Going to Sing of Blue Freedom!

"Are you sure?"

Gringo's tone was quite cold, with a hint of doubt, but it was clear he had accepted the outcome. The question was merely a formality.

After all, in the many years since the Vivre Card technology was invented, there had never been an accident.

Gringo disliked Elatin; he found the other's behavior to be erratic.

Although his brother was a formal member of the Divine Knights, Elatin himself hadn't even made it into the reserves.

But a Celestial Dragon dying at the hands of an outsider was something that hadn't happened in a century.

To Gringo, who cherished his honor immensely, this was an insult to them all.

Of course, there were still those who dared to attack Celestial Dragons. Rocks was an example, and the pirates who followed Rocks ashore showed no fear of their status.

It wasn't strange for this group of lawless pirates to do anything if one of them took the lead.

"Hand over our pirate treasure!"

A pirate swung his sword at Gringo, only to have his head pierced by a bullet fired from the side.

"Gringo, what are you doing? I don't want to represent the Manmaya Family at your funeral."

A female Celestial Dragon, holding a flintlock pistol adorned with precious gems, continuously fired at the landing pirates. Each bullet that left the muzzle was wrapped in powerful Armament Haki.

This was also a characteristic issue on the seas: a gunner's strength was inextricably linked to their own Haki.

"How could these scumbags possibly hurt me? Who was it? Who leaked the island's secret? How did these pirates know that thing was on the island..."

"Hey! Gringo, my brother!"

"I know! Divine Knights! All members assemble! Quickly eliminate the enemies before us, then go to Elatin's last known location, find that guy, and then obliterate this island completely!"

Gringo's fighting style shifted from defense to offense, and he even charged into the pirate landing force alone.

"All of you, die!"

"Newgate!"

Gringo's eyes showed no distinction between male and female; everything was a target for his killing intent. As he approached a female pirate, she simply shouted loudly.

"Gurararara! Bakin, leave this to me, you go find those treasures!"

A tall figure instantly appeared before Gringo, and his massive naginata blocked Gringo's charging path.

"We can't hold them! There are too many pirates! Haven't the reinforcements arrived yet?!"

The members of the Divine Knights were holding back some of the monsters from the Rocks Pirates, but the problem was that there was more than one pirate crew here. The Navy's defense line was gradually being broken...

"Reinforcements have arrived! It's Vice Admiral Garp! We're saved!"

"Quickly tell me where Roger is!"

The Navy felt they had received reinforcements, but the purpose of these reinforcements seemed entirely different from what they had imagined.

Meanwhile, in the canyon of God Valley, the energy in the Hex Core had finished charging. The crowd gathered here had various complex emotions in their eyes.

Not long ago, Oran, who had returned, completed the final device checks and gradually connected the core with the external devices.

Elatin, who had been captured, was also tied to a temporarily erected platform.

Those who returned with Oran were telling others about Oran's previous heroic deeds.

"You're saying that thing on the shelf... is a Celestial Dragon?"

"Yeah, it's a Celestial Dragon. We saw it with our own eyes. That guy wasn't weak, and it almost went wrong.

But Mr. Mask was even more amazing; he sliced off a mountaintop with one sword..."

In a corner unknown to Oran, some rumors were gradually becoming more exaggerated. At least Oran himself didn't know when he had ever sliced off a mountaintop.

"Why is that Celestial Dragon's face so swollen?"

"Of course, it was from being beaten. Do you see that shoe print? I stepped on him. The situation at the time..."

Various versions of the story gradually spread among the crowd, but they all agreed on one point: they had indeed captured a Celestial Dragon.

These participants seemed even more excited than Oran himself.

Oran, as the person involved, stood still without a word after completing the facility's debugging, occasionally looking at the timer on his wrist, waiting for the device's charging and other news.

Bang!

A white light streaked across the sky, and a bear-paw-shaped crater appeared on the ground. Before long, Ivankov crawled out from within.

"Oran! The operation was successful! Bear is rescuing the others on the island and told us not to wait for him; we can retreat directly when the time comes!"

Ivankov stood up, covered in dust. Their plan had only been half successful. Although they had obtained two Devil Fruits, the Fish-Fish Fruit was intercepted by Charlotte Linlin, who appeared halfway. Only Bear ate the Paw-Paw Fruit and sent Ivankov back here.

Ivankov's landing seemed to be a beginning. Subsequently, more people were sent back, and some were sent to distant islands by Bear. Bear was saving more people in his own way.

"Perfect timing, I'm also ready here. Everyone! Look here, this is the Celestial Dragon. Can you see anything different about him?!"

At the same time Oran was speaking, more intense fighting seemed to be occurring in the center of God Valley. The clashing of Haki was like rumbling thunder, and the roaring sounds in the air drew everyone's attention. What then startled them was a scream.

On the temporarily erected platform, a bloody light entered their vision. Accompanied by the scream, a sharp blade pierced Elatin's body.

The intense pain brought him back to consciousness. Looking at the crowd below, Elatin wanted to speak, but Oran thrust his sword through his throat, nailing him to the rack.

A gasp erupted from the crowd. Witnessing such an event firsthand was far more shocking than hearing it described.

But it was quickly replaced by a heavy silence, as Oran raised his hand again.

Oran scanned the crowd below. Fear, confusion, excitement, joy, relief – countless emotions surged through the people.

Clearing his throat, Oran spoke loudly:

"Look at this Celestial Dragon, this Celestial Dragon who views you as prey and dust!

He is now, just like you, a fragile human. He is no nobler, no more special than you.

All flesh and blood, they bleed, they too, are afraid!"

Elatin's eyes lost their original arrogance. For the first time since birth, as a Celestial Dragon, he felt the threat of death. The life draining from his throat and chest filled him with genuine fear.

As Oran's words fell, the crowd below began to whisper, a never-before-seen light flashing in their eyes.

Resisting the Celestial Dragons was almost a biological instinct. Even with all escape routes cut off, they hadn't realized that fighting back was an option.

And today, Oran had personally torn apart the myth surrounding the Celestial Dragons in front of them.

"Freedom is not something that falls from the sky, nor is it something given by others! It is certainly not something to be begged for!

Freedom is something that each and every one of us must stand up and bravely resist to obtain.

After today, we may never see each other again in this lifetime. I don't know what the future holds.

Everyone, for a better tomorrow, fight in your own way!"

Squelch!

The blade was pulled out, and blood spurted uncontrollably from Elatin's neck. With the swing of Oran's arm, a head rolled off the platform to the ground. Elatin's eyes were still filled with bewilderment and fear.

He still couldn't understand why the rabbits that only knew how to run suddenly had the courage to resist. If more people like this...

Elatin didn't get to ponder further. His consciousness dissipated at that moment. The last thing he saw was that dazzling blue light, a light leading to freedom.