Chapter 98: Sabaody Archipelago – Live Broadcast: Execution of a Celestial Dragon (Part 3)
Esdeath stood before Saint Charlmak. In front of televisions around the world, people saw the figure of a woman with flowing blue hair down to her knees and a graceful silhouette.
But just then, something unexpected happened.
Some of the freed pirate slaves finally snapped out of their daze after seeing Eric slap the Celestial Dragon. They began to panic.
"What the hell are you doing?! Do you realize striking him will bring an Admiral?!"
"Let us go now! If we don't leave now, it'll be too late!"
The ex-slave pirates shouted in protest. Some even tried to sneak toward the valuables Kurumi's clones had collected.
Bang bang bang! Several gunshots rang out. The ringleaders and those creeping toward the treasure were shot down on the spot. The rest fell silent immediately.
"Ara~ Stand over there and behave, or I'll give you something to scream about~" Kurumi added with a playful ghost-face, which only terrified the pirates further.
"...A slight interruption. Please continue."
"Sever the arm." Esdeath swung her rapier and sliced off Charlmak's right arm.
"Mmff!!" The Celestial Dragon shrieked, struggling violently. His chair clattered beneath him.
When no scream came out, Esdeath frowned. "Tch. I'll remove the gag. What's the point of torture if I can't hear him scream? That takes away half the fun."
"Do as you like."
But instead of removing the cloth by hand, Esdeath used her sword to draw a circle around his lips. The gag—and part of his mouth—fell off with it, blood pouring down.
"AAAAAAHHHH!!" Without lips, Charlmak could only scream the same sound, mouth agape and spewing blood mist.
The viewers at home were horrified by the gruesome sight—his lipless mouth wide open, a fountain of blood clouding the air in front of him.
Of course, Esdeath stood a sword-length away, avoiding any splatter.
"Mm… my bad. I only meant to cut out the cloth. Can't hear the rest of his screams now," she said with an almost innocent look.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!" From his expression, it was clear Charlmak was cursing—though no one knew what he was actually saying.
"Hmph!" Eric approached and punched him in the diaphragm. Blurt! A fresh spray of blood hit Eric 's chest as the Celestial Dragon folded like a shrimp.
Esdeath tilted her head. "Why the sudden hit?"
"He looked like he was insulting you. I couldn't help myself."
"Was that… a romantic moment? Like when a boyfriend beats someone up for his girlfriend?" Esdeath beamed with starry eyes.
"Something like that… You may proceed." Eric darted off to clean the blood from his face and clothes.
"How adorable~" Esdeath said, showing zero concern for the global audience as she flaunted their relationship.
"Well then, let's continue…" Esdeath straightened her long leg and kicked Charlmak upright. Her heel pierced his left shoulder and twisted deep into the chair's backrest.
"Now, let's take out an eye…" Her sword circled across his face—out popped a round white eyeball.
...
At that moment, millions were watching the live execution.
"Ah!"
"Eek!" Many women screamed in horror at the gore.
Even some men turned pale, disturbed by Esdeath's ruthless mutilation.
"Woh-hoh! Now that's a headline!" Morgans watched the broadcast he arranged. "For 800 years, no one dared touch a Celestial Dragon—and now that chapter has ended! Not even the powerful Rocks Pirates pulled this off! But this upstart crew has done it!"
"And this brutal execution… It's a declaration of war. This'll need a special edition! But how are you going to deal with the Admiral that follows, Darren Eric …"
...
"Gurararara..." In the New World, the world's strongest man—Whitebeard—saw the broadcast by chance.
"Fearless brat. Sengoku must be tearing his hair out now."
"They did what even we wouldn't dare—talk about reckless," Marco, First Division Commander, remarked.
"The Navy's going to hunt them down now," said Diamond Jozu calmly.
"Gurarara... Reminds me of Fisher Tiger storming Mariejois years ago to free the slaves. But even he didn't touch a Celestial Dragon—he only rescued thousands."
"If they've gone this far, they must be confident in their strength. What foolishly bold little brats..."
...
"Has Akainu arrived yet?!" Sengoku shouted at HQ, eyes wide as he stared at the screen.
"We just made contact. The ship's halfway there—at most 30 minutes out."
"It's too late…" Sengoku groaned, rubbing his forehead. This was a historic catastrophe. The Celestial Dragons would surely come after him personally now.
Charlmak was no longer recognizable. His limbs were severed, and his face was riddled with bloody holes.
He lay on the ground, only the subtle rise and fall of his stomach showing he was still alive. With those wounds and that much blood loss, it was unclear if he'd survive.
"Send more warships! We must capture Darren Eric and Esdeath!"
...
Not yet the king of Dressrosa, Donquixote Doflamingo also watched the broadcast. Given his information network, he was bound to see it.
"Hehehehehe…" Doflamingo laughed in fury. "I'm so mad I'm laughing."
"Doffy, they did that at one of our auction houses... Think you'll lose your Warlord title?" asked Trebol, snot dripping from both nostrils.
"We'll deny ownership of that branch. If I wasn't busy planning to take Dressrosa, I'd make them pay personally." Doflamingo's bulging veins made his anger obvious.
"Well, let's gather some intel on them. When they reach the New World, we'll teach them a lesson. Behihihihi..." Trebol snorted and sucked up his dripping snot, only for it to slide back out again.
...
Back at the broadcast—no, the auction house.
Esdeath's systematic mutilation left Charlmak on the brink of death. He couldn't even scream anymore—his voice rasped, and he was breathing faintly.
"I'll deliver the final blow," Eric said, freshly cleaned, stepping back into view with a blade.
"He's too far gone. Wouldn't letting him die slowly be worse?"
"No. That would leave the responsibility of killing him on you. I want to bear it myself."
"That'll make you the Admirals' number one target. You're making me fall for you again." Esdeath looked at him with affection.
[Esdeath's affection increased. Bond level unchanged]
'If the bond level's not going up, quit reminding me,' Eric thought.
"I am Darren Eric . Remember the name—and take it with you to hell." Eric plunged his blade into Charlmak's chest, driving it through his heart and into the floor beneath.
[Ding... Achievement Unlocked: "Dragonslayer" – 5 Points (Killed a World Noble Celestial Dragon. Hated by the Celestial Dragons)]
[Ding... Hidden Achievement Unlocked: "Unprecedented" – 7 Points (Completed a feat no one has accomplished in 800 years: killing a Celestial Dragon)]
"Now then... all of you." Eric turned to the nobles below the stage.
Thanks to Esdeath's savage display, many of them had wet themselves. The smell of urine filled the air.
"Freeze them."
Esdeath sighed. "What a shame. I wanted to play with them more. Freeze!"
A trail of ice swept through the hall. In the blink of an eye, all the nobles became lifelike ice sculptures, their final expressions frozen forever.
[Ding... Achievement Unlocked: "Massacre Maker" – 5 Points (Publicly executed large numbers of nobles and kings from allied nations. Hated by the World Government and its allies)]
The global audience now truly understood who the "Ice Queen" Esdeath was—a savage pirate who murdered nobles and kings without blinking.
"Well, it's time to go." Eric gathered the massive pile of treasure from the stage and prepared to leave.
Bzzzt! He used the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to blast open the frozen door. The Den Den Mushi followed, camera still rolling.
"You can go now too." Hearing this, the freed slaves who had waited anxiously rushed out in a panic.
Suddenly, gunfire and screaming erupted from outside.
"Tch. Don't they know it's surrounded out there?" Eric muttered and walked to the exit, the others close behind.
"Stay behind us—keep your distance, and don't get hit." The rescued slaves nervously followed Eric 's team. The earlier execution had left them terrified.
Inside the auction house, only two people remained alive—the nobleman and the rich woman who had been interviewed.
(END CHAPTER)
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