Chapter 74: Assault on the Holy Land

The Red Line—a continent of crimson earth that divides the world.

Directly above Fish-Man Island, the midpoint connecting the first half of the Grand Line and the New World, lies the sacred land where the World Nobles reside: Mary Geoise.

Under normal circumstances, entry is forbidden without permission from the World Government. The only means of access is through the Red Port, hidden behind Marineford or the New World’s G-1 Marine Headquarters.

——Yet now, a lone figure scales this towering continent, thousands of meters high, its summit obscured by clouds. Driven by a single unwavering conviction, he ascends.

"…………!!"

The man is massive, his skin a deep red. A fish-man of the tiger shark breed, with webbed hands and fins.

The adventurer Fisher Tiger climbs the Red Line barehanded, his honed physique defying the impossible.

Few know why he has chosen this path.

But deep within him lies the trauma of a past filled with oppression—a hatred born from suffering, and a righteous fury for those still trapped in torment within the Holy Land.

The scars on his chest remain, seared like an unshakable curse, gnawing at his soul, hardening his heart into that of a demon.

Tiger has made his resolve. He is about to defy the world’s greatest taboo—assaulting the Holy Land and liberating its slaves.

His determination is absolute.

……Yet, as he moves, a sliver of unease lingers in his mind—about another "demon" he had recently encountered.

"I was once a slave, just like you. That alone is reason enough for me to help, don’t you think?"

"When you launch your attack, I’ll go wild and wreak havoc too. Should make things a lot easier for you, right~?"

"Hm? Grudges against them? Ahaha!! As if I’d care about something like that. That was just me—"

Yes. Just days ago, she had seen through his secrets and plans—and then revealed that she, too, had once been one of them.

Recalling that conversation, he remembers the indescribable terror he felt toward her.

Her words held no lies. Yet, she bore none of the same emotions he did.

There was no rage in her—only a cheerful recounting of her past, a giddy excitement as she described her methods. She seemed almost like an innocent girl.

No trace of madness could be seen.

And that was what made her terrifying.

A person who could commit atrocities without a shred of insanity—that was true madness.

She did not fear the Celestial Dragons. If anything, she looked down on them for their weakness. She would hurt them without hesitation.

The thought of relying on her was horrifying. But after much deliberation, Tiger accepted her offer.

Because he feared what would happen if he refused.

And in a strange way, he understood her.

Tiger would never bow to humans. But she was not human. She could not be categorized as such.

She was like the demon lurking in the depths of his own heart—a monster, a fiend, a beast.

Perhaps humans and fish-men alike could become such creatures under the right circumstances. Tiger realized he himself stood on that precipice.

But he would not become like her.

His goal was liberation, not slaughter. He told himself this firmly.

He would borrow the power of a devil—only to create the chaos necessary to free the slaves. Nothing more, nothing less.

And so, under the cover of night, he finally reaches the Holy Land.

Clenching his fists, he begins his assault—repeating his purpose like a mantra, ensuring he does not lose sight of it.

Meanwhile, within the opulent halls of Mary Geoise...

---

"Father~! I want to buy a new slave tomorrow!!"

"I also desire a new slave, amasu~."

"Again? I told you, no more until we clear out the ones we have."

The World Nobles—the Celestial Dragons—live without a single want.

Their lavish lifestyles are sustained by the vast tributes from nations under the World Government. They reside in grand estates, guarded by knights, officials, and even CP0 agents, ensuring the security of the "Land of the Gods."

They own slaves of countless races, treating them as less than human—toys, playthings, objects of torture and execution.

Nothing is forbidden to them. They descend to the world below, abducting people as slaves, taking women as wives only to discard them later. Maiming, blinding, scarring—none of it is a crime.

Even the Marines stand by their side. Though the World Government officially bans human trafficking, they turn a blind eye. Harm a Celestial Dragon, and an Admiral will lead a fleet in retaliation.

No one can stop their tyranny.

"Oh, I know! Let’s dispose of the useless slaves!"

"If you’re going to kill them, at least keep it clean. Otherwise, I don’t care."

"Since we’re at it, let’s play with them, amasu~. That tongue-ripping torture from last time was fun, amasu~."

"…………!!"

For the slaves, every day is hell.

Some are killed for screaming. Others for staying silent. Unfavored ones are used and discarded like trash. Those who are "loved" endure longer—but their minds and bodies are left broken. Even if freed, the trauma remains. Some choose death.

Once enslaved, a normal life is impossible. No matter how composed they appear, the past will always haunt them.

——Except for one.

"~Hellooo~♪"

"!!?"

"...? Who are you? Which family’s—"

"You! A runaway slave!? Do you have any idea where you are!?"

"My, how adorable, amasu~! Let’s capture her and make her a slave, amasu~!"

"Ah, should I have said ‘I’m home’ instead? Ahaha, brings back memories~♡ Back then, I was so weak, getting tortured every day!!"

"!! Y-You… don’t tell me—"

"? Father, do you know this slave, amasu?"

The girl who had entered the Celestial Dragons’ mansion looked around nostalgically. The family’s patriarch recognized her—but the blood dripping from the spear in her hand made the situation all too wrong.

"No… more importantly, what did you do to the guards outside!?"

"——They’re all dead~♡"

"Hah…?"

She smiled as she said it.

Every guard—every soldier—was dead.

The Celestial Dragons could only gape in disbelief. How could this girl have slaughtered them so easily?

But the stench of blood clung to her. The unbearable reek of death.

And when they realized that—their bodies trembled.

They didn’t understand the emotion coursing through them.

But even Celestial Dragons are human.

Their instincts still remained.

"Well, it’s not like I have business with you. I’m just here to have fun, and this place had the most slaves, so~… But since I’m here, why don’t I play with you a little? ♡"

"W-Wha… ah…?"

"What are you…!!"

Yes. The trembling fear that arises when facing an external threat—a monster.

On this day, the Celestial Dragons would truly learn the meaning of terror.

"GYAAAAAAAAHH—!!?"

"One down~♪"

"H-Hic… Aah… AAAAAH!!"

"S-Stop it!! Don’t come any closer!! W-We’ll call the Navy Admirals and their fleet!! If you stop now, we’ll let you go!!"

——One. The trident pierces through a stomach.

Lifting him up like a skewered sausage, she steps forward, unfazed by the threat of Admirals and warships—her smile only widening.

"Navy Admirals~? Ahaha, how rude of you to think that’d stop me~~~… Though, if they do come, it’d be even more fun to go wild—♡"

"UGWAAAAAAAAAAAAHH—!!!"

"Thanks for the lovely scream~♪ —Now, for the second one~♪"

"P-Please… I-I’ll do anything…!!"

The second one has his limbs torn off. The expensive carpets, sofas, and tables are drenched in crimson. She casually snacks on the dinner spread before her, then looks down at the last man.

Hearing his pleas for mercy, she smiles sweetly.

"Too bad♡ The weak don’t get to live~♡ So take this as a lesson… and be stronger in your next life, okay?♡"

"N-NOOOOOOO—AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

The last one is diced into pieces. The girl surveys the carnage, nostalgic.

"Hmmmm~. To think I used to get tortured by weaklings like these… I really was a pathetic loser back then. No wonder I ended up a slave~~."

In her hands, she holds a red feather and a blue feather. Floating upward, she takes the keys to the slave collars, shackles, and cells—then sets the fireplace ablaze, spreading flames across the walls.

"Alrighty~! Time for a little charity work~♡ —Nue-chan’s IN at Holy Land Mary Geoise!! The guerrilla charity concert starts NOOOOW~~~!!!"

——And so, the feast of the "Beast Princess" begins, plunging the Holy Land into the depths of terror.

---

"WHAT’S HAPPENING!?"

"It seems we’re under attack!! The Land of the Gods is burning—GWAH!!?"

"Floating in the sky… T-That can’t be…!!"

"—Send an emergency request to Marine HQ!! Protecting the Celestial Dragons is our top priority!!"

Mary Geoise was once a beautiful city, rich in scenery.

But now, it is a sea of flames. The night sky is lit by burning buildings, explosions, collapsing structures, and the echoes of screams.

Amid the chaos, the Holy Land’s guards and officials scramble into action. While CP0 moves to secure the Celestial Dragons, the soldiers are forced to confront the attackers.

But the assailants’ strength far exceeds what they can handle.

"There he is!! The red-skinned fish-man!!"

"How did he even get here…!?"

"Just capture him!!! Kill him if you have to!! He’s a criminal who dared attack the Holy Land!!"

"…………!!"

The red-skinned fish-man—Fisher Tiger—rampages with all his might, freeing slaves left and right.

Fish-men are born with ten times the strength of humans, but Tiger’s power goes far beyond that. After all, he was the one who united the lawless Fish-Man District under his rule.

"Ugh…!!"

"He’s too fast!!?"

"Damn it… A fucking fish bastard…!!"

"!!!"

"Gah… AHH…!?"

The man who called him a "fish bastard" is sent flying by Tiger’s fist, crashing into a building. Tiger doesn’t even glance at him—instead, he hurls debris at the guards to create chaos before turning to the freed slaves behind him.

"RUN!!! Never let them catch you again!!!"

"Ugh… Aah…"

"MOVE!!!"

"Th...thank you...!!!"

Tiger continued freeing slaves, wreaking havoc to serve as a diversion.

To the slaves, the sight of the city burning and collapsing one building after another was terrifying—but compared to their days in bondage, it was still preferable. They fled the city in a panic.

However, the guards, government officials, and Marines from Headquarters had no intention of letting them escape.

"Capture the runaway slaves!!!"

"Yes, sir!!!"

Some might hesitate if asked whether capturing slaves was truly justice—but to a Marine, the orders of their superiors, the orders of the World Government, were absolute.

Besides, if they caught the slaves, they could uncover the truth behind this attack and apprehend the culprit. Convincing themselves that this was the path to justice, they raised their guns toward the weak.

"Take aim—GWAH!!?"

"Colonel!!"

"Gh...!!! W-WHAAA!? A... a dinosaur!!?"

——But they, too, were the weak, destined to be crushed beneath the strong.

Sending Marines flying with sheer force, an ancient creature—a dinosaur—appeared before the slaves.

Yet this dinosaur understood human speech. The two reptiles looked down at the slaves and exchanged words.

"Raisin’ hell’s fun, but these weaklin’s are borin’, Zaurus. Hey, Pe-tan, what do we do with ’em, Zaurus?"

"Nah, sis, these are obviously slaves. Let’s just get ’em to the ships like planned."

"That so, Zaurus? Still..."

"? What’s up?"

The dinosaur shifted back into human form, the boy tilting his head at the girl. She recalled the people she’d just sent flying and mused,

"First time seein’ Celestial Dragons, Zaurus. Weird speech tic, Zaurus, huh?"

"——YOU’RE ONE TO TALK!!!"

"The hell you say!?"

"K...kids...?"

The slaves recoiled slightly, confused, as they tentatively spoke up. It seemed they’d been rescued—technically.

But their saviors were undeniably savage. Though they appeared to be just a boy and a girl, they also gave off the air of pirates. Their monstrous, enlarged forms—likely due to some ability—were intimidating enough to be a threat.

Hesitantly, the slaves addressed them, only for the boy to jerk a thumb behind him and snap,

"Hey, quit dawdlin’ and move. We got orders to escort ya to the ships."

"You gotta thank Nue-sama and Ty... Tiger, was it, Zaurus? Anyway, thank Nue-sama, Zaurus!!"

"R...right... Thank you."

"We’re grateful...!!"

Following the duo’s instructions, the freed slaves hurried toward the edge of the Red Line’s cliff—where ships awaited on the side of the first half of the Grand Line.

For some reason, the vessels floated in midair. One after another, the escaping slaves boarded. But the ships didn’t depart yet.

["——Heeeeeey, everyone in Holy Land Marijoa~~~!! Are you waaaaatching!? Slaves, Celestial Dragons, guards, Marines, officials—EVERYONE, pay atteeeention!! (Not that you’ve got the luxury to, maybe! Ahahahaha!!)"]

"!! Kyaaa~~~♡ It’s Nue-sama, Zaurus!!"

"Oi, oi... Don’t tell me she’s doin’ another slaughter livestream?"

The slave liberation event was far from over—both Ulti and Page One understood that much, though their reactions differed.

Holy Land Marijoa, the domain of the gods. As the city sprawled before Pangaea Castle burned, she prepared to broadcast atop a mountain of corpses in the plaza—streaming live via Den Den Mushi. The transmission was limited to Marijoa, relayed through receivers carried by individuals or set up in key locations. She beamed a charming smile at the camera.

But few had the composure to actually watch. The Celestial Dragons were scrambling in this crisis, and the guards, officials, and Marines were no different. The slaves, Fisher Tiger leading the liberation effort, and even the Beast Pirates crew following Nue’s orders were all too busy.

Yet the grotesque spectacle—paired with the jarringly cheerful voice of a beautiful girl—drew the attention of many. Especially since, to those on the government’s side, her face was all too infamous. Even among the slaves, few didn’t recognize her.

"No way...!!"

"Why the hell is a Yonko’s right hand here!?"

The "Beast Pirates" Vice Captain, the "Monstrous Princess" Nue—a monster of the New World with a bounty exceeding 3 billion berries. A top-tier threat.

And for those who knew her better, the sight of UFOs hovering over the Holy Land only confirmed their suspicions.

The sister-in-arms of Yonko Kaido, perpetrator of countless atrocities. Many of her worst crimes were suppressed by government censorship—but some were too big to hide.

Like the time she livestreamed the annihilation of an island.

["Today’s broadcast is brought to you by: Cute! Brutal! Terror! ♡ Oh, but don’t worry!! Everyone here already knows—today’s main event is... drumroll ...a SLAVE LIBERATION, the ultimate justice event!! That means our stars are adventurer Fisher Tiger, the escaping slaves, and~~~ the Celestial Dragons!! ♪"]

"Kyaaa~~~♡ Nue-sama’s adorable as ever, Zaurus!! A hundred billion cuteness points, Zaurus!!"

"Hey, sis!! Quit gawkin’ and help load the ships!!"

To the Beast Pirates, this was routine—yet Nue’s actions never failed to unsettle them.

Attacking the Celestial Dragons’ holy land, broadcasting it so brazenly—just imagining what came next made their smiles twitch.

But her orders took priority. As they herded slaves onto one ship and looted treasures onto another, the broadcast played in the background. A cheerful voice over horrifying imagery.

["Slaves, watch closely!! Today’s special is~~~ ...a COOKING STREAM!! ♡ And the menu is everyone’s favorite—simple, easy GRILLED MEAT!! ♡ So without further ado, let’s introduce our sizzling grill and the ingredients!!"]

"! ...!!"

The screen showed a massive iron griddle—and behind it, several Celestial Dragons bound in ropes, gagged and helpless.

The slaves stared in disbelief. Government agents paled. The stream rolled on.

["And our taste-testers tonight are~~~ the adorable monsters, the NUMBEEEERS!!"]

["Jukiki~~!!"]

["Alrighty!! Let’s skip the tutorial and just dive in, shall we~? First ingredient—IN THE PAN!! ♪"]

["Ghk—Pwah! Hah... Hah... S-Stop this...!! You think you can get away with—GYAAAAAHHHH!!!"]

The gag and ropes came off as the Celestial Dragon was dropped onto the searing metal. Marines clutched their mouths but moved at their superiors’ orders.

"This is bad... Shut that down NOW!!"

"Y-Yes, sir! But the rampaging fishman and the slaves—"

"That broadcast is worse!! GO!!"

"Y-Yes!!"

They charged—but the holy land was a hellscape of flames and UFO barrages. Hardly navigable. Meanwhile, the stream continued.

["Hot, HOT, HOT!!?"]
["Still too lively~ Gotta press down so it cooks evenly~~ ♡"]
["AGH—UGHH—GAAAAAHHH!!!"]

"Ugh..."

"They’re grilling him alive...!!"

"Hahahaha… damn… just do it!! Yeah!! Who gives a shit what happens to those bastards?!"

"Make them feel pain!!"

The enslaved people watching the broadcast were stunned in every sense of the word, utterly transfixed. An act defying even the gods. Some were moved by the sheer audacity, others took savage joy in seeing the Celestial Dragons—who had tormented them—suffer in turn. A few felt sick at the brutality, but most? Most sneered or spat out "Serves you right." It was a testament to the abyss of despair that was slavery.

The broadcast continued.

"So, how does everyone like their meat cooked? I’m a rare kinda girl~♡ Good meat’s best rare, right?! Well, for yakiniku, you’d want it well-done, but this is more like a whole roast, kinda steak-ish… Oh, can’t hear you anymore~ Time to dig iiiin! Here we go!!"

"Squelch♪ Squelch♪"

"Wow, such enthusiasm!! Can’t understand a word, but they sure seem to be enjoying it!!"

"——!!!"

"That monster… she’s eating a Celestial Dragon…!?"

On screen, the red-skinned Celestial Dragon was tossed into the beast’s maw, crushed between its teeth with a sickening crunch. The slaves watched, breathless. Marines, officials, even the bound Celestial Dragons in the background—all fainted on the spot.

After all—she’d just killed a Celestial Dragon. A descendant of the world’s creators. Those who must never be defied.

Harm one, and an Admiral would come with a fleet. She had to know—yet the girl on screen showed no fear, gleefully continuing her broadcast.

"Okay, next up~~~ Ta-dah!! Let’s leave it to fate with this dartboard! C’mon, I’ll free your hands—grab a dart!"

"…!!"

"Ah-ah, trying to run’s pointless~~~ Do that, and I’ll skip the game and kill you right away, so behave, ‘kay? ♡ Basically, whatever body part the dart hits gets chopped off and roasted! Five throws—try to survive! ♪ Heads-up: the head and heart are jackpots! Miss entirely, and it’s an instant game over, so aim carefully!!"

"……!!!"

The Celestial Dragon in the footage faced this cruel game. They’d just watched one of their own die horribly. Their faces twisted in naked terror, bodies trembling. The second victim, a woman, clutched the dart with shaking hands. She’d never done this before—even if she had, how could she aim now? She had to throw. But where?

Hit an arm or leg? It’d be torn off. Hit the stomach? Would her flesh be carved out? Organs gouged? The Celestial Dragons knew exactly what awaited—they’d doled out such cruelty to slaves for fun. Never had they imagined they’d be on the receiving end. For the first time, they understood the visceral terror of violence and death.

"Throw already, or it’s roast time again~?"

"Squelch~!!"

"…!!"

Spurred by the girl’s taunts and the beast’s drooling, the Dragon hurled the dart—only to miss completely. Nue cackled.

"Ooops! Total miss~~~ ♪ Off to the oven you go~! ♡"

"Gh—W-WAIT, PLEA—GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!?"

"Squelch~♪"

And so… the horrors piled up.

Many retched at the footage of the monsters roasting and devouring Celestial Dragons one after another. To the slaves, these were saviors like the Fish-Man—yet the pirates’ god-defying brutality also filled them with dread.

They slaughtered the privileged Celestial Dragons without hesitation—like swatting insects, or casually grilling meat. One by one, the executions continued, leaving all who witnessed them trembling.

The broadcast lasted an hour, ending only once every slave was freed. By the time Marine reinforcements arrived at the plaza—

"…!! This is—"

"Oops, too late~ ♡ We’re packing up—cleanup’s your job! ♪"

"You—do you have any idea what you’ve done!?"

—Not. A. Single. Celestial. Dragon. Remained.

The plaza, once holding nearly ten, was now empty. Only blood and pulp lingered.

With a wave to the Marines, the monster floated skyward.

"Weaklings lose—that’s life! Later, losers~~~!!"

"! …STOP!!"

The beast vanished into the night. The Marines couldn’t even give chase—not with the Holy Land still ablaze. Their duty now was damage control and protecting the remaining Dragons.

"She got away~~~…"

"…Orders, Vice Admiral Borsalino?"

The wide-hatted Marine glanced up, confirming Nue’s absence, then sighed. Part of the Admiral-led reinforcements, he’d been shooting down UFOs with finger-launched lasers all the while. Scratching his chin, he drawled:

"Avoiding a fight… the Dragons’ll throw a fit~~~ Then again… picking a fight with an Emperor’s crew now? Even an Admiral’s not enough… Wonder what HQ’ll decide…?"

"S-Sir, we’re not pursuing?"

"Pointless at this stage~~~ Focus on UFO cleanup and survivor rescue for now…!"

"Yes sir!"

As the Marines scattered under Borsalino’s orders, he kept muttering, downing UFOs mid-air.

"Main culprits: Beast Pirates’ Vice Captain, 'Phantom Beast Nue'… and Fish-Man adventurer Fisher Tiger… One’s a top-tier lunatic even we can’t touch… the other’s a lone oppressed rebel… Govt’s bad habits might kick in~~~ Ah well… I’ll just do my job…"

No newspaper would ever report the massacre—too grotesque to see daylight. But ignoring a slave revolt and the Holy Land’s near-total destruction? Impossible. The Dragons would scream for the perpetrators’ heads.

Any Marine familiar with the World Government’s ways could guess what came next.

Standing on the gore-free plaza, Borsalino exhaled lightly, already envisioning the fallout. His role, as always, was to follow orders.

And so, the unprecedented event—multiple Celestial Dragons dead, slaves freed, 70% of the Holy Land reduced to ash—came to a close.