Chapter 127: Worst Criminal

Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Worst Criminal

The ground of Sabaody Archipelago was covered in lush green grass, stretching out like a vast sea. Sunlight filtered through the floating bubbles, refracting into a spectrum of colors that painted the scene with a dreamlike glow. Yet, this beautiful landscape sharply contrasted with the crimson pool of blood spreading across the grass—a stark and jarring sight.

In the instant that Alex effortlessly killed the Celestial Dragon's guard and grabbed Saint Sharlia's chin, the whole area fell into an eerie silence.

For who knows how many years, the authority of the Celestial Dragons had gone unchallenged. The thought of defying them, much less physically confronting them, was unheard of. And today, that age-old reverence seemed on the brink of collapse.

The heavy silence was followed by a rush of whispers. After one person dared to speak, the murmur turned into a cacophony, the scene becoming as noisy as a marketplace:

"How could he? That's a Celestial Dragon!"

"This is bad. The Celestial Dragons will be furious. We're all going to get caught up in this!"

"We need to escape, leave the island as fast as possible!"

Many people tried to flee, desperate to avoid the inevitable storm that would come from provoking the Celestial Dragons. They knew any involvement with such an event could lead to their own swift ruin.

"Young man, let go of the Celestial Dragon and don't act rashly!"

"Yes, put down Lady Sharlia. If you do, she may show mercy."

"Quickly, release her, apologize, and bow before her!"

Others tried to reason with Alex, hoping to de-escalate the situation. And a handful even rushed toward him, seeking to win the favor of the Celestial Dragons by protecting them from Alex.

These same people who wouldn't even look a Celestial Dragon in the eye dared to rush at Alex, hoping for the tiniest chance of favor. The absurdity of it all was breathtaking.

Farther away, the Straw Hat crew was equally stunned by Alex's sudden boldness. All of them, except for Luffy and the naive Chopper, understood the gravity of attacking a Celestial Dragon. Such an act would certainly draw an Admiral to the island and bring utter destruction to Sabaody Archipelago, leaving no one alive.

Hatchan, kneeling on the ground, murmured in despair, "It's over... An Admiral will arrive soon, and we're finished!"

The mermaid, Camie, was visibly shaken, fearing that in the ensuing chaos, her identity might be exposed, leading her to a lifetime of captivity as a Celestial Dragon's slave.

"It's my fault," Hatchan lamented. "I should've tried harder to get Alex to kneel. Now, it's too late. Alex is certain to be killed by the Navy to appease the Celestial Dragons, and we'll be dragged down with him. We should leave Sabaody before the Admiral arrives—it's our only chance to survive!"

Luffy, already thrilled by Alex's strength, yelled out, "So cool!"

But noticing the anxious looks of his friends, he asked, "What's wrong? Alex is really strong!"

Hatchan, with no choice, painstakingly explained the situation. When he finished, and the others suggested abandoning Alex to escape, Luffy flatly refused.

"No way. I'm not leaving a friend behind!"

To Luffy, the man who had treated him to a meal was already a friend. And, turning to Nami and Robin, he added, "Besides, Nami and Robin don't want Alex to die!"

Meanwhile, Saint Rosward finally recovered from his shock. Realizing that his guards had been killed by a commoner, his own authority disrespected, and even his daughter humiliated, he shouted, his face flushed with rage:

"Lowly human! Let go of Sharlia and kneel to beg forgiveness!"

He raised his cane, which was actually a modified gun powerful enough to pierce even a Fish-Man's body. He fired frantically at Alex, but the bullets stopped mid-air, hovering a meter from Alex, as if frozen in place.

Yet, Rosward felt no fear. Despite Alex's defiance, he didn't believe Alex would dare harm them.

Saint Sharlia, gripped by Alex, felt the same. She struggled, unable to break free, and yelled:

"Vile creature! Get your filthy hands off me! If you let go now, I might spare your pathetic life. Otherwise, you'll die a slow, painful death and be fed to stray dogs!"

Alex took in everything around him, noting the fearful faces of the onlookers. Previously, he might have unleashed his full power without a second thought, leaving none alive to endanger him. But things were different now. Here, he felt no pressure, as nothing could threaten him. So he could afford to be 'civilized'—an ease only the truly strong could afford.

However, he wouldn't let the nearby meddling civilians go unpunished. Using his Unlimited Void, he released an overwhelming flood of information directly into the minds of those who had tried to stop or attack him, leaving their brains irreparably damaged. They would spend the rest of their lives in a permanent coma, never to awaken. Even if healed, they'd fall back into a coma the moment they regained consciousness, as their fractured memories triggered mental collapse.

"Just moments ago, a man named Alex killed Celestial Dragon Saint Rosward and abducted Saint Sharlia—all in plain view."

"The Five Elders demand I dispatch the Admirals immediately, capture the criminal, and publicly execute him to uphold the Celestial Dragons' authority!"

The news left even Garp speechless, but soon he erupted in laughter. "Haha, about time someone gave those Celestial Dragons a lesson! I oughta thank this Alex kid!"

"Garp!" Sengoku snapped. While he'd long known Garp was unpredictable, voicing such a thing was too reckless, even for him. "You can think that in private, but don't ever say it aloud—not even I could protect you!"

Waving him off, Garp replied, "I know, I know. So, who's going after Alex? How about me?"

Sengoku wasn't buying it. "I'm sending Kizaru and Aokiji. I'm not letting you go—you'd probably help Alex escape."

Offended, Garp retorted, "I wouldn't go easy on him! Sure, I think this Alex kid is impressive, but I'm still a Marine. I'd give it my all to catch him. I just want to see the face of the man bold enough to kill a Celestial Dragon!"

Sengoku didn't doubt Garp's commitment, despite his friend's eccentricity. Garp had always been the true spirit of the Marines—the hero of the Navy.

Before long, Kizaru and Aokiji arrived at Sengoku's office and were briefed. Kizaru, with a dramatic grimace, commented, "Oh my, how terrifying! Are all young people this reckless now?"

Studying the image sent through the Den Den Mushi, Aokiji noted that Alex was young, likely in his twenties, yet his power clearly rivaled an Admiral's. Ruffling his already messy hair, he remarked, "Looks like another troublesome one..."

Meanwhile, word of a Celestial Dragon's death and another's abduction spread quickly. Key figures across the world—Yonkos, Doflamingo, the Five Elders, and even the leader of the Celestial Dragons, Im—awaited the outcome of the man who had dared to defy them.

On Sabaody Archipelago, the Navy quickly mobilized, capturing any pirate they could find. The "Worst Generation" heard about the incident, and many were stunned.

Kid laughed maniacally, his grin filled with malice. "Didn't expect another powerhouse besides us 'Worst Generation'—and he even killed a Celestial Dragon! Insane!"

Meanwhile, Bonney, who stopped Zoro from attacking Sharlia, clutched Zoro's collar and snarled, "Who the hell is this Alex guy? Are all of you Straw Hats this insane? Do you even understand what attacking a Celestial Dragon means?"

Zoro shrugged her off, smirking, "If it's Alex, of course he'd pull something like this."

Frustrated, Bonney huffed, "You're all lunatics!"

Other members of the Worst Generation also moved toward the commotion, but none were planning to flee. Hawkins, seated by a fountain, repeatedly drew uncertain results from his divination, his brow furrowed as he read the cards: sometimes they showed a 100% chance of escape, other times a 100% chance of death. "What's going on? Why is this result shifting constantly? Is something interfering with my powers?"

Meanwhile, Alex glanced at Hawkins from afar, releasing and restraining his aura, a faint smirk on his face.

As the ground trembled, waves of Marines surrounded Alex and the Straw Hat crew, guns aimed warily at the man who had slain a Celestial Dragon. Surprisingly, Saint Charloss himself was among them, standing in the rear and glaring at Alex, despite the Marine officers' attempts to pull him back. Charloss shrieked, "Worthless scum, hand over Sharlia!"

Returning his gaze from Hawkins to the approaching Marines, Alex's eyes settled on the obese, pig-like Charloss. It was puzzling to him—unlike Sharlia or the late Saint Rosward, Charloss seemed to lack any redeeming features. Was Rosward's wife unfaithful?

Suppressing a laugh, Alex considered killing the obnoxious Celestial Dragon, but Luffy leapt forward, calling out his signature move: "Gomu Gomu no... Whip!"

With a powerful kick, Luffy sent several Marines flying. The rest of the Straw Hats quickly joined the fray, leaving Alex to stroll leisurely through the chaos. Stepping up to Charloss, he bent close, his voice low and mocking, "What was that, fat pig? Why don't you say it again?"

Terrified, Charloss swallowed his fury. He could tell that Alex wasn't like anyone he'd ever encountered—a man who had no qualms about killing Celestial Dragons. Suddenly unsure of himself, he stammered, "I... I don't care about Sharlia anymore. Just let me go!"

The surrounding Marines and pirates halted, astonished to see a Celestial Dragon trembling and begging. For the first time, they saw the Celestial Dragons as no different from ordinary humans.

Bored by Charloss's cowardice, Alex simply snapped his fingers. With a flick of his wrist, he altered the vectors within Charloss's body, reducing him to dust blown away by the wind.

As the particles of Charloss dissipated, Alex thought, 'Family reunion complete.'

°°°

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