Garp was dead. His head severed by the sword of the Celestial Dragon.
The once-proud Vice Admiral, the legendary hero of the Navy, had fallen at the hands of a monster—a Celestial Dragon.
Kuzan, once a proud officer of the Navy, now crippled, his legs broken, carried the weight of his betrayal. Forced to become a pirate, he now had a bounty of 1.5 billion Baileys on his head.
At Navy Headquarters, in the conference room, the atmosphere was heavy with grief.
"Bang!"
The phone slammed down with a fury. Marshal Kong, his face twisted in anger, slammed his fist onto the desk.
"Too much! Too much!" he raged. "Yes, Garp could be stubborn like a monkey, but he didn't deserve this. No one expected it... Just a trip to the South Sea, and now this... Garp is gone. Gone just like that!"
Marshal Kong's voice trembled with frustration, disbelief lacing his words.
Sengoku, standing by the window, his face was devoid of hope. The news was too much to bear. His best friend was dead.
Tears welled in Tsuru's eyes as she quietly wept, her silent sobs echoing the pain shared by all present.
Zefa stood at the back, quietly smoking, his usual stoic demeanor faltering for the first time in years.
How could this happen? How could Garp, someone who had fought beside them for decades, fall so easily?
"Mr Kong!" Sengoku suddenly growled, his fists clenched in fury. "I'm going to avenge Garp. That Celestial Dragon... they're lawless! We cannot allow this to stand!"
Before Sengoku could say more, a sharp sound cut through the room.
Smack!
The slap was so sudden, it left everyone stunned. Marshal Kong, his face red with fury, glared at Sengoku.
"Are you out of your mind, Sengoku?" Marshal Kong's voice was low and dangerous. "Can you defeat the blue-haired woman with ice powers?"
"Or the black-haired woman who may have defeated Garp? Or perhaps you think you can take on Daemon Saint's terrifying black thunder? Do you want to die, Sengoku?!"
The fury drained from Sengoku's face, and he stood there, momentarily speechless, his anger subsiding as the reality of the situation set in.
"Who could've imagined a freak like Daemon would rise among the Celestial Dragons?" A vice admiral's voice was heavy with resignation.
"Going after them now would be suicide," the vice admiral continued. "You might as well hand them the Navy on a silver platter. They'll use Garp's death as an excuse to justify taking us down. Do you want that?"
Zefa, with his usual calm, added, "Tsuru is right. We can't afford to react recklessly. If we attack now, we'll be playing into Daemon Saint's hands, and it could mean the Navy's downfall."
His voice was hoarse, a mixture of grief and helplessness. He had already lost his closest friend, Garp. Now, he was forced to watch another beloved comrade, Kuzan, betray the Navy.
Daemon Saint—the Celestial Dragon. Zefa's fist clenched, and he silently vowed to remember that name. ( Don't do it )
"Hold your temper," Marshal Kong finally muttered, his voice strained with frustration.
"We'll handle it carefully. As for Kuzan... he betrayed the Navy and attacked Garp. He's a pirate now. Daemon Saint has put a bounty on his head. He'll be dealt with accordingly."
Zefa's face tightened as he heard this. The once-loyal Vice Admiral was now a traitor, his fate sealed by Daemon's hand.
"The flying squirrel is nearby, right?" Kong added, his voice softening slightly. "Tell him and kizaru to bring Garp's body back. I'll personally hold a funeral for him."
Zefa, lost in thought, spoke up. "And kuzan?"
Kong didn't hesitate. "He's a pirate now. He deserves to be treated as such."
The decision was final. Kuzan's fate had been sealed. He was no longer part of the Navy.
Daemon had made short work of Garp, crippled Kuzan, and driven him into the ranks of pirates. After this display of power, Daemon felt a sense of satisfaction, his mood lightening.
As the group made their way back, Morgans—the secret agent Daemon had planted—began to stir. The world was about to witness a new era of power, and Daemon Saint was at the helm.
The pirate world was in turmoil. The aftermath of Garp's death, Kuzan's betrayal, and the rumors surrounding Daemon Saint were spreading across the seas.
"Daemon Saint," the headlines screamed, "The Celestial Dragon who controls the world."
And yet, even amidst all the chaos, Daemon's reputation continued to grow. His strength was unmatched, and the world couldn't help but admire the power he wielded.
Some saw him as a villain, others as a hero.
The men of the world admired him for his strength, while the women—drawn to his charisma, his power, and his beauty—found themselves captivated by him.
Daemon's actions, ruthless as they were, only added to his legend. The deaths of Garp and the Golden Lion, the betrayal of the kuzan, and Daemon's overwhelming power made him the talk of the world.
"Daemon Saint," the whispers echoed, "The man who will reshape the world."
Chambord Islands, Shaky's rip off Bar
"Are these women out of their minds? That Celestial Dragon Daemon is bullying Rouge! That's not love at all!"
Rayleigh's fists clenched around the newspaper, his face contorting in fury.
After his rescue, he had learned that Rouge was still alive, albeit transformed into a woman by Daemon, the Celestial Dragon.
It had put him in a slightly better mood, but then he saw the newspapers— the glorification of Daemon and the praise for his cruelty. Rayleigh's anger boiled over.
He had done far fewer terrible things as a pirate than Daemon ever had. Yet, the world hailed Daemon as a star, while Rayleigh remained a pirate hated by all.
"They say, 'Men aren't bad—women just don't fall for the good ones,'" Shakky said, letting the smoke curl like a smirk. "If he's kind, he's boring. If he's cruel, he's unforgettable."
"The gentler hearts never get the girl."
Despite her relaxed tone, Shakky knew better. As the former empress of the Amazon Lily, she still had the charisma of her youth and a sharp understanding of the world.
Honestly, she had little interest in Daemon, but her connection to Rayleigh gave her a reason to intervene.
"If it weren't for saving you, we probably wouldn't have crossed paths with him at all," she added nonchalantly.
But before Rayleigh could respond, a chaotic shout broke the moment's tension.
"What's going on?"
Rayleigh instinctively gripped his saber, his muscles coiled and ready. Old instincts had resurfaced.
Shakky, noticing his agitated state, let out a weary sigh. "It's not your fault, Rayleigh," she said, her voice soft.
"But... you've just lost two old friends—Golden Lion and Garp—both fallen in the South Sea. That damn Daemon, with his two beautiful subordinates, is behind it all. And now you've heard about his latest... mess. It's no wonder you're on edge."
Rayleigh nodded grimly. The weight of his failures pressed on him, but he was still standing.
Suddenly, the air outside grew frigid, and the bar's entrance froze in a heartbeat.
"Click!"
The chill encased the building in ice, and the atmosphere grew heavier.
Shakky stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "It's him... Daemon's coming to the Chambord Islands," she muttered, tension evident in her voice.
Rayleigh pulled his sword out in a flash. "Could we be exposed?"
"No," Shakky said, trying to reassure him. "I didn't reveal myself when I saved you, and the Navy's lost my bounty. He shouldn't have a reason to know about me."
But even as she said it, doubt crept into her mind.
"I'll go see for myself," Shakky decided, moving toward the door.
Before she could even rise, a bitter, overwhelming chill rushed into the room, making her pause.
"Crack!"
The cold solidified, freezing the very air. Shakky's face went pale as she immediately recognized the presence outside.
"It's her..." Shakky murmured.
Esdeath.
The ice queen who had once overpowered Rayleigh in battle. And now, she was even stronger.
"What are you going to do?" Rayleigh whispered, panic creeping into his voice.
"Stay calm. We'll fight together and break out before Daemon arrives," Shakky said quickly, but the anxiety was palpable in her voice.
However, before they could prepare, a figure appeared in the doorway.
Daemon.
"Rayleigh," Daemon's voice was calm, almost amused as he stepped into the bar. Despite his unthreatening demeanor, Rayleigh felt a chill settle deep in his bones. Daemon was no longer someone to be reckoned with.
Rayleigh immediately slashed at Daemon, his sword glowing with the power of his Haki.
"God Avoid!"
With a burst of force, Rayleigh unleashed a powerful aerial slash, imbued with his Conqueror's Haki. The strike was enough to split mountains, but to Rayleigh's shock, Daemon didn't even flinch.
The sword hit Daemon and... bounced off.
"Impossible..." Rayleigh muttered, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Daemon calmly dusted himself off and looked up, revealing his eyes—etched with the sun and moon god patterns.
"The Eye of Horus," Rayleigh murmured in shock. Daemon was protected by an ancient force—no long-range attack could touch him.
"Had enough?" Daemon's voice was almost teasing. "Now, it's my turn. You'll soon see the legacy of that old fool Garp."
Daemon's words made no sense, but they didn't need to. In the blink of an eye, Daemon appeared before Rayleigh and seized his arm.
"Let go of me!" Rayleigh growled, struggling to break free. But it was too late.
With a flick of his wrist, Daemon effortlessly hurled Rayleigh into the air.
"Meteor Throw!"
Rayleigh flew into the air with terrifying speed. The sonic boom of his ascent shook the room.
He surpassed the speed of sound in seconds, then hit the first cosmic velocity, and then the second.
Rayleigh's trajectory sent him soaring out of the planet's atmosphere, faster than any living being should ever move.
As Rayleigh sped toward the sun, he couldn't even comprehend the impossible speed.
A ball of fire, Rayleigh hurtled through space, breaking the barrier of gravity. And then, with an explosion of light, he was gone.
Shakky, stunned and heartbroken, could barely speak. "Where... Where did you throw him? What happened to Rayleigh?"
Daemon turned to her with a slight, almost pitying smile. "Do you understand the concept of planets?"
Shakky, her heart sinking, nodded slowly.
"Rayleigh's gone. He should have hit the sun by now. That's the end of him."
A small, sad smile touched Shakky's lips as she processed the loss. She knew that Daemon's power was beyond anything she had ever seen.
But the horror wasn't over yet.
Without warning, Shakky's hand reached for her neck, and she swiftly ended her own life, knowing what awaited her in Daemon's hands.
"This is the fate of the weak," Daemon muttered, glancing at the ice queen beside him.
Esdeath approached, her gaze filled with interest. "I suppose this could be my fate too one day."
Daemon met her gaze and smiled, a strange warmth in his eyes. "Don't worry. It won't."
As Daemon held her hand, the mysterious eyes of Horus locked onto hers, and in that moment, Esdeath was left to ponder the true nature of the monster she had allied herself with.
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