In a collision that echoed through the night sky, Tesoro, transformed into the Golden Giant, collapsed with a earth-shaking crash.
The interns also lay scattered about, having exhausted their last ounce of strength.
Grand Tesoro, reduced to ruins, fell into deathly silence.
On the circular corridor of the third floor, Orion led Hancock down the gold-paved staircase, now riddled with cracks.
His military boots stepped on the shattered gold bricks, producing crisp, rhythmic "tap, tap" sounds, as if drawing the final note to this brutal battle.
After exiting the casino, Orion paused at the entrance of the VIP building.
Zoro lay there, his body like a sack shattered by immense force, drenched in blood, still stubbornly clenching Wado Ichimonji's hilt between his teeth.
After delivering that earth-shattering slash, he was sent flying by the recoil and happened to land here.
Hearing the footsteps, Zoro's closed eyelids twitched slightly before he painfully opened them.
He saw those polished black military boots.
Summoning strength from somewhere, he used his scabbard to prop himself up, his body trembling violently as he forced himself from lying down to a sitting position.
"Pfft." He spat out a mouthful of turbid air mixed with blood foam.
Raising his head to meet Orion's calm gaze, he grinned, revealing teeth stained red with blood, his smile brimming with unconcealed pride and satisfaction.
"Fleet Admiral," he mumbled hoarsely, his voice raspy, "I... didn't disgrace you, did I?"
Orion smiled and nodded.
"Congratulations, Zoro. You passed this assessment."
Upon receiving the affirmation, Zoro's smile widened, the light in his eyes growing brighter.
However, he ultimately couldn't hold on any longer—his head tilted to the side as he leaned against the broken wall behind him and fell into a deep sleep, that exhilarated smile still lingering at the corners of his mouth.
Orion continued walking without stopping, passing by him.
Not far away, on a patch of ruins, Sanji wobbled as he stood up.
His suit was already tattered, his golden hair plastered to his forehead with sweat and blood, looking utterly disheveled.
Watching Orion approach, he took a deep breath, forcibly straightened his nearly broken back, raised his right hand, and gave a perfectly crisp military salute.
Orion also raised his hand in return salute.
"Well done, Sanji."
Sanji tilted his head back slightly. "For justice!"
He shouted the slogan with his last ounce of strength, then his body went limp and he fell straight backward.
Just then, Captain Morgan finally led a squad of Marines charging down from the training ship.
Their movements were swift and practiced, clearly having been on standby for some time.
"Quick! Medics! Carry Zoro and Sanji away!"
Two soldiers immediately stepped forward and carefully carried the two away on stretchers.
Orion continued forward, arriving before the three brothers—Ace, Sabo, and Luffy.
The three supported each other, all bearing wounds, especially Ace and Sabo, who had severely depleted their stamina as the cost of awakening their Conqueror's Haki.
Yet they stubbornly kept their backs straight, unwilling to show any sign of weakness before the Fleet Admiral.
Ace and Sabo exchanged a glance, then simultaneously raised their hands in salute.
Luffy, however, ignored formalities.
He looked at Orion and grinned widely, flashing his signature gap-toothed smile.
"Fleet Admiral! Isn't it my turn to be the King of Adventurers this time!"
Orion nodded again. "Congratulations, you have successfully passed this assessment."
Orion continued forward, but after just a few steps, he suddenly turned back and gave the three brothers a thumbs-up.
"The way you fought together was really cool."
The four siblings of the Vinsmoke family had exhausted their Raid Suits' energy.
Struggling to rise from the ruins, they stood in a row and uniformly raised their hands in salute.
"Super—!" Franky struck his classic pose. Though his body swayed unsteadily, he refused to lose his imposing presence.
"Yohohoho... What a brutal concert that was." Brook leaned on his cane sword and straightened up as well.
Hawkins expressionlessly adjusted his tattered collar.
Trafalgar Law rested his hand on the hilt of Kikoku, his gaze cold and stern.
They came from different places, with different pasts, yet at this moment they all made the same gesture—facing Orion, they raised their hands in salute.
Orion returned the salute, his eyes sweeping over everyone present.
"The way you all fought relentlessly for your comrades has successfully moved me. From now on, you may bear my name and roam freely across any sea."
As these words were spoken, the four Vinsmoke siblings, Franky, Brook, Hawkins, and Law—all jolted violently!
The next second, they all straightened their backs in unison and shouted with all their might.
"Loyalty!"
Orion continued forward, arriving before Usopp, Chopper, Nami, and the others.
During the 'battle' with Baccarat, Usopp hadn't suffered serious physical injuries, but the mental torment had left him nearly exhausted.
Never expecting Orion to approach him, he startled violently and scrambled to his feet despite his soreness.
Hunched over like a frightened shrimp, he tremblingly raised his hand in a crooked salute, his lips quivering as he shouted.
"Loy... Loyalty!"
"Long Nose," Orion smiled, raising his hand to pat his shoulder, "From now on, you are a truly brave warrior."
A brave warrior?
Usopp froze.
The dream he'd had since childhood, that distant identity he only dared boast about in his dreams, had just been personally acknowledged by the Fleet Admiral himself?
A scalding heat rushed straight to his nasal passages.
He could no longer hold back, covering his face as he burst into loud, wailing sobs.
Orion continued forward, stepping through the debris-littered ground until he finally stopped before Tesoro.
Morgan brought over an undamaged chair from somewhere and respectfully placed it behind Orion.
Orion calmly sat down, crossing his legs, his gaze serene as he looked at the Golden Emperor lying amidst the ruins, on the brink of death.
Tesoro didn't get up.
He remained lying there, letting out a hoarse, unwilling laugh.
"Heh... Fleet Admiral Orion, the victor becomes king, the loser a bandit. Whether you kill me or cut me to pieces, I'm at your mercy!"
Orion didn't respond immediately.
He silently bent down, gently brushing off a speck of dust from his trouser leg, then slightly lowered his gaze to look at Tesoro lying on the ground.
"Tesoro, if Stella were still alive, do you think she would want to see you like this?"
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