his composure, began to analyze the situation with his usual strategic brilliance.
"Fundamentally, we can't trust a word the Devil says. A pirate offers no guarantee of any hostage's safety."
"Even if he releases one, he still has the lives of several other Celestial Dragons in his hands. Who's to say he won't continue to threaten us?"
The Five Elders listened intently. "Then... what should we do?"
Sengoku fell silent, various plans flashing through his mind.
He had to ensure the safety of Z, the Marines, and the thirty-plus Celestial Dragons…
If he only had to protect one side, it would be easy. But protecting both…
"Let's offer Noir a position as a Warlord of the Sea," one of the Elders suggested.
Sengoku's eyes widened. He was about to object, but a thought struck him.
His expression turned complex. "I'd like to secure the hostages first. Offer him terms, lower his guard…"
The Elder understood Sengoku's intent. "You want to pretend to recruit Noir, rescue the hostages, and then take him down?"
Sengoku gritted his teeth. "Once we have the hostages, we can act without restraint!"
"Provided Noir agrees to the terms and releases them as promised."
The Elder added calmly, a point Sengoku was already aware of. "After he releases them, he'll undoubtedly try to tamper with them somehow. We'll need to be vigilant."
This was their last chance. They had to succeed.
The Five Elders fell silent. After a long pause, they spoke.
"If this goes wrong, we could lose both Z and the Celestial Dragons, and risk turning Noir into a permanent enemy."
"We'll give you one chance with this plan. If anything goes wrong, you bear full responsibility."
Behind his round spectacles, Sengoku's usually calm eyes flashed with a cold determination. His voice was low and menacing.
"Even if it's just for Akainu and Aokiji, I won't let the Devil get away with this!"
...
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