312. Dark Shadow
Bonus 21
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The chilling words echoed, and amidst the onlookers' stunned expressions, a menacing bullhead shark fishman with broad stripes found itself swiftly subdued by Atlas, then crushed beneath his feet.
This... garbage!!!
Hody Jones' initial look of astonishment momentarily froze, quickly replaced by a darkened expression.
Vander Decken IX, this individual showed up when they took control of Ryugu Palace, intending initially to snatch the jade box from his grasp.
However, Hody Jones, armed with the power of the steroid, wasn't so easily thwarted by Decken IX.
As a result, the two factions eventually reached an agreement——
He stood at the forefront, drawing the attention of everyone in Neptune, while Vander Decken IX stealthily moved behind to seize Princess Shirahoshi.
Indeed, the kind of power capable of luring Sea Kings... truly sent shivers down his spine!!!
"Vander...Decken IX?!"
Atlas cocked his head, inspecting the fish-man beneath his feet.
"You wretched Marine, release me at once..."
Bang! ! !
Before he could finish his plea, Atlas applied direct pressure under his feet, his muscles rippling as an immense force surged. Vander Decken IX's body exploded instantly, transforming into a pool of flesh and blood, scattering in all directions.
Boom—! ! !
Before Shirahoshi could respond, a surge of flames engulfed him, the intense heat swiftly vaporizing any remnants of Vander Decken IX, leaving nothing behind.
"Hey!! Jinbei, need a hand?"
Atlas gently stroked Shirahoshi's lengthy pink hair, offering comfort, and addressed Jinbei with a cold tone.
The present circumstances demand more than just physical prowess.
Even though the Devil Fruit brings about a sea curse, it wields remarkable power. At least, Jinbei's physical abilities alone can't resolve the current predicament.
"Are you... that powerful?"
Witnessing the swift defeat of Vander Decken IX, followed by a merciless trampling without a chance to resist, left Hody utterly astounded!
I mean, even after succumbing to the steroid, he could only put up a feeble struggle against Vander Decken IX.
And yet, this very Vander Decken IX couldn't endure a single encounter against this Marine? ! !
Contemplating this, Hody Jones extracted a sizable bunch of pills from his pocket, tossed them into his mouth, and began to chew.
The skin and hair covering his body rapidly paled, a transformation visible to the naked eye. Muscles writhed and contorted, causing his body to swell. Scarlet eyes glared, exposing grinning fangs with an arrogant smile dripping saliva.
"This level of formidable power is truly enthralling!! Jahahahaha!!"
"Now, it's time for you three losers to perish as a tribute to my triumph!!"
Hody Jones suddenly turned, fixing his gaze on the three princes at his feet. He hoisted his thigh high, preparing to land it on Fukaboshi's head.
Buzz—! ! !
A powerful jolt coursed through his mind, causing the world to spin momentarily. Uncontrollable white foam seeped from his mouth. In that instant, he glimpsed -
The tens of thousands of fishmen trailing behind also had their eyes whiten as they slumped to the ground, resembling dumplings dropped from a boiling pot. No one remained standing unscathed.
"What in the world is this kind of power?!"
Hody Jones clung to his consciousness, the conflicting force of the steroid within his body relentless. However, his mind began to blur, and the nerves in his body seemed beyond control.
"I told you, you're just a frog in the well. Now, do you see how different you are from the world?"
This proved to be the last utterance he heard before succumbing to unconsciousness.
The voice sounded like Jinbei...
.....
Grand Line, waters near Sabaody Island.
A lavishly adorned ship sailed leisurely on the sea. Positioned at the bow of the ship was a peculiar creature adorned with a crown, resembling some kind of exotic domestic animal.
The vessel, billowing from the ocean breeze, bore the distinct emblem of the World Government. Black gun ports were evenly spread on both sides of the hull. A man in a black suit, resembling a vigilant bodyguard, scanned the surrounding environment.
Evidently, this is the ship of a significant figure within the World Government.
On the deck, a man donning purple-striped white attire, sporting a transparent glass covering, and with his green hair fashioned to resemble a starfish, bellowed and gestured:
"Hey, you lot, hustle up and bring my cherished chair over here!!"
"Yes!! Saint Mjosgard!"
CP, positioned beside him and poised for action, responded promptly.
Then, without any hesitation, he sprinted over.
After all, this is a world noble. A slight error could cost you your life.
"Saint Mjosgard, do we truly need to head to The Fish Men Island? The Five Elders have already issued the order, and Sabaody Island is already the maximum scope of your activities."
A man in black donning a black and white mask cautiously advised.
This time, they ventured out without notifying the Holy Land, operating in secrecy.
Since Fisher Tiger set fire to the holy land of Mariejois a few years ago, the Five Elders have tightened their grip on the movements of Celestial Dragons, confining them solely to the Sabaody Archipelago.
The New World naturally doesn't dare to interfere.
"What are you afraid of? What can those five old guys do to me?"
"Moreover, it's all because of that detestable Fisher Tiger who allowed all my fish-men slaves to escape. This time, I must go to The Fish Men Island to capture them myself!"
The Celestial Dragons named Mjosgard appeared indignant and then added, "If there are any new fishmen slaves in Sabaody Archipelago recently, you don't need to go to The Fish Men Island."
"Perhaps there were some time ago, but lately, the Marines sent a troublesome individual to patrol the Sabaody Archipelago."
"Although it's not as harsh as the previous method, it's effective in cracking down on the human trade. Combined with the Marines' vigilant measures, it's likely that fish-man slaves will find it challenging to surface in the near future."
CP0 in the black and white mask also offered a wry smile and shook his head.
Following the Summit War, although Marine's mid-level combat capabilities suffered significant losses, its top-tier combat prowess remained unscathed. In fact, a formidable figure like Fujitora had risen to prominence.
The CP division, covertly vying with Marine, suddenly found itself subdued. Naturally, there was some discontent.
"Those individuals from Marine, do they think we, the descendants of the Creator God, are not worth watching!"
Mjosgard seethed for a moment, completely oblivious...
That a dense dark shadow completely enveloped the broad underside of the ship!
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