Chapter 239: An Execution for a Celestial Dragon?
Dead silence. The only sound was the gentle pop of the mangrove resin bubbles. The Marines, the black-suited agents, and the onlookers in the distance were all frozen, their mouths agape, their minds unable to process what they had just seen.
In the eight-hundred-year history of the World Government... this had never happened. No one had ever even dared to imagine it.
The World Nobles, the descendants of the creators, the self-proclaimed "gods" of the world... were on their knees before a commoner.
"Am I... am I dreaming?" a young Marine whispered, his legs trembling.
"No," an old veteran beside him said, his eyes fixed on the two kneeling figures. "This is not a dream. Look! All of you, look! The World's Greatest Swordsman, Shane... he really made the Celestial Dragons kneel!" If they were truly gods, would they kneel so easily? What gods... what creators... It's all bullshit! They're just a bunch of pathetic mortals, just like the rest of us!
"It's over... we're all dead..." the black-suited agents trembled, a cold dread washing over them. As members of a Cipher Pol, they knew better than anyone what this humiliation meant... and what would happen to the bodyguards who had allowed it.
"Mmph... mmph..." the two Celestial Dragons stared at their knees, their lips trembling with a rage so profound they couldn't even form words.
"Arara... this has gone a bit too far," Kizaru said, finally stepping forward. "That's enough, Lord Shane. There's a limit to how much you can humiliate someone. If you don't leave them with some dignity, this is going to be very difficult to clean up."
He had known this would happen. He knew Shane's temper. The moment the Celestial Dragons had started insulting him, he knew they were in for a beating. Could he have stopped it? Of course not. One Admiral against an Emperor and his top commanders? The Five Elders knew that as well as he did. As long as the Celestial Dragons weren't dead, he couldn't be blamed for dereliction of duty. But this... forcing them to kneel... this was an attack on the very authority of the World Government. If he just stood by and did nothing, he'd be writing his resignation letter tomorrow.
"Hm? What's that?" Shane asked, a look of mock surprise on his face. "Did you just say you want a turn, Kizaru?"
"That's easy enough!" he grinned, and with a flick of his wrist, the crushing pressure of his Conqueror's Haki shifted. The two Celestial Dragons were sent tumbling across the ground, and when they looked up, they were kneeling before Kizaru.
"Hey!" Kizaru's calm demeanor finally broke. He flashed several meters to the side, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. "That's not funny!" This isn't a game! Does this kid have any idea what he's doing?!
"Shane!" he said, his voice grim. "You've had your fun! Let's talk! What do you really want? Money? A Devil Fruit? Just tell me! Or are you just doing all this for your own amusement?!"
"You're right, I am here for the Celestial Dragons," Shane said with a smirk. "But not these bottom-feeding trash. I'm looking for the ones who are even above the Five Elders."
"You mean..." Kizaru's eyes narrowed. "The Holy Knights?"
"Of course. They've been making a mess in my territory lately," Shane said. "And they're so good at hiding. I figured... I'd have to make their relatives pay them a little visit." He snapped his fingers, and Kuma handed him the explosive collars he had removed from the two Buccaneer slaves. He shrank them with a squeeze and casually snapped them around the necks of the two cowering Celestial Dragons.
"Want a ride?" he asked the two freed slaves with a grin. They hesitated, their eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear. Can we really...?
"Fine," Shane said, seeing their hesitation. He turned to Jack. "You're up."
"Yes, Boss!" Jack's eyes lit up. He stomped over and, with a triumphant roar, sat down on the back of Saint Rosward, who immediately collapsed with a scream. "Aaargh!!! My back!!!"
"Looks like one isn't enough," Jack said, scratching his head. He pulled Shalria over and sat on her, too, his massive legs pinning them both to the ground.
"The clock starts now," Shane said, glancing at the watch on Kizaru's wrist. "You have five minutes to get the Holy Knights here. Every minute you're late, I'll take a limb. After eight minutes... all that will be left to take is their heads."
He's going to execute them... in front of the whole world?!
"You're insane!" Kizaru hissed. "Do you have any idea what the consequences will be?! The entire Marine Headquarters will come after you! The Holy Land will tear up the truce and hunt you to the ends of the earth!"
"Let them come!" Shane roared with laughter, a flash of crimson in his dark eyes. "I've been itching for a real fight, Kizaru! If you're too scared, then let those old fossils in Mary Geoise come down from their mountain! Let's see what kind of trump cards the Holy Land is really hiding!"
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
In the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku, Tsuru, a few of the other Vice Admirals, and Garp were all watching the events unfold on a giant projection screen.
"He's going to execute the Celestial Dragons..." Vice Admiral Momonga said with a sigh.
"I want to see it!" Garp laughed, stuffing a donut in his mouth. "Those fat pigs have been getting away with murder for too long! It's about time someone put them in their place!"
"Garp!" Sengoku slammed his fist on the table. "Watch your mouth! The Celestial Dragons are the World Nobles! It is our duty to protect them!"
"Just saying," Garp shrugged. "So what are you going to do? Go stop him yourself? I'm out. My chest still hurts from the last time I traded punches with him."
That was last year... the other Vice Admirals thought, their eyes twitching.
"It's been a minute and a half," Vice Admiral Dalmatian said, his brow furrowed. "What are your orders, Fleet Admiral?"
"Our hands are tied," Sengoku sighed. "The decision is not ours to make. We've reported to Mary Geoise. We have to wait for their orders..."
Just then, the door burst open. "Fleet Admiral! An emergency call from Mary Geoise!"
Sengoku snatched the receiver. "Sengoku," the cold voice of Saint Saturn came through the line. "Mobilize all available forces to Sabaody. The Holy Knights are already on their way, but they will need Marine support."
"Understood," Sengoku said. "But the only Admiral at HQ is Kizaru, and he's already there. Aokiji and Akainu are on assignment..."
"What about Garp?" Saturn asked coldly.
Garp, who had been in the middle of taking a bite of a donut, froze, and began to desperately make "no" gestures at Sengoku.
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