Chapter 92 - CHAPTER 92 - Who Dares to Be Arrogant

"T-These monsters all escaped from Lantis Island. They're not common, but you do come across them occasionally. Some even have the heads of wild beasts," the wealthy merchant quickly explained, keeping a safe distance. Whether it was the possibly diseased girl or Zody himself, neither were good news to him. "Lantis Island? I asked the Marines before, but they refused to say anything. Hmph, they obviously know something. I'll have to teach them a lesson later," Zody sneered. "Alright, get lost." Zody waved his hand dismissively. The merchant, relieved as if he had been granted amnesty, turned to leave. However, just as he did, a blade suddenly stabbed into his shoulder. Caught off guard, he screamed in pain. "It missed... Looks like I haven't been practicing enough. This is your punishment for not kneeling earlier," Zody said regretfully. The merchant's face darkened, but he dared not complain. Clutching his wound, he hurried away. Though the stab wasn't deep, and it hadn't hit any vital organs, he had no intention of staying any longer. The other onlookers were frozen in fear. This prince—was he insane? A lunatic? Yet, because of that, no one dared to leave on their own. They only hoped this calamity would finish his meal and leave quickly so they could escape as well. "Such twisted amusement," Rosen muttered, setting down his utensils. If not for waiting on the sea cow's return, he wouldn't have bothered watching this display. Just then—whoosh! The sea cow reappeared, flickering out of the shadows and respectfully bowing at Rosen's feet. Yes, after all, it was a well-mannered sea cow that respected its elders. Seeing this, Robin's sour mood instantly vanished. She crouched down and picked up the sea cow in her arms. At that moment, an inappropriate voice rang out. "Oh? What an adorably dumb-looking creature. How interesting. Can it talk?" There was only one person who would say something like that in this setting—Zody. The captain of the guards instantly tensed. Trouble. "Hey, Shichibukai, why don't you hand that little thing over to me? That way, you can leave early. I won't keep you here any longer," Zody called out to Rosen, as if he had lost his mind. Upon hearing this, Pitas nearly had a heart attack. What the hell was going on?! He was just an ordinary nobody! Now, he was caught between a prince of a powerful kingdom and a Shichibukai. He wanted out—he was just a background character and wanted nothing to do with this mess. "Leave early? Is this arrogance, or just ignorant confidence?" Rosen sneered. "A prince of a member nation can't be killed, but losing an arm or a leg? Given the situation here, I doubt the Marines would trouble me too much over that." Rosen had never liked Zody, and now, with this clear provocation, he saw no reason to hold back. He was certain the Marines and the World Government would understand a justified punishment. "What did you say?!" Zody roared. "Shichibukai, you better remember your place! You're nothing but a dog of the World Government. We are your masters! The Andia Kingdom is a member of the World Government—we are a part of it! And this is how you speak to your superiors? Kneel now and beg for mercy, and I might spare your life for the sake of your pet." From his perspective, his words weren't entirely wrong. The Shichibukai were, after all, merely hounds raised by the World Government—though more like rabid dogs. But Rosen was different. He was a person, and he would never be leashed by the Shichibukai system. As soon as Zody spoke, the rest of the guests quietly retreated into the corners of the room. No one knew if the Shichibukai would openly turn hostile in such a situation, but *what if* he did? Best to be cautious. "I've decided," Rosen said, a chilling smile on his face. "I'll take one of your arms. And a leg." His eyes gleamed with killing intent as sand began to swirl around his hands. "Protect His Highness!" The captain of the guards, sensing disaster, drew his sword and stepped in front of Zody. "Just be careful with my pet. The rest of them? Kill them if you want," Zody reminded, showing no fear. Raised in privilege and arrogance, he had never known what it meant to be afraid. With the Andia Kingdom's influence, even the World Government treated them with a degree of respect. They poured massive amounts of money into the government's coffers each year. As a key member nation, who would dare draw their swords against them? Especially not a mere "servant" like a Shichibukai. The captain of the guards was helpless but had no choice. Orders were orders. He could only pray that the Shichibukai's strength wasn't as terrifying as the rumors suggested. "Hmph!" Rosen stood, and an overwhelming aura of bloodlust erupted from him. His Conqueror's Haki surged like a violent storm, reflecting his darkened mood. For a moment, the entire world seemed to freeze in eerie stillness. A domineering, tyrannical force swept across the room. The pressure was so intense that the weaker-willed—those lacking mental fortitude—felt as if their skulls had been struck by a hammer. Thud! Thud! More than half of the royal guards instantly lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground. Those still standing were drenched in cold sweat. The captain of the guards felt alarm bells ringing in his mind as he stared at Rosen. It was like looking at an ancient, apex predator. Like a demon whispering in his ear, ready to drag him into hell at any moment. "Conqueror's Haki!" the captain gasped. He had traveled with the king in his youth and seen many things, so he immediately recognized what had just happened. But that only made it more terrifying. "Hey! What's wrong with you guys?! Get up!" Zody shouted, kicking at the unconscious guards. Before a single attack had landed, over half his men had collapsed. Even worse, his own body was trembling uncontrollably. Overwhelming terror gripped his heart, making his knees weak. "W-What is this?! Some kind of witchcraft?!" The onlookers, standing further away, had also been affected—though not as severely. Even those still conscious were visibly shaken. The once-mighty royal guards had fallen like leaves in the wind. Anyone who accidentally made eye contact with Rosen recoiled as if they had seen a bloodthirsty demon. "Hurry up! That guy is unbearable! Kill him already!" Zody roared. Of course, he wasn't particularly strong himself. It wasn't that Rosen had intentionally spared him. Rather, his twisted psyche, though capable of fear, refused to break under the pressure. If anything, it made him even more furious. The captain of the guards didn't want to fight. He was gripped by terror. But the prince's orders were absolute—refusal meant unthinkable consequences. "Take the prince and retreat to the Marine base!" the captain commanded two guards. Then, gripping his greatsword, he led the remaining soldiers in a desperate charge against Rosen. "Desert Spada." Rosen's counterattack came swiftly. Sand rose from the ground, forming a massive blade that slashed forward at lightning speed. Squelch! The soldiers never even saw it coming. By the time they realized what had happened, it was too late. The razor-sharp sand blade tore through them like paper. One by one, they collapsed into pools of blood. "I—" Zody froze. He had planned to stay and enjoy the show. But now, death loomed over him. As he saw Rosen's lower body turning to sand, his upper body lunging forward like the wind, sheer panic seized his soul. Impossible! How could his carefully selected guards be wiped out so quickly?! 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