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Chapter 236: Public Execution!
Chapter 236: Public Execution!
Perched atop the giant tree, Sag heard voices and scanned the treetops below, spotting the flying squirrels. A smile crept across his face as he called out, "It's been a while, everyone."
As he spoke, he surveyed the area below.
From this height, Marinford spread out before him, a vast expanse. The great inner bay had frozen over, and in front of it, a massive trench had been dug, separating the Navy and the pirates.
Standing before this trench was a towering figure, over six meters tall. Half of his face was missing, and his chest and abdomen bore a large and small hole respectively. He held a naginata in his hand, his posture erect.
This was Whitebeard.
Even as his life flickered like a candle in the wind, his very presence, like a giant whale in the sea, still exuded an aura that commanded respect.
"Huh?"
In a corner close to the battlefield, Buggy, who had been left unattended with a group of prisoners, was secretly live-streaming. While all other Den Den Mushi had been frozen, his alone remained functional.
Having escaped Impel Down alongside Luffy, Buggy now spotted Sag atop the giant tree and waved enthusiastically, shouting, "Hey! Brother!"
"Buggy?" Sag scanned the area, his eyes falling on Buggy's prison uniform, and he paused, surprised. "Even you ended up in prison?"
...
In Shabondy, as the screen that had gone dark suddenly displayed a comical figure, Robin questioned, "Who's that? He looks vaguely familiar."
"Buggy," replied Lily. "We met him in the East Blue. He's... well, an odd one. Seems he broke out of prison too."
"The Clown Pirate?" Marika furrowed her brow. "Why is he here?"
"Yes, he's also from the East Blue," confirmed Robin with a nod. "I remember now, that peculiar large red nose from his wanted poster. It's quite memorable."
"Who you calling a large red nose?!" Buggy, as if sensing something, glared at the Den Den Mushi, as if glaring directly at Robin.
Robin found herself with a mental question mark, unconsciously looking around.
"That's odd... He's in Marinford, how could he have heard me?" she wondered. "How peculiar."
...
"Boss Buggy, is something the matter?" asked one of the subordinate prisoners, confused.
"I keep feeling like someone's talking about me," Buggy muttered, blinking in bemusement.
"Hey, Buggy, point that Den Den Mushi towards me!" Sag's voice interrupted Buggy's thoughts.
Scanning the area, Sag hadn't spotted anyone else live-streaming; only Buggy and the group of prisoners behind him, holding the live-streaming Den Den Mushi.
"Boss Buggy," one of the prisoners spoke up reverently, "Do you know about the person they call 'Heaven's Disaster'?"
"Of course!" Buggy proudly gave a thumbs up, his mouth stretching wide in a grin, though the missing tooth lent a comical air to his expression. "He's a 'brother' I made back in the East Blue! He saved my life!"
The subordinate prisoners' eyes lit up with stars, their admiration for Buggy clear. "To be brothers with Heaven's Disaster, Boss Buggy, you truly are incredible!"
"Our Boss Buggy is amazing!" they exclaimed.
"Huh? Just Heaven's Disaster? What's so great about him?" Buggy scratched his head, perplexed.
These prisoners were a tough crowd to please; they only really acknowledged the Emperor of the Sea.
While Sag was indeed formidable, that was only true for the first half. Surely these prisoners, recently released after being locked up for so long, wouldn't find him impressive? How would they even know who Sag was?
"Boss Buggy, as brothers with Heaven's Disaster, you may not be aware of his fame, but we have witnessed his might with our own eyes! In Impel Down, he single-handedly escaped from the prison, defeated Magellan, and even caused the destruction of Impel Down! He's incredibly powerful!"
The prisoner continued, "He's the first to ever escape from Impel Down, unlike us who had your help, Boss Buggy."
That was an entirely different matter; the fact that Buggy had led them out of Impel Down was more than enough to earn their worship.
But Heaven's Disaster had achieved this feat alone, and though he hadn't rescued them, the prisoners' respect for strength led them to instinctively view Sag as a formidable figure.
"Huh? He broke out too?" Buggy scratched his chin, turning away so the prisoners wouldn't see the snot dripping from his large red nose.
He recalled feeling a vibration back then in Impel Down; he'd assumed it was a Sea King colliding with the underwater prison. He'd been fast asleep and hadn't paid it much mind.
Just as Buggy turned his back on the prisoners, they found themselves focusing on the figure atop the giant tree—Sag.
"Heaven's Disaster!"
Sen Goku shouted, "What do you think you're doing?!''
"Marshal Sengoku, nice to meet you. I have a bone to pick with your Navy. You treated me unfairly in Impel Down, not giving me the credit I deserved, which wasted one of my Plans."
Sag laughed, "As for what I intend to do, can't you see?"
He paused and turned his head, laughing again, "Ah, that's why there's no reaction. These guys can't see him."
Tied by Sag, Rojwald was suspended at the back of the giant tree, facing forward. From the front, it looked like Sag was alone, holding an iron chain.
Clank!
Sag pulled the chain upward, causing Rojwald's face to turn purple as he was pulled up and knelt on the tree, gasping for breath.
"That's..."
Sengoku's face turned pale, and Garp's expression became solemn.
In front of the trench, every Navy soldier who wasn't pursuing the pirates stared at the scene, their faces drenched in cold sweat.
Smoker's mouth fell open, and the cigar he was biting on fell out.
Next to him, Tashigi covered her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Every Navy soldier who witnessed the scene, without exception, wore a grim expression.
"I will claim the fame that is rightfully mine!"
Sag drew a flintlock pistol from his waist and aimed it at Rojwald's head, his face contorted with rage as he shouted, "Broadcast this execution to the world!"
"Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! You're really doing it, Sag! This is fantastic!"
Donquixote Doflamingo burst into laughter, but his temples bulged with veins, and his grin couldn't conceal his fury, although it was evident he was delighted.
"Tch! Impressive!"
Crocodile, a cigar clamped between his teeth, wore a look of shock on his usually stoic face.
He blew out a puff of smoke and addressed the man across from him, "I've lost interest."
Mihawk also lowered his black sword, glancing at the figure on the giant tree, "Heaven's Disaster, huh? There have been a lot of rumors about him lately. He's definitely a madman."
He had just slashed at Daz Bones, but then Crocodile had engaged him, and Mihawk wasn't particularly interested in fighting non-fencers.
Besides, they were acquainted.
"Hee-hee-hee-hee! You're really going through with this, Sag!"
Gecko Moria spread his arms wide, a sinister smile on his face.
Executing a World Noble? This was beyond his wildest dreams. Was this man bold enough to challenge the World Government to this degree?
Perhaps he was indeed qualified to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kaido. In a sense, the two were cut from the same cloth—madmen.
Only such a bold and fearless man could possess such a heroic spirit, and perhaps that was what it took to reach the top.
"Heaven's Disaster? Is he really going to execute a World Noble?!''
Boa Hancock's eyes, fixed on the scene, widened with astonishment, and her beautiful eyes sparkled with a strange light.
The very existence of World Nobles filled her with trepidation.
The memories of her days as a slave were an inescapable nightmare, not to mention that she was now faced with the sight of a World Noble!
Only...
The World Noble before her wasn't in the lofty position of authority she remembered, but was instead on his knees like a dog before the white-haired man.
This was a scene she had never imagined, not even in her wildest dreams.
Did this man possess such boldness?!
He could rival Luffy!
Hancock had secretly helped Luffy break into Impel Down.
Back then, when Luffy had arrived at Amazon Lily, he had voluntarily covered her sister's back, bearing the mark of a World Noble, and even then, Hancock had felt a stir in her heart.
Furthermore, Luffy was the only person capable of seeing through her Devil Fruit ability, looking at her with pure innocence, free of any lust or desire.
As the user of the 'Love-Love Fruit', anyone who held lust or desire in their heart toward her, or anyone who admired or fell in love with her, would instantly turn to stone.
Only Luffy was exempt.
During their time together, she had fallen for him.
While she believed that, given Luffy's character, he would undoubtedly take action against a World Noble, it hadn't actually happened.
Moreover, there was a difference between hitting someone and killing them.
But now, Heaven's Disaster was about to execute a World Noble!
Just watching the scene unfold, Hancock was trembling all over.
Would he really kill him?
Would he really go through with the execution?!
"Heaven's Disaster! What is it that you want? Let go of the World Noble, and we can negotiate about anything else!"
Sengoku clenched his fists and shouted.
"Too late.
"Grrr!" Sag snarled with a grin, "I gave you four days, and you gave me a perfunctory result. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands."
"By doing this, you're challenging the World Government!"
"As if I wasn't already," Sag scoffed, his gaze falling on the Den Den Mushi aimed at him as he burst into laughter.
"Well then, world, watch closely as I, 'Heaven's Disaster,' Norton Sag, execute a World Noble right here, right now!"
"No, please, no!" Rozwald trembled uncontrollably, his face a mask of desperation. From his brazen attitude days ago to his silence after being reprimanded, his expression now finally transformed into one of pleading and despair.
"I was wrong, I truly was wrong. I won't buy slaves anymore. I'll stay put in Mary Geoia and won't go anywhere else. I have money, a lot of it. I'm a family head and can be of great help to you. The Navy won't arrest you, please spare me, I beg of you!"
Bang!
The trigger was pulled, and smoke wafted from the gun's barrel. The lead bullet pierced through Rozwald's head, sending him toppling backward onto the wooden surface, lifeless.
Blood oozed from his temple, staining the wood beneath him.
"Do I still need your help now?" Sag looked down at the corpse, "The only thing you can do for me now is to help me gain fame, and that's it."
The atmosphere on the battlefield turned silent.
Swords were sheathed, and cannons fell silent as everyone stared at the unfolding scene.
"Gulp," a Navy soldier unconsciously swallowed, his voice piercing the stillness. His body swayed, and the weapon in his hand clattered to the ground.
"He really... killed him," Smoker muttered, his pupils constricting as he clenched his fists.
A World Noble!
The most noble existence of the World Government!
And he had been killed so easily.
But why did he feel a tinge of satisfaction?
He was simply incredulous that a World Noble could be killed, not feeling angry or otherwise.
In fact, he felt a sense of justice in this act.
Just like in Alabasta, the Navy hadn't been able to deal with the Seven Warlords of the Sea due to regulations, and it was ultimately left to the pirates to defeat them.
Back then, Smoker had actually been quite pleased.
And now, regarding the World Nobles, they were indeed guilty. Smoker, being in the Navy, often chose to ignore or not think about such matters.
But it was the truth, and that was why Smoker had preferred staying in the East Blue.
In the four seas, World Nobles rarely ventured, and in the areas under his jurisdiction, their presence was non-existent.
Only there could he truly enforce his sense of justice!
"Heaven's Disaster!!" Sengoku's eyes widened in shock, "You wretched man! Do you know what you've done?!"
His words rang hollow, however, as Sengoku made no move to act, merely expressing his anger.
A World Noble was dead. Aside from losing face, it didn't affect the Navy much.
"Hahahaha! You dared to do it! Sag! Sag!" Donquixote Doflamingo burst into laughter, "Sometimes I really want to kill you myself!"
The death of a World Noble was indeed a refreshing turn of events.
But for someone like Doflamingo, who also possessed noble blood, it was an insult to his dignity.
Though he felt furious, he couldn't deny the sense of satisfaction it brought.
His conflicting emotions waged an internal battle.
"Hahaha!" Whitebeard laughed heartily, "What a bold young man! To kill a World Noble! Even in this new era, there are still men like you!"
While the younger generation might be shocked, the older generation of pirates, starting from Whitebeard's time, were not so surprised.
World Nobles... they had killed them before.
In the God Valley incident, they had clashed with the World Nobles, and during their voyages across the vast oceans, they had taken the lives of World Nobles as well.
It was because of the pirates' existence that World Nobles rarely ventured into the New World and had stopped their so-called 'hunts.'
However, the pirates' actions were often concealed, unlike this young man, Sag, who was publicly executing a World Noble for the world to see through a live stream.
Now, that was truly stirring up trouble.
But that was as far as it would go.
Based on his experience, no matter how big of a stir it caused, it was still just the death of a single World Noble, just like what had happened decades ago.
It wasn't enough to drive the World Government insane.
What would truly give them a headache was what Whitebeard intended to say to the world in his final moments.
(End of Chapter)
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