As he had said, this matter was troublesome, perhaps far more complicated than he'd initially imagined.
The Celestial Dragons represented the highest nobles of the world. They stood above all, looking down upon ordinary humans as if they were mere servants, elevating themselves to divine status. Their authority, backed by centuries, or even millennia, of accumulated power, was absolute. Mary Geoise, the Holy Land, was their residence. Breaking into it was nearly unthinkable.
But upon deeper reflection, Rojen understood that he and his crew weren't about to enter the Celestial Dragons' Holy Land just for sightseeing.
If that was their intention, the implications were far more serious.
"I heard Golden Lion will attack the Marines' Headquarters in five days," Rojen said, raising his cup with a grin as he caught Rayleigh deep in thought.
"Ah… you want to use his storm," Rayleigh said, the realization dawning on him.
For a single person, or even a small crew, to pull off such a feat alone would normally be impossible. But at this critical juncture, if Golden Lion took the lead, drawing the main forces' attention, they might just exploit the chaos to accomplish an otherwise impossible mission.
"Exactly. Golden Lion is acting for the old man's cause. Even if it's to preserve his own dominance, I have to respect it," Rojen replied with a confident smile.
"You're not strong enough yet to confront that kind of power directly," Rayleigh shook his head.
"I know my limits," Rojen said firmly.
"Then tell me your plan," Rayleigh said, a hint of expectation in his voice, sensing that Rojen already had a strategy in mind.
Though Rayleigh was a seasoned strategist himself, he preferred not to overthink unnecessarily.
That night, the two conversed until dawn.
Rojen outlined his plan, and Rayleigh offered suggestions to refine it, gradually shaping it into a near-perfect strategy.
Once everything was set, Rojen's crew left the bar, venturing into the unknown. Unlike before, the six Dragon-Elephant members remained behind at the tavern.
At that moment, the six sat facing Rayleigh, exchanging glances.
"Hey, old man, let us go. The captain has something important to do," Dragon-Elephant One said carelessly.
Rayleigh looked harmless enough, but if not for the captain's orders, the crew might have already left without a second thought.
"No. Rojen asked me to look after you, and this is for your safety," Rayleigh replied calmly. "Starting today, or rather, tomorrow, the danger level on this island will be at its peak for you."
He shook his head, refusing their demands.
"Step aside. We don't have time to argue with you. Who knows what might happen with the captain?"
The others grew restless, anxious.
"Old boss, forget talking to him! We need to find the captain!"
Dragon-Elephant One hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
Despite their grogginess from the previous night, they remembered the captain's words and understood the danger involved. Without exaggeration, the captain's actions directly opposed every pirate and Marine force on the island.
"Hey! You guys really don't take me seriously, huh!"
As the six moved toward the door, Rayleigh's voice stopped them in their tracks from behind.
"Old man, we don't have time to chat with you," Dragon-Elephant One shouted, waving a hand. "Let's go!"
The others nodded. The old boss was right, they needed to be at the captain's side.
But Rayleigh sighed and shook his head from behind them.
"I really didn't want to be forceful."
In the next moment, an imposing aura surged around him with tremendous force.
"Buzz!"
The six who had stepped forward froze in place. Their expressions shifted to disbelief as their eyes rolled back, and they went limp, collapsing to the ground.
"Four of them, drag them back. That kid told me to watch those men; they must not leave this place."
Rayleigh shook his head and sighed, turning to Hachi standing beside him.
He understood Rojen's thinking. These six weren't weak, but compared to the storm coming their way, they'd be overwhelmed in an instant if they weren't careful, no chance to resist.
Sabaody Archipelago, District No. 40.
Four figures cloaked in black robes, each wearing a different mask, walked slowly down the street. Their heights varied, drawing curious glances, but it was the two tall figures at the sides who caught the most attention.
At roughly 2.5 meters tall, they weren't impossibly huge, but the aura they radiated was ferocious.
"Smells like the sea, those four are pirates!" whispered a young man in a baseball cap, browsing local goods on the curb.
"Don't dawdle. Boss Liam wants us to gather quickly. Buy what you need and hurry," someone beside him urged.
"Hold on. Those four aren't ordinary. My gut says they're powerhouses on our level," the baseball-capped man muttered.
"You're kidding, right?" his companion replied, eyes fixed warily on the four ahead. Their own pirate crew ranked near the top of this batch, running into equals here would be unexpected.
But the black robes and masks concealed their faces, so they couldn't tell who they were.
The two watched intently, trying to discern the strangers' identities. Then, from the opposite side of the street, sudden cries rang out.
People standing nearby promptly dropped to their knees, forehead pressed to the ground.
"Celestial Dragons!"
The baseball-capped man panicked, grabbed his friend, and like everyone else, dropped to his knees.
On the far side of the street, the Celestial Dragon himself was not yet visible, but a line of men in black suits had already formed to clear the way.
Footsteps grew nearer. The baseball-capped man felt the Dragon approaching.
Five or six seconds later, he heard the Dragon's steps pass right in front of him and allowed himself a slight breath.
"What about those four guys?"
Curiosity got the better of him; he slowly lifted his head, careful and tentative.
He quickly noticed the civilians around him, some drenched in sweat down their backs, others trembling so visibly it was obvious.
It was as if whatever had just passed wasn't human, but an ancient, ominous beast.
Following the earlier direction with his eyes, the baseball-capped man spotted the four dark silhouettes.
"They didn't kneel?!"
He froze instantly.
At the center of the escort, walking slowly, a Celestial Dragon led a slave by a leash, scowling.
"How dare these lowly creatures see me and not kneel!"
"Execute them!"
"No, I'll do it myself!"
"I'll reward him for daring to look me in the face without bowing!"
As he spoke, a cruel grin spread across the Dragon's mouth and he pulled a golden revolver from his coat.
(End Of This Chapter)
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