Chapter 11: 11. The Way To Leave, And The Sky

As Alex judged the result, Gion lifted her head in astonishment. It seemed she couldn't comprehend her opponent's sudden surge in strength, but in an instant, she was helplessly defeated. Though the loss stung, she had to accept it—losing was losing. Gion, now restrained, glared at him defiantly. "It won't be long before reinforcements from Naval Headquarters arrive on this island. You attacked a Rear Admiral; there's no escaping from here!" Her words rang true. Under earlier orders, the garrison would have already alerted Naval Headquarters. With her connection to Chief of Staff Tsuru, support was bound to arrive swiftly. Alex looked at Gion and smirked. "And what if I took you as a hostage?" "Then I'd rather die!" Gion retorted coldly. "Don't worry," he replied, laughing slightly. "Even an opponent is far more valuable alive than dead." Without waiting for her response, Alex unleashed his Haki. His terrifying Conqueror's Haki surged forth like a storm descending from the sky, crashing down upon Gion. Already drained and barely able to resist, Gion held onto consciousness with sheer willpower, but her body failed her, leaving her limp and powerless. "Marines will soon secure the port," she said, still staring defiantly even in her weakened state. "You won't escape from here." No one could leave the Sabaody Archipelago once the port was under Marine control. Alex laughed aloud and, glancing at the Marine garrisons moving in to rescue her, declared, "Who says the only way out is the sea? Isn't the sky just as wide?" With that, he bent down and pressed his hands firmly against the ground of Grove 1. Bang! The earth began to shake violently. Many Marines, armed and prepared, stumbled as the ground trembled beneath them. The terrain shifted rapidly, the grassy ground transforming as though into a desert in an instant. Sand and soil surged to life, churning upward, forming vast sandstorms that swept across the Marines, burying them beneath waves of quicksand. Heavy mortar placements were swiftly overwhelmed by the rolling stone and sand, consuming all ammunition until massive mounds, over ten meters high, formed—trapping the entire garrison within. "This... this is... the power of the Float-Float Fruit!" an officer muttered in shock, using Moonwalk to retreat from the area's tremors, his eyes wide with disbelief. Although he was only a Major stationed here, this officer had been present at the fierce battle that nearly destroyed half of Marineford a few years ago. Even if the technique differed, he recognized the ability to make the ground float all too well. The same thought crossed Gion's mind. But before she could process it, a massive section of the ground beneath her—along with part of the auction house—began to break away. With a deafening roar, the entire surface lifted, defying gravity, and tore free from the island's grip, floating steadily into the air. "Damn it!" The officer cursed, attempting to step forward using Moonwalk, but was flung back as he collided with an invisible barrier. Helplessly, he watched Alex ascend with Rear Admiral Gion into the sky until they faded from view. Meanwhile, far from the Sabaody Archipelago, hidden in clouds thousands of meters above, an empty pirate ship hovered in the air. This was Alex's backup plan. Landing smoothly on the deck of the airborne ship, Alex felt an unexpected sense of satisfaction. In a world like this, he mused, a floating ship had a particular charm—even if it was a vessel he'd taken by force. Setting Gion down, he noticed her expression was still one of shock. He couldn't help but smirk. "Well? We're no longer in the Sabaody Archipelago. So much for controlling the port." Before boarding, Alex had confiscated Gion's Den Den Mushi and other items to ensure no one would know their whereabouts. The sky, after all, was a domain few Marines could reach. "I never expected... You're the same jailer who killed the Golden Lion," Gion murmured. "Oh? So you recognize me?" Alex didn't deny it but was a bit surprised. After years of training and changes in diet, his appearance had altered considerably. Ignoring his question, Gion continued, "You killed the Golden Lion for his Devil Fruit ability. So why did you kill Byrnndi World? It's impossible for a human to wield two Devil Fruit powers, and you didn't take anything with you when you left. So was it a personal vendetta?" Alex stared at her, momentarily speechless. "Hey, hey, you're my prisoner now. And yet you still think you're in a position to interrogate me?" He chuckled slightly, then shook his head. "Marine certainly has its share of strategists. I wonder, was it Sengoku the 'Resourceful General' or Chief of Staff Tsuru who deduced that? Doesn't matter, though. It's a shame Marine is just a tool carrying out the World Government's orders." At this, Gion bristled. Despite her restrained condition, she flared with anger, her Marine cloak of justice rippling as she snapped, "Marine and the World Government represent peace and order across the seas! You dangerous criminals have no right to look down on that!" Alex didn't argue. With the power of the Float-Float Fruit, he possessed a strategic force capable of reshaping entire landscapes. In a way, controlling such a potent ability did make him a threat. If he chose, he could easily raise or sink the entire Sabaody Archipelago. Though he didn't consider himself a hero, he wasn't the type to treat innocent lives as disposable either.