Chapter 153: Then Let

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

On a specially constructed execution platform, Baki knelt on the ground, his wrists and ankles bound with specially crafted stone manacles and leg irons, while two Marine vice admirals stood behind him, ready to carry out the execution at any moment.

Below the high platform.

The three Marine admirals—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—sat in sequence, awaiting the arrival of the Morning Star Pirates.

Below the three admirals sat twenty-three specially assembled Marine vice admirals and hundreds of officers, all brimming with battle fervor and unwavering confidence.

The Marines had deployed such an overwhelming force,

Even if the entire peak Luo Jie Pirates had come to Marineford, the Marines would still emerge victorious without doubt.

Surrounding the execution platform were fifty thousand elite Marine soldiers, fully armed and stationed to maintain order; Admiral Sengoku arranged this precisely to use this war as a trial to forge the Marines.

If they could defeat the Morning Star Pirates, these fifty thousand soldiers would become the backbone of the Marine Corps.

From now on, no pirate—whether a Sea Donghai Donghai Dihuang or a legendary pirate—would ever again instill fear in the Marines.

War is the catalyst for a soldier's growth.

As the public execution time neared, all Marines felt the air grow increasingly stifling, as if even the sea breeze had fled, terrified of the impending bloody battle.

Boom—Boom—

The once crystal-blue sky suddenly darkened with thick, oppressive clouds, like towering mountains about to crash down upon Marineford.

Thousands of lightning storms descended from the horizon like a celestial river spilling from the heavens—liquid, solidified lightning.

"Liquid lightning?"

Kizaru's face grew serious; as a Logia user of the Gura Gura no Mi, his power differed from Akainu's magma and Aokiji's ice.

Light cannot be solidified.

Lightning naturally cannot be solidified either—its appearance now can only mean one thing—

"Barzab's ability has awakened."

As one of the few who had witnessed Barzab's elementalization, Kizaru naturally did not believe the rumors of the Mythical Zoan Lei Shen form.

Is this your confidence, little brother?

Under the gaze of fifty thousand elite Marines, the Eastern Sea Donghai Donghai Dihuang, its dragon-headed red sail ablaze with flame, slowly emerged from the thick clouds.

The Eastern Sea Donghai Donghai Dihuang did not descend to sea level but hovered high in the sky.

Immediately after, three figures clad in black cloaks descended from the heavens and landed on the Marineford square.

At this moment, an unnamed Marine began to explain.

"Captain of the Morning Star Pirates, the Sea Donghai Donghai Dihuang who reigns over the oceans—Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen."

"Vice Captain of the Morning Star Pirates, the legendary world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk."

"Honorary Vice Captain of the Morning Star Pirates, Shi Ji, the Golden Lion, ranked alongside Pirate King Luo Jie and Whitebeard as one of the three legendary pirates."

"Are they insane?"

"Only three of them came down?!"

Karp glanced toward the source of the voice, feeling certain this Marine was a plant hired by that brat Barzab.

Come on, you're a Marine.

Why are you boosting pirate morale?

Yet all Kizaru saw was Barzab staring at the familiar figure on the high platform, about to be executed, frozen in silent shock for several seconds.

Shi Ji noticed and asked.

"What's wrong?"

"Fight first, or rescue first?"

Barzab smiled faintly: "Let the two interns come down and kill a few Celestial Dragon priests first."

Akainu was about to rise when he saw a door open beside Barzab, and a dozen figures wearing glass helmets emerged one after another.

Damn it—Celestial Dragons.

Barzab really is a born-evil pirate brat—what the hell is the World Government doing, how could Barzab kidnap so many…

Akainu shot to his feet, pupils constricted.

He saw that the door beside Barzab was continuously spilling out figures wearing glass helmets, along with the other officers of the Morning Star Pirates.

We're done. Totally done.

Barzab, you deserve to die!

Admiral Sengoku had been stationed on the execution platform.

Seeing the hundred Celestial Dragons beside Barzab, Sengoku's throat moved, his mouth went dry, and he nearly lost his balance and toppled off the platform.

Sengoku understood—if these hundred Celestial Dragons died in Marineford today, his tenure as Marine Admiral would be over.

Madman. Barzab is a madman.

How could he dare?

How could Barzab dare?!

Heavy regret filled his chest; Sengoku paced frantically but had no solution.

Yet what shattered Sengoku even more was—

Xiao Mi Guo, his beloved son Rosinante, now held a butcher's knife beside a Celestial Dragon, hesitating whether to strike.

"Stop! Stop right now!"

"Barzab, we'll release them."

The death of a Celestial Dragon in Marineford is already terrifying—but if Rosinante kills one, his life is finished.

The Marines will never tolerate Rosinante again.

Sengoku suddenly felt overwhelming regret.

He regretted sending Rossinanti to infiltrate Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, and he regretted agreeing to Akainu's request to publicly execute Buggy.

What should I do? What should I do?!

Yellow Peril had intended to use his speed advantage to rescue a few Celestials, but suddenly, behind each Celestial, a long sword of Lei Ting materialized.

"Don't move, Borsalino."

"Yuzhi Xiliu, act."

"Yes, Captain."

Yuzhi Xiliu took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner excitement, but his entire face flushed crimson with exhilaration, and his hand trembling as he drew his blade, Lei Yu.

Kill the Celestials. Kill the Celestials.

Conqueror's Haki, awaken Conqueror's Haki.

As Yuzhi Xiliu drew his blade, Lei Yu, glowing with eerie red light, not only did his own heartbeat accelerate uncontrollably, but the entire Marineford fell silent, the only sound the pounding of hearts.

Boom-dong~ Boom-dong~ Boom-dong~

Boom-dong-dong~ Boom-dong-dong~

Yuzhi Xiliu swung his blade, heads flew, and the blood-spraying skulls, still encased in their glass domes, rolled onto the ground.

Admiral Sengoku, eyes bulging, roared.

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen!! Stop!!"

No one answered Sengoku's roar. The hundred Lei Ting swords hovering behind the Celestials acted like nuclear weapons silencing the entire battlefield, paralyzing the Marines with fear.

To the Marines, the lives of the Celestials were more useful than Conqueror's Haki.

Yuzhi Xiliu let the splattered blood slide down his face; the scorching blood ignited every latent potential within his body.

Yuzhi Xiliu felt his blood burning, his soul trembling, as if he had been consumed by Xiong Xiong flames and reborn anew.

Waves of crimson-black ripples spread outward from Yuzhi Xiliu in all directions.

All the Celestials were stunned unconscious; only Elaine Saint stood frozen, untouched, her eyes wide with shock, her heart in turmoil, yet her gaze burning with anticipation.

Conqueror's Haki, awakened!

Yuzhi Xiliu stood at attention and saluted Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen.

"Captain, loyalty!!!"

Without the Captain's cultivation, how could Yuzhi Xiliu have awakened the qualities of a king? How could he have found such great swordsmen as the Captain, Mihawk, and Master Tenghu to train with?

Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen smiled and nodded.

"You supervise the two newcomers."

With that, Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen stepped forward, his voice quiet but clear, echoing throughout Marineford.

"Did you see that?"

"Awakening the qualities of a king is truly simple."

"Do you want to awaken Conqueror's Haki?"

"Then go kill a Celestial."