Luo's figure vanished and reappeared among the trees as he fled toward the shore.
Doffy was pursuing him from behind, with Werther on his left. Green Bit wasn't large, so the shore was Luo's only way out.
Several fine threads flashed past behind Luo, slicing through a broad swath of forest.
"Luo, where do you think you can run?"
Doffy saw that they were nearing the shore, and a smile spread across his face.
Werther didn't join the pursuit. Even if Luo escaped, he would come back for revenge as long as Doffy was around.
Doffy had once told Werther what had happened with Corazon.
No one could say who had been right or wrong. The brothers had simply chosen different paths.
After seeing the cruelty of the world, one brother had grown kind and joined the Marines.
The other had become a Pirate, willing to use any means to get what he wanted.
Werther stood still and made no further attempt to stop Fujitora. After a moment's hesitation, Fujitora left.
"Get out."
Something in the nearby bushes visibly shuddered.
A moment later, Caesar crawled out, his legs trembling.
"L-L-L-Lord Werther, did you need something? I'm quite comfortable here."
With that, Caesar tried to shrink back into the bushes.
"Caesar, you're free to go. Though Big Mom seems to be searching the whole world for you."
Caesar scrambled out of the bushes on all fours and clung to Werther's leg.
"You can't abandon me, Lord Werther! I used all the funding I swindled out of Big Mom to make poison gas bombs. You have to believe me."
Werther raised an eyebrow. Was Caesar really that loyal to him? Of course not.
"Oh? Then what was the Bana Element you bought in the Underworld for?"
Caesar's ingratiating smile froze.
"A personal