"Stop him! Someone stop him! Stop him, now!"
The smug look on King Aryel XIII's face didn't last even thirty seconds before it twisted into sheer terror. His shrieking echoed through the palace as panic overtook him.
Zephyr, once a Marine Admiral, and during his prime when he still had both arms, had hardly lost any of his strength. Expecting just fifty royal death troopers to stop him? That was pure fantasy.
With each swing of his fist, Zephyr effortlessly flattened the soldiers. He didn't even bother using Armament Haki, his raw power alone shattered their iron armor and sent them sprawling.
Cross, watching from the sidelines, could easily tell that these fifty death troopers trained by the Aryel royal family weren't weak. Their strength was on par with the Marine elite. But having never experienced real combat, they were instantly crushed by Zephyr's overwhelming battle aura. They couldn't even muster half their actual strength.
Then again, it wasn't surprising. The Kingdom of Flevance had been too peaceful for too long. It produced its own weapons and ammunition, was situated near a Marine base, and often hosted World Government transport ships for the trade of Amber Lead products.
In such an environment, what pirate would dare invade? Naturally, these covert guards had no chance for practical combat experience.
But even if they could fight at full capacity, they wouldn't have stood a chance against Zephyr.
There's a reason Marine Admirals are called the strongest combat force under the World Government.
BOOM—!
A wave of explosive force suddenly erupted, hurling soldiers across the floor.
King Aryel XIII and the rest of the royal family looked on, wide-eyed, helpless, as Zephyr rampaged through the elite troopers like a hurricane ripping through fallen leaves. Not even the musket-bearing guards had time to fire a single shot.
"D-Don't come any closer... stay away... stay away...!"
Aryel XIII stumbled backward, trembling, as Zephyr advanced. In desperation, he shoved Queen Bettinas toward him as a human shield.
"Damn you! How dare you—!"
One of the royals, a middle-aged man, suddenly stepped forward with fury on his face. His body began to expand and morph, his head transforming into that of a golden-furred dog, thick yellow hair spreading across his body.
"Oh? A Devil Fruit user, huh?" Cross watched him with interest. "That form... it's probably the Dog-Dog Fruit: Golden Retriever Model."
If he remembered correctly, the man's name was Aryel Bagran, King Aryel XIII's younger brother, and Captain of the Royal Palace Guard of the Flevance Kingdom.
"Bagran! Help me!" King Aryel XIII screamed, clinging to his brother for salvation.
"You Marines have gone too far!"
Bagran roared, his Human-Beast form lunging forward. With one kick, he sent a table flying and charged straight at Zephy.
CLANG—!
A flash of cold steel burst across the hall. The light was so blinding that everyone instinctively shielded their eyes.
Squelch—
The sound of blade meeting flesh echoed softly. As their vision returned, they saw that Cross had somehow appeared behind Bagran, holding a drawn blade, its silver edge glistening with fresh blood.
Bagran looked down in disbelief. A deep, narrow wound ran from his left shoulder to his right abdomen, splitting his chest open to the bone. Blood gushed from his mouth as he dropped to his knees, crumpling to the floor.
BOOM—!
Simultaneously, behind Bagran, and in front of Cross, the thick palace walls suddenly split apart with a deafening crack. The spectators could see clear through the yawning fissure: dozens of walls throughout this half of the royal palace had been cleaved clean through, revealing the night sky and the bright moon hanging overhead.
Cross's single slash had quite literally carved through half the castle.
Hiss—
A collective gasp filled the hall.
Everyone in the royal chamber looked at Cross, terror etched across their faces.
No one had expected such power from someone so young—a Marine who looked like he hadn't even reached adulthood. A single airborne slash cutting through dozens of thick walls... what kind of monster was this?
Several princes and princesses, trembling as Cross stood mere meters away, collapsed in fright. Some even fainted on the spot.
"Attempting to harm a Marine is a heinous crime. In the name of justice, execution is warranted."
Cross turned, flicking the blood from the blade, Kagehide, with a swift motion, then calmly slid it back into its sheath, his voice cold and resolute.
"You can't kill me!"
Aryel XIII's screams were shrill with terror. "I'm the king of Flevance! One of the fifty monarchs attending the current Reverie! You can't just kill me!"
"I have ties with the World Government! They know the truth about Amber Lead!"
"Spare me! I can pay... lots of money!"
"How much do you want?! A hundred million Berries? Three hundred million? Five hundred?! A billion?!"
"..."
But no matter how much Aryel XIII screamed or begged, Zephyr remained unmoved. His fury was absolute.
Without a word, he drew a revolver from within his coat.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Zephyr pulled the trigger six times, unloading the entire chamber.
Aryel XIII slumped into his throne, six bullets lodged in his chest. Blood trickled from his mouth and nose. His lifeless body sagged in the seat.
"Damn bastard. Got off easy."
Zephyr spat in rage, then turned toward the remaining members of the Aryel family.
For someone once known as the "Admiral Who Doesn't Kill," this was the first time Zephyr had ever wanted to.
Cross stepped forward slowly, ascending the platform where the throne stood.
"Zephyr-sensei," he said gravely, "leave the rest of them to the people of Flevance."
"They deserve to know the truth about Amber Lead. For over a century, they've suffered from its deadly disease. Let them be the ones to deliver justice."
Then, turning to the ministers, generals, and soldiers still present in the chamber, Cross said,
"Admiral Zephyr, Count Cross, thank you for exposing the truth about Amber Lead," one of the ministers spoke up, stepping forward and kneeling. "Please, allow us to take custody of the Aryel family. The people of Flevance will judge them."
"...Hahhh."
Zephyr let out a long breath, voice heavy with emotion. "These damned bastards are yours now."
"Thank you, Admiral Zephyr!"
"Thank you, Count Cross!"
Everyone not of the Aryel bloodline was overcome with gratitude. They bowed low, their voices unified in thanks.
What followed was simple.
Now that the truth about Amber Lead had been exposed, the palace guards, royal generals, and ministers rebelled on the spot.
With the death troopers defeated, the lone Devil Fruit user slain by Cross, and Aryel XIII executed by Zephyr, the rest of the royal family had no strength left to resist. They couldn't even escape the palace grounds.
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