"Are you only now realizing fear?" Rosen's lips curled into a mocking smile. There was a road to heaven, yet they refused to take it; instead, they barged into the gates of hell.
"N-no, you can't kill me..." Only when Rosen got close did Zody truly grasp the terrifying aura emanating from him. It was as if a reaper was swinging a scythe of death right behind him.
"Your Highness!" The captain of the guards swiftly turned, his blade slashing over Zody's head. With a loud clash, his sword met Rosen's outstretched palm. Though he wasn't sent flying, the impact forced him backward several steps.
This brief moment of obstruction was enough for two guards to escort Zody out of the restaurant at full speed. Rosen didn't rush to chase after them.
Instead, he turned his gaze to the captain. "You stayed behind to cover their retreat? You're making me look like the villain here. Don't forget—you brought this trouble upon yourselves."
"Could you perhaps show some mercy? You are, after all, a Shichibukai. Attacking the heir of an allied nation does you no good." The captain's expression was grim. Now that Prince Zody had fled, he dared to speak his mind.
"If you truly cared about him, you should have advised your master before things got out of hand, instead of indulging him. If I were the weaker one today, would I have had a choice in my own survival? Blind loyalty is not true loyalty. Now, draw your sword—I'll grant you a dignified death." Rosen spoke calmly.
The captain was strong. If he had been determined to block Rosen, he could have delayed him for a short while. That was precisely why Rosen hadn't immediately pursued that foolish prince.
Upon hearing these words, the captain fell silent. Then, he suddenly dropped his sword. "Go ahead. Take my head to quell your anger. But Prince Zody is the only heir of the Andia Kingdom..."
"Shhhk!" A blade of sand pierced his body, scraping past his heart. Rosen's expression remained impassive, his eyes cold and detached.
"I told you to fight back. I'm not interested in your stories, nor do I care about the fate of your kingdom. Do you think I'm the type to listen to reason? You were the ones who drew your swords first. But don't worry—you won't die just yet. Now, run. If your prince truly values you, he might be able to save you..."
The captain froze, his life rapidly draining from his wound. He wasn't afraid of dying instantly, but this slow, agonizing countdown to death filled him with dread.
It was human instinct to fear such a fate. He had his principles, but his failure to directly challenge Zody's wrongdoings proved that his resolve was weak—even he doubted himself.
He dared not waste another second. Clutching his wound, he stumbled out of the restaurant. A deep sorrow welled in his heart. Was he truly just a blind servant?
But Rosen's actions puzzled him even more. If Rosen had no intention of listening to his plea, why not simply kill him outright?
"Boss, why?" Robin asked. "I don't think letting him go is necessarily a mistake, but won't this create more trouble?"
"If trouble comes, so be it. The real issue is delicate—publicly killing the prince of an allied nation isn't ideal. Too many witnesses. But showing weakness would be even worse. Letting the captain go will allow us to see how things unfold, so I can plan accordingly." Rosen frowned slightly.
If he truly wanted Zody dead, there was no way the prince could have escaped. The problem was that killing him in broad daylight would bring serious consequences. His background was troublesome, and Rosen had no intention of putting himself at a disadvantage.
After all, the World Government and its allied nations still ruled this world on the surface. The influence of a powerful kingdom was not something he could simply ignore.
These were practical matters that concerned his safety and future direction. Careful planning was the key to stability. Now, he intended to use the guard captain's survival as a test—was it necessary to eliminate Zody at all costs before he could grow into a real threat?
"Hmm?" As Rosen passed by a nearby iron cage, he noticed that the wounds on the strange human girl inside had stopped bleeding. Their eyes met, and he saw numbness, coldness, and hatred in her gaze.
Judging from Zody's attitude, this peculiar human was likely not contagious. If she carried a disease, the Marines wouldn't have allowed her to stay by his side.
"Armament." Rosen's palm turned jet-black as Haki coated it. He gripped the cage and wrenched the solid iron bars apart. After breaking two bars, the girl had enough space to escape.
She glanced at Rosen but said nothing. Then, in an instant, she bolted away, vanishing in just a few blinks.
"Where are we going?" Pittas asked hesitantly. "Zody already ran away—he probably won't come back for revenge, right?"
Pittas had barely dared to breathe earlier. Zody was arrogant and reckless, but this Shichibukai was even more terrifying. Was he planning to chase after the captain and wipe them out completely?
But Zody was a prince—his kingdom's only heir. Whether successful or not, Rosen risked direct confrontation with an entire nation.
Pittas trembled. He felt as though he had somehow gotten entangled in something far beyond his control. Even though he hadn't done anything, just sitting at the same table as Rosen was enough to bring him trouble.
If Zody decided to settle scores later, there was no way he'd be spared.
Meanwhile, at a nearby Marine base, Zody, now under the protection of two guards, burst inside and began shouting frantically.
"Guards! Protect me!"
His voice was filled with terror and fury, and his shouts echoed through the base. Hundreds of Marines and royal soldiers surged like a swarm of insects.
A Rear Admiral led the Marines, but before he could speak, Zody furiously berated him.
"What is wrong with your Marines?! How dare a Shichibukai attack me? Isn't he supposed to be your obedient dog?! This is outrageous—he must die! All of them must die! I won't be satisfied until they're executed!"
The Rear Admiral was stunned. Shichibukai? But one had just arrived at the base. Why would he attack Zody?
And had this prince lost his mind? It was true that they had been tasked with protecting the heir of a kingdom, but that didn't mean they had to cater to his every whim.
Inside the base, in the highest-ranking office, a middle-aged man in a suit frowned. He was a World Government officer with a rank equivalent to a Marine Vice Admiral.
"Why is there such a commotion outside?" he asked.
Didn't they see he was in the middle of an important discussion with a Shichibukai—Bartholomew Kuma?
"Sir, it's the prince of the Andia Kingdom. He was attacked and is now rallying troops," a guard outside the door reported.
"The Andia Kingdom again? What trouble have they stirred up this time?" Eric scowled. The royal family was a constant headache.
However, they were an allied nation of the World Government, and a wealthy one at that. The taxes they paid annually were substantial.
So, as long as the issue wasn't too disruptive, both the Marines and the World Government had reasons to maintain good relations with them.
"I heard it was a conflict with a Shichibukai," the guard added.
"A Shichibukai?!" Eric instinctively turned to look at the enormous man sitting across from him.
"It wasn't me," Bartholomew Kuma said calmly, offering no further explanation.
(End of Chapter)
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