"What is the meaning of this?"
Kong, the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government forces, had just finished issuing search orders at the summit of the Holy Land when he saw a large group of allied representatives descending from above. He frowned and questioned them.
In a situation where the location of the enemy was still unknown, the protocol for handling such important figures was not immediate evacuation, but rather hiding them in secret or keeping them in their original locations until the threat was neutralized.
Upon hearing Kong's inquiry, a Government soldier snapped a salute and reported, "Commander-in-Chief, a battle is currently underway in the World Conference Hall between the Immortal Pirates and Knight Commander Flurette."
"What?"
Kong's expression tightened. He had heard of Glauca Flurette, the Commander of the Karathoka Banuyar Knight Order. Generally, any unit ending in "Knight Order" was a military force directly under the Government or responsible for protecting the Celestial Dragons within the Holy Land, and they did not fall under his jurisdiction as Commander-in-Chief.
Flurette was a powerhouse whose strength rivaled that of an Admiral, a top-tier combatant even within Mariejois. If it was him, then even against the Immortal Pirates, he should have few rivals.
Meanwhile, Otohime and the others who had fled the conference hall looked at Kong and the Government forces with eyes full of suspicion. Previously, aside from Otohime, who had been so blinded by joy over the proposal that she stopped thinking, the others had been half-doubting the Government's sudden enthusiasm for enacting a Fish-Man Peace Act.
Now, after hearing Loli A's words, they were eighty percent convinced. The World Government certainly had an ulterior motive for gathering them all here.
"Since a battle is occurring above, immediately escort the allied representatives to the lower levels for refuge," Kong directed his subordinates in the World Government Army.
"We won't trouble you, sir."
Just as Kong finished speaking, someone stepped forward. "Forgive my bluntness, but the enemy above is far too terrifying. For our own safety, we wish to return to our respective countries immediately. Besides, the meeting is essentially over, so there shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Everyone turned to look at the speaker. Cobra was startled to see that it was King Cnut of the Harald Kingdom, one of the three North Blue kings and the very man responsible for bringing that girl inside.
"Pardon me, but I have the same idea."
"The meeting is finished. There's no point in staying, especially with such a monster up there. We wish to return home and take refuge at once."
Following Cnut, two more kings expressed their desire to leave. They were the kings of the other two North Blue nations. Having brought Loli A here, they were essentially accomplices; under these circumstances, they naturally wanted to slip away before they were investigated.
Furthermore, Cnut and the other two knew better than anyone that the person upstairs wasn't just some member or officer of the Immortals, it was him.
"Apologies, but we must leave as well."
"If King Riku feels that way, then I, Elizabello, also request to depart."
"Pardon us, but we of the Nefertari family also wish to take our leave for the time being."
One after another, several allied kings and representatives requested to depart, including King Riku of Dressrosa, Cobra of Alabasta, and... Otohime of Fish-Man Island. She was a saint, but she wasn't that foolish.
Kong frowned in confusion. The Government had a Knight Commander like Flurette, a man who rivaled an Admiral. How strong was the opponent to scare these representatives into fleeing like this? Was it a lead officer? The golden-haired Ivalis? Empress Boa Hancock? Or...
However, faced with so many requests, refusing to let them go might shake the Government's standing in the eyes of these nations. Reluctantly, Kong nodded. "Very well... Chaton, escort the representatives to the lower harbor and prepare them for departure."
As Kong spoke, a short, somewhat stout middle-aged man with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face stepped out from behind him. This was Tokikake, also known as Chaton, a former Marine Vice Admiral who had been transferred to the World Government Army.
"Please follow me."
Chaton led the 170-plus representatives away just as a thunderous boom echoed from the ceiling. Had Mariejois not been constructed from specialized materials, it might have collapsed under the force of that impact.
Which officer of the Immortals is it?
Holding that thought, Kong led a squad of Army soldiers and hurried toward the upper World Conference Hall.
…
Crash!
The window glass shattered as Flurette's tall frame was sent flying outward. Several gunshots rang out from inside the room. Knowing that getting hit by those bullets would mean big trouble, he swung his rapier just before falling completely, managing to catch the tip of the blade on the window sill at the critical moment.
"Gather-Gather: Expand Shield!"
As Flurette activated his ability, the walls around the window spread out like clay, causing the trajectory of the bullets to shift bizarrely. They merely grazed Flurette's skin, leaving only bloody trails.
Flurette dropped from the ten-story height. Chaton, who had just brought the representatives out, turned at the noise and stared in shock. "Commander Flurette? How did you get beaten so badly?"
Flurette usually cut an impressive figure in his ornate knight's cloak, but now he looked less like a knight and more like a beggar. His grey-white trench coat was in tatters, his long yellow hair was plastered across his face, and blood and filth covered half his face and clothes. If Chaton hadn't known the man for a long time, he might not have recognized him at a glance.
Flurette's expression was hideous; he didn't even bother to answer Chaton. He looked up at the window he had fallen from, seeing several flashes of silver light as the shield he had created with his Gather-Gather Fruit was sliced into ribbons and fell. A figure stood on the window sill, looking down.
In stark contrast to Flurette's current state, the figure was dressed in spotless white, with not a speck of dirt on their face.
"So a 'Knight Commander' only amounts to this much?" Loli A said with extreme contempt.
Cnut and the others turned pale at the sight of Loli A. They frantically turned to Chaton. "Marine-sama! Please, take us away quickly!"