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A strange cry pierced the air, momentarily stunning the busy guards.
Hearing the commotion, several Celestial Dragons emerged from their residences. Upon seeing Noir's face, their expressions morphed into masks of terror.
That detestable man... the enemy of God... the God Slayer!
None of the Celestial Dragons would ever forget that night of raging black flames, the night that Noir, alone, had carved a path of destruction through the slave prison.
More importantly, he had kidnapped over thirty nobles and, in full view of everyone, executed one of them.
The horrifying inferno was seared into their memories. Some Celestial Dragons collapsed in terror, scrambling to escape.
Noir, Devil Blade in hand, said to Blueno, "Prepare the escape route. I'm going to give them a little parting gift."
Blueno, with a grimace, began creating an Air Door, resigned to his role as the getaway driver.
Due to the vast distance, the portal opened slowly, giving Noir ample time to wreak havoc.
He leaped from the tower, charging towards the densest concentration of people like a wild stallion unleashed.
Last time, he'd been hampered by the need to protect his crew. Today, he was unburdened.
The massive shadow beneath him stretched and expanded, ensnaring a large group of guards.
The shadows twisted, and a sickening crack echoed as the necks of those caught within its grasp snapped.
This was the power of his Paramecia Devil Fruit, the "rule" of shadows. The shadows mimicked his movements. But the reverse was also true; manipulating the shadows could control the movements of those connected to them.
Even the buildings caught in the shadows began to crumble and collapse. Several Celestial Dragons huddled in corners, trembling with fear.
Noir, clutching a wrapped bundle, grinned ominously as more guards swarmed towards him.
A red wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him, washing over the battlefield. Countless guards collapsed, unconscious.
"Hum hum hum…"
Noir hummed a cheerful tune as he strode through the fallen bodies. He then raised his sword with a playful smile, cleaving through the door of a nearby building.
Inside, several goggle-eyed Celestial Dragons stared at him in abject terror.
This ruthless man didn't care if you were a Celestial Dragon or not. He was a Devil, a Devil who dared to defy the Gods!
Noir tossed the bundle at the Celestial Dragons. "Here's a little something for the Marines. Be sure to deliver it."
He turned to leave, and the Celestial Dragons breathed a sigh of relief.
But then, Noir suddenly reappeared, flashing back with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."
A flash of crimson light. A chilling sensation in their chests.
The obese bodies of the Celestial Dragons slumped to the floor, each with a gaping hole where their heart used to be, their eyes wide with the finality of death.
Noir flicked the blood from his blade, a look of mock regret on his face. "Consider it a parting gift. A hundred billion Berries for each of Y..."
He finally left the building. From the arms of one of the corpses, the unwrapped bundle tumbled to the floor.
It was the severed head of a Celestial Dragon, the skin flayed and dyed crimson. Carved into the forehead was a message:
35 days remaining.
A brief eruption of chaos, then silence returned to the Holy Land. The scattered bodies and the ravaged landscape bore witness to the swift and brutal attack.
Soon, the blue and white Marine flags appeared on the horizon. A large contingent of Marine officers raced towards Mary Geoise.
If Noir had seen them, he would have congratulated himself on his timely escape.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Hero Garp, Chief of Staff Tsuru, and Admiral Akainu, recently returned from a mission.
This formidable lineup of seasoned veterans, a force to be reckoned with, would have been more than a match for Noir, even a Yonko might struggle against them.
Sengoku surveyed the ruined Holy Land, his heart filled with a mixture of grief and rage that he couldn't express.
Barely a day after the previous attack, that damned Noir had returned!
Why would he come back? Did he think they wouldn't reinforce their defenses?
How dare he?!
Such reckless, gambler-like behavior! That devil!
I will kill you!
Akainu retrieved a severed head from the rubble, his expression impassive.
Garp, seeing it, read the inscription aloud. "35 days remaining."
Tsuru glanced at the corpses on the ground and sighed. "These must be Celestial Dragons as well."
Sengoku adjusted his spectacles, but the murderous intent in his eyes was unmistakable. Waves of Haki pulsed from his body.
"Noir! Damn him!"
Seeing Sengoku's fury, Tsuru spoke calmly. "One of his subordinates has the Door-Door Fruit. It makes him incredibly difficult to defend against. We can't remain passive any longer."
Sengoku looked at her, his voice strained with suppressed rage. "What do you suggest?"
Tsuru's eyes gleamed with intelligence. "Moria is most likely dead, killed by Noir. We've already deduced that."
"And Noir is currently… most likely at Moria's territory."
Sengoku paused, then said, "You're saying he didn't go to the New World, but instead returned to Thriller Bark?"
Tsuru nodded. "Judging by his actions, Devil Noir prefers to do the unexpected. Therefore…"
Sengoku considered her words, the possibility solidifying in his mind.
He'd practically turned the New World upside down searching for Noir, leaving only the Yonko's territories unchecked. Tsuru's deduction made perfect sense.
Sengoku barked out orders. "Garp! Sakazuki!"
Garp yawned. Akainu snapped to attention, his face grim. "We'll complete the mission, Fleet Admiral."
At this point, Sengoku didn't care about slaves, morals, or anything else.
Noir was a grave threat to the Marines. If they didn't eliminate him now, he would become an insurmountable problem in the future.
Garp understood this as well and didn't object.
How much effort he would actually put in, however, was known only to him.
Akainu, the ever-diligent Admiral, and Garp, the veteran Vice Admiral, set off for the first half of the Grand Line with three warships.
Meanwhile, Noir, back in his "home" after his successful raid, stretched contentedly.
This provocation should force Sengoku's hand. A fierce battle was likely on the horizon.
The coming days would be the most challenging Noir had faced at sea.
But if he could endure, if even one of the Celestial Dragons in his possession survived, he could negotiate with the Government from a position of strength, taunting the Marines with impunity.
The World Government wouldn't abandon the Celestial Dragons. Noir had planted a seed of fear in the hearts of those who believed themselves untouchable.
You are not Gods. You are merely lucky to have escaped Noir's wrath...
If the Marines disregarded the safety of the Celestial Dragons and attacked Noir directly, they risked incurring the suspicion and opposition of all the World Nobles.
Time was running out for the Marines...
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