Undoubtedly, there were many powerful figures among the Celestial Dragons, and while everyone had expected as much, the sheer number of top-tier experts was still beyond their imagination.
But the most terrifying part was not their numbers—it was Im, the so-called King of the Dragons, and that mysterious weapon.
What no one had anticipated was that the "weapon" was actually a monster—an immortal being granted eternal life by Im herself.
"This person came from eight hundred years ago," Crocodile said after organizing his thoughts. "Imu granted him immortality, but he eventually went mad and was later turned into a living weapon used to purge history itself. His power is so overwhelming that even the strongest Celestial Dragon masters dare not unleash him lightly. That thing must only be used in the most extreme circumstances, right?"
Elior nodded. "That's right."
"It feeds on human flesh," Crocodile continued grimly, "growing stronger by devouring other powerful individuals. A monster like that… it's beyond belief."
"Which means," said Bullet, frowning, "when we attack Mariejoa, we'll inevitably have to face that creature."
"What level of strength are we talking about?" someone asked, their curiosity tinged with fear.
Elior's expression hardened. "Very, very strong. But if anyone's going to face that monster—it'll be me."
World smirked. "If Uranus really is located in the God Valley, then we should move. Once we master Uranus, our chances of victory will skyrocket."
"Agreed," several of them nodded.
Elior leaned forward. "First, we eliminate Shanks — then we head for the God Valley. That man may very well be a Celestial Dragon."
Everyone's eyes widened.
"If one of the Yonko turns out to be a Celestial Dragon… that would shake the world to its core."
Elior shook his head slightly. "Even if he isn't, he definitely knows the Celestial Dragons' greatest secrets."
Redfield crossed his arms. "Imu grows more and more unfathomable. Her strength is beyond comprehension—and she can even grant immortality? What kind of ability is that?"
Elior replied calmly, "The latest Devil Fruit Encyclopedia I obtained doesn't record anything about her ability. Even though it's likely Devil Fruit-based, there's no trace of it in any known catalog. Whatever she possesses—it's something unique. And I will deal with her myself."
"Captain, that woman is too dangerous,"
Elior's gaze swept across the room. "If we don't destroy her… then she will destroy us."
Everyone fell silent, then nodded in grim agreement.
"It's true," Redfield muttered. "But with our power—and our alliance with Kaido and Big Mom—there's no reason to fear."
In truth, Elior wasn't uneasy. But deep down, even he couldn't deny a faint sense of dread when thinking about Im and that immortal monster.
The meeting lasted for two more hours of intense discussion, centered primarily on their next move—Shanks.
When it finally ended, Elior contacted Big Mom and Kaido one after another, instructing them to prepare for battle.
This time, everyone would move out in full force.
On the surface, their mission was to strike at Shanks — but Elior suspected that once they did, the World Government might also make its move.
Shanks… could be a Celestial Dragon. Or perhaps, he held a secret that threatened them.
Elior's instincts told him that once Shanks was attacked, the World Government would intervene directly.
If that was true, things would escalate into something far greater than a mere clash between pirates.
And now that Elior had already annihilated the Revolutionary Army, the fall of Shanks would be the final straw. The World Government wouldn't be able to remain idle any longer.
It would be all-out war.
Just like Rocks before him, Elior was about to dominate the New World through sheer conquest—and soon, he might even surpass the limits of the Celestial Dragons themselves.
Back then, when the World Government fought Rocks, two admirals were killed and countless Celestial Dragon masters perished. Only Kong survived that era.
That night, Elior contacted both Big Mom and Kaido personally.
He kept it brief. The next target was Shanks—and this wasn't just to humiliate him. It was to behead him.
Big Mom, delighted as ever while eating dessert, burst out laughing. She immediately summoned the entire Big Mom Pirates, ordering them to set sail the next morning and rendezvous at Paradise Island.
Kaido, meanwhile, was deep in his drunken stupor until Elior's call jolted him awake.
Finally—something worth his time.
For Kaido, boredom was the real enemy. Now, excitement was brewing.
Like Big Mom's crew, the Beasts Pirates quickly packed their gear and readied their weapons—but they moved even faster, departing around three in the morning.
Of course, before the call ended, Kaido had glared fiercely at Elior and growled,
"You didn't lay a finger on my daughter, did you?"
Elior replied coolly, "Not a single hair."
Kaido exhaled in relief and roared, "Good! Because if you ever touch her, I'll tear out your tendons one by one!"
But Elior's true meaning was the opposite—everything had been touched.
When the call ended, Elior went straight to Yamato's room, where he "rode through the night," indulging in his bad habit.
He chuckled to himself, wondering if Kaido would cough up blood if he ever found out.
In truth, Elior had already released Yamato from his absolute control long ago. After all, she was now his woman—there was no point in using that ability on her.
Yamato had accepted Elior completely, her heart and soul conquered. And lately, she had grown even more beautiful.
The next day, in the New World, two Yonko crews led massive fleets from their respective territories, heading straight for Paradise Island.
It was an unprecedented sight—one that would shake the entire world and plunge it into chaos.
Meanwhile, news of the mysterious attack on Mary Geoise had already spread worldwide.
It was colossal.
A mysterious man had invaded Mary Geoise, killing more than two hundred Celestial Dragons.
Over two hundred!
The very mention of "Celestial Dragon deaths" and "attack on MMary Geoise" was enough to terrify the world—let alone a massacre on that scale.
Was this… the extinction of the Celestial Dragons?
For many, the news was even more shocking than if all four Yonko had been killed.
Bullet and the others learned of it the next morning. They realized that Elior hadn't just taken the Eternal Log Pose and the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia—he had also carried out that devastating attack.
Their shock and admiration for Elior grew tenfold.
However, the World Government still had no idea who the true culprit was.
Thus, the world began whispering a single phrase in terror—
"The Mysterious Man Who Attacked Mary Geoise."