Inside the Hall of Power in Mary Geoise, the silence itself seemed frozen by an invisible pressure.
The crystal chandelier hanging high beneath the dome looked like a brilliant star hiding the promise of disaster.
It shed a cold, dazzling light that poured down without restraint, falling precisely across the Five Elders' faces, which were already as dark as storm clouds before a tempest.
The light made their twisted expressions of fury even more obvious. Every shadow seemed to speak of the monstrous anger surging in their hearts.
An enormous holographic projection screen occupied one wall of the hall, repeatedly playing the same unbearable scene.
Vinsmoke Judge, bowing deeply and respectfully to an envoy of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
Every time his waist bent, it was like a razor-sharp blade dragging across the Five Elders' pride.
It was like one loud slap after another landing mercilessly across their faces, making their expressions turn even more ashen, their eyes flashing with rage and unwillingness that had nearly slipped out of control.
"Germa's clone technology!"
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, the Warrior God of Finance, could no longer keep his usual steady voice from trembling with shock and panic.
His delicate gold-rimmed glasses slid slowly down the bridge of his nose to the tip, and the lenses reflected the cold light of the classified files containing detailed data on Germa's clone soldiers.
His body shook violently like a dead tree caught in a gale.
Even the neatly maintained wig on his head had been knocked crooked by his emotional outburst, tilting at an almost ridiculous angle, yet he did not notice at all.
The scepter in his hand, inlaid with precious gemstones and symbolizing supreme authority, slammed down onto the table in his fury.
A dull, shocking crash rang out.
The teacup beside it shattered instantly under the impact, fragments spraying everywhere.
"And their Lineage Factor research!"
Saint Nusjuro's finger nearly stabbed through the virtual screen.
His knuckles had turned white from the force, and his voice was filled with despair and resentment.
"All of it! Every last bit of it has fallen into the Eternal Divine Kingdom's hands!"
Beside him, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, the Warrior God of Science and Defense, who usually carried himself like a dignified sage, could no longer hide the rage in his heart.
His snow-white beard, which should have symbolized wisdom and calm, began twisting on its own without any wind, writhing strangely like venomous snakes flicking their tongues.
The cane in his hand struck the floor with tremendous force.
Crack!
The marble tiles, hard enough to withstand nearly anything, could not bear the impact and immediately split apart.
The cracks spread outward like a spiderweb, extending all the way to the feet of the Warrior God of Justice, as if warning of a storm about to tear through the entire system of power.
"Freeze every World Government account under the Vinsmoke Family immediately!"
Saturn's voice was low and hoarse, like the grating scrape of rusted gears grinding together as it echoed through the deathly hall.
"Confiscate every asset they hold in every member nation. Not a single coin is to be left behind!"
From the shadowed corner of the hall, the Commander-in-Chief of CP0 bowed slightly.
The corner of his mouth twitched faintly beneath his mask, as if he were suppressing some complicated emotion.
Carefully, he presented a document.
A glaring red warning box was displayed across it, the color silently announcing a cruel truth.
"They… completed the transfer of their assets seventy-two hours in advance."
The image suddenly changed.
What now appeared before everyone was tightly secured surveillance footage from the First Bank of the North Blue.
In the footage, a team of accountants in neat uniforms stood out sharply.
Each of them wore the shining emblem of the Eternal Divine Kingdom on their chest.
These professionals were focused entirely on an extremely important task.
Counting mountains of gold bars.
The gold bars were stacked neatly, glittering brilliantly like a small golden mountain.
Yet what shocked them most was that the unique and dignified crest of the Vinsmoke Family, which had originally been engraved on the gold bars, was being erased one by one by precise laser beams.
Wherever the lasers passed, the old crest disappeared.
In its place appeared the striking red-star-within-red-star design, carrying an irresistible sense of power as it declared the change in ownership.
"How is that possible?!"
Saint Nusjuro's eyes widened violently, and the muscles in his face twisted from extreme shock.
His glasses could no longer withstand the force of his reaction and finally slipped completely off, exposing the bald crown of his head.
His voice was filled with disbelief and panic as he muttered,
"That required triple-encrypted verification… With security that tight, how could this have happened?"
His trembling voice echoed through the silent hall.
Saint Marcus Mars, the Warrior God of the Environment, stood nearby, his originally calm expression instantly turning grave.
He frowned slightly, a sharp light flashing in his eyes as he suddenly narrowed them, as though trying to see through all the chaos.
After a moment of thought, he slowly said, "Unless… someone on the inside helped them."
His voice was low and heavy, every word striking against their hearts.
At the far end of the long conference table, Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, the Warrior God of Agriculture, had been sitting quietly. Now, he slowly rose to his feet.
His movements were steady and slow, yet they carried an invisible pressure.
The old scar on his chin had turned an unnatural purple-red, speaking silently of past battles and hardship.
When he opened his mouth to speak, the temperature inside the entire hall seemed to drop sharply, and a chill spread through the air, making people shiver.
His voice was cold and firm.
"That old fox Judge… planned all of this long ago."
Before anyone could fully recover from the tension, the projection screen suddenly flickered violently, the light dimming and brightening as if struggling.
Then the image switched to an even more suffocating scene.
Inside the Eternal Divine Kingdom's laboratory, Germa's scientific team was busy adjusting various complex devices.
Their eyes were focused and feverishly excited, their tools moving constantly over buttons, switches, and dials.
Seeing this, the cane in Saturn's hand could no longer withstand the rage and shock in his heart.
Crack!
A crisp sound split the silence as the cane snapped.
His aged body seemed to be filled with terrifying strength in an instant, and a dreadful killing intent erupted from him.
"If this continues, Lord Imu may punish us directly!"
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