Within the Figarland Family's domain, Carl heard the cries of the Celestial Dragons from outside and couldn't help but smile at Lucia beside him.
"They're really treating me like their savior now. Funny how even they can beg so humbly when they're desperate."
Lucia replied softly,
"You're the savior of the entire world, Young Master. As long as you're here, the sky itself won't dare to fall."
Carl gently brushed his fingers across Lucia's smooth cheek and said,
"Being a savior doesn't matter to me. All I want is to protect you."
Lucia gazed at Carl with sparkling eyes, full of deep, unwavering affection.
...
Outside, the cries for help from the Celestial Dragons were drowned out by the rumbling steps of Zunesha. Carl said no more—his body blurred into a shadow and vanished. Lucia then spread her wings and soared out of the clan's territory.
Zunesha stared intently at the Red Line, trumpeting excitedly. Atop Mary Geoise, Saint Shalria stood among the Celestial Dragons, biting her lip as she watched Zunesha approach.
Unlike the others, who were pale with fear, Shalria seemed far more composed. She turned toward the direction of the Figarland estate, her heart surging with a sense of security.
Beside her, Saint Rosward looked deathly pale and was shouting for the black-cloaked guards to shield them.
Just as Zunesha was about to charge in, a swirling vortex of darkness suddenly opened in the night sky. In the next instant, Carl's figure emerged from the vortex.
The Celestial Dragons, weak as they were, didn't notice Carl's arrival in the sky—but they all heard his calm voice:
"A beast like you dares run wild here?"
The Celestial Dragons were stunned for a moment, then their faces lit up with joy as they shouted,
"Saint Carl!!!"
Carl ignored their cheers. His eyes swept over the crowd, briefly pausing on Shalria' flushed, excited face. Then, he raised his hand toward the oncoming Zunesha, dark energy surging from his body.
Under the reverent gazes of the Celestial Dragons, Carl's eyes flashed purple. Enormous, deep violet gravity rings suddenly encircled Zunesha.
Crushed by gravity powerful enough to pulverize boulders, Zunesha's legs buckled, and it plunged headfirst into the sea, sending waves towering over a thousand meters into the air.
Carl looked on impassively as a tide of darkness surged from his palm, forming a colossal hand of shadow that slammed down upon Zunesha's struggling form in the water.
"Dark Seal."
Buzz—buzz—buzz!
Not a single splash was stirred. The moment the Dark Seal struck, it cleared the surrounding sea, leaving behind a stunning vacuum zone.
...
Everyone in Mary Geoise, from the Celestial Dragons to the Five Elders, was shaken to their core. Garling gripped his long sword tightly, looking up at Carl with pride glowing in his eyes.
Even the usually composed Saint Nusjuro wore a look of disbelief.
"Saint Carl's power… it's reached this level? No wonder Lord Imu…"
He caught himself mid-sentence, hurriedly closing his mouth and glancing sideways at Garling. But Garling's gaze remained fixed on Carl above, seemingly unaware of what Nusjuro had just said.
...
Suddenly, another Celestial Dragon cried out,
"Look! That beast isn't dead!"
All eyes turned toward the sea. In the void left by the Dark Seal, a thunderous roar erupted as seawater rushed back in. Zunesha lay collapsed, its massive body still intact—sheltered by an enormous straw hat on its head.
It was that straw hat that had shielded Zunesha from the Dark Seal's crushing blow.
Carl wasn't surprised. He had already sensed Joy Boy atop the elephant, knowing he would intervene.
...
Atop Zunesha, Joy Boy now stared up at Carl hovering over Mary Geoise. He raised a hand, and the giant straw hat shrank, floating back down onto his head.
With a firm press of the hat, Joy Boy released a surging wave of Conqueror's Haki, dispelling the lingering dark energy around him.
Crack—crack—crack!
Thick, black-and-red lightning crackled across the sea. Joy Boy's eyes glowed like lightning as his voice echoed across the heavens.
"Celestial Dragons… this time—"
Before he could finish his declaration, Carl streaked down in a beam of black light, appearing before Zunesha in an instant. But instead of attacking, he simply pressed his pitch-black hand against Zunesha's body.
Darkness erupted from Carl's palm, and the golden markings on Zunesha's body began to fade at a speed visible to the naked eye. Without them, Zunesha's skin withered, drying up rapidly.
Bound by the crushing gravity rings, and far too massive to even reach Carl, Zunesha couldn't fight back at all.
...
Joy Boy, of course, wouldn't stand by. Fury exploded across his face as he shot toward Carl, shouting,
"Celestial Dragon! Still so shameless!!"
Carl waited until Joy Boy was in front of him before pulling his hand away. With a cold smile, he caught Joy Boy's punch with one hand.
"Shameless? Compared to someone who hijacks another's body, what I'm doing is nothing."
Joy Boy's face froze, teeth clenched.
"What are you talking about?! Luffy chose this—"
"Ha! You mean to tell me Luffy willingly gave you his body? That rubber face of yours must be thicker than that elephant's hide!"
Carl's words hit like a slap to the face. Joy Boy's expression turned from red to green and back again. With a furious shout, he twisted his arm—releasing a burst of power that knocked Carl flying.
...
Joy Boy's golden eyes flashed as he chased after Carl. But Carl had already steadied himself mid-air. With a wave of his hand, the cursed blade Muramasa appeared in his grip, and he slashed out a jet-black wave of energy at Joy Boy.
Zzzzzzt!
A piercing screech filled the air as Joy Boy blocked the slash with one hand. A flicker of white light burst from his palm, distorting the energy wave before flinging it aside like it was weightless.
Carl narrowed his eyes.
"Even sword aura… You can assimilate something as intangible as that?"
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+150 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg