CHAPTER 171 — Leverage
The flying slash cut through the air with a sharp cry.
Stone split where it passed, the force ripping a clean line across the street. Dust rose in a low cloud, drifting slowly between shattered ground and broken walls.
Gaius shifted his body just enough for it to miss.
He didn't rush. He didn't react with force. He simply stepped aside, calm as ever.
"Stop!"
The voice rang out across the plaza, firm and clear.
Vice Admiral Gion stood at the far end of the street, sword drawn but held low. Her posture was steady, feet planted, eyes sharp. She did not rush forward. She did not shout again.
She only watched.
It took her seconds, only seconds, to understand what she was looking at.
CP0 agents lay scattered across the street. Some were burned black, others cut down. Masks lay cracked or shattered nearby.
Marines were everywhere. Some were injured and lying on the ground. Others stood frozen, weapons still raised but hands shaking. A few stared blankly, eyes unfocused, as if their minds had not caught up to what their bodies had seen.
At the side of it all, a Celestial Dragon crawled weakly across the stone, sobbing, face smeared with blood that was not his own. His fine clothes were ruined, silk dragged through dirt and red stains.
And standing right in front of him was Gaius.
Relaxed. Calm. Untouched.
Gion's fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword.
This was already out of control.
Not close to it. Not heading there.
Already past it.
She could feel it in her chest. that quiet, heavy understanding that told her this was no longer something she could fix with force. One wrong move now, and this street would become a grave.
She did not attack.
Instead, she took a single, deliberate step forward.
The Marines noticed her at the same time. Heads turned, eyes widening. Fingers loosened on triggers, rifles shifting ever so slightly.
The effect was immediate.
A few Marines let out shaky breaths they hadn't realized they were holding. Some lowered their rifles just a fraction, relief clear on their faces. Others turned fully toward her, eyes searching, waiting, for direction, for certainty.
Someone was finally in charge.
Gion raised one hand.
Not high. Not dramatic.
Just enough.
"Hold," she said.
No one moved.
Naruto noticed it too. He stopped as well. Tony's repulsors dimmed slightly. Saeko eased her stance, blade still in hand but no longer raised. Mindy lowered her gun, finger off the trigger.
They didn't continue fighting. It wasn't important anymore, and it would only mean killing more Marines.
Gion stepped forward again, slow and careful, her boots crunching softly against the broken stone. She made sure her voice carried, clear and steady enough for everyone to hear.
"I am Vice Admiral Gion," she said. "Marines, maintain position."
No one questioned her. Not a single rifle shifted, not a hand twitched.
Her eyes stayed fixed on Gaius.
"Step away from the Celestial Dragon," she ordered. "Now."
Her tone was firm but controlled. There was no anger in it. No insult. Just authority, measured and deliberate.
She paused for a moment, letting the weight of her words settle, Then she added, quieter but heavier, her tone carrying the gravity of the law itself:
"You know what this means. Killing a Celestial Dragon is not just a crime. It is an act of war against the World Government."
She held his gaze, unwavering, eyes sharp but calm, every muscle in her body taut with controlled authority.
"An Admiral response is guaranteed."
It was not a threat. It was a warning. Clear, measured, undeniable.
For a brief moment, the street was silent.
Then Gaius turned his head.
Only slightly.
His optics met hers.
This was the first time he truly acknowledged her presence.
"I don't care who you are," he said calmly.
His voice was even. Almost casual.
"And I don't care about the consequences."
The words landed heavier than shouting ever could.
"The Celestial Dragon is already mine," he continued. "He has value. And I don't intend to leave without taking something worth my time."
Gion felt a chill settle in her chest.
There was no anger in him. No pride. No excitement.
Just certainty.
This man had already made his choice.
Before she could respond, the Celestial Dragon screamed.
"You useless woman!" he shrieked, voice cracking. "Kill him! Kill him now! That's an order!"
Spit flew from his mouth as he thrashed weakly on the ground, silk robes dragging through dust and blood.
"You think you can stand there?! I'll have you punished! I'll have your rank stripped! I'll—"
Gion flinched inwardly. But outwardly, she did nothing.
Her face remained calm. Her stance steady.
She had heard this before, the rage, the threats, the way Celestial Dragons treated everyone like dirt beneath their feet.
Still, seeing it here, seeing it now, made the imbalance painfully clear.
Even a Vice Admiral was nothing to them.
The Celestial Dragon continued to scream, voice hoarse, eyes wide with panic, flailing weakly on the ground.
Gion stood perfectly still, posture calm, every movement measured.
She knew what this meant.
The incident would not go unnoticed by the World Government. Admirals would be mobilized. Orders would be issued. Lines would quietly be drawn, unseen but inevitable.
And Gaius had just placed himself directly in the center of it all, daring to act while the world's strongest eyes turned toward him.
Without another word, Gaius reached down.
He grabbed the Celestial Dragon by the arm.
Not gently.
The man screamed even louder as Gaius pulled him upright and began dragging him across the street. His heels scraped harshly against the stone, and his free hand clawed at the ground, slipping uselessly over dust and blood.
"No! Stop! Help me!" he cried.
No Marine moved.
Gion did not raise her sword.
She watched him go, jaw tight, knowing that trying to stop this now would only lead to more bodies on the ground. The street, already scarred and stained, would only grow heavier with death if she interfered.
As they moved away, Naruto glanced at the Celestial Dragon being dragged behind them.
He tilted his head, genuinely curious.
"What are you going to do with the fat guy, Gaius?" he asked.
Tony watched Gaius for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly as he considered it. The pieces fit together quickly.
"I think," Tony said slowly, "Gaius wants to use him."
Naruto blinked.
Tony continued, "Not kill him. Use him to get more treasure. Extortion."
Naruto's eyes widened.
Saeko's lips curved faintly. Mindy's expression sharpened with interest.
They all understood at the same time.
Leverage.
Gaius didn't slow as he dragged the Celestial Dragon forward, his steps measured and steady.
"Indeed," Gaius said, his voice calm, almost casual, as if confirming something obvious.
Tony reached up and tapped his wrist. A soft hum pulsed once, then faded as the signal blocker powered down.
Den Den Mushi signals began flowing freely again.
"By the way," Tony added almost casually, his tone smooth but carrying weight, "the war at Marineford is over."
Naruto's head snapped toward him, eyes wide. "What?"
Tony nodded. "Diana told me. Through the chat."
A few seconds of stunned silence passed as the news settled in. The weight of the update hung in the air, mixing with the lingering tension of the street, the debris, and the prisoners at their side.
One by one, they opened the Multiversal Chat.
The messages were from Diana. Her update confirmed it: the war at Marineford was over, and she was aboard Whitebeard's ship.
~~~
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