From the third-floor window of a nearby hotel, Seven took in the entire scene.
In this Pirate World, where the strong preyed on the weak, Seven considered himself extremely lucky compared to these star-crossed lovers.
Though he was an orphan, the old village chief had been kind enough to take him in and raise him. After the chief passed away, the villagers often helped him out. Even though he was frequently bullied by the village ruffians, he had managed to survive.
Then, by an even stranger stroke of luck, he met Captain Roger, awakened a personal system, and was invited aboard the ship, where he gathered all the items needed to activate it.
In just seventeen years, his life had become even more exciting than the one he'd lived in his previous world.
Now, Seven not only possessed a physique far mightier than the Giant Race's, but also a Supreme Grade Sword. He was a top-tier Logia Type user, too, with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
He was also the God of Skypiea, and the future General of Thunder of Wano Country—in other words, Inazuma.
"Praise be to Big Bro System!"
Even though the system wasn't intelligent and had no will of its own, that didn't stop Seven from treating it with reverence. He wasn't some ungrateful scumbag who'd smash the pot after finishing his meal.
For two days straight, Tesoro had shown up at the iron cage every morning and evening on the dot, cheering Stella up with his clumsy jokes.
"Just one more night, Stella."
Tesoro pressed his face close to the iron bars. His voice was low, but his eyes shone. "Once I get paid tomorrow morning, I'll take you away."
"Mm. Make sure you get some rest."
Tesoro had grown up in the slums. His father was a gambler, his mother a drunk, and he'd picked up a gambling habit himself when he was young. Life had been like a murky pool with no visible bottom: the road ahead was dark, and hardly any light could get through.
But just when he was at his most lost, Stella had appeared like a beacon, dispelling the gloom that clung to him and lighting the way when he'd lost his bearings.
For her sake, Tesoro gave up every bad habit and began working day and night, focused on saving enough money to buy her freedom.
Now, hope was almost within reach.
Tesoro had never wanted time to pass faster. As long as he finished tonight's work, Stella would be free of her cage.
The happiness he'd long awaited was within arm's reach.
That night, Stella tossed and turned inside her cage, unable to sleep, while Tesoro threw himself into his work with boundless energy.
But come dawn...
The ransom he should have had in full still fell short, thanks to his crooked boss's deductions.
"Boss, please, have a heart..."
"I'm begging you, please..."
A man's knees were worth gold—unless he'd reached the end of his rope.
Tesoro knelt on the ground, yearning for the crooked boss's pity. But he seemed to have forgotten why the man was called a crooked boss in the first place.
"Get him out of here."
Like a piece of trash, Tesoro was thrown out of the crooked workshop. He tumbled into a roadside stall and landed at the feet of a pair of white skate shoes.
"Sorry." Tesoro hurriedly apologized.
Those shoes looked expensive. Tesoro only wanted to get the money together as quickly as possible; he didn't want to cause any more trouble.
"It's fine." Seven left money for breakfast, then got up and strolled away without a hurry.
Everything he'd seen and heard over the past two days proved an old saying right: misfortune always struck the weakest link, and it always found the most unfortunate people. Misfortune, that little vixen, seemed especially fond of tormenting those who'd already fallen into the abyss.
Sure enough, weakness was the only real sin.
The strong drew their blades and pierced the heavens.
Tesoro might have thought not having enough money was the worst hardship he'd face. He'd never have guessed a far greater, insurmountable ordeal was just about to arrive.
The Celestial Dragons had finally come.
The Celestial Dragons, the World Nobles, lived year-round in Mary Geoise, enjoying endless wealth they never had to work for and privileges above all others.
They considered themselves descendants of gods.
They believed that breathing the same air as commoners would defile them, so they used glass helmets to keep the outside air out.
When the Celestial Dragons arrived on Island 1 of the Sabaody Archipelago, an oppressive silence instantly fell over the entire island.
A large number of Marines sealed off the streets and maintained order. CP members served as security, while guards from the Celestial Dragon's own family stood close by to protect them.
Men and women, young and old, all lay prostrate on either side of the street, not daring to breathe too loudly.
An elderly man trembled as he pressed himself to the ground. Parents covered their children's mouths; their faces flushed red, but they didn't dare cry out. Even pet dogs were held down by their owners, their heads pressed against the cold stone.
The majesty of a god was not to be gazed upon.
In the middle of the street, a fat Celestial Dragon with purple hair and a glass helmet sat atop the back of his slave-carried palanquin, eyeing Stella inside the iron cage by the roadside.
The woman was striking, with dazzling blond hair and long, pale legs. The Purple-Haired Celestial Dragon had seen plenty of women like her.
But he'd never seen a slave locked in an iron cage with such a bright light burning in her eyes—
Hope for the future, a longing for freedom, and a vibrant spirit and hope that hardship had never managed to extinguish.
The Purple-Haired Celestial Dragon's fat lips spread into a cruel, excited grin.
Compared to taking a beautiful body by force, snuffing out hope with his own hands was far more exhilarating.
"Take her back."
His words were light, but left no room for argument. That was the weight of a Celestial Dragon's authority.
"Yes, Saint Elaine."
No one dared step forward in such a situation. None of the Marines even dared show their anger. They were paid a few thousand a month—there was no need to risk their lives.
Only Shipping King Umit, watching from inside the Slave Auction House, muttered to himself in alarm.
"Damn, that slave caught Beelzebul's eye."
Umit panicked a little, but quickly reassured himself. Even a man like Beelzebul wouldn't dare defy the Celestial Dragons, would he?
Probably... not.
"I can't stay here. I have to leave now." Umit could already see the coming storm sweeping across the entire Sabaody Archipelago.
He wouldn't dare defy the Celestial Dragons. He couldn't even afford to get involved. He still had all that wealth to spend.
Umit slipped away without looking back.
In front of the Slave Auction House's iron gate, two CP agents pinned Tesoro to the rough stone pavement, pressing down so hard that his shoulder blades almost felt crushed.
All he could do was watch as chains were wrapped around Stella's neck and she was dragged away.
"Thank you, Tesoro."
"I'm happy just knowing you feel that way." Stella smiled brightly. "I truly feel so happy, Tesoro."
"No!!!"
Tesoro twisted and thrashed like a madman, but he couldn't break free of the CP agents' grip—or of the accursed, cruel chains of fate.
"Stella!!!"
Why?
Tesoro stared in disbelief, screaming the same question in his heart again and again.
He'd already glimpsed the light of freedom. He'd already saved enough for the ransom. He was... he was only one step away from taking her out of this hell!
Why?!
Why?!
"Oh~" Watching the scene, Saint Elaine drew out the word. For some reason, he felt even more excited. "So they're lovers."
"Heh heh heh. Take him, too."
Saint Elaine had thought of an even better game. He wouldn't just crush her hopes—he'd do it right in front of this man, bit by bit, until every last trace of those damn hopes was destroyed.
"Heh heh heh~ Hurry and take them back to the ship."
Tap. Tap. Tap.
A sudden set of footsteps interrupted Saint Elaine's laughter.
From a small alley by the street, Seven came strolling over at an unhurried pace, his snow-white hair gleaming and a black cloak billowing behind him. His hands were in his pockets.
"Stop right there!"
The Marines raised their guns toward him and shouted a warning.
Whoosh—
Red-and-black Haki swept over the entire island in wave after wave. The Marines and CP agents who had been on high alert a moment earlier rolled their eyes back and collapsed unconscious.
Like a phantom, Seven flashed over to Tesoro. "Oi, want to save her?"
Tesoro gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot. "I'll do anything to save Stella."
"Even give up your life?"
"Even that!"
Satisfied with the answer, Seven patted Tesoro on the shoulder. "Watch closely. I'll show you how."
After taking two steps, Seven suddenly turned around.
"Say thank you."
Tesoro stared blankly for two seconds, then hurriedly said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."
In Tesoro, Seven saw the many versions of himself he'd once been.
He saw the version of himself who'd worked nine to five in a daze, never done anything wrong, yet still struggled through a miserable life.
He saw the eight-year-old version of himself, selling fish balls from a stall in Housha Town.
He saw the weak version of himself, who couldn't do anything and could only hide behind Captain Roger.
Without the system, he probably would've been just as powerless as Tesoro against the oppression of fate.
Now that fate had changed,
it was time to overturn this world.
"Oi, you helmet-wearing pig."
The shorter the words, the greater the sting.
Especially when Seven had so precisely described the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons, as pigs in helmets.
Only a few dozen seconds had passed since Seven appeared and knocked out the Marine and CP-agent cannon fodder. Saint Elaine had already been ushered behind his family guards.
"Kill him! Hurry up and kill him!"
Saint Elaine's face flushed red. He clearly couldn't stand being called a helmet-wearing pig. So what if he was fat? Was Seven eating his rice?!
The two Celestial Dragon guards looked grave.
"Are you really going to make an enemy of the World Government? Saint Elaine is from the Nairona Family, one of the noble families among the Celestial Dragons."
Seven's eyes lit up. "Ah↗ ha↘!"
He'd thought this was just some ordinary pig like Saint Charlos, but he'd never imagined it would be such a big catch: the Nairona Family... Could he be a descendant of Imu?
Well, Seven would take this windfall.
Before you continue