The moment the cages were smashed open, the hatred that had been suppressed for so long erupted like a volcano.
The slaves stared at the bright red Sun mark on Tiger's palm, covering the shameful brand of the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon. The fear in their eyes instantly transformed into frenzied battle intent.
One… ten… a hundred…
Countless liberated slaves let out beast-like roars. This raging torrent instantly shattered the peace of Mary Geoise.
At last, ear-splitting alarms echoed through the sky, and the Holy Land descended into utter chaos.
Though the guard forces hurried to assemble, before the overwhelming numbers and ferocious strength of the battle slaves, they were like sandcastles washed away by a flood—collapsing in an instant.
Towering flames ignited within the slave quarters. That blaze was not merely fire, but the collective roar of countless oppressed souls.
"Tsk tsk… what a pack of crazed beasts."
On a towering rooftop, a man dressed in a guard's uniform hovered in midair using Moonwalk.
He looked down at the raging sea of flames below, watching slaves flee in panic aboard bubble gondolas, a look of intoxication spreading across his face.
"Everything has unfolded exactly as that lord predicted—down to the last detail."
The man extended his tongue and greedily licked the corner of his mouth.
"Whether it's that unfathomable strength or this flawless, all-encompassing strategy… Admiral Tenma is simply irresistible."
After his brief reverie, the man's gaze turned icy.
Using his identity as a guard, he turned and smoothly blended into the heavily guarded residential district of the Celestial Dragons.
Once he confirmed he had entered a blind spot in the surveillance, something bizarre happened.
His bones crackled loudly, and the muscles of his face twisted like clay. In the blink of an eye, the ordinary guard vanished.
In his place stood the very protagonist of the night—red skin, a massive physique.
It was Fisher Tiger.
"This is the first time in my life I get to personally slaughter those lofty 'gods'—and even become one of them while doing so."
Wearing Tiger's face, Catarina Devon flushed with a sickly red, a physiological response to extreme excitement.
"Ah… just imagining that scene makes my body tremble."
"I really want to see what kinds of spectacular expressions those pig-like Celestial Dragons will wear right before they die."
She muttered to herself, her footsteps swift as lightning.
Half a year of infiltration as a servant had made her intimately familiar with every single floor tile here.
The instant she stepped into the target area, the smile vanished from her face, replaced by savage killing intent.
Boom!
A vicious Fish-Man Karate straight punch smashed out, instantly pulverizing the Den Den Mushi surveillance device before her into dust.
Mary Geoise had fallen. The slave quarters had been reduced to ashes.
This news detonated like a nuclear bomb. No matter how hard the World Government tried to suppress it, they couldn't.
The tens of thousands of escaped slaves themselves became living broadcast stations, spreading tales of the Celestial Dragons' humiliation and incompetence throughout the Sabaody Archipelago.
Overnight, the World Government's once-untouchable authority was trampled into the mud.
Two days later, rumors were already swirling across the seas—but when News King Morgans' newspapers finally spread worldwide, people were left utterly speechless.
Barehandedly climbing the ten-thousand-meter Red Line!
Single-handedly breaking into the Holy Land!
Liberating thousands of slaves and setting Mary Geoise ablaze!
And that wasn't even the most explosive part.
The headline screamed that during the chaos, Tiger had returned to the core district and, with extreme brutality, executed the Celestial Dragon who once enslaved him—Saint Colmer!
This string of insane acts made the name Fisher Tiger resound across all four seas.
His first bounty skyrocketed straight to a staggering 865 million Beli!
Using this as a starting point, a fish-man crew—the Sun Pirates—rose into existence, setting sail amid relentless pursuit by the Marines.
"Th-this guy has gone mad! He actually dared to challenge the 'gods' of the world?!"
"Finally someone dared to do it! Even if he's a fish-man, I respect him as a real man!"
"My daughter! My daughter might've been among those slaves! I'm going to Sabaody to find her!"
Across islands worldwide, aside from terrified nobles, the common people secretly raised their cups in celebration.
On this sea, nothing inspired more fear and disgust than the Celestial Dragons—who treated human lives as less than dirt.
The tragedy of Doflamingo's childhood was merely a microcosm of this twisted world.
Meanwhile, ten thousand meters beneath the sea.
Inside Ryugu Palace, the atmosphere was suffocating.
King Neptune frowned deeply, his grip on his trident tightening until it creaked.
"If he had only rescued people, that would be one thing. But… killing a Celestial Dragon? This kind of catastrophe isn't something Tiger can shoulder alone just by leaving Fish-Man Island."
He looked at his wife in anguish.
He could already foresee the brutal retaliation the World Government would unleash once they caught their breath.
Forget Queen Otohime's dream of peaceful coexistence with humans—the very survival of the nation was now at stake.
Queen Otohime remained silent for a long time, the light in her eyes dimmed.
"I… I don't know what to do either…"
She shook her head weakly.
"Perhaps all we can do is prepare even more Heavenly Tribute, hoping that wealth might slightly appease the rage of those 'gods.'"
"If only we hadn't let Tiger act on his own back then! But then again… after enduring such inhuman torment, how could he possibly save people without killing anyone?"
Neptune's voice carried deep regret.
Otohime parted her lips, hesitating.
Her heart was full of doubt—when she had listened to Tiger's inner voice before, there had been anger, yes, but not a trace of murderous intent…
On the deck of the fleeing Sun Pirates.
The fish-men who had followed Tiger from Fish-Man District waved newspapers excitedly, cheering wildly.
A young Arlong, future terror of the East Blue, slapped the paper with admiration written all over his face.
"Big bro Tiger, you're incredible! You even spared that female Celestial Dragon on purpose, right? So she could personally tell the world about your feat!"
The other fish-men echoed him, eyes blazing with fanatic devotion.
Most of them deeply hated humans. Tiger's actions had become their spiritual totem.
"Something about this feels off,"
Jinbe said gravely, dressed in a patterned robe, brows knitted.
"It's satisfying, sure—but this means total, irreconcilable war. Killing a Celestial Dragon will drive Marineford insane. An Admiral—or even an Admiral candidate—might personally be dispatched."
"Tch, what's there to fear? We fish-men have ten times the strength of humans! In the sea, we're invincible!" Arlong spat dismissively.
Amid the heated argument, someone finally noticed something wrong with Tiger.
The tall captain was staring at the newspaper, his face dark enough to drip water, an oppressive aura radiating from him.
"That bastard… I didn't kill him!"
Tiger ground his teeth, forcing the words out.
"This news is fake! Someone set me up!"
He instantly grasped the implications.
He was already condemned to death anyway—one more murder charge made no difference.
But this scapegoating meant that what might've been a manhunt for him alone would turn into a butcher's knife aimed at all of Fish-Man Island.
Yet it was already too late. He absolutely could not return home—doing so would only bring even greater disaster.
Sure enough, just as Tiger feared.
In a luxurious palace within Mary Geoise.
Lady Roaribelle, the widow of Saint Colmer and newly installed head of the family, was on the verge of a meltdown.
As the sole eyewitness, her testimony became irrefutable proof.
Why had she survived?
The official story claimed her terrified screams scared off Tiger, who didn't want to attract more guards.
When the guards burst in, they found Roaribelle trembling with a gun in her hands—and Saint Colmer, his chest blown through by a single punch, dead with eyes wide open.
Combined with the shattered remains of a Den Den Mushi at the scene, the story was flawless.
"Useless trash! Every last one of you!"
Though lavishly dressed, Roaribelle's face was twisted like a demon's.
"I almost got killed by that disgusting, lowly fish-man! Why didn't you worthless idiots die along with Colmer?!"
Bang!
She kicked a kneeling CP0 agent viciously with her high-heeled shoe.
The white-suited elites didn't budge, taking the blow without a sound.
Their master was dead; they had failed in their duty—this was a capital crime.
Now Roaribelle was not only the victim but the new family head. Even if she executed them on the spot, no one would dare object.
"Please calm yourself, Lady Roaribelle. The Marines have already dispatched elite forces. That fish-man will be captured soon and brought back alive for you to deal with."
"Alive?"
She kicked again, shrieking.
"You want that filthy blood to stain my carpet?!"
Watching CP0—normally untouchable—kneel like dogs before her filled her with perverse delight.
Though her face still showed rage, a trace of mockery flashed deep in her eyes.
"I never want to see such revolting creatures again! That lowly race comes from Fish-Man Island, doesn't it? I want that island to pay the price! I want every mermaid there collared and turned into my slaves!"
Facing her hysteria, the CP0 agents could only bow and withdraw.
"Your will is law. We will report this to the higher authorities immediately."
Once everyone else had left, Roaribelle returned to a bedroom large enough to house dozens.
The new servants trembled in fear, terrified of provoking her wrath.
The moment the gilded doors shut, the furious Celestial Dragon's expression instantly shifted—calm, as if everything before had been an act.
"Tsk tsk… so this is life at the top of the world. Corrupt, but utterly intoxicating."
She surveyed the room's priceless treasures, casually toying with a diamond necklace worth a fortune.
"Though acting is tiring. I'll have to slowly get used to this sense of absolute supremacy."
She walked to a hidden corner and produced a special black Den Den Mushi.
After activating its anti-eavesdropping function, an invisible wave spread out.
The call connected, projecting Tenma's young, handsome face.
The Den Den Mushi mimicked his expression, showing a satisfied smile.
"It seems your debut was flawless, my Shadow Guard captain."
"Fufufu…"
Catarina Devon let out a strange laugh.
"Admiral, just how far into the future does your scheme extend?"
"Everything is proceeding according to the script."
"This is practically a miracle! Other than you, who would dare target the head of a Celestial Dragon family? You even arranged for me to replace her before Tiger had escaped!"
It was a chillingly meticulous plan.
Months ago, the real Roaribelle had already disappeared, replaced by Catarina with her Nine-Tailed Fox powers.
She mimicked everything—voice, gait, even those nauseating verbal tics.
As long as she avoided Seastone or deactivating her ability herself, no one in this land of blind arrogance could see through her disguise.
"Good. Next, begin gradually devouring this family's resources,"
Tenma said coolly.
"The power you now hold is no joke. Unlike those good-for-nothing hedonists, the Roaribelle family has real influence within the World Government."
"I want you to drive a nail straight into the center of power—to build us a Mary Geoise branch."
After ending the call, Tenma casually tossed the world-shaking newspaper onto the table, in high spirits.
Dressed in a kimono, Toki leaned softly into his arms, her long, elegant legs brushing against his knee.
"Only you could come up with something like this—actually sending a fox onto the altar of the gods."
She gazed at the man before her, younger than herself, eyes filled with haze.
That commanding, calculating aura was like a lethal poison, making her willingly sink deeper—so much so that even her lingering feelings for Oden were slowly fading.
If forced to choose now, she realized in terror that her heart already tilted toward Tenma.
"This isn't scheming,"
Tenma laughed as he pulled Toki closer, then casually drew Robin—who was pouring tea—into his embrace as well.
Robin blushed but obediently rested against his chest.
"This is open strategy. Fortune favors the bold, starves the timid. If you want to stand at the summit of a world crawling with monsters, how can you not dare to bet?"
"I'm looking forward to the surprise you'll bring me once you fully control that family."
"And Fish-Man Island?" Toki asked softly. "By your plan, they're the main target now, aren't they?"
She felt a trace of guilt for the innocent nation dragged into the vortex—but no more than that.
For Tenma's grand ambition, necessary sacrifices were unavoidable.
"Let them suffer for now,"
Tenma said darkly.
"Without storms, how will they know who the true savior is? When even Whitebeard can no longer protect them—that's when I'll step in."
Over the following months, events unfolded exactly as Tenma had predicted.
Driven by "Lady Roaribelle's" manic vengeance and fanned by other Celestial Dragons, the World Government's suppression of Fish-Man Island became absolute and merciless.
It was not only to appease the Celestial Dragons' fury, but to salvage their own dignity.
Fish-Man Island fell from heaven into hell overnight.
Any mermaid who dared surface was immediately hunted down by slave-catcher crews.
The stability once guaranteed by Whitebeard's protection collapsed instantly, as if the world had reverted to the dawn of the Age of Exploration.
Rumors even spread that the next World Conference would expel Fish-Man Island from the ranks of affiliated nations.
The World Government neither confirmed nor denied it—a silent threat in itself.
Several months later, in the Flower Capital of Wano.
Tenma welcomed a group of special guests.
Three tall figures clad in pure white suits and eerie masks appeared abruptly in the Shogun's residence.
Their pallid appearance made them look like ghosts walking in daylight—the Celestial Dragons' sharpest fangs.
CP0.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves. We greet you, General Tenma, de facto ruler of Wano."
The masked man at the front bowed slightly. His voice was cold and mechanical, devoid of emotion, yet his etiquette was impeccable.
"Rare guests indeed,"
Tenma said lazily from his seat, making no move to stand.
"The World Government's lapdogs, abandoning Mary Geoise to guard your masters, and coming instead to my isolationist samurai country—what business do we have together?"
Facing his blunt mockery, the three remained motionless, seemingly indifferent to being called "lapdogs."
"General Tenma jokes. In the adult world, there are no eternal enemies—only eternal interests."
The lead CP0 got straight to the point, his tone brimming with quiet confidence.
"We are here on behalf of the World Government to discuss a major deal."
Before Tenma could respond, he laid down the stakes.
"Regarding Wano's seastone weapons… and the artificial Devil Fruits known as SMILE."
At those words, Tenma's lazy gaze sharpened instantly. A terrifying aura erupted outward.
Boom!
It was as if an invisible mountain crashed down from the heavens. The air in the room froze solid.
Conqueror's Haki?!
This level of pressure… is he a monster?!
The three battle-hardened CP0 agents were horrified. Their knees buckled, and they were forced down onto one knee by sheer pressure.
The floor cracked with a grating sound, spiderweb fissures spreading rapidly.
"G-General… please calm yourself,"
the lead CP0 gritted out, cold sweat dripping from beneath his mask.
"This is not a threat. It's intelligence obtained through underground channels."
As the pressure intensified, their bones creaked painfully, muffled groans escaping them.
"There are informants we planted years ago within the Donquixote family."
At that, Tenma coldly repeated Doflamingo's name.
Only then did the suffocating Conqueror's Haki recede like a retreating tide.
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