The rolling dark clouds and suffocating meteor volcanoes that had loomed over the Holy Land of Mariejois gradually dissipated as Imu teleported Orion and the others away.
The ice that had covered a radius of hundreds of meters also quietly melted, leaving behind wisps of cold air drifting in the atmosphere.
Standing on the automated walkway, Kong, Tsuru, and Garp group collectively breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts as the sunlight once again bathed the sky above.
They all knew very well that the disappearance of the Meteor Volcano was definitely not because Sakazuki had given up the fight, but rather it signified the failure of the World Goverment probing.
"Kong-san, why can't I accompany them just because I'm a D?" Garp, who had relaxed after the disappearance of the Meteor Volcano, glanced at Kong standing beside him and asked in confusion.
"Now that Orion has essentially laid all his cards on the table with the World Government, even if I'm a D, it shouldn't make much of a difference, right?"
"How could it not make a difference?" Kong glared at Garp and retorted.
"That person is most wary of the D clan. If you were present, this negotiation could very well escalate into a full-blown war. You just saw it yourself—Sakazuki and Kuzan have already made their stances clear. Any uncertain factor during this period could directly trigger a battle!"
"That person?" Garp brow furrowed instantly, and he said in a deep voice.
"Kong-san, do you acknowledge Im as the true master of the World Government?"
"I..." A trace of confusion flashed in Kong eyes.
Compared to Garp and Sengoku, Im appearance had the greatest impact on him. Because, like them, he had been unaware of Im existence until last night when Im directly summoned him through the Five Elders.
He had expected Im to appear in the Chamber of Power, but instead, Im had summoned him directly to the Pangaea Castle. When he entered the grand hall of the palace and saw the Five Elders kneeling before the Empty Throne and the figure seated upon it, his mind had completely shut down.
The Empty Throne, which had been vacant for eight hundred years or should be, was now occupied by a king—and he, the Commander in chief of the World Government, had been completely unaware of it.
Recalling the scene of being summoned by Im last night and the words Im had spoken to him, he found himself at a loss for how to respond to Garp.
After a brief silence, Kong turned around and looked at Garp with a grave expression.
"This concerns the truth of the Void Century, the secrets of the D clan, and the legend of Nika. I'm in a state of confusion right now and can't give you a definitive answer. But Garp, Orion might know many things that we don't. He should be able to provide you with the answers you seek!"
"As for me—" Kong paused slightly, then turned his head to look in the direction of the World Government headquarters building, as if he had finally let go of some heavy burden, and said with relief.
"Once this matter is over, it will be time for me to retire."
.....
At the same time.
In the meeting room of the Pangaea Castle.
Im, who had ultimately chosen to compromise, sat facing Orion each at one end of the long rectangular table. Sengoku, Zephyr, Tsuru, and the three Admirals sat opposite the Five Elders and Garling.
Although the Five Elders had been forced back to their original forms by Orion Conqueror's Haki, they hadn't suffered much harm. They sat upright, glaring angrily at Sengoku and the others across the table.
Sengoku chose not to meet the gaze of the Five Elders. Instead, he calmly took out a box of rice crackers from his bag, took one and offered it to Zephyr.
Seeing that Zephyr didn't reach out to take it, he didn't hesitate and right in front of the Five Elders and Im, popped it into his own mouth. It had to be said, the feeling of so brazenly eating rice crackers in front of the Five Elders was truly exhilarating.
Looking back, he was once a spirited young man.
However, after becoming an Admiral and later ascending to the position of Fleet Admiral, he gradually forgot his former self, dedicating his efforts to the Navy and the World Government, maintaining humility and caution in front of the Five Elders.
Now, with the sudden emergence of Orion, a brash young man and having witnessed the existence of Im firsthand, he naturally felt no need to hold back.
Most importantly, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief and pride, as if a child he had watched grow up had finally made a name for himself, bringing him a sense of vindication.
He couldn't quite explain why he felt this way, but it was undeniably satisfying!
After tossing another rice cracker into his mouth, he squinted with enjoyment, turning his head to look at Orion under the fiery gaze of the Five Elders opposite him, wearing an expression that clearly said.
"I always knew you'd make me proud."
The three Admirals were also different from their usual selves during meetings at Navy Headquarters. Especially Borsalino and Kuzan, who used to either doze off or count down the minutes until the meeting ended. Now, they were more alert than ever.
The reason was simple, this was the first time in history they were sitting on equal footing with the Five Elders. Of course, the one who felt the most vindicated was Sakazuki. His unwavering commitment to absolute justice had often led to reprimands from the Five Elders, either in person or through Den Den Mushi.
Despite the raging anger in his heart, he had always had to endure it. Now, he no longer had to suffer such humiliation, sitting calmly beside Orion, staring at Saturn who had scolded him the most.
The atmosphere was subtle. Orion and Imu looked at each other, one wanting to remove the other veil to see the face hidden beneath, the other racking their brains to guess who this person was and where he came from.
Imu was genuinely curious about Orion. Based on the intelligence gathered and previous probing, it was almost certain that Orion was not from the D clan.
Although his Conqueror's Haki bore a striking resemblance to that man, Imu understanding of that man made it clear that the two were unlikely to have any connection. Without any connection to that man, Orion couldn't possibly be Nika, as he was not a Devil Fruit user.
Of course, it was precisely because these possibilities had been ruled out that Imu was willing to sit down and talk with Orion.
For Imu, the only real threats in this world were the D clan and Nika.
As for other top-tier powerhouses on the seas, if they could be recruited into the World Goverment to join the God Knights, they would be. If not, they would be eliminated. If they couldn't be recruited or eliminated, then the only option was to sit down and talk.
"Enough, Sengoku!" Suddenly, Im could no longer tolerate the constant crunching of rice crackers from Sengoku. They glared at him and said in a deep voice.
"This is not the time for snacks!"
Sengoku, still chewing, replied somewhat muffled.
"You have no right to give me orders now."
As soon as these words were spoken, the three Admirals beside him almost simultaneously turned their heads. The Five Elders and Garling opposite them also widened their eyes in shock.
Taking in everyone's reactions, Sengoku felt another wave of secret satisfaction and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Finally, I've said what I've wanted to say for years. Ahaha…"
After a slight pause, Sengoku suddenly turned to glare at the three Admirals.
"What are you looking at? Let's get back to the meeting!"
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