Chapter 199

Shimotsuki Village, East Blue

The crew members of the Red-Haired Pirates looked on in worry as they saw their captain, Shanks, lying unconscious. Despite the protests of Buggy and the rest, Shanks had gone ahead and continued the clash with the monstrous Donquixote Rosinante.

Now, they had a glimpse of the true terror awaiting them once they began their journey into the Grand Line. Fortunately for them, Ross did not have the intent to kill Shanks; otherwise, their entire crew might have perished here.

"Ross, you bastard, did you have to be so heavy-handed?" Buggy couldn't help but shout, fuming as little Mansherry tended to Shanks with her healing powers.

"Well, it was him who insisted on continuing the fight, and I was holding back," I replied with a shrug. I was not going to take the blame for Shanks' recklessness, but I kind of understood why he kept pushing despite knowing he had no chance of victory.

Stepping back would have shattered his resolve. Even now, I had no idea what Shanks' true goal was. Would he become a friend or a foe? Only time could tell.

Buggy huffed and puffed, but knew the fault lay with Shanks for challenging such a monster. He also knew that they needed to grow stronger if they truly intended to fulfill their captain's wish.

As Mansherry's healing magic enveloped Shanks, the crew's anxiety began to ease slightly. The glow of her powers was a gentle reminder of the miraculous world they inhabited, filled with both wondrous and terrifying forces. Each member of Shank's crew was lost in their thoughts, contemplating the harrowing experience they had just witnessed.

Yasopp, the sharpshooter, clenched his fists. He had always trusted Shanks' judgment, but this encounter had shaken him to his core. "We need to be better prepared," he muttered to himself, his eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for unseen threats.

Meanwhile, Lucky Roux's usually jovial face was shadowed with concern. He sat close to Shanks, ready to defend his captain at a moment's notice. The confrontation with Rosinante had been a sobering reminder of their vulnerability.

Mihawk stood to the side, not wanting to disturb the ongoing treatment, observing the crew's reactions. He could see the mixture of fear and determination in their eyes. They had been given a harsh lesson, but it was one that could potentially strengthen their resolve. He sighed, a mix of approval and admiration filling him as he watched the resilient crew of the Red-Haired Pirates.

"He will wake soon," Mansherry assured them softly, her voice a beacon of hope. "He's strong—stronger than most. His vitality is strong, all he needs now is some rest, and he will wake up within a few days at best."

Buggy crossed his arms, still simmering with a mix of anger and worry. "He better be," he muttered. "If we're going to face more monsters like this, we need him at his best." He glanced at me as if wanting to curse me.

I couldn't help but smirk, though there was a hint of warning in my eyes. "You'll need more than just him, Buggy. You'll need to become monsters yourselves if you wish to survive the Grand Line." I shared because, unlike in the canon, there are too many monsters out in the sea now, and it wouldn't be easy to climb to the apex with just one powerhouse among their crew.

"Well, we should let him rest. Ross, we need to talk," Mihawk said, stepping forward. He had been holding back his curiosity for a long time, and now, with Shanks having been taught his lesson, it was a good time to have a chat with his friend. This trip to East Blue, meant to be a part of his training, had held many surprises for Mihawk. He was truly glad he had accepted Ross's offer to help Doflamingo; otherwise, he would have missed quite a few opportunities.

Soon, I followed Mihawk to the cliffside where the workshop was. Mihawk immediately cut to the chase, his gaze directed at the blade strapped to my side. "Is that it?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. He could feel Yoru trembling with excitement, with a hint of fear and defiance mixed in. As the one who had formed a connection with Yoru, he could somehow sense its emotions. Fear was something Yoru had never showcased before; this was a first.

I knew exactly what Mihawk was asking about, so I unsheathed Akatsuki. The glowing moonlight, instead of reflecting off the blade's crimson surface, seemed to be absorbed. The ominous aura of wailing souls spread, and Mihawk's eyes sharpened. Maybe he could hear it too. His eyes widened momentarily before he regained his composure.

"So it truly exists—a blade that even Ryuma could not tame, but you managed to. What kind of monster are you?" Mihawk asked. He very much wanted to inspect the blade closer, but his instincts told him that trying to handle it would harm him. So he decided against it, now even more eagerly looking forward to his time training in East Blue.

"So, care to tell me how you were able to counter the future sight of Shanks' observation haki?" he inquired. He was intrigued because, during their sparring, Shanks had used his observation haki to stay one step ahead of him. The only reason he could match Shanks was that his mastery over the sword was a degree higher.

"It seems like you haven't explored much about Conqueror's Haki, I suppose?" I asked Mihawk with my brows raised. But it was only natural; even I had only recently learned about the usage of Conqueror's Haki to counter the future sight of observation haki.

There were so many things about Conqueror's Haki that most did not understand, and it would take years, maybe decades, for someone unaware to even know that Conqueror's Haki had such an advanced application.

"So, are you going to share the details?" Mihawk questioned. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have bothered to ask for help, but he trusted Ross, so he didn't mind asking for suggestions that would help him grow stronger.

"In time, Mihawk. But first, you need to learn how to infuse Conqueror's Haki into your attacks. Once you get the hang of that, I will share the rest of the details. After all, I have only recently started unlocking the secrets of Conqueror's Haki," I commented.

We both stood there, enjoying the cool night breeze. The moonlight bathed the landscape in a serene glow, and the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs provided a rhythmic backdrop. The night was calm yet charged with the unspoken understanding between two warriors constantly seeking to push their limits.

*************

Room of Authority, Mary Geoise

The rhythmic sound of Elder Saturn tapping his staff was the only sound that echoed in the quiet room. Every one of the five elders was immersed in deep silence, contemplating the gravity of their situation.

"There is no longer any doubt," Elder Mars finally fumed, breaking the silence. "That Donquixote brat was simply baiting us for information. He must not have had any intention of submitting to us from the start. It was all a ploy to learn our plans. And if I am not wrong, he has likely obtained the information he wanted."

Despite their repeated attempts to reach out to Doflamingo after making their offer, there has been no response. They now understood that just as they had schemed against the Donquixote brothers, the brothers had schemed against them. The Donquixote brothers were now likely aware that their target was the younger brother.

"Should we have Tsuru brainwash one of the brothers?" Elder Warcury suggested. The lightning Logia user was too important for them to pass up, and with Imu-sama having ordered not to directly interfere with the younger brother's growth, their hands were tied.

"We need to talk to Imu-sama about the matter. We have already conveyed how important Rosinante is to us, so we must try to get him under our control before he grows too strong to manage," Elder Nusjuro spoke.

He had contemplated all methods, and since Vegapunk had disclosed the possibility of a lightning Logia user being an alternate fuel source for the ancient weapon, they had been planning and scheming to get the Donquixote brothers under their thumb.

But now, with their intentions exposed, the playing field was leveled again, and as long as Imu-sama's restriction stood, they could not use force on the younger Donquixote brother.

"Sigh! Fine, we will approach Imu-sama regarding the matter. Let Imu-sama decide the brothers' fate," Elder Saturn finally relented. He had been the one who approached Imu-sama and confidently proposed that he could bring Doflamingo under their wing by tempting him with the position of elder and immortality.

But now it was clear that Doflamingo was not swayed by their offer, and this only showed how dead set Doflamingo was on opposing the World Government.

"Do you think those brats know?" Elder Jupiter couldn't help but ask, looking at the others in the room worriedly. "We offered him a chance for eternal life, and he declined it. We know for a fact that Doflamingo is not the type to give up on something as lucrative as immortality, so it's safe to assume that the two brothers must have found a way to achieve immortality."

Elder JuPeter's tone deepened, making them understand the weight of his doubts. "That also makes me wonder how they know about our secrets and where exactly they got all this information from," he added.

Ever since the CP0 leader walked into this room with a note from a boy all those years ago, the elders had not been able to pinpoint one thing: where exactly was all this secret information leaking from?

"I'm afraid that Tsuru might have been right. There are quite a few traitors among the Celestial Dragons. Maybe they think it's time to change leadership within the Celestial Dragons. Those family elders and leaders think that we are unaware of what they are doing behind our backs. It seems it's time we taught them a harsh lesson—that even Celestial Dragons need to bow in the presence of Supreme Authority," Elder Saturn commented, his face betraying the anger simmering within him.

Unless there were traitors within their own ranks, there was no way the Donquixote brothers could stay ahead every time they made some plot against them, and each one was a trap that they laid out meticulously. The more they thought about it, the more it made sense.

"What are you suggesting?" Elder Nusjuro questioned, though he had an inkling of where this was going. He wanted to make sure he wasn't jumping to conclusions.

"It's time for a cleansing within the ranks of the Celestial Dragons themselves. They have so much privilege, and they are still not happy with it and are conspiring for more power. It's high time we teach everyone in the Holy Land a harsh lesson," Elder Saturn added.

"You can't be thinking..." Elder JuPeter finally caught on and gasped. "No, you cannot harm our own without proper reason. This would simply cause chaos. And if Imu-sama were to know, we would not walk out unscathed," he added, a rare hint of worry crossing his face.

Although he seemed nonchalant, he knew that a few of the descendants of the JuPeter family were also among the dissidents causing trouble in the Holy Land.

The other two elders finally understood what Elder Saturn was suggesting, and even they couldn't help but sweat. However, Elder Saturn remained calm and turned to his colleagues.

"Where do you think I got the orders from? Imu-sama wants this done. Imu-sama thinks that our descendants have become too comfortable and need to be taught a harsh lesson."

Everyone's heart skipped a beat. There was no way Elder Saturn would lie about Imu-Sama passing down an order. So this was Imu-sama's will.

Elder Nusjuro no longer hesitated and began working out options. "So how are we going to achieve this? We cannot just capture all the troublemakers and start executing them. That would cause chaos, and others might use that as an opportunity to create a rift in the Holy Land. If it's one or two, we can set it up as an accident, but from your tone, I feel there are quite a few on the list?"

His eyes darted to the folder on the table, which none dared to open yet because they didn't want to know if their own descendants' names were among the list. This was a list that Elder Saturn must have prepared after Imu-sama passed down the orders.

"No, we will not be directly involved in this matter, at least on the surface," Elder Saturn commented with a cold tone.

"We will be conducting the Native Hunting Competition once more. This time, it's not just to cull the insignificant humans beneath us, but also the traitors among our own kind. To achieve that, we will be borrowing quite a few hands from the pirate world. Soon enough, we will have all the reason to unleash hell upon all those who have defied us," he added with a smirk.

The Native Hunting Competition, an event exclusive to the World Nobles, has been followed for centuries as a tradition. Since the incident at God Valley, the event has been indefinitely postponed. But now, with Imu-sama's blessing, the event would be reestablished.

Elder Saturn's eyes gleamed with a cold determination. "The Native Hunting Competition will be our instrument of judgment. Not only will we rid ourselves of insignificant humans, but we will also identify and eliminate the traitors among our own ranks. This tradition will serve as both a purge and a reminder of our supreme authority."

The sacred city, usually basked in ethereal light, now seemed shrouded in a foreboding aura. The five elders, having concluded their intense deliberation, stood at the pinnacle of the Pangaea Castle, overlooking the vast expanse below.

*********

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Currently updated until Chapter 256.

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