Carl knew that he owed this brief moment of reprieve to Galette, as she had stepped forward and pleaded on his behalf.
Seeing Galette freeze up in front of Carl, Poire nudged her with an elbow and softly called out,
"Sister."
Pudding also tugged at the hem of Galette's dress, urging her silently.
Galette glanced back at her two younger sisters, their eyes filled with lingering fear as they kept sneaking glances at Carl.
Ironically, despite being surrounded by Marines, the person who brought the most sense of security to the two was none other than Fleet Admiral Carl.
Carl noticed Poire and Pudding's nervous gazes and offered a faint smile. Just as he was about to speak, Borsalino appeared with a squad of Marines in tow.
Behind them were four individuals dressed in "eccentric attire"—three men and one woman—all looking half-dead.
Carl turned to see Judge and his four children being escorted in chains.
Borsalino greeted Carl with a casual wave before summarizing the situation involving the Vinsmoke family.
Apparently, when the battle began, Judge had led his children away from the wedding venue, heading to the shore in an attempt to flee by ship. Unfortunately for them, the arriving Marine forces had decimated their ship in an indiscriminate bombardment.
Judge had tried to leverage the Vinsmoke family's status within the World Government to secure a warship for their escape. However, the Marines stationed at the shore paid him no heed. Their orders were clear: seal off the entirety of Whole Cake Island until the war on the island concluded—no one could leave.
Earlier, Morgans had attempted to fly out of the area but was shot down by a barrage of cannon fire and was now shackled with Seastone handcuffs aboard a Marine warship.
Judge, unwilling to accept this, had led the Vinsmoke family in a battle against the Marines stationed at the shore. However, among those Marines were three Vice Admirals, supported by elite soldiers from Marine Headquarters. As a result, the Vinsmoke family quickly found themselves at a disadvantage.
When the battle at the center of Whole Cake Island ended, Borsalino noticed the commotion at the shore. With his usual nonchalant attitude and a quip about how "terrifying" the situation was, he swiftly subdued the Vinsmokes.
Apart from Judge and his four children, the other members of the Vinsmoke family had been completely wiped out.
After hearing the report, Carl glanced at Judge, who was now pinned to the ground. Despite his tough appearance, Judge crumbled in the face of death, sobbing and pleading desperately.
"Please spare me! I only wanted to leave this place! I have no intention of opposing the Marines!"
Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji, modified by lineage factor technology, showed no fear of death. They lay on the ground expressionless, occasionally struggling against their restraints.
Reiju, the eldest daughter, struggled to lift her head, her gaze filled with terror and a trace of hidden resentment. Unlike her brothers, her emotional capacity had not been stripped away during the modification process.
She hated Carl—not for sparing her family but for killing her brother, Sanji.
Ironically, when news of Sanji's death at Carl's hands reached the family, Reiju was the only one who grieved. Judge, upon hearing it, officially disowned Sanji from the Vinsmoke family, treating his death as inconsequential.
Listening to her father grovel for his life, Reiju felt a deep sadness.
Carl, on the other hand, was growing impatient with Judge's incessant whining and furrowed his brows.
Seeing Carl's displeasure, Judge panicked and shouted, "Celestial Dragon Admiral! Spare us, and I will surrender all the Vinsmoke family's technology to the Marines, including the lineage factor modification technology! Surely you understand its value..."
"Hmm?" Carl raised an eyebrow, black smoke curling from the corners of his eyes.
Judge failed to notice the shift in Carl's demeanor. Emboldened, he continued, "You see, my children are products of this technology. They—"
Before he could finish, Carl grabbed Judge by the throat and hoisted him into the air with a single hand.
A flame erupted from behind Carl's neck—a hallmark of the Lunarian lineage. Silver sparks of electricity crackled along his arm as he tightened his grip on Judge.
Judge's face froze in shock as he recognized the significance of the fire and electricity. Memories of his research with Vegapunk flashed through his mind—those early discussions about the ultimate potential of lineage factors.
Back then, Vegapunk had mused, "If only we could obtain the lineage factors of the Lunarians—a race said to be divine. Combined with the Minks' powerful traits, the result could surpass even the Ancient Weapons."
"But such power is too much for any human to bear," Judge had argued.
Yet, here Carl stood, embodying everything Judge had once deemed impossible—a living weapon beyond comprehension.
Carl's cold voice broke Judge's stupor. "Lineage factor modification... Is that what you're so proud of?"
Judge could only choke in response as the flames around Carl intensified.
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+250 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg