Chapter 267: The Black Dragon Descends!

Kid initially wanted to pursue Ace, but Killer stopped him.

"Kid, we need to leave now!" Killer urged.

Kid frowned, let out a snort, and swiftly turned to lead his crew away.

Other pirate crews mingling in the area also caught on and quickly scattered.

The civilians, however, were too terrified to move. Living on Sabaody Archipelago, they understood all too well the consequences of crossing a Celestial Dragon. But today, they had witnessed the unthinkable—a Celestial Dragon had been attacked, and one was even killed!

For the common folk, it felt like the sky was falling.

On the street, Shalria was bawling uncontrollably. Having been raised in absolute luxury, she had never experienced anything like this. The enslaved people around her cowered on the ground, trembling. They knew Shalria's cruel nature and feared she might vent her rage by shooting them.

Amid the chaos, a shadow descended from the sky, landing before Shalria.

Black feathers fluttered in the air as the slaves widened their eyes at the towering figure that had suddenly appeared.

The massive black wings folded back, dissolving into dark mist that merged with the man's body. The golden kanji for "Justice" emblazoned on his back now shone clearly in the sunlight.

A wounded Marine officer on the ground struggled to lift himself. When he finally saw the man's face, a look of wild joy spread across his features as he shouted:

"Admiral Black Dragon!"

The title silenced the entire area. Even Shalria's sobbing ceased as she gazed up at the figure, whispering in disbelief:

"Is... is it Saint Carl?"

Carl's name was well-known among the Celestial Dragons, even more so than outside of Mary Geoise. As a child, Shalria had once attended Carl's victory banquet with her father, Rosward. The image of Carl, surrounded by admiration and reverence, had left a deep impression on her.

Now, seeing him again, she immediately recognized him. Carl's silver hair and golden eyes remained unchanged, untouched by the passage of time.

Carl gestured for silence, and to the amazement of the slaves nearby, Shalria instantly obeyed. She clamped her hands over her mouth, behaving more docilely than she ever had in front of her own father.

Without sparing Shalria another glance, Carl turned his attention to the injured Marine officer who had spoken.

"Are you Rear Admiral Barbus?" Carl asked, his expression softening slightly.

Barbus, startled but elated that Carl remembered him after so many years, nodded vigorously.

"Yes, Admiral Black Dragon! I am Barbus!"

Carl's gaze lingered on the battered and bloodied Marines strewn around him. With a furrowed brow, he raised a hand, and his golden eyes glimmered.

In the next moment, the wounds on every Marine began to heal rapidly. Cuts scabbed over and closed, and within seconds, even the fresh scabs fell away, leaving only unblemished skin.

Groans filled the air as the Marines began to rise, bewildered by their sudden recovery.

Barbus, now looking much healthier, snapped to attention and saluted Carl.

The Marines, recognizing the Admiral's insignia on Carl's black-and-gold epaulettes, followed suit despite their fatigue, standing straight and saluting their savior.

Carl acknowledged them with a slight nod before turning his gaze to Charlos, who lay motionless in a pool of blood. A deep slash across his abdomen had reached his heart. Carl confirmed what he had already suspected—Charlos was beyond saving.

On the way here, Carl had pieced together the situation. The slash matched the swordsmanship of Roronoa Zoro. In the original course of events, Jewelry Bonney had stopped Zoro from killing Charlos. But now, without Bonney's interference, Charlos had met his end.

Just then, a Marine soldier ran over from a nearby street, panicked.

"Rear Admiral Barbus! It's the pirate Supernovas! They're attacking!"

Barbus's eyes widened in shock. The infamous eleven Supernovas, who had been making waves across the seas, had all gathered on Sabaody Archipelago!

His anxiety grew, recalling how Zoro alone had nearly wiped them out. But when he glanced at Carl's calm demeanor, his fears eased.

With Carl here, even an Emperor of the Sea wouldn't stand a chance. After all, this was the man who had defeated the Pirate King himself.

Carl exuded a quiet but overwhelming presence, releasing a subtle ripple of energy. The wave of haki spread across Sabaody before retracting.

He turned to Barbus.

"Rear Admiral, stay here and protect Lady Shalria and Lord Rosward. I'll deal with these so-called Supernovas."

With that, Carl's form dissolved into a swirling vortex of darkness, vanishing before their eyes.

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