Chapter 99: Sabaody Archipelago – The Buster Call Is Issued
"Eric that bastard actually killed a Celestial Dragon! This island is doomed!"
"Get off the island, now!"
"Take all my money—just get me out of here!"
Panic spread across Sabaody Archipelago. Many sharp-minded individuals realized they'd be dragged into Eric 's mess and scrambled to find a way off the island.
...
"Hello, this is the World Economic News. Who is this?" The Navy had finally contacted the news agency.
"This is Marine Headquarters! Tell Morgans to stop the broadcast immediately!"
"Sorry, our president says he's sick and doesn't know anything! Goodbye!" Click.
"Hey? Hello?!"
...
"Darren Eric and your crew of five—surrender immediately!" As soon as Eric and his team stepped outside, a Marine officer shouted through a megaphone.
"Heh, you think I'll surrender?" Esdeath's aura surged. "You're not even worthy!"
Buzz~ A wave of Conqueror's Haki burst from Esdeath. Around 70–80% of the Marines dropped instantly, collapsing like dominos.
Naturally, the scene was captured by the Den Den Mushi and broadcast worldwide.
"What a massive headline!" Morgans exclaimed upon seeing Esdeath knock out most of the Marines with sheer will. "Another pirate with the potential of a king! Prep a special edition—'Ice Queen' Esdeath Feature!"
"Yes, sir!" The reporters got to work immediately.
"But Chief, all we have is her beating Gecko Moria and torturing a Celestial Dragon."
"Hmm…" Morgans considered, then smirked coldly. "We'll wait and see if they defeat an Admiral. If they die, we'll fabricate her backstory however we like."
"And if she's captured, we'll interview her in Impel Down."
Morgans was a businessman—one who profited off the news. He didn't care about loyalty or ethics, only the value of a sensational scoop.
"What did those people do? Why are so many Marines on the ground?"
"Another Devil Fruit power? What ability is that?"
Most civilians watching on TV had no idea what Conqueror's Haki was and stared in disbelief.
Meanwhile, pirates across the New World took notice and raised their assessments of Esdeath.
...
"Damn it," growled a Marine captain who had resisted Esdeath's Haki through sheer strength and will. Sweat dripped down his forehead. "Has Admiral Sakazuki arrived yet?"
"Report: Based on the last transmission, Admiral Sakazuki is about 15 minutes out from Sabaody."
"Then we must stall them for 15 minutes! FIRE!"
Boom boom boom! Small assault cannons opened fire.
"Hmph. Electromagnetism." Eric expertly manipulated his lightning powers, generating magnetic fields to repel the iron cannonballs. He even reversed their trajectories, sending them flying back into the barrels, where they exploded—wiping out the nearby gunners.
"Damn it! Isn't this guy a Logia user?! Why does he have Paramecia-type powers?!"
"Ignorance is terrifying. Either way, you're no match for us. Step aside—don't waste your lives." Eric didn't like the Marines much, but he knew some of them were honest soldiers defending their homes. Killing them all felt wrong.
"Don't be ridiculous!" the captain shouted. "We don't surrender! It's our duty to bring pirates like you to justice!"
"100,000 volts! Volt Switch!" Eric zipped through the Marine ranks like a bolt of lightning. The soldiers collapsed smoking to the ground, unconscious but alive.
"You spared them all. Eric , you're too soft," Esdeath said, mildly annoyed.
"It's reflex. Forget it," Eric shrugged. These guys weren't even a threat.
Outside the auction house, Eric approached the Celestial Dragon's slaves and unlocked their collars. "You're free."
Two of Charlmak's dancing girls cried with joy. "Thank you, my lord! Please take us with you—we never want to be slaves again!"
The Fish-Man slave rose in silence. "Thank you. I am Lant. I would be honored to serve under you."
"No need to be nervous. We don't keep slaves on our ship," Eric said with a smile . "Let's go. Better days await us."
He turned to the mermaid girl—the day's top auction item. "You're free. You can swim back to Fish-Man Island from here, right? Be careful. Don't let traffickers catch you again."
"Yes, thank you for saving my life, Lord Eric . My name is Lanna. Please visit Fish-Man Island sometime!" With that, the beautiful mermaid dove into the sea, her tail drawing a graceful arc as she vanished beneath the waves.
"Alright, everyone on board! We're leaving!" Eric and his team led dozens of rescued slaves onto the Eternal Fearless.
...
At Mariejois, the Five Elders—who often met in private—were now fuming and shouting at Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
"What are you doing?! A Celestial Dragon has been captured and tortured by a mere pirate—live on global broadcast?!"
"I've already dispatched Akainu with five warships to rescue Saint Charlmak," Sengoku replied, massaging his temples, overwhelmed by Eric 's outrageous actions.
"It's too late! He killed Charlmak live on air! Stabbed him through the heart! He's dead!"
"Wha—?!" Sengoku was speechless. He didn't have a TV in his office and hadn't seen the scene.
"Even the Rocks Pirates never did anything this extreme!"
"What now?! The entire world knows a Celestial Dragon was murdered. If we don't respond forcefully, the World Government's authority will collapse!"
"It's time for a Buster Call."
"Agreed. Send three CP0 agents as well. We must capture and execute those pirates—to show the world what happens to those who defy us!"
"Sengoku, deploy ten warships and initiate the Buster Call!" barked the elder with the long beard.
"...Understood," Sengoku said after a pause.
Click. He hung up and turned to his aide. "Summon five Vice Admirals and five more warships. Combine them with the five already dispatched. Launch the Buster Call!"
"Yes, sir!"
...
"Hahahaha..." Eating rice crackers and sipping tea, Monkey D. Garp burst into laughter. "What guts! Those kids really went and killed a damn Celestial Dragon."
His loyal aide warned, "Vice Admiral Garp , you shouldn't say that out loud. Fleet Admiral Sengoku will chew you out."
"Tch." Garp picked his nose. "That's why I'm saying it while he's not here."
Bzzz bzzz bzzz!
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku's orders: Initiate Buster Call!"
"Target?"
"Sabaody Archipelago."
"HQ is closest. Get Vice Admiral Garp !"
Garp groaned in annoyance. "Seriously? Disturbing me while I'm eating…"
"Wouldn't it be better if they escaped? They just killed trash like the Celestial Dragons anyway—saves us the trouble."
"Don't talk nonsense, Garp ! We must capture Darren Eric for killing a Celestial Dragon!" Sengoku roared over the comm.
...
Completely unaware of the disaster he had triggered, Eric followed Jack's compass toward the 20s area of Sabaody.
In his memory, after Luffy punched a Celestial Dragon, Admiral Kizaru had arrived from somewhere around those trees—flying in on a cannonball.
So the incoming Admiral would probably come from there too.
The Eternal Fearless now approached 27GR and dropped anchor.
"Captain, I see a Marine warship. There's a man in a red suit, wearing a peaked cap and a cloak—standing on the bow," Chiron reported, using his farsight.
(END CHAPTER)
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