Although Mosen knew that theory wasn't very credible, his curiosity got the better of him, and he asked Dragon, "Mr. Dragon, do you know who Borsalino's father is?"
"Borsalino's father? I really don't know. I imagine he was just an ordinary person! If he'd been some powerful figure or a pirate, I'm sure I would've heard about it from my father or another Marine."
Mosen nodded and didn't ask any more. Sure enough, that theory wasn't very credible.
While the two of them chatted, Ohara had already descended into panic. The Five Elders had arrived in secret and confronted Dr. Kuroha, the head of the library. They confirmed that Ohara knew far too much about things it shouldn't have known.
That information absolutely could not be made public. They couldn't risk it, not even a little.
The Five Elders immediately ordered the CP9 members to kill Dr. Kuroha and destroy the Tree of Knowledge. No one on the island was to be allowed to leave alive.
After issuing their orders, the Five Elders withdrew from the Tree of Knowledge.
Following their orders, the CP9 members set fire to the Tree of Knowledge and began driving the islanders away.
"Sir, weren't we ordered to kill everyone? Is it really wise to just drive them away?" one subordinate asked Spandine, the CP9 chief.
"We don't have enough people. Killing them all would take too long. It's better to herd them onto the evacuation ship, then tell the Marines to launch a Buster Call. They'll do the dirty work for us," Spandine replied.
"But, sir, will the Marines attack the evacuation ship?"
"The Tree of Knowledge is already burning. We've gone too far to turn back, and the Marines have no way out either. After paying such a steep price, they won't want to take any risks."
"What risks are you talking about, sir?"
"Idiot! You can't figure that out? The risk of scholars disguising themselves as civilians and escaping, of course. If any scholars get away, the whole world will find out what happened today, and the Marines' reputation will take a huge hit. Just like us, they have only one choice now: wipe them all out."
"I see. Brilliant as always, sir."
"Enough with the flattery! Keep moving!"
As CP9 wantonly burned and destroyed Ohara, Saulo, who had been injured by the Marines and washed ashore on the island, finally couldn't stand by any longer.
Two days earlier, Saulo had drifted to Ohara, where Nico Robin had rescued him.
When Saulo learned from Robin that this was Ohara, his first thought had been to warn the scholars about the Buster Call and urge them to flee.
Unfortunately, it was already too late. Not long after he met Robin, the Marine warships had surrounded Ohara.
Saulo knew there was nothing he could do. Ohara's destruction was all but certain, and as a Marine traitor on the island, he would probably meet the same fate.
Saulo had thought he could face it all calmly, but when he saw CP9 wantonly destroying Ohara, he couldn't help stepping forward.
Back with Dragon and Mosen, two hours had passed without them noticing. Mosen had been floating in the sky for so long that he was getting hungry.
"Mr. Dragon, why haven't the Marines made their move yet?" Mosen asked.
"They're probably waiting for a signal from Spandine, the CP9 chief. He's almost certainly on the island right now, cleaning up the things the World Government doesn't want the public to know about," Dragon replied after thinking it over.
"Can't we go down to the island and take a look?"
"We shouldn't go down just yet. If anyone on the island has strong Observation Haki, they'll sense us as soon as we land. Then we'd be in trouble—Buru, Buru, Buru~"
The sudden ring of a Den Den Mushi interrupted Dragon. He took it out and answered.
"Mr. Dragon, it's done. I rescued them."
"Excellent! Keep Kuma and the others with you for now. They're very important to the future of our Revolutionary Army. Make sure you protect them."
"Understood. I'll arrange for them to stay in the Sorbet Kingdom for the time being. But..."
"But what?"
"Mr. Dragon, two scholars from the archaeology team asked us to retrieve a few books from Ohara."
"What kind of books?"
"Most of them are related to the Poneglyphs."
Dragon fell silent. If they'd been ordinary books, he would've refused without hesitation. But since they were related to the Poneglyphs, he felt it was worth making the trip.
"Do they know exactly where the books are?" Dragon pressed.
"They said the northwest corner of the Tree of Knowledge's lowest level."
BOOM~
Just as Dragon was considering whether to agree, the Marine warships suddenly opened fire.
"Mr. Dragon, the Buster Call has begun," Mosen reported.
Kuma, on the other end of the call, froze when he heard the words "Buster Call." He hadn't expected the World Government to launch one against Ohara.
"Kuma, let's leave it there for now. Please tell the two scholars that the World Government has launched a Buster Call against Ohara. In these circumstances, it'll be difficult for me to retrieve the books. I'll just have to see what I can do."
"I understand. I'll pass it on. Be careful, Mr. Dragon." With that, Kuma hung up.
"Mosen, it looks like I have to go down there."
"Mr. Dragon, I'll go with you! It'll be easier for the two of us to find the books."
"No. It's too dangerous!"
"It'll be fine. The Marines have opened fire, which means CP9 must have left. There shouldn't be anyone from the World Government on the island now.
"Even if the Marines can sense us with Observation Haki, they probably won't do anything to us. We're only trying to protect some books.
"And I don't have to worry about my own safety. I'm pretty good with Observation Haki. Dodging cannonballs should be no problem."
After hearing Mosen out, Dragon hesitated for a moment, then agreed.
Dragon manipulated the air currents and carried Mosen up above the Tree of Knowledge.
Below them, the scholars weren't hiding from the incoming cannonballs. Instead, they kept running in and out of the Tree of Knowledge, which was engulfed in flames.
They carried books out of the Tree of Knowledge and threw them into the water, hoping to save at least some of them.
Seeing the scholars risking their lives to protect the books, Dragon felt deeply troubled. He no longer cared whether he would be exposed. He flew straight down and rushed into the Tree of Knowledge.
"Mosen, go find the books they asked for. I'll do what I can to save as many books as possible." With that, Dragon used his Devil Fruit Ability to lift a large number of books and sent Mosen to the northwest corner of the Tree of Knowledge.
Meanwhile, the moment Dragon landed, Kuzan, who had been on the island all along, sensed his presence.
But Kuzan didn't have time to deal with Dragon right now. He was facing a much bigger problem.
Before you continue