Gaban and the others' minds went blank.
By the time they came to their senses, their view had dropped considerably.
What was going on? Had they suddenly gotten shorter?
Their eyes shifted downward.
Then realization dawned on their faces.
Oh, they hadn't gotten shorter. They were kneeling.
Randall's words still rang clearly in their ears.
Stay on your knees for now?
Stay on your knees for now!
Their crashed brains slowly started working again.
Gradually, they understood what was happening.
They, the members of the great Roger Pirates, were actually kneeling before a Marine!
How could they tolerate this?!
Their faces immediately twisted as they tried to stand.
But could they manage it?
Clearly, Randall had no intention of letting them get up.
The instant that thought crossed their minds...
An even more powerful surge of Conqueror's Haki descended.
This time, they weren't merely forced to kneel. Every one of them coughed up blood.
It took every ounce of their strength just to keep their bodies upright.
Their minds swam, and their bones creaked.
They felt fear.
Fear like black tar, thick and bubbling, clinging to their bones like a festering infection.
Fear swallowed them whole.
They were so terrified that they could barely think anymore.
That burst of Conqueror's Haki vanished in an instant.
But they no longer dared make any rash moves.
That sensation had robbed them of the courage to resist Randall, at least for now.
Of course, if they still refused to learn their lesson and tried to resist again...
Conqueror's Haki would descend the moment they entertained the thought.
And its effects would be even stronger than before.
And so, the remnants of the Roger Pirates knelt all over the ground, their bodies crooked and twisted.
The people watching the big screen were utterly dumbfounded.