"Yo~ It's been a while, Nero!"
Rayleigh awkwardly raised his hand in greeting, his stiff body like a waving cat.
Though thick-skinned, being discovered by a junior from ten years ago begging for food was a bit much, even for him.
"His Majesty Nero!!" Kleine, however, had no such reservations. Like an excited husky, she looked at Nero with adoration.
"You rascal!" Nero seemed not to notice Rayleigh. She untied the bomb collar from Kleine's neck like she was discarding trash, then lifted her up.
"Hmm, next time, let's see if you dare to be mischievous again!"
"Hehe! I won't dare next time!" Kleine gave a sheepish smile.
She wasn't bothered by the gruesome scene before her. As a General's daughter, even though she was spoiled growing up, she had seen her father kill enemies many times.
Not to mention, on Winter Island, there were ten gallows personally set up by Nero-kin, where an old person would only be released when a new one arrived.
"Hmm, I won't lecture you. Your father Loerke has been saving it for you ever since you disappeared."
Putting her down, Nero lost interest in playing with these people.
She raised her finger, and countless light bullets shot from her fingertip, accurately striking each person's forehead.
No one ran. Everyone sat in place, heads bowed, as if they had fallen asleep.
Only Rayleigh slowly lowered his Haki-covered hand, which was trembling slightly. Her attack clearly had an extra kick.
"That…"
Nero then acted as if she had just noticed Rayleigh, turning back in surprise, her tone amazed: "Hmm! Isn't this our New Era's Watchman-sama? How come you're in a place like this?"
"Nero…" Rayleigh's expression was a bit twisted. He knew that the events of that year wouldn't be easily forgotten by Nero.
"What is your status? What is my status? Don't act so familiar, address me as His Majesty!!"
Nero lifted her chin, and her dragon tail slammed against the ground with a dull thud.
"Nero, you know the truth. There were extenuating circumstances back then; Roger, after all, didn't have much time left!"
Rayleigh pushed up his glasses, wondering how Hathaway had gotten past this. (Hathaway: Is that why you kept it from us, master and servant?)
But, Roger! Help me out one more time!
The light reflected in his round glasses concealed Rayleigh's expression at that moment.
"It was all Roger! You know that guy is the Captain, after all! I was against it, but with Roger's insistence, no one dared to tell you about it."
"Hmm, even Shanks and Buggy knew the truth about him? Only I and Hathaway didn't know?"
...She finally understood how Hathaway had gotten past this.
"There was no other way! You know how willful he was. No one could go against him on something like that."
"Not to mention, Roger at that time was already a dying man. Who could truly refuse his requests?"
"Otherwise, given our relationship, why would I hide it from you? I… Sigh~ There really was nothing I could do back then. That bastard Roger had arranged everything!"
Rayleigh's bitter tears successfully softened Nero's attitude.
Knowing Roger as Nero did, it wasn't impossible that he had instigated all these things himself.
Although the voyage at that time only lasted a year, for Nero, it was indeed an unforgettable experience.
"Hmm, are they here?" Nero looked back. The outside of the auction house was already surrounded by people.
"I'll leave Kleine to you. I still have other things to do, to stir up a little trouble."
Nero ignored Rayleigh, stepped out, and entrusted Kleine to him.
"Oh! No problem! Leave it to me!"
Rayleigh immediately agreed three times. He knew that with Nero's attitude, it was basically water under the bridge.
Rayleigh was happy to reconcile with an old friend he hadn't seen in years. He had thought his relationship with Nero would be like this forever.
Roger! Even after being buried for ten years, you've helped me again!
Rayleigh wiped away non-existent tears from the corner of his eye, touched… "moshi moshi! Listen, rioters inside, give up resistance and surrender obediently~"
Borsalino held a den den mushi, his voice listless, his soft tone like an overworked employee forced to work overtime.
"Um, Admiral! The den den mushi you're holding is for the warship. The broadcast den den mushi for the auction house is here!"
A Marine soldier beside him carefully held up a purple den den mushi and placed it next to Borsalino.
"I see! No wonder no one inside was reacting!"
Glancing at the den den mushi in his hand, Borsalino calmly put it back in his pocket, unhurriedly taking the other den den mushi handed to him by the Marine soldier.
Just as he was about to continue, the main door of the venue slowly opened.
"Hmm, I've killed everyone in the innermost auction house. I have other things to do later, so there's no need to go through the process."
Before a figure was seen, a deep, demonic aura emanated from the doorway, instantly making the Marines outside realize that this mission was probably not simple.
"Kowai ne! (How scary!)" Borsalino's voice was still soft, but his body had tensed up: "Looks like it's a big shot!"
Nero slowly walked out from the door, and only then did everyone clearly see the newcomer's appearance.
"After I give you all a beating, you can leave. Don't worry! My punches don't hurt at all."
Looking around, Nero's lips curved into a bewitching arc.
"Kore wa! Kore wa! I didn't expect it to be one of the Four Emperors themselves making an appearance!"
Borsalino's eye twitched. It seemed this mission was going to be a bust, and it was quite possible, as Nero said, that he would even get a beating.
"Just to ask, the Celestial Dragons inside…"
"Hmm, all killed!"
"Eh? That's really troublesome!"
Borsalino scratched his cheek. It seemed he couldn't avoid taking action, and even if he did, he would probably get a severe scolding when he returned.
Sigh~ What a terrible job.
Like a teleportation, he appeared behind Nero.
"Speed is power! Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
Borsalino's leg glowed, and Haki condensed on it.
"The power of a dragon can shake heaven and earth, monkey! Feel the might of a giant dragon!"
Observation Haki failed. Borsalino felt as if he had been blindfolded. Nero was right in front of him, yet it was as if she had detached from the world.
However, he watched Nero's body with his eyes, no movement. My speed is faster with this kick!!
The moment he delivered that kick, his left abdomen was violently struck, and his entire body instantly flew backward.
In mid-air, he glimpsed Nero's slowly retracting dragon tail.
It was a tail?
Coughing up a mouthful of blood, a numbing sensation spread through his abdomen. He hadn't even had time to use Armament Haki for that blow.
"Hong dou ni kowai ne! (Red bean paste, how scary!)"
Straightening up, Borsalino was already calculating how much leave he would need to take when he got back.
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