When Carl returned with Saturn and the others from the Room of Flowers, the Celestial Dragons on the streets witnessed an unprecedented "spectacle."
The four Five Elders, including Saturn, were following behind Carl like subordinates, their heads lowered in deference.
The sheer visual impact of this scene was so overwhelming that the Celestial Dragons completely overlooked the fact that one of the Five Elders was missing.
...
Upon returning to the conference hall within Pangaea Castle, the doors closed behind them, and Saturn immediately took the lead in bowing respectfully to Carl, saying in a solemn tone,
"From now on, the four of us will follow Saint Carl's orders."
Looking at the four Five Elders bowing before him, Carl smiled faintly, stepping forward to pat Saturn's shoulder and saying,
"No need for such formality. Compared to all of you, my tenure is still short. When it comes to matters concerning the Holy Land, I will still need to hear your advice."
Carl's words gave the Five Elders a semblance of face, but they knew well that it was mere courtesy. They dared not take it seriously.
After all, Carl now wielded absolute power. In the Holy Land, he could decide the fate of anyone—including their own lives—without consequence.
Saturn took a deep breath, raising his gaze to meet Carl's unnaturally young face before saying,
"Saint Carl, you are too modest. Someone like you has no need to concern yourself with tenure. That is merely an excuse for the weak to cling to their status."
As soon as Saturn finished speaking, the other three—Nusjuro included—immediately voiced their agreement, offering lavish praise as if trying to elevate Carl to the heavens themselves.
Carl listened with a faint smile. Given his status, he had heard enough flattery to last a lifetime. But praise from the Five Elders themselves? That was something only he and Imu had ever experienced.
Yet Carl did not let it get to his head. His gaze briefly swept over the seat that once belonged to Warcury before he said,
"Inform the Topman family that Warcury's seat is now vacant. Grant them additional tributes from the Heavenly Tribute to console them. If anyone dares cause trouble over this, you know what to do."
Saturn nodded. "Rest assured, Saint Carl. We will handle this matter properly."
Carl gave a slight nod before continuing,
"At present, Joy Boy's whereabouts remain unknown, but his next target is likely this very continent, the Red Line. I can tell you with certainty that Joy Boy's will has fully awakened within Luffy, and Zunesha is now under his command. That ancient elephant is ten thousand meters tall—if he were to charge at us, you understand what that would mean."
The expressions of Saturn and the others immediately changed. This was news to them.
Imu had only vaguely mentioned, "before Joy Boy appears," leaving them in the dark regarding the actual situation. None of them had dared to ask, especially given Warcury's recent demise as a cautionary tale.
Now, they finally understood the gravity of the situation—and why Imu had suddenly ceded power to Carl.
As those who knew history well, they understood that eight hundred years ago, their ancestors, the Celestial Dragons, had only been able to defeat Joy Boy and establish their world order thanks to the crucial intervention of Figarland Cassilius, the first patriarch of the Figarland family.
Had Cassilius not dealt a severe blow to Joy Boy, the Celestial Dragons would not exist as they do today.
Though Cassilius perished in that battle, his descendants had remained the backbone of Mary Geoise's power for the past eight centuries. Now, Carl had reached the same level of combat strength as Cassilius himself.
If Joy Boy truly returned to his full strength, then Carl's significance would be paramount. Even if all four of them combined their power, they could not compare to Carl alone.
And Carl was not alone—behind him stood Garling Figarland and the entire Figarland family.
At that realization, the spines of the four Elders bent even lower. Nusjuro spoke up,
"Saint Carl, whatever you require of us, simply say the word."
Carl slowly walked over to the sofa and sat down. The Four Elders turned to face him respectfully.
"I will be redeploying forces from Marine Headquarters to station beneath the Red Line. The Holy Land must prepare supplies and be ready to accommodate the incoming fleets."
The Five Elders immediately nodded in agreement.
"Understood. Joy Boy has a remarkable ability to manipulate people's hearts. We have no way of knowing how many he has swayed to his side this time. The Marines are indispensable in dealing with him."
Carl made a small sound of acknowledgment before continuing,
"Furthermore, once the Marine fleet arrives, high-ranking officers will be coming to Mary Geoise. Ensure that the noble families conduct themselves properly. I don't want them treating the Marine officers with the same arrogance they display elsewhere. If any noble dares to insult or provoke the Marines, their tributes will be suspended for three years at minimum. At worst, they will be handed over to the Holy Knights for execution."
The Five Elders shuddered at this decree but immediately responded in unison,
"Understood, Saint Carl. We will ensure they behave accordingly."
Carl's gaze remained calm as he nodded in acknowledgment.
The Celestial Dragons had always stood at the pinnacle of this world's hierarchy. Their exalted status had bred arrogance, making them look down upon others with an innate sense of superiority.
However, the behavior of most Celestial Dragons had long since crossed the line. Their conduct had become so absurd that they were now a laughingstock. Not only were they incompetent, but they also lacked the intelligence to recognize their own mediocrity.
An overabundance of such fools not only squandered vast resources but also tarnished the prestige of their own bloodline. It was precisely because of them that the title "Celestial Dragon" had become synonymous with disgrace across the world.
Carl's rise to power had only just begun to reverse that perception.
Now, he was ready to take matters into his own hands and cull the weaklings without hesitation.
In his eyes, only the Figarland family and a select few elites were worthy of the Celestial Dragon name. The rest were nothing more than parasites.
This was the perfect opportunity to begin his purge. Those who adapted would be spared. Those who didn't?
Well, they were nothing more than well-fattened pigs, ripe for slaughter. And their wealth? It would serve as ample funding for the wars to come.
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+180 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg