The Celestial Dragons—undoubtedly the most untouchable existence in the Sabaody Archipelago.
This is common knowledge.
Whenever one encounters a Celestial Dragon, the proper response is to immediately step aside and kneel in deference.
This, too, is common knowledge.
Belloc and his crew dared to make a move against Brook in the shopping district, and their words and actions carried an unmistakable air of superiority.
This indicated that they had confidence and were unafraid of the legal consequences on the Sabaody Archipelago.
Yet, the moment they saw a Celestial Dragon, these same arrogant individuals immediately prostrated themselves at the side of the road, like ostriches burying their heads, not daring to look directly at the approaching noble.
They simply made the wisest choice.
But Brook had to make a decision just as quickly.
As long as he stepped aside and knelt, he wouldn't cause any trouble for Maude.
Deep down, Brook preferred not to be a burden to Maude, and he didn't have much time to think about it.
"As expected…"
Looking at the female Celestial Dragon approaching him, Brook lowered his voice and solemnly muttered to himself, "I should probably ask if she'd let me take a peek at her panty—∑(Д)—ah, I accidentally said that out loud."
For a brief moment, Brook nearly acted on his instincts, but fortunately, he managed to rein them in just in time.
He quickly averted his gaze from the female Celestial Dragon and swiftly stepped aside.
Just as he was about to kneel to avoid unnecessary trouble, he suddenly felt an intense look of disgust directed at him.
The source of that gaze, naturally, was the female Celestial Dragon surrounded by soldiers and bodyguards.
"What a repulsive thing."
Holding a leash attached to a muscular, chained man, Saint Shalria looked at Brook with undisguised disdain.
If not for his conspicuous afro, the high-nosed noble might not have even noticed him at first.
But once she laid eyes on him, she immediately caught sight of the exposed pale bones of his fingers and face.
Never one to be interested in bizarre oddities, Saint Shalria found the sight utterly revolting.
To make matters worse, this grotesque creature was actually wearing a pair of tinted sunglasses?
A destructive impulse naturally flickered in Saint Shalria's eyes as she gazed at Brook.
From her position, she wouldn't regard Brook as a "rare commodity" that might fetch a high price at the Human Auctioning House.
To her, Brook was simply an eyesore.
And when it came to eyesores, her approach was always straightforward and brutal.
That was—to destroy them outright!
Perhaps sensing his master's emotions, the bubble-helmeted pug at Saint Shalria's feet bared its fangs at Brook from a distance, growling menacingly.
Shalria noticed her pet's reaction, but she had no intention of letting it handle Brook.
She wasn't interested in minor scuffles—she wanted to see Brook utterly obliterated in an instant.
Clink—
Shalria tossed aside the metal collar that had been shackling her enslaved pirate captain. Looking down at him with utter disdain, her gaze was as indifferent as if she were observing an insect.
"That disgusting thing is an eyesore. Crush 'it' for me."
Before issuing the command, Shalria casually pointed at Brook, who had already stepped aside.
Upon hearing her order, the pirate captain, his upper body covered in gruesome scars, slowly rose to his feet. His dull, lifeless eyes flickered with a dangerous glint as they locked onto Brook.
Clinging to his last shred of survival instinct, he only hoped that this skeleton man wouldn't be an opponent he couldn't handle.
Because if he failed to please the despicable woman behind him, she might shoot him on the spot—or worse, detonate the explosive collar around his neck.
With that grim thought in mind, the pirate captain's eyes flashed with murderous intent as he strode toward Brook.
Seeing the enslaved captain approaching with clear intent to kill, Brook, who had been prepared to kneel and avoid trouble, suddenly froze.
The way this was unfolding… it looked like he was about to be attacked.
"Yohohoho, looks like I won't be able to avoid this…"
Brook straightened his knees from their slight bend and solemnly watched as the enslaved captain advanced.
Not far away, Belloc and his crew, still kneeling on the ground, dared not look directly at Saint Shalria, but they had clearly heard her words.
Damn it…
Belloc felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
That skeleton man was one of Disco's prized auction items—a perfect fit for wealthy buyers who enjoyed collecting bizarre slaves.
If the skeleton man got killed here, they would lose a massive sum of money.
Belloc was anxious, but there was nothing he could do.
After all, the one who wanted this rare commodity dead was none other than Saint Shalria, a Celestial Dragon!
Forget about a mere slave-hunting captain—even the Human Auctioning House's highest authority wouldn't be able to change her mind.
"No way around it…"
Belloc sighed internally, resigning himself to the loss.
"Yohohoho…"
Just then, Belloc heard the skeleton man's signature laugh.
Even at a time like this, he was still laughing?
Belloc cautiously lifted his head and peeked toward the source of the laughter.
"What the hell?!"
What he saw was the skeleton man's figure soaring through the air, using the wind beneath his feet to escape.
Belloc was dumbfounded.
The pirate captain who had been approaching Brook was equally stunned.
Saint Shalria, upon witnessing Brook's escape, immediately turned ferocious and shouted, "Don't let 'it' get away!"
At her command, her ten black-suited bodyguards swiftly drew their firearms, sleek in design and far more advanced than standard flintlock pistols.
In one fluid motion, they took aim at Brook's back and pulled the triggers without hesitation.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted as bullets, significantly more powerful than conventional flintlocks, wove a deadly net, sealing off any space for Brook to dodge.
These were the elite guards responsible for protecting a Celestial Dragon—their skill was far beyond that of ordinary marksmen.
Their precise shooting and seamless coordination were not something an average person could contend with.
Brook lacked Observation Haki, and in the instant he heard the gunfire, he didn't even consider turning back to block the bullets.
Due to his unique skeletal body, taking a few bullets wouldn't be a big deal—he could always drink some milk later to replenish his calcium.
What mattered more was putting as much distance between himself and the danger as possible.
With that resolve, Brook ignored the incoming bullets.
But someone else didn't.
Just as the bullets were about to reach him, Maude appeared behind Brook in a blur of motion.
Without hesitation, he unsheathed Shusui and slashed, creating an arc of dark red steel in front of him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The bullets struck the crimson blade, producing brief bursts of sparks before being sliced cleanly in half and clattering to the ground on either side.
With the final bullet deflected, Maude calmly lowered his sword.
The muted sheen of Shusui's blade hovered near his face, just above the guard, framing his cold, piercing gaze.
Saint Shalria met Maude's eyes—eyes forged in the depths of carnage and death.
Her body trembled slightly, her legs turning weak.
It was as if a ferocious lion had just charged at her, its fury crashing into her like a tidal wave.
In an instant, her vicious expression crumbled, replaced by a pale, horrified look.
Brook, having halted his escape, turned in shock.
"Captain… why are you here?"
"I heard from Udyr's men that you ran into some trouble, so I came over."
With his back to Brook, Maude slowly sheathed his sword, his cold gaze falling on Saint Shalria, who wore a bubble helmet, along with the group of soldiers and bodyguards whose strength was passable at best.
His brow furrowed slightly as his eyes shifted to the side, landing on the kneeling figures of Belloc and his crew.
Upon spotting the spiked club beside Belloc, Maude immediately confirmed his identity.
If it were merely a group of slavers from the Human Auctioning House, there wouldn't be much to worry about.
But a Celestial Dragon was a different story.
Especially now, when he was on the cusp of officially becoming a Warlord of the Sea. If he were to harm a Celestial Dragon…
Forget the Warlord title—without the kind of plot armor Luffy had, he'd be executed on the spot by an Admiral arriving at top speed.
So, unless absolutely necessary, Maude wouldn't act recklessly against a Celestial Dragon like Luffy did.
Most importantly, he needed the Warlord title to secure advantages in the upcoming Paramount War.
Brook, despite being a recent addition to the crew, was well aware of these stakes and felt deeply apologetic.
Even though he had obtained Maude's permission to visit the shopping district to have custom-fitted clothes made, the current predicament had ultimately arisen because of him.
"Captain, I..."
"Don't worry about it. This isn't your fault."
As if anticipating Brook's words, Maude cut him off before he could finish.
Brook fell silent.
"Let's leave here first. But before that..."
Maude's gaze turned back to Belloc and his crew, now tinged with a killing intent.
He wouldn't lay a hand on the Celestial Dragon, but the slavers who dared to set their sights on Brook? They weren't getting away.
Meanwhile.
"Not only did you refuse to kneel, but you even dare look at me with those eyes?"
Saint Shalria snapped out of her shock, her pale face now twisted with furious indignation.
Even though Maude hadn't laid a finger on her, she still felt deeply offended.
Consumed by rage, she didn't care that Maude had just effortlessly deflected dozens of bullets with his sword. She pulled out her custom-made pistol and fired at him without hesitation.
Bang! Bang!
The bullets tore through the air.
Thanks to her habit of using slaves as target practice, her aim was surprisingly accurate.
This time, Maude didn't draw his sword. Instead, he extended his right hand, coated in Armament Haki, and caught the bullets midair with his bare hand.
Then, right in front of Shalria and her entourage, he unclenched his fingers, letting the flattened bullets slide from his palm and drop to the ground.
Seeing this, the soldiers and bodyguards paled.
Shalria's eyes widened, her anger flaring even hotter.
"A filthy lowborn dares to flaunt his strength before me?! You lot, kill him now!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
The soldiers and bodyguards charged at Maude without hesitation.
A Celestial Dragon's command was absolute.
Even if it meant leaving Shalria unguarded, they would carry out her orders immediately.
Belloc and his men, still kneeling on the ground, hadn't expected the situation to escalate this far.
Watching Maude directly confront a Celestial Dragon, they mentally sentenced him to death.
Daring to provoke a Celestial Dragon? He was as good as dead!
As the soldiers and bodyguards rushed forward, Maude remained calm. "Brook, head back first."
"Huh? We're not leaving together?"
Brook was taken aback.
While they had indeed angered a Celestial Dragon, as long as they didn't inflict actual harm, Marine Headquarters wouldn't go so far as to dispatch an Admiral over the incident.
If they left immediately, they might be able to escape this mess without serious consequences.
But it seemed like Maude intended to stay behind for something.
That unsettled Brook.
After all, this entire situation had started because of him.
"Go back. That's an order."
Maude repeated himself before stepping toward the approaching soldiers and bodyguards.
Brook clenched his teeth.
Since it had become a captain's order, he had no choice but to comply.
He turned to leave, but kept glancing back at Maude, who advanced toward the attackers.
To his surprise, Maude didn't attack the soldiers and bodyguards.
Instead, he veered off and headed straight for the still-kneeling Belloc and his men.
In that instant, Brook realized Maude's true intent.
"I see..."
Brook had been worried that Maude would escalate the conflict with the Celestial Dragon.
But now, it was clear that Maude was the calmest person here.
Relieved, Brook quickened his pace, intending to return to Shakky's Rip-off Bar and inform Rayleigh and the others.
At the same time.
Maude bypassed the charging bodyguards and soldiers, appearing before Belloc in a flash.
Belloc's heart clenched as he snapped his head up, only to see a shadow, ice-cold and brimming with killing intent, looming over him.
"You..."
Belloc's eyes widened in terror.
Even in this situation, Maude still dared to attack him?
Just how ruthless was this man?!
Disarmed and still kneeling, Belloc had no means to resist Maude's killing intent.
With a swift draw of his blade, Maude severed Belloc's arms in one clean stroke. "Was this done under Doflamingo's orders?"
"..."
Belloc gritted his teeth, stifling a pained groan.
Hearing Maude's question, a flicker of surprise crossed his face. He hesitated, speechless.
"Never mind. Whether he ordered it or not, I'll be paying a visit to the Human Auctioning House."
With that, Maude's blade sliced through Belloc's throat before he turned toward the remaining slavers.
Belloc felt a chill at his neck, his consciousness drowning in weakness.
He knew this sensation—the prelude to death.
As his vision darkened, the last thing he saw was Maude's face—calm to a terrifying degree, yet inexplicably chilling.
This man...
Belloc collapsed, lifeless.
The soldiers and bodyguards who had been charging at Maude froze in shock.
Even Saint Shalria, the orchestrator of this entire event, was dumbfounded.
What... just happened?
She stared at Maude with an expression of sheer disbelief.
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