Boa Hancock's wrists were rubbed raw and crimson where the chain dug into them, the rough metal biting into her skin. The seastone shackles had already drained every last drop of strength from her body. She could only follow the pull of the chain, shuffling step by step, bare ankles scraping against the cold floor and leaving faint marks behind.
The eyes that had once shone like stars were now filled with thick, clotted despair, with not a trace of light to be found. Her long lashes drooped low, hiding the humiliation and helplessness buried deep within them. Just as she was about to be dragged to the bedside, the corner of her vision caught sight of two figures standing in the shadows of the room.
She jerked her head up, her heart tightening painfully. Two unfamiliar men stood there—one in a black close-fitting outfit with a cold, sharp presence, the other with the blue skin of a fish-man and a piercing gaze. In an instant, a horrifying thought slithered into her mind like a venomous snake, chilling her to the bone. "Am I going to be defiled by three beasts today…? Are they this Celestial Dragon's accomplices?"
The swine-like Celestial Dragon noticed Hancock suddenly stopping and staring ahead blankly. His greasy brows furrowed, and he followed her line of sight suspiciously. The moment he saw the two strangers, the leering smile on his face froze. His pupils dilated, and he stood there rooted to the spot.
It took him a long moment to react. Then he shrieked, his voice shrill like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Wh-who are you people?! How did you get in here?! This is the Holy Land of Mary Geoise—you've got some nerve!" The panic in his voice left no trace of his earlier arrogance.
Before he could finish, Shiro had already flashed in front of him.
Smack!
A resounding slap crashed across the Celestial Dragon's face, the sharp sound echoing through the sumptuous bedchamber. The blow was so heavy it spun him in place. His glass helmet shattered with a loud crack, shards flying in all directions, several pieces burying themselves deep in his flabby cheeks.
"Ahhh! My face! It hurts!"
Clutching his wounds, the Celestial Dragon rolled on the floor, squealing like a slaughtered pig.
"Jinbei, this Celestial Dragon is yours. Don't let him scream his head off and ruin our plans."
Shiro cast a cold glance at the wailing man on the ground, then strode quickly over to Boa Hancock and knelt beside her, reaching out carefully to support her.
Hancock raised her head to look at the handsome man in front of her. His eyes were clear and resolute, with no hint of malice, yet she still could not stop her body from trembling. The fear on her delicate face surged like a rising tide. Instinctively she shrank back, clutching the hem of her clothes in both hands as she watched Shiro warily.
"Don't be afraid. I'm not a bad man. I'm here to get you out."
Shiro's voice was gentle yet firm, like a warm current pouring into Hancock's frozen heart. Without further explanation, he tightened his right hand into a fist, scarlet Ryuo Haki wrapping around it, then smashed it down onto the seastone shackles at her wrists.
Crack.
With a clean, brittle sound, the supposedly unbreakable seastone restraints shattered into several pieces and clattered to the floor. As they fell away, Hancock felt her strength slowly returning to her limbs. She had finally been freed from her chains.
Only then did the future Empress of Amazon Lily fully believe his words. The terror in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by deep gratitude. She lightly bit her lower lip and dipped her head in a small bow, her voice catching. "Thank you… for saving me."
"No need to thank me. It was nothing."
Shiro waved it off casually, as if he had done no more than a trivial favor.
"Um…"
Hancock opened her mouth, hesitating, her fingers twisting nervously together.
"Is there something else?"
Sensing her unease, Shiro asked with patient curiosity.
"My two younger sisters, Boa Sandersonia and Boa Marigold, were captured by this vile Celestial Dragon too. Could you… could you save them as well?"
Hancock rubbed her hands together, eyes full of plea and hope as she stared at Shiro, terrified he might refuse.
"No problem. Take me to where they're being held."
Shiro agreed without the slightest hesitation, his tone firm and decisive.
"Okay, follow me!"
Overcome with excitement, Hancock grabbed his wrist and tugged him toward the door, her steps turning eager.
"Jinbei, get some answers out of this Celestial Dragon. Find out where Tiger is being kept, and don't let him play any tricks."
Shiro called back over his shoulder, then allowed Hancock to pull him along as they hurried toward the prison.
"Understood."
Jinbei's reply was low and cold as his gaze fell on the groaning pig-like noble. Rolling up his sleeves, he stepped toward him. A very special "lesson in virtue" was about to begin, and the Celestial Dragon's screams soon rose to an even more pathetic pitch.
Shiro and Hancock sped through Mary Geoise's corridors, passing patrolling guards and Celestial Dragon servants along the way. Anyone foolish enough to try and block their path was cut down without mercy. Shiro's blade flashed from its sheath, cold light gleamed, and bodies crumpled into blood. Not one managed to slow him.
Following behind him, Hancock watched his clean, decisive strikes, and the admiration in her eyes deepened with each step.
Before long, they reached the slave prison.
With a single kick, Shiro sent the heavy iron door flying inward. Dim light revealed a cramped, crowded space. Over a hundred slaves were crammed into the cells, all bound by heavy chains, their eyes dulled and faces steeped in despair. The air reeked of mold and sweat.
The sight made a nameless fury blaze up in Shiro's chest. He drew the Tetanus Blade and swept it through the air. Chain after chain snapped apart with a chorus of clattering steel. The prisoners slowly lifted their heads, staring in bewilderment at what was happening.
"You're free now!" Shiro shouted to them all.
An elderly slave with graying hair staggered to his feet, worry clouding his features and despair thick in his voice. "B-but this is the Holy Land of Mary Geoise… Even if we escape these cells, once we get outside, we'll just be caught again—and then we'll die even worse than before…"
His words stirred murmurs of agreement. Heads bowed all around as the fragile spark of hope that had just been lit began to gutter and fade.
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