Anger

Kuzan frowned as he watched the figure vanish before his eyes. His Observation Haki spread through the surroundings, yet he could not detect even a trace of Ye Qiong.

Only the ice crystals around him gave off a white chill beneath the sunlight.

"My, my. Long-range teleportation? He really managed to take someone and escape. What a headache." Kuzan shrugged helplessly, though he did not seem particularly concerned.

In the woods two miles away, an injured elk fled in panic. A neat wound lay across its back, as though a sharp weapon had pierced it. Blood streamed constantly from the wound, spurting out with every leap.

Silver light flashed, and Ye Qiong suddenly appeared beside the elk with Olvia.

With a thud, he collapsed awkwardly to the ground, and Olvia fell free beside him.

Pain slowly spread through every inch of his body!

This was the backlash from overusing his Devil Fruit ability.

Ye Qiong gritted his teeth, one hand clutching his violently pounding heart while the other struggled to push himself up. He hoisted Olvia onto his back once more.

"One... one more time..."

He could already sense Robin's Space Mark with overwhelming clarity.

"If I don't hurry, I won't make it in time!"

He panted heavily. The traces of frost from earlier had long since melted against his scorching body, and he could not tell whether sweat or melted ice had soaked his clothes.

"Silver Flash!"

Ye Qiong gritted his teeth and jumped through space once more with Olvia.

The Tree of Omniscience.

Sunlight was blocked by its luxuriant branches and leaves, and cool shade fell over the green grass. A gentle breeze drifted through the air, seeming to accompany the ancient tree that appeared to have stood since time immemorial.

"Kill him! He knows too much!" An aged, cold voice rang out, filled with murderous intent.

Bang!

A sharp, resounding gunshot followed, utterly shattering the tranquil atmosphere.

The scholars stared in horror, mouths agape. They had never imagined that the government official before them would act with such ruthless decisiveness!

Dr. Clover, who stood before the scholars, fell stiffly backward. Crimson blood blossomed across his chest like a flower.

"Doctor!" Robin and the scholars behind him surged forward, gathering around Dr. Clover.

CP9 commander Spandine smiled smugly. A wisp of smoke still rose from the pistol in his hand. "See that? This is what awaits you!"

"All personnel, listen up! The Ohara scholars are studying ancient writing in an attempt to create demons! Kill them all! Leave no one alive!"

He shouted the order and finally pressed the red button on the golden snail's back.

Dr. Clover, his face twisted in pain, saw this and his expression changed.

The black-uniformed subordinates behind Spandine rushed forward with their guns, about to gun down the scholars.

"Sir! What should we do with the girl in there?"

"Hm?" Spandine glanced at Robin, considered for a moment, then said in an icy tone, "She heard something she shouldn't have. Kill her too!"

"Yes!"

The men in black raised their guns at the unarmed scholars.

"How dare you commit such an atrocity!" Dr. Clover coughed up blood and roared in fury.

"You brought this upon yourselves by trying to create demons." Spandine was utterly indifferent. As long as they pinned some fabricated crime on them, hunting them down would be perfectly justified!

As long as everyone died, no one in the world would ever learn of this!

Just as they were about to pull the triggers, silver light tore through the void. Ye Qiong appeared on the grass with Olvia, and both crashed to the ground.

The scholars froze, as did the government officials, staring at Ye Qiong and Olvia who had appeared so suddenly.

"Qiong!" Robin, her eyes brimming with tears, was the first to rush forward and hug Ye Qiong as he lay on the ground.

"Hahaha, I made it back, Robin."

Ye Qiong wrapped an arm around her and laughed, though his eyes had turned moist.

He had truly been afraid!

Afraid of losing the only person in the world he cherished, the girl in his arms!

Afraid that even with teleportation, he would still arrive too late to prevent a parting between life and death!

"Robin, the woman beside me is your mother. I brought her back for you." Ye Qiong smiled as he got to his feet and helped Olvia up.

"Is... is that really true?" Robin's body trembled slightly as she stared straight at Olvia.

You must be happy, Robin.

Ye Qiong sighed softly. His gaze swept across the area, but when he saw Dr. Clover lying in a pool of blood nearby, his expression abruptly changed.

"Doctor!" Ye Qiong hurried over and supported his back, which was gradually going limp.

Dr. Clover had not only taken great care of Robin since she was young, but had also treated Ye Qiong very well over the past few years. He was a scholar Ye Qiong deeply respected.

"Ye, you... hurry and take Robin away from here. Otherwise, it will all be too late!"

Before Dr. Clover had finished speaking, several shells tore through the sky and landed directly on the surrounding grass. Flames burst forth, and dirt scattered everywhere.

Ye Qiong looked toward where the shells had come from.

They had been fired from beyond the eastern shore.

The Buster Call had already begun.

"Damn it! We're still on the island! Why are they attacking us too?"

Spandine cursed as he waved his hand. "Forget them. We need to get out of here now!"

"Wait..." Ye Qiong calmly lowered Dr. Clover to the ground, then turned toward him with a cold expression. "Do you really think you can leave here unharmed?"

"Brat, what are you trying to do?" Spandine glared furiously and pointed at Ye Qiong. "Kill him!"

Ye Qiong sneered. The combat-capable CP9 members were not here. The two who had gone after Olvia had yet to return, and these pathetic lackeys alone...

"R Restraint!"

He suddenly struck. His ability covered the entire area, and the black-uniformed subordinates who had raised their guns were all frozen in place, unable to move.

Spandine's face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat streamed down his body. He found that even moving a finger was difficult as the force around him firmly suppressed his movements.

"A CP9 commander who has no real fighting ability, nothing but an ugly fool hiding behind borrowed power." Ye Qiong looked at him coldly, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Go die!" Ye Qiong slowly pressed his palms together. A spherical space enveloped them and continued compressing inward. Soon, the dozen or so people were crushed into a mass, their limbs and bodies twisting without end.

"No, stop!" Spandine felt the force pressing in on him growing stronger. His organs felt as though they were about to burst, and his face was filled with broken, terrified despair. "I can let you go..."

"Be buried here... Spatial Crush!"

His palms fully came together. The flesh and limbs of the dozen people were compressed into a spherical ball of blood. Ye Qiong released his ability, and flesh, intestines, and gore spilled across the ground in a colorful, bloody mess.

This move could easily be broken free of by powerful opponents, but against these officials and their subordinates, it was simply too easy. It was just too bloody, so Ye Qiong rarely used it.

But he had not the slightest mercy or hesitation when it came to someone like Spandine.

Ye Qiong's body swayed. His stamina was severely depleted, and he nearly collapsed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Countless shells rained down with piercing whistles, exploding against the trunk of the Tree of Omniscience. Before long, raging flames engulfed the tree.

"The... the library! Put out the fire!"

The scholars all rushed toward the Tree of Omniscience Library in a frenzy. To them, the books and documents inside were treasures more precious than their lives!

"Ye, take Robin and leave here quickly!" Dr. Clover said with his last breath.

"Doctor..." Ye Qiong hurriedly turned back toward him.

A shell suddenly crashed down and exploded beside Dr. Clover, instantly sending limbs flying everywhere!

Ye Qiong clenched his teeth tightly and forced himself not to look at the mangled body. He picked up Robin and Olvia and sprinted toward the island's western shore.