#41 The Celestial Dragon's Fate

"No way... a Celestial Dragon? How can this be?!"

"How could a Celestial Dragon be here... and in such a state!"

The Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, stood flanked by her two sisters, Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold. These two, aside from Hancock herself, were the strongest members of the Kuja Pirates.

Both sisters wore expressions of sheer terror, a stark contrast to their usual fierce and intimidating presence as core members of a Warlord's crew. The source of their fear was none other than the captive Celestial Dragon, Saint Larcher, whom Carlo and Blackbeard had kidnapped and brought onto the ship.

Everything had been going smoothly as the Kuja Pirates looted the large ship. They had started inventorying all the cargo and food, planning to take everything. But then, they found a person with a bubble helmet, dressed like an astronaut, in the livestock area of the rear deck.

It was unmistakably a Celestial Dragon.

However, this Celestial Dragon's condition was pitiful. He was chained up in the livestock quarters, with a bowl of pig feed next to him.

That's right—pig feed!

"Someone... someone actually kidnapped a Celestial Dragon..."

After what seemed like an eternity, Hancock finally managed to speak, her voice trembling as she tried to grasp the situation. She was shaking uncontrollably, far from her usual commanding presence as the Pirate Empress. She looked more like a frightened little girl about to collapse.

What was happening before her seemed like a nightmare—unbelievable and surreal. Even though she saw it with her own eyes, it felt more unbelievable than a dream.

The condition of the Celestial Dragon was beyond horrific. It was worse than inhumane, worse than anything imaginable. He was being kept like a pig, fed pig feed, and shackled with iron chains.

Saint Larcher, in his tortured state, was barely coherent. "Take me away, and I will grant you the highest honor... make you... my Wives..."

"I need to return... to Sabaody... to Mariejois... to have my father execute... those bastards..."

After nearly twenty days of captivity, Larcher had reached his limit. Despite his high status, he had been reduced to eating pig feed to survive, lowering himself beyond imagination.

Hancock and her sisters were stunned into silence, unable to process the reality before them. The situation felt more surreal than any dream.

"A Celestial Dragon... here, being treated worse than livestock..."

Hancock murmured to herself, unable to shake off the overwhelming shock. She had heard about the Celestial Dragon's disappearance from Sabaody, but seeing it firsthand was a different matter.

Saint Leschar, despite his injuries, sensed their presence and pleaded with them. "Take me away... hurry... before those two bastards return. I will grant you supreme glory, I swear!"

In a sudden, desperate burst of energy, Larcher lunged towards Hancock and her sisters, screaming like a madman. His frantic movements frightened them, causing them to stumble back in fear.

Even though he was a chained and helpless Celestial Dragon, the sight of him still terrified the three sisters, especially Hancock. They couldn't muster the will to fight back or even think of retaliating.

Larcher's wild charge was halted by the chains around his neck, jerking him back to the ground, where he lay muttering incoherently, "Help me... how dare you disobey me..."

Hancock leaned against the wall outside the livestock quarters, struggling to comprehend what kind of person would dare to treat a Celestial Dragon this way. Her fear ran so deep that she couldn't even protest the hateful commands of the Celestial Dragon.

Suddenly, a powerful aura swept over them, jolting Hancock back to alertness.

"Conqueror's Haki?!"

Recognizing the familiar sensation, Hancock's eyes widened in disbelief. Was there someone else on this island with the same kingly disposition as her?

"Hey, it's not polite for a guest to board our ship without saying hello to the hosts, don't you think?"