"Hmm, has a day passed?" Nero, who had been sitting on her throne, eyes closed in meditation after a sleepless night, suddenly opened her blood-red eyes.
"It's time to stretch my body. It seems there are still quite a few people holding onto a glimmer of hope."
Maintaining her Dragon-Human form, the three-meter-tall Nero stood up, her tail dragging on the hard ground, carving a shallow ravines.
"Before Nicuss's engineering team arrives, let's clean this place up first."
Outside Ryugu Palace at this moment, a large number of Fishmen had gathered, protesting loudly, numbering around ten thousand.
Most of the Fishmen, still fearing Nero's might, had obediently evacuated Fish-Man Island within a day.
As for the remaining ones, Neptune and others had tried their best to persuade them to leave, but unfortunately, the effect was minimal.
"We've lived here for generations, why should we evacuate just because of a word from an outsider?"
"And because of a Human! I knew they couldn't be trusted!"
"Queen Otohime just fell, and they immediately revealed their wicked intentions. What despicable fellows!"
"Royal Family! What exactly have you protected?"
"If you have the guts, kill all of us! And for the cowards who are afraid, go run for your lives together!"
Nero stopped at the door, her hand resting on the large door, slowly applying force.
The grating sound of the door opening was exceptionally harsh. Nero stood at the entrance, looking down at the protesting Fishmen on the steps, the scene inside the door obscured behind her. The open door was like a forbidden abyss.
The noise stopped. Nero unhurriedly descended the steps, each step landing on everyone's heart.
There was no awe-inspiring Haki, no unsettling demonic aura like yesterday.
Nero raised her finger, and infinite high temperature was compressed into an infinitely extending line. As her fingertip glided, the line passed through the crowd.
The protesting Fishmen gathered together instantly decreased by one-third, or rather, increased by one-third.
Their bodies were severed at the waist, and when red blood splattered onto the faces of those around them, everyone was still somewhat unresponsive.
First, there was silence, a profound silence. Seeing death so close to themselves, their minds went blank, unable to react or do anything.
Then came the heartbeat, a violent heartbeat that awakened consciousness. Every cell in their brain and body trembled.
Unable to distinguish between a command from the brain or an instinctive bodily reaction, everyone reacted to the current situation—fleeing.
Pushing, trampling, grabbing the person in front to overtake them. A group will sacrifice a portion of their 'companions' when their lives are threatened, just like ants crossing water.
Shouts and cries mixed together. This was the instinct of life; when faced with a severe threat, shouting loudly might make the predator hesitant.
Nero, however, felt a strange sense of pleasure. The hunger deep within her seemed to be somewhat satisfied.
It was like a stomach that had been hungry for a long time finally getting a few appetizers, her mouth and tongue moistened with saliva.
So, a happy smile appeared on her face, but to outsiders, this smile only held terrifying cruelty.
When a crisp snap echoed through the chaotic crowd, it was accompanied by a crimson, tidal wave-like firework display that engulfed the entire Fish-Man Island.
"Time's up. Come, let me properly relax."
A black shadow expanded, covering the fleeing crowd. Nero's Dragon form appeared, her massive size blocking the sunlight from the Sun Tree Eve.
The black shadow continued to writhe, and six more grotesque Dragon heads grew out from both sides of Nero's slender Dragon neck.
The seven-headed, ten-horned evil Dragon of gold and red fully descended, an oppressive force like Brahma destroying the world, enveloping everyone's hearts.
The posture of despair made the Fishmen give up on fleeing. Even fear no longer fluctuated, leaving only numbness.
"God... God!"
Someone knelt on the ground, praying to the gods. The beast before them, with its blasphemous appearance, was a monster that should absolutely not exist in the world.
The devil of hell had broken free from its cage. One could see at a glance that this was the enemy of all living things, the end of all creation... "Is this... the current Nero?" Inside Ryugu Palace, Kuzan likewise muttered in shock.
At the same time, far away in Mary Geoise, at the very top of Fish-Man Island, the Gorosei tacitly stopped their actions, standing stiffly in place, lost in thought.
And deeper within, on the throne in the Room of Flowers, Imu, who seemed to be feigning sleep, was suddenly startled awake.
The aura was too unsettling, capable of devouring everything at any moment, causing the king of the celestial dragons to break out in a cold sweat... Was this... fear?
A strange yet familiar feeling surged, making Imu intensely uncomfortable. Her gaze seemed to cross mountains and seas, looking towards the demon beast in the abyss.
A low, hoarse female voice rang out: "Nero Claudius!"
Far away in Foosha Village, Luffy's heart suddenly felt uncomfortable for some unknown reason, beating faster and faster uncontrollably.
A rumbling sound, like thunder, came from his chest, and his body temperature grew higher and higher. White mist steamed from his body.
Luffy's face was flushed red, and then he suddenly fainted, only then did his heartbeat gradually calm down.
On Fish-Man Island, crimson fire tornadoes appeared in all areas outside Ryugu Palace, leaving behind raging fires and wreckage, which were then swallowed by the black shadows on the ground.
The entire Fish-Man Island seemed to be slowly sinking. Nero stood before Ryugu Palace, only then truly realizing that she was indeed completely different from before.
In the past, the reason she was called a tyrant was more due to her extravagant style.
But now, facing slaughter and destruction, her mind had actually become even more excited.
"Hmm, as an emperor, I have truly become quite unpleasant now."
She said this with a smile. Deep down, Nero had no such boring thoughts. Her mind, filled with desire, only yearned for anticipation of the future.
"How exciting! The future I gaze upon, Nika and Imu... Hmm, hurry and please me!"
Blazing Dragon flames spewed from the seven giant mouths, and the scent of roasted fish wafted from the charred Fishmen.
"Mwahahaha! Seafood party!" Nero threw her head back and laughed, feeling utterly exhilarated.
"Hey, King Neptune, isn't Nero's condition a bit off?" Kuzan, who had rushed over, had a face full of black lines, looking up at the crimson Dragon Nero had transformed into.
"Indeed? Nero seems to have gone berserk... As a top-tier Marine combatant, an Admiral who upholds justice, can you stop her?"
Neptune clutched his trident, watching this scene with a heavy heart. The situation was worse than he had imagined.
Kuzan also felt terrible. Was this old man trying to make me take the fall?
"Arararara, impossible. In this situation, if I go up there, it's just a dead end. Anyway, Fish-Man Island is almost completely wiped out, so let Her Majesty the Crimson Queen indulge herself."
Kuzan stood with his hands in his pockets, showing no intention of stepping forward to stop her.
Don't be ridiculous! Me, fight a berserk Nero?
At this point, the most I can do is call for support that will never arrive.
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