"Wait! I've already reserved Stella! I just need a little more money!!"
Tesoro, the young man who realized what was happening, immediately roared.
"Huh? Who cares about you!"
The old Celestial Dragon waved his hand impatiently: "Take this one back too, to be a slave laborer."
This time, the CP Agents was quick; almost as soon as he finished speaking, Tesoro's face was already intimately acquainted with the ground.
"Let go of me, Stella! Stella!" Tesoro struggled violently, but it was useless; he was still pressed firmly to the ground.
The old Celestial Dragon kicked him in the head: "So noisy! You idiot!"
"Hmm, you really leave even me speechless."
Nero looked up, a vein throbbing on her forehead. Since birth, this was the first time she had been looked down upon like this.
The air suddenly grew heavy, and the bodies of the CPs instantly froze. That immense, impossible-to-ignore presence was like the scorching breath of a fierce beast.
But the old Celestial Dragon, hearing this, not only didn't back down but raised his ornate pistol and pointed it at Nero's forehead.
"Don't worry, it'll be your turn soon. Being able to serve a great Celestial Dragon up close is a moment of a lifetime's glory for a commoner like you!"
As he spoke, the pistol slowly moved down, his breathing grew heavier, and he intended to poke Nero's full chest with the muzzle.
"Hmm, that's enough! I'm already disgusted enough!"
Nero raised her hand to the Celestial Dragon's ear and snapped her fingers crisply, while also playfully making a sound effect with her mouth.
"BANG!"
Flames instantly ignited all over the Celestial Dragon's body. The fishbowl on his head melted, and the luxuriant beard and sparse hair on his head burned fiercely.
The smell of roasted meat and the sizzling sound of burning fat filled the air.
There were no curses or pleas for mercy; the old Celestial Dragon died completely, the burning flames instantly taking his life.
Those nearby could only vaguely see a black shadow in the inferno shrinking at a visible rate.
"Hmm, with one less piece of trash, the world feels a bit cleaner."
As soon as Nero spoke, it was as if a play button had been pressed. Everyone who had been stunned in place, including the CP Agentss, quickly began to run.
There was no turning back. No matter the reason for the Celestial Dragon's death, they would all be buried with him.
If they ran, there might be a glimmer of hope. The main culprit, Nero, would undoubtedly confront the World Government, and the World Government would likely be temporarily too busy to bother with small fries like them.
Nero gripped the iron bars and applied a little force, pulling them out into an arc wide enough for a person to pass through.
"Hmm, then, as the victor, I shall claim my spoils!"
Nero reached out her hand inside. In Stella's eyes, the sunlight shone from behind, making her tears flow like a gushing dam.
Even though this person also came to buy slaves and brazenly killed a Celestial Dragon, Stella just felt that the girl in front of her was not a bad person.
On the contrary, her eyes seemed to carry a gentleness, though Stella couldn't quite confirm it.
Taking Nero's hand, Stella stepped over the railing. The sunlight on her body still felt a bit unreal.
She was out just like that? She merely touched the slave collar on her neck, her expression still a little downcast. She wasn't sure if she had just fallen into another, deeper quagmire.
"Hmm, oh, and this too!"
Nero gripped the collar, and with Haki flowing, the collar was easily removed. After being thrown aside, it exploded.
"That..." Stella's eyes widened. She just untied it for me? Isn't she afraid I'll run away?
"Hmm, it's quite heavy to wear, isn't it?"
Nero gave her a brilliant smile and carefully checked her neck. After wearing it for a long time, it was inevitable that there would be many tiny scratches on her neck.
"Huh?" Hearing Nero's concern, Stella was very surprised. She didn't expect this seemingly formidable person to pay attention to such details.
Her nose tingled, a warm sensation welled up in her eyes, and her eye rims were slightly red, but she still forced a smile: "Thank you..."
"Wait! Stella!" With the CPs fleeing, Tesoro finally stood up. Looking at Stella, who had regained her freedom, the color of his hair seemed to have gotten a bit greener.
His throat was dry, and his pupils shook violently. By now, he also knew Nero's identity, but Tesoro still persisted in speaking.
"Stella is mine! The money, I've almost saved enough, I'll pay you back as soon as possible!"
"Hmm, no!" Nero hugged Stella tightly, burying her head in the ample chest and taking two deep breaths: "Stella is mine!"
Caught off guard by the sudden action, the warm breath made her chest tickle, and Stella's face flushed: "Th-that... Lady Nero?"
"Stella and I have already pledged ourselves to each other!"
"So what? Stella and I fell in love at first sight!"
"Huh?" Tesoro was dumbfounded. He had considered many possibilities: Nero might refuse, or she might use this opportunity to demand more money, but this answer was truly unexpected.
"Don't joke around! Stella and I are going to get married! I will marry Stella!!!"
"I'm not joking! I'm the one who's going to marry Stella!" Nero, not to be outdone, lifted her head from Stella's chest.
Tesoro was now a little unsure. He looked at Nero suspiciously: "You... are a woman, right?"
"Of course!"
"How can two women get married? How can you give Stella happiness?"
"What if I'm a woman? I am an Emperor! Naturally, I can give Stella happiness! What about you? You keep saying you want to marry Stella, but what can you give her?"
Nero's barrage of words left Tesoro disoriented, and his momentum weakened.
"Everything! Everything I have, even what I don't have, I will strive for."
These words were sincere but lacked a bit of force. Tesoro also considered Nero's words.
She was an Emperor, lacking nothing in terms of money or power. What about himself? He had nothing. Even if he redeemed Stella, the future was still shrouded in mist.
Looking at Stella, Tesoro felt somewhat relieved. He no longer shouted as he had before; his voice was much softer but carried a firm resolve.
"Then I'll leave Stella to you for now."
Stella couldn't help but exclaim, "Tesoro..."
Tesoro smiled freely: "But I will definitely make a name for myself and become a man worthy of Stella. Then, we'll compete fairly!"
Stella was a little touched to hear him say that, but Nero's face fell.
"Hmm, I don't want to compete fairly with you. Stella is already my woman. When we go back, I'm going to marry Stella!"
Then Nero looked at Tesoro with a contemptuous smile: "I'm going to invite all the prominent figures on the Grand Line to offer us their blessings!"
Nero emphasized the words 'prominent figures,' her meaning self-evident.
These two sentences knocked Tesoro back to square one. He glared at Nero through gritted teeth: "You!"
Nero glared back, not to be outdone.
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