#268 - Chapter 268 A World Rotten to the Core
After seeing clearly who was standing in front of the house, Saul was stunned.
He blinked, somewhat disbelievingly, and said:
"B… Bartholomew?"
Robin happily replied:
"It's Bartholomew, let's go over there quickly."
She took Saul's hand and quickened her pace.
Bartholomew, seeing Robin hopping and skipping towards him in the distance, revealed a rare smile on his face.
"Robin, let me send you away, the shelling is about to begin."
After speaking to Robin, his gaze turned to the tall figure behind Robin.
"Vice Admiral Saul, I didn't expect to see you here."
Saul's massive figure seemed somewhat awkward in front of Bartholomew.
He scratched his head embarrassedly and said:
"I didn't expect it either..."
He knew that Bartholomew was the one who helped Ohara, but he chose not to ask any further questions.
Robin held Saul's hand tightly, her eyes sparkling with hope.
"Uncle Saul, Bartholomew will take us away."
Saul was silent for a moment, then looked down at Robin's trusting eyes, feeling a warmth in his heart.
However, he ultimately shook his head and said:
"Robin, I'll stay here."
After learning how to leave this place, he changed his mind.
He didn't have much contact with Bartholomew, but he knew that the other party was a good person.
Now that he had defected from the Navy and was being hunted by the World Government, he didn't want to implicate innocent people.
He had previously oversimplified things.
If he were caught, although he wouldn't do anything to betray his benefactor, the World Government had too many ways to pry open his mouth.
Even if he escaped from here, he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't be caught by the World Government for the rest of his life.
Bartholomew frowned slightly upon hearing this.
"Saul, are you sure you want to stay here? You know what this place will become once the shelling begins."
Saul nodded firmly. "I know, but I don't want to cause you any trouble."
"As far as I know, there are people in the World Government who have eaten the Memory Fruit, I can't guarantee that I won't be caught by the World Government for the rest of my life."
His voice was low and firm, with an unshakeable determination in his eyes.
Robin grabbed Saul's hand and said anxiously:
"Uncle Saul, don't stay, you'll be in danger!"
Saul bent down, gently stroked Robin's head, and gave her a tender smile.
"Robin, you must be strong, you will reunite with your mother in the future, and Bartholomew is someone you can trust unconditionally."
Tears welled up in Robin's eyes, but she gritted her teeth and shook her head.
She knew what Saul's decision meant, so she didn't want this kind-hearted Marine to die in vain.
Bartholomew took a deep look at Saul and shook his head.
"Saul, you can face death with equanimity, why fear that uncertain future."
"If we were afraid of the World Government finding out, we wouldn't have come here."
"..."
Just then, the front door was pushed open, and Jin-an walked out slowly, with a relaxed smile on his face.
"Yo, Saul, long time no see."
Saul was even more surprised, his eyes widened.
"Vice Admiral Jin-an, you're here too."
Jin-an said directly to Bartholomew:
"I trust this guy's character, let him accompany those scholars."
He looked up at the distant sky, and the expression on his face became serious.
"The shelling will probably arrive in about 5 minutes, there's no time to continue chatting."
Without saying a word, Bartholomew slapped Robin and Saul away, instantly removing them from this place that was about to become purgatory.
Robin drew an arc in the air, feeling gently enveloped, and closed her eyes peacefully.
She trusted Bartholomew and Jin-an's arrangements, and her heart was full of hope for the future.
As Saul flew through the air, he looked at Ohara, which was gradually receding into the distance, and his heart was filled with complex emotions.
He knew that he wouldn't die for the time being, but their Giant tribe always repaid kindness.
Since Jin-an and the others had saved his life, his life belonged to Jin-an.
Jin-an looked at the distant horizon, feeling the tense atmosphere permeating the air.
He instructed Bartholomew,
"When the shelling starts later, take Clover away directly, remember, keeping yourself safe is the most important thing."
Bartholomew nodded and walked into the room, looking at Clover, who was still talking endlessly about his research results, this world was rotten to the core.
Afterward, he silently looked into the distance.
......
On the distant Marine warship, Sakazuki stood expressionlessly on the deck, ordering the soldiers to prepare for the shelling.
He knew that this was a task he had to complete, although he felt a little uneasy and dissatisfied in his heart, but those small emotions were irrelevant to this operation.
"Prepare to fire!"
Sakazuki said coldly, staring coldly in the direction of Ohara.
The moment the shelling began, the entire sky seemed to be lit up.
More than a dozen warships fired in unison, the huge gun barrels spewing out scorching flames, as if to tear the entire world apart.
The deafening roar of the cannons echoed on the sea, like ten thousand thunders roaring, making people palpitate.
The shells streaked across the sky, whistling with destructive power.
Countless shrapnel intertwined in the air to form a web of death, shrouding the entire Ohara.
The air on the island was instantly filled with the heavy smell of gunpowder, as if even breathing became hot and difficult.
As the shells fell, the ground shook violently, as if the entire island was wailing.
Solid buildings instantly disintegrated under the impact of the shells, with stones and dust splashing everywhere.
The huge trunk of the All-Knowing Tree was directly broken, and the huge branches and leaves rolled and fell in the air, making a tearing wail.
Fires broke out everywhere, and explosions rose and fell one after another. The entire island seemed to be plunged into an apocalyptic catastrophe.
Raging flames spread rapidly, devouring everything flammable, and the scorching heat made it impossible to approach.
Those once prosperous streets, quiet libraries, and ancient buildings instantly turned into ruins.
The waves rolled in the vibration, and the sea water constantly beat against the shore of the island, as if to swallow the entire island.
The rocks were shattered, and the soil was lifted up, forming a cloud of dust that covered the sky.
The entire Ohara seemed to be destroyed by an invisible giant hand, and everything disintegrated in an instant, turning into a dead ruin.
Those people on the island who were still preparing to surrender didn't even get to see the Marines before they were instantly submerged in the sea of fire.
"These Marines are executioners!!!"
"Killer Marines, I won't let you go even if I go to hell!!"
"I regret it so much... I hate it so much!!!"
"......"
With round after round of shelling, the terrain of the island continued to change, and huge craters could be seen everywhere.
Those surviving trees and vegetation were uprooted in the shock wave of the explosions and flew into the distance.
The ground was covered with broken steel bars and twisted metal.
All living things ceased to exist.
...
...
