Spandine kicked open the doors of the Tree of Knowledge with the arrogant swagger of a man leading CP agents. Gun-wielding agents stormed in without the slightest courtesy, aiming their weapons at the "scholars" inside.
Jasmine hid in the shadows, controlling the illusions like a puppeteer working a shadow play.
Of course, she didn't know Dr. Clover and the others' personalities well, so the illusions merely stared at Spandine with cold, blank gazes.
"The World Government suspects you Ohara scholars of researching Poneglyphs! Search the place!"
Spandine and his agents rampaged through the Tree of Knowledge, toppling tall orderly bookshelves to the ground and smashing tables and chairs!
Rather than an investigation, it was more like an act of wanton destruction!
"Commander, we found a basement, but there's nothing inside."
It wasn't long before an agent came to report. As expected, after Ren and the others had taken all the research — even the Poneglyph hidden in the basement — Spandine found nothing useful.
"Didn't find anything? No — you should say the evidence is conclusive!" Spandine shook his head in reply.
In truth, Ohara's destruction had been decided long ago. Even if Spandine found no evidence here today, every scholar on this island had to die!
Over the years, the World Government had captured quite a few scholars researching Poneglyphs, but none of them could be openly linked to Ohara. Even Olvia, captured alive not long ago, had no direct evidence tying her to the island.
But at this point, evidence no longer mattered. The World Government intended to make an example of Ohara — to kill the little troublemaker that kept digging up their dirty secrets, and warn all the monkey scholars around the world what would happen if they did the same!
That was exactly why the World Government had sent someone like Spandine — a man with no real ability but useful connections — to handle this. All he needed to do was put on a show and then press the button on the Golden Den Den Mushi.
Nobody expected him to actually find any solid evidence.
After all, the warships surrounding Ohara had already sailed out. They certainly weren't going to turn around and go home empty-handed.
"Since the evidence is conclusive, it's time for this thing to serve its purpose." He pulled out the Golden Den Den Mushi and slowly reached for the button.
At the same time, he kept shooting exaggerated glances at the scholars, trying to spot anger, hatred, or anguish on their faces.
Without the pitiful struggling of these people, how could he savor the supreme high of being wrapped in power?
It was a shame, though — the bound "scholars" were nothing more than illusions with "physical form."
Instead, it was the hidden Jasmine who was thoroughly disgusted by him.
"What a repulsive bastard…"
Ren hated Spandine too, but the man's son was the real oddity among oddities.
He gave Iris a sidelong glance, and she immediately understood — readying herself to kill the man shortly. An incompetent Spandam and two mediocre CP agents were no real threat to her.
It was convenient that this idiot had activated the Buster Call while still on the island. When the time came, the Marines would probably just assume he'd had the bad luck of dying in his own bombardment.
Seeing the scholars expressionless and unresponsive, Spandine found it rather boring.
"Whatever. Let's go. Just leave these damn fools here — we don't need to lift a finger ourselves."
Right on cue, a call came in from the Five Elders. Spandine strode away in an affected swagger, flanked by two agents assigned to protect him.
The remaining agents were still planting explosives at the roots of the Tree of Knowledge, preparing to blast the great tree apart.
Seeing Spandine leave, Iris quickly followed.
"Jasmine, go with Iris." Ren tossed a gem to Jasmine. "Once Iris takes care of that guy, head back to the Plane of Euthymia with her."
The gem would open the World-Crossing Gate.
After a Devil Fruit ability was Awakened, it could be imbued onto external objects. That gem, influenced by Ren's power, served as a "key" that could open a World-Crossing Gate.
But since it was a "key," it could only open the matching "lock."
In other words, the destination of a World-Crossing Gate opened by a "key" was predetermined when the key was made. And there was only one key to the Plane of Euthymia — usable just once.
"Lord Ren, aren't you coming with us?" Jasmine tucked the gem away and asked.
"No, my hands are itching. It's a rare opportunity — I might as well test myself against the Marines' two rising star Vice Admirals." Ren shook his head.
"Is that alright? Weren't we supposed to keep your identity hidden?"
"It's fine. The Gurade Soul and Forest Soul forms both look very different from my real appearance, and the Marines have never seen those faces. They won't recognize me."
Ren wasn't worried about it.
He was just testing himself, after all. In the eyes of the World Government and the Marines, a mysteriously powerful person had appeared, but the outcome — Ohara's destruction — remained unchanged.
"Hurry up and go. You can already see the warships from the coast." Ren patted her head.
"Okay."
…
The town was in chaos. Citizens burdened with luggage scrambled in every direction, desperately rushing toward the evacuation ships the agents had designated.
The crowd surged and jostled, as if falling behind by a single step meant being gunned down by the men in black!
In truth, many people had dismissed the warnings at first. But when dozens of warships closed in from every direction, their minds were completely overwhelmed by fear.
You're actually serious about this!
The pitch-black cannons on those warships wouldn't show mercy. What was the point of staying on the island?
To die as companions for the scholars?
The warships didn't even wait for the civilians to finish evacuating before they opened fire.
"BOOM!"
Lead cannonballs rained down like meteors, and the thunderous roar of the guns filled everyone with unspeakable terror.
The civilians hadn't finished evacuating, but once the Buster Call was activated, there was no stopping it!
"BOOM!"
On the tall, broad trunk of the Tree of Knowledge, flames began slowly climbing upward!
The once-green Ohara was gradually becoming the heart of a warzone.
What awaited this island next was dozens of hours of unceasing bombardment!
Five Marine Vice Admirals, ten Rear Admirals, nearly ten thousand elite Marines, and ten top-class warships!
A force like this, even in the current New World, couldn't be resisted by any pirate crew besides the Whitebeard Pirates and Inazuma.
Even the Buggy Pirates and the Red Hair Pirates could only temporarily avoid clashing with such power head-on.
[
Dear Readers,
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