Shano clicked his tongue, "But they're always hiding, coming and going without a trace. We can't even get in touch with them. No choice, we'll have to make their kindred suffer on their behalf for now."
What he referred to as "disgusting things" wasn't just the previous massacre and framing of the Hundred Beasts.
Over this past month, several similar incidents have occurred around the territory, aiming to escalate conflicts between him and the other Four Emperors, forcing him to break ties with Kaido or Whitebeard and go to war.
Pushing it too far, endlessly...
He endured until now, endured until today.
It's time to make an end to this!
"Kuma."
Shano beckoned and took from Kuma's hands the two collars and shackles that were previously around the necks of the Bacria people.
With a casual squeeze, he shrunk them down and approached the two Heavenly Celestial Dragons, casually putting them on.
With the removal of Supreme King's oppression, the two Heavenly Celestial Dragons could finally speak again. Charulia Palace touched the red marks on her fair neck and turned away with tears of anger and resentment: "Scum..."
Pa!
A slap drew her unfinished words back into her throat.
Now both sides of her face were swollen, but it seemed to have a more symmetrical beauty than before.
"Want to ride on them?"
He turned his head, smiling at the two rescued Bacria slaves, "How long did these two treat you as mounts, months or years? Now it's time to pay back this treatment."
"Master..."
The two Bacria slaves exchanged glances, breathing heavily, obviously tempted, but after hesitating for a moment, they timidly lowered their heads.
Too afraid?
Shano wasn't surprised. Although he just slapped the Heavenly Celestial Dragon and made them kneel in public view,
breaking the image the World Nobility had built over hundreds of years of being descendants of the Creator isn't a simple matter; it's still a long way off.
Planting seeds and causing cracks in the foundation in some people's minds is already quite an achievement.
So he turned his head and looked at Jack, "You do it."
Oh?
Jack's eyes lit up, and he grinned broadly, showing his sharp white teeth, "As you command, boss!"
This kind of opportunity is rare!
He eagerly mounted them, his massive 8.3-meter frame straddling Saint Pulminge's back, flattening the mushroom-headed Heavenly Celestial Dragon to the ground, who let out a pig-like scream: "Ah!!! My back!!!"
"Looks like one Heavenly Celestial Dragon can't take it."
Jack scratched his head, then effortlessly pulled Charulia Palace over. His elephant-like legs each straddled one, making it barely balanced.
As for the two Heavenly Celestial Dragons, who were now foaming at the mouth and rolling their eyes under the pressure, it was none of his business. His focus was solely on fulfilling the boss's orders.
"Starting now, the timer officially begins."
Shano glanced at the watch on Kizaru's hand and said calmly, "In five minutes, I want to see people from the Divine Knight Order. Two Heavenly Celestial Dragons, four arms, four legs—every minute they're late, one will be removed. At eight minutes, all that's left is the head."
Remove the head?
Isn't that equivalent to executing the Heavenly Celestial Dragons in front of the whole world?
"..."
Kizaru's face darkened significantly.
Given the previous incidents where words turned to action, he knew the weight of this statement. This wasn't an empty threat but a final ultimatum!
This man in front of him truly dared to execute the Heavenly Celestial Dragons in full view!
"Madman, truly a madman!"
Kizaru couldn't help but curse, "You've already risen to become a Sea Emperor, can't you just stop here? Do you understand the consequences of doing this? The entire Navy Headquarters will mobilize completely! The Holy Land will also tear up the previous ceasefire agreement, at all costs..."
"Then let them come!"
Shano laughed wildly, interrupting him, a hint of blood-red flashing in his dark pupils:
"I've been itching for a long time, Kizaru. If you're too scared to fight, then let those old fools hiding in Mary Geoise come! Let me see what so-called cards the Holy Land has left!"
Stop here?
When he wasn't strong enough before, indeed, there were many skirmishes with the Navy that ended without escalating, even agreeing to a ceasefire last time.
But what resulted from that?
The result was those high-and-mighty Divine Knights truly believed he didn't dare to overturn the table, letting anything and everything roam wild in his territory!
Today, he wouldn't mind using these two heads to send a grand gift to Mary Geoise!
...
Navy Headquarters, Marinfanto.
Inside the meeting room, besides Marshal Sengoku, were also Chief Strategist Tsuru and several Vice Admirals stationed at the headquarters.
Including that Navy Hero, Garp.
The atmosphere was suffocatingly tense, heavy with smoke, as everyone stared intently at the projection screen from the Radio Snail.
"Executing Heavenly Celestial Dragons, huh."
Vice Admiral Yamakaji, with a cigar in his mouth, sighed, "Absolutely shocking, they're such a headache..."
Then he returned to smoking, not making any further comment.
"You actually want to see it, don't you, don't you!"
Garp slapped his shoulder heartily, laughing, "That kind of scene is exciting, isn't it? I'd love to see it too!"
Vice Admiral Yamakaji was almost choked by Garp's slap. Helplessly glancing at this old veteran, he smiled bitterly:
"Mr. Garp, please don't joke around... the entire World Government's authority is being challenged, how could this possibly be something to be happy about?"
"Hahaha, I'm not joking!"
Garp laughed wide, tossing a donut into his mouth, "Those bubble-headed fat pigs, used to swaggering around in Shampodi thinking they're invincible, finally meeting their doom, isn't it just what they deserve?"
"Garp!"
Sengoku slammed the table, glaring in anger, "Watch your words! No matter what they are, the Heavenly Celestial Dragons are World Nobility. The Navy must protect their safety!"
"Just speaking my mind, no outsiders heard it." Garp shrugged dismissively, chewing his donut, "If you're so worked up, why don't you go to Shampodi to stop that guy personally? Anyway, I can't move; once you age, even injuries heal slowly. The last time I exchanged a punch with him, my chest still hurts."
Exchanged punch last time? Wasn't that something from last year? Isn't your recovery a bit too slow... thought the surrounding Navy Vice Admirals, twitching at the corners of their eyes.
Sengoku leaned on the table, resisting the urge to punch Garp, and looked up at the screen.
On the projected screen, Jack was sitting on the two Heavenly Celestial Dragons, occasionally adjusting his massive backside, while Shano sat leisurely nearby on a rock, looking relaxed.
This was a broadcast exclusive for the Navy's high command and the Holy Land, extremely clear.
As for the journalists, after the Heavenly Celestial Dragons were forced to kneel, the Marines had cleared the area as much as possible, leaving them to only capture blurred long-distance shots.
"A minute and a half has already passed."
Vice Admiral Doberman furrowed his brows, "Mr. Borsalino is still waiting for your decision, Marshal, what should we do?"
"What can we do?"
Sengoku sighed, "Just as Kizaru heard, the decision doesn't rest with us at all; Mary Geoise has already been notified. Let's see what they ultimately decide to do..."
Before he finished speaking, the meeting room door was suddenly pushed open.
The aide outside rushed in, holding a Radio Snail, flustered: "Report, Marshal! Urgent call from Mary Geoise!"
Sengoku grabbed the Radio Snail, and from it came the cold voice of Saturn Satan Saint, one of the Five Elders:
"Sengoku, immediately deploy all available forces to Shampodi Islands. The Divine Knight Order has departed first, but we need the Navy's forces as support."
"Understood."
Sengoku replied solemnly, then frowned, "But at the moment, we only have Kizaru available at the headquarters, and he's already been dispatched. Aokiji and Akainu are both outside and won't return in time..."
With none of the Three Great Admirals present at the headquarters, Sengoku himself could not move. Even though the Shampodi Islands were nearby, there had to be at least one top-level force at the Navy Headquarters at all times, in case of emergency.
"What about Garp?" inquired Saturn coldly.
Garp's chewing movement immediately stopped, and he held his breath, blinking desperately at Sengoku.