Chapter 85

However—

Before Kairos Flint could utter a single word, one of the Celestial Dragons in the front row, Saint Charlos, caught sight of the women beside him. His eyes immediately lit up with lust.

"I want you… to be my eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth wives."

He pointed at Nami, Robin, Uta, and Vivi like a spoiled child with a broken mind.

Hearing this, Kairos narrowed his eyes. He'd long known the Celestial Dragons were nothing more than pampered degenerates, but this one's arrogance made his blood boil. Fortunately, Charlos had already made it onto his death list.

So…

BOOM!!!

Kairos appeared in front of them in the blink of an eye.

The bodyguards surrounding the Celestial Dragons had no time to react.

CRACK!!!

Kairos stomped down with immense force, shattering Charlos's hood. His foot slammed into Charlos's face, driving it into the ground. A web of cracks spread across the marble floor, and a horrible crunch echoed through the hall. Blood burst from under his boot.

"AAAHHHHH!!!!"

Saint Charlos shrieked, flailing helplessly. Never in his life had he experienced pain. He was pampered, protected, and treated like a god. And now, he was being trampled like a dog.

He couldn't bear it.

But with Kairos's foot still pinning him, he had no choice but to writhe helplessly.

The entire auction house was plunged into stunned silence.

Then, pandemonium broke out.

"He… he attacked a Celestial Dragon!"

"We're screwed! He's dead! A Navy Admiral is bound to show up!"

"This guy's insane! Totally insane! Run, RUN!"

Nobles, pirates, auction staff—no matter their status, everyone fled in fear. No one wanted to be caught in the aftermath of a Celestial Dragon's humiliation.

"You filthy commoner! KILL HIM! KILL HIM NOW!"

Saint Rosward, Charlos's father, roared in fury. His face turned purple as he ordered his guards to attack.

But before they could move—

Two shadows flickered.

SNAP. SNAP.

Robin's hands materialized from thin air, wrapping around the guards' heads. A brutal twist later, and both were dead. Their necks bent at impossible angles.

She didn't hesitate.

Having already sided with Kairos, Robin made her stance clear. These were now her enemies too.

"You'll pay for this, you filthy vermin!"

Rosward screamed, pulling out a golden-plated pistol and firing wildly at Kairos.

But the bullets bounced off harmlessly.

Armament Haki: Activated.

Kairos's body shimmered with the dark glow of hardened willpower. The bullets had no effect.

BANG!

Kairos kicked Rosward square in the chest, sending him crashing through several rows of seats. Debris flew everywhere.

"People like you need a reality check," Kairos muttered, shaking his head.

Trying to shoot a hardened warrior with a pistol? Was this guy serious? It was like stabbing Susanoo with a kitchen knife.

Then his eyes turned toward the last Celestial Dragon present: Saint Shalulia.

She stood frozen, trembling as she stared at the ruined forms of her father and brother.

Kairos stepped toward her.

To her credit, she didn't scream.

Maybe she wasn't completely brainless.

She understood something vital—this man didn't care who they were. Her status as a Celestial Dragon meant nothing to him. He had already killed her brother. Her father was next.

She didn't want to be third.

So, she played it smart. She stayed still and bowed her head.

"Ah… at least one of you knows how to think," Kairos said, nodding in approval.

"Now, I'll give you a chance. You Celestial Dragons always carry transponders, don't you? I'm feeling generous. Call for help."

He glanced down at Charlos, who was still twitching and moaning beneath his foot.

Then—

BOOM!!!

Kairos raised his foot and stomped again. This time, Charlos's skull shattered completely. The screaming stopped.

Turning back to Shalulia, he smiled. But to her, that smile was the stuff of nightmares.

"It looks like I didn't make a loud enough statement. Let's say… the notorious pirate Kairos Flint killed a Celestial Dragon. Sound the alarm, or you'll be next."

His tone was calm—disturbingly so.

Shalulia trembled as she fumbled for her transponder snail. A dark stain spread at her feet. She had wet herself in fear.

"I-I'm calling now! Please don't kill me!"

She pulled out the snail and dialed a number connected to the Holy Land of Mariejois—specifically, the operator assigned to the Celestial Dragons.

The call connected.

"Saint Shalulia, what can I do for you?" the operator asked politely.

It was rare for anyone to speak to a Celestial Dragon without stuttering, but this operator had years of practice. Most people were either another Celestial or someone too powerful to be intimidated.

"H-Help… please help…"

Her voice quivered. She could barely form the words.

The operator blinked in confusion.

"Did you say… help?"

Help? From a Celestial Dragon? That couldn't be right.

But her next words left no room for doubt.

"This is Shalulia! The pirate Kairos Flint is at the Sabaody Archipelago's human auction house! He's injured my father… and killed my brother! I ORDER you to send rescue immediately!"

Her tone began to regain its Celestial Dragon arrogance as she realized she was no longer speaking to Kairos but to someone beneath her.

Old habits die hard.

Kairos didn't care. As far as he was concerned, they were all already dead.

In Mariejois, the operator paled.

Within minutes, the information spread like wildfire.

A Celestial Dragon had been killed.

The Five Elders—Gorosei—were notified immediately. Their faces darkened.

"He used to be a bounty hunter. After killing a CP9 agent, we placed a bounty on him," muttered Saint Saturn. "This is his retaliation."

"How long would it take us to dig up everything about him?" one of them asked.

"Five minutes."

Moments later, a dossier arrived on their desks. A thin file. Kairos Flint—originally from the East Blue. A mere footnote in world affairs, until now.

"He dared to kill a Celestial Dragon. This isn't just rebellion—it's mockery."

They scanned his record, watched how he moved, how he struck down Charlos with no hesitation. The Five Elders were not fools. They understood. This wasn't a crime of passion.

This was war.

"Send a Navy Admiral," ordered Saint Mars. "Rescue Rosward and Shalulia—if they're still alive."

"There's a high chance they're already dead," another muttered. "This man doesn't hesitate."

"In that case, launch a Buster Call as well," declared Saint Nasjuro. "If he's still on the archipelago, annihilate everything."

It wasn't just about revenge.

A Celestial Dragon had died. That alone would shake the world.

But if the killer lived?

That was a catastrophe.

"We must kill Kairos Flint and keep this news contained," added Saint V. Nusjuro. "Even if it leaks, we must limit it to the smallest possible circle. The fewer who know, the better."

So the order was issued.

In Marineford, Fleet Admiral Sengoku received the command.

He slammed his fist on the table.

"This kid again…"

He had once placed high hopes on Kairos. Even when he turned pirate, Sengoku felt it was a loss. But now? He'd crossed the final line.

The order was clear.

Dispatch Admiral Kizaru.

If Kairos could be captured alive, perhaps the Buster Call could be avoided.

But over at Marine HQ, Admiral Kizaru rubbed his temples in exhaustion.

"I was just about to grab some miso ramen… Now I've got overtime? Ugh."

Despite his laid-back demeanor, he had no choice. An order was an order.

And so, Admiral Kizaru prepared to move out.

The hunter had become the hunted.

The world would never be the same again.

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