CHAPTER 177- The Shattering of Aramaki

Boom!

Time itself, seemingly frozen, finally surged back to motion.

A violent shockwave erupted like a hurricane, sweeping across the battlefield.

As the force of the slash burst forth—

The entirety of Island No. 1 of the Sabaody Archipelago, which had become a battlefield, was sliced clean in half.

In the distance, a towering ancient tree bore the enormous face of Aramaki, eyes wide in disbelief. A sharp crack followed.

Crack!

The colossal tree split in two with a thunderous crash.

Even the aftermath of the slash extended far beyond him, rippling toward the distant sea.

Aramaki stood dumbfounded, watching the slash that had stretched from tens of thousands of meters away, reached him, passed him, and continued across the sea behind him.

Was that... really just a single slash?

It was terrifying beyond reason.

Boom!

The split tree crashed heavily to the ground.

Nearby, Saint Charlos and Spandine stood in stunned silence, their jaws slack. Aramaki hurriedly burned through his stored nutrients to recover, then shot out a vine, attempting to ensnare Saint Charlos.

"CP0, stay here and hold off the Navy admiral. I'll take the noble Celestial Dragon and escape first!"

He tossed this command over his shoulder and turned to flee.

Spandine was completely dumbstruck.

The man who the Five Elders had pinned their hopes on, a force claimed to be on par with an admiral, was now asking him to stay behind as a rear guard?

Wasn't that basically a death sentence?

And the way he was running—how could this even be the same person who just moments ago had been so arrogant and overbearing?

Still, as CP0 and the mission leader, Spandine had no way to retort.

If he resisted here, he would die.

If he failed the mission and returned to the Five Elders, he would still die.

For a moment, he felt paralyzed with indecision.

And just then, an unexpected scene unfolded before his eyes.

Tied up tightly like a rice dumpling by Aramaki's vines, Saint Charlos suddenly sniffled.

Then, to everyone's shock, he turned on his side and laid flat on the ground.

"That slash even scared off someone with admiral-level strength… I think I'll just lie down and surrender."

His small voice echoed through the battlefield like a devil's whisper, reverberating endlessly.

Spandine and Aramaki both twitched violently as they stared at the unusually sensible Saint Charlos.

Was this really the noble, sacred Celestial Dragon they had always known?

Why did he suddenly seem so heartbreakingly reasonable?

Just then, Spandine glanced toward Luo Yu in the distance. His facial muscles twitched again, and he stooped to pick up some stray vines from the ground. With practiced hands, he wrapped himself up and, under Aramaki's stunned gaze, rolled onto the ground and lay flat.

"Aramaki, do as you please. I've made my choice. Honestly, I never imagined I'd one day share sentiments with a Celestial Dragon."

Aramaki was frozen in place.

Is this what they call "if you can't beat them, join them"?

He looked at Saint Charlos, lying there sniffing and quietly compliant.

Was this really the same Celestial Dragon he had known?

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he never would've believed a Celestial Dragon could ever behave this obediently.

Was this what it meant to truly respect strength?

Then he looked skyward, at the floating rocks suspended in the air—on top stood Fujitora, and beside him, the new Navy admiral, casually sipping his wine.

In that moment, Aramaki suddenly understood why Fujitora had appeared aboard Luo Yu's ship.

This new admiral… perhaps truly had the power to bend the rules of the world itself through sheer strength.

Otherwise, would the supposedly supreme Celestial Dragons be this well-behaved?

"Admiral, we meet again. When it's time to board the ship, could someone carry me? Don't worry, I'll pretend to be asleep the whole time," sniffled Saint Charlos from the ground.

Luo Yu sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he looked at Charlos, who was now completely immersed in his "hostage" role. He briefly considered whether to tell him someone had paid ten million berries to have him protected.

But seeing how Charlos had willingly laid down and closed his eyes without resistance, Luo Yu let it go.

Consider it a merciful lie.

"Kuzan, notify Smoker and the others to come pick up this Celestial Dragon," Luo Yu instructed.

"Me?" Caesar blinked in confusion. He hadn't expected such a menial errand to fall to him.

But after looking around and realizing he was technically the strongest scientist here—yet the weakest among the monsters present—he reluctantly accepted his fate.

As the order was given, all eyes turned to Aramaki.

His face darkened instantly.

If it were anyone else, he might've tried to flee.

But recalling the way Luo Yu had severed his connection to his Devil Fruit powers in an instant, the very thought of escaping died before it was born.

Looking down at the prone Charlos and Spandine, Aramaki's expression turned serious—then, suddenly, he broke into laughter, slinging an arm around Fujitora's shoulders.

"Ahaha! Fujitora, old friend! Look! I caught them! I tied them up myself! That's a solid gift of loyalty, isn't it?"

"We've known each other for years—think I can still be classified as a 'special combat asset'?"

Nearby, the likes of Blue Ogre Dorry and others were left speechless.

Wasn't this the guy who, just moments ago, was shouting about standing up for the Celestial Dragons and claiming to rival an admiral?

Now that he was groveling, his dignity lay shattered at his feet.

"Haha… Brother Aramaki, getting on the ship isn't hard," Fujitora chuckled. "Just make yourself look like a twenty-million-berry bounty. Admiral Luo Yu doesn't mind anyone—except unpaid bonuses. Isn't that right?"

Luo Yu laughed and clapped Fujitora on the shoulder.

"Old brother, you're not wrong. I do love a good bonus… but I really love hearing the words 'add more.'"

"Anyway—Spandine, you can quit playing dead. You really are a lucky charm. If you survive, let's work together again next time."

Spandine's facial muscles twitched violently on the ground.

Are they planning to wring every last berry out of me?

But surrounded by so many hungry-eyed monsters, he could only give a bitter smile and reply, "Admiral Luo Yu, better let me pass out for real. It'll be easier to explain when I get back…"

Meanwhile, at the sea entrance near Marineford—

As Sengoku's warship arrived, his expression darkened.

Reading the report in his hand, he erupted with fury.

"Those damn Five Elders! How dare they do something like this!"

"He, check the current situation on the Sabaody Archipelago immediately! We're about to go to war with two of the Four Emperors, and now the Five Elders want to sabotage Marine Headquarters?!"

"Do everything in your power—stop Aramaki! Do not let him attack Luo Yu!"