Life Is Like a Song

Crack!

A crisp sound rang out.

It wasn't loud—just the noise of an ordinary iron lock breaking—yet it spread through the entire arena at lightning speed.

The explosive collar—shattered.

Regardless of how Aiven Lindsey had actually managed to do this, the mere meaning behind the act itself was enough to trigger a massive uproar!

On this day, at this hour, a man named Aiven Lindsey had destroyed the explosive collars around the necks of the Celestial Dragons' slaves.

—And with that, the entire arena was thrown into tremendous turmoil!

The noble lords who had been ordered by Saint Ecowina to forcibly spectate on-site could no longer suppress their terror. They turned and fled!

This arena...

No!

The entire Sabaody Archipelago might no longer be safe to stay in!

Aiven Lindsey's move was tantamount to directly defying the Celestial Dragons. A great battle was inevitable, and it would likely even drag in a Marine Admiral or CP0!

By then, the whole Sabaody Archipelago would erupt into chaos, turning into a battlefield.

They had come to the Sabaody Archipelago to enjoy life, not to die!

Thus, the nobles surged toward the exit, even clogging it up, unable to move forward or back.

None of them wanted to bear the wrath of a Celestial Dragon!

"Vile commoner..."

"Vile commoner!"

In the spectator stands, Saint Ecowina's face was already twisted with rage, his teeth grinding together.

He shrieked, "I gave you a chance to live, and yet you don't even thank me? Is there anyone in this world more merciful than I?!"

"..."

Fisher Tiger ignored those grating words.

The long-lost lightness around his neck left the Fish-Man leader frozen in place, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

He looked up at the man named "Aiven Lindsey" and noticed the bloodstains on the other's face, left by his own fists.

Though he could sense that his punches hadn't dealt any effective damage to his opponent—and that a fair portion of that blood was actually his own—a feeling of guilt still rose unbidden in his heart.

Tiger's expression was awkward, and he didn't know what attitude to take when speaking with the human before him.

So he could only touch his now-bare neck and murmur, "Sorry..."

"Hahaha!"

Unexpectedly, Aiven Lindsey's response was nothing but hearty laughter.

"Don't be so polite. Do I look like someone that petty?"

He turned his gaze to the distance.

Over there, the other slaves were hesitating, unsure of what to do next.

Even the slaves who hadn't yet entered the arena were crouched at the small iron-barred windows, watching this scene unfold within.

Seeing this, Lindsey couldn't wait to try out a newly learned technique. He dashed forward, excited:

"Because I'm having a blast doing this!"

Shwip—!

A single finger thrust out, and the explosive collar around the Fat Uncle's neck was removed.

Then came the third, the fourth, the fifth...

The internal structure of the explosive collars was identical.

So Lindsey's speed at dismantling them grew faster and faster. With just a light touch, the internal mechanisms would break, and the collars would fall off.

After finishing with the slaves on the field, Lindsey directly tore apart the iron-barred windows nearby, releasing all the slaves inside.

Most of them were slave gladiators bought for the arena, living in sunless, hopeless days. Now, they had finally regained their freedom...

No.

One step remained.

A "massive" step, like an insurmountable chasm!

Just as the slaves were rejoicing at the lightness around their necks, a figure had already appeared not far from them.

It was one of the two Celestial Dragon guards, also a member of the CP Organization.

He wore a black suit and carried a sharp sword in his hand.

Both of them were swordsman-level guards, their strength nearly equal, so one was assigned to protect Saint Ecowina while the other stepped forward to quell the disturbance.

"A slave should know their place. Don't cause trouble for the World Government."

The suited man slowly drew his blade, its edge gleaming with a sharp, cold light.

His voice was low as he spoke slowly:

"Know your position. Know the value you were meant to have."

"Overstep your bounds recklessly, and you must pay the price..."

"And you."

The suited man pointed the tip of his sword at Lindsey.

"You've caused trouble for the World Government, so all of you die here."

His tone was calm, radiating absolute confidence.

Typically, Celestial Dragon guards were CP0 members bearing the title of "Strongest Shield," and the fact that these two CP Organization members had been granted such an exceptional post meant their strength was beyond question.

He furrowed his brow slightly and said in a low voice, "Come, let me cut you down."

"Fine, try it!"

Lindsey, upon hearing this, neither dodged nor evaded. Instead, he took broad, steady steps straight toward the suited man.

He walked right up to the suited man, stepping into his attack range.

"A fine sword."

Lindsey extended a finger and lightly tapped the tip of the blade.

The suited man sneered, "I'll cut you down with this very sword."

"Sword?"

Lindsey's face showed bewilderment. "What sword?"

"Huh?"

The suited man froze.

He looked again and saw cracks spreading across the blade of his rare, famed sword.

The cracks widened until, with a crisp clink, it shattered on the spot!

In the blink of an eye, only the hilt remained in the suited man's hand!

"This..."

The suited man stood frozen, then a wave of cold dread washed over him.

He looked up to see Lindsey raising his Zoan-transformed hand, fingers spread wide, reaching straight for his head!

No escape!

In desperation, the suited man could only use one of the Rokushiki techniques—"Tekkai"!

In an instant, his body became rock-hard, but all he felt was the world spinning around him.

Boom!

When he came to his senses, Lindsey had already slammed his head to the ground.

"Tch..."

The suited man tried to struggle, but Lindsey's monstrous strength pinned him down, leaving him unable to move!

"Shh!"

Lindsey suddenly leaned down, mouthing to the suited man, "Listen closely."

The suited man paused, then heard a chorus of roars.

Roars of fury, as if they were rallying their own courage.

Through the gaps between Lindsey's fingers, one of his eyes caught sight of the source—the slaves who had been shouting.

"What... is this?"

"This is life—life that should have been exactly the same."

Lindsey grinned. "Listen. Life is a song, and these lives sing especially brilliantly!"

Because Aiven Lindsey had subdued one of the Celestial Dragon's guards, a small spark of "hope" was born in the hearts of the slaves who had been utterly despairing.

Life, like a song, shines most brilliantly when singing of hope!

Boom!

Lindsey's other fist came crashing down, finishing off the guard on the ground.

Witnessing this, and seeing the slaves who had roared in defiance, Saint Ecowina's expression on the viewing platform grew darker by the moment.

He ordered the other guard to act, and that guard immediately gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist.

Shwish!

The Guard leaped high, charging straight at Lindsey.

Almost at the same moment, Aiven Lindsey jumped, colliding with the Guard midair, flipping him over and slamming him hard onto the ground.

Aiven Lindsey then landed steadily, right on the spectator stands, directly across from Saint Ecowina.

"And you—"

Lindsey reached out, grabbing Saint Ecowina by the throat. Deep in his pupils, a red light flickered. Baring his fanged mouth, he growled low:

"Your life is rotten to the core, grating to the ear, sickening!"