— — — — — —
He really killed a world noble!
Countless people stood frozen.
At this very moment, they felt as if their vocabulary had failed them.
They opened their mouths, wanting to say something.
But...They had no idea what to say!
They truly felt it.
Charlotte Joey!
This terrifying man...He showed no hesitation.
In other words, he had already made up his mind.
Many kings from various countries suddenly realized something—if Joey dared to kill a Celestial Dragon so brazenly, then what would happen to them if they dared to defy him at this World Summit?
In an instant! Everyone understood.
This was Joey making an example out of someone.
But...
This wasn't just a simple case of 'making an example out of someone.'
No, this was 'taking down the alpha to send a message to the pack.'
Gulp—
Everyone felt an overwhelming pressure.
At this moment...They understood.
This man...Was a complete lunatic.
To ensure absolute control...
This madman... Actually used the life of a Celestial Dragon as a warning?
And even after killing a Celestial Dragon, what could anyone do to him?
Nothing!
No one could do anything.
That was the terrifying part.
Did he make a move? No!
Did Katakuri make a move? No!
No matter what people saw with their own eyes or what they believed...
This man never actually made a move.
Forget about understanding his ability.
As long as he didn't openly attack...
Then...It was all meaningless.
"Sigh!"
Just as Sengoku, Zephyr, and Garp found themselves stuck in an impossible situation, a weary sigh broke the silence.
Tap!
Soft footsteps approached.
An elderly man with curly white hair, dressed in a black suit, wearing a flat-brimmed hat, and bearing a scar across his face, stepped forward.
He was one of the highest authorities of the World Government.
One of the Five Elders, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn.
Saturn looked down at the corpses on the ground and calmly said, "Sometimes, divine punishment is truly a troublesome thing. Clean this up—make sure the bodies of the World Nobles are handled properly."
"Yes."
Saturn then spoke indifferently, "Although divine punishment is truly fearsome... If the heavens refuse to obey, I won't hesitate to erase them and replace them with something more obedient."
Joey simply smiled, saying nothing.
Saturn glanced at Sengoku and the others, speaking calmly, "You all go and handle your own affairs. As for the aftermath, I will take care of it."
"Understood!" Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr left.
Truth be told...
The three of them were seething with anger.
But...Were they truly eager to protect the Celestial Dragons?
Come on! They held nothing but disdain for those parasites.
Even Sengoku, who had gradually become more obedient to the system, had no respect for the Celestial Dragons.
Let alone the hot-tempered Zephyr or the rebellious Garp.
To put it bluntly...
Their anger came from two things:
First—Joey was far too arrogant.
Second—Gion was beyond retrieval.
---
Joey smiled and asked, "Sir, how should I address you?"
"Me?"
Saturn shook his head. "Chief Joey, 'Sir' will do just fine. Let's find a place to sit and talk. I've long wanted to meet the leader of the Charlotte Family."
Joey smiled. "Of course."
Soon...The two entered Joey's palace.
Cracker, seeing who had accompanied his elder brother, was left in utter shock.
— — —
Creak!
Joey and Saturn entered the study.
The door shut behind them.
Katakuri and Cracker exchanged glances.
Neither said a word.
Inside... The two men took their seats without hesitation.
Joey smiled. "Sir, coming all the way to the Red Line, I never expected to have the pleasure of meeting you."
With a calm smile, he looked at Saturn.
The peak of world power?
Joey had no interest in that title.
What did it matter if this old man sat at the pinnacle?
Saturn sighed. "When I was your age, I was probably still playing in the dirt. But you have already built the great Charlotte Family. It's truly astonishing and hard to believe."
Joey chuckled. "People are shaped by their circumstances. When you have no other options, you simply do what you must. My family situation left me with little room to rest."
He shook his head as if genuinely troubled.
Creak!
A maid entered, carrying a tray with freshly brewed tea.
She respectfully placed the tea down before stepping back and exiting the room.
Of course, this maid had come with Joey.
Joey didn't like drinking tea prepared by strangers.
"Hmm…" Saturn sipped and nodded. "Such a good tea. But tell me, Clan Leader Joey, the game has more and more players, yet the number of pieces remains the same. Quite the dilemma, isn't it?"
Joey sipped his tea as well and smiled. "Sir, if there are too many players, why not remove a few? Some people simply aren't suited to continue playing. Those who don't belong… should be cleared out. Otherwise, they only become a burden."
"Oh?" Saturn's voice was measured. "And how does Clan Leader Joey intend to handle that? These players have been in the game for a long time—it won't be easy to get rid of them."
Joey continued, "The cake is only so big. If too many people want a slice, perhaps it's better to shrink the guest list?"
Silence fell over the room.
To be honest…Joey had no intention of going to war with the five Elders.
It was pointless.
What was the benefit of such a battle? Nothing.
On the contrary…Cooperating with the five Elders would yield much greater rewards.
More importantly… Joey had no desire to rule the world.
He had no interest in that. He even got some secrets from the system that made him not even think of ruling the world.
His only goal… was to strengthen Totto Land.
And strengthening Totto Land… didn't mean ruling the world.
He was building a divine kingdom.
A place where every citizen was elite, where strength was universal.
Not some oversized country where one strong person had to carry an entire weak population.
Joey wanted an army of champions.
If this were a game…
He wouldn't want to have a hundred members with only one max-level player dragging the rest along.
No. He wanted a hundred max-level warriors.
Joey wasn't interested in quantity.
Only quality.
"Hmm…" Saturn understood exactly what Joey meant.
Since that was the case…Then perhaps… a deal could be made.
If they couldn't remove him easily… Then they could negotiate.
This had always been the World Government's way.
Saturn spoke slowly. "Clan Leader Joey, originally, there were eight players in this game. With you, there are now nine. In your opinion… how many should remain?"
"Nine players…" Joey carefully placed nine cigarettes on the table.
Then.
He lit one for himself. And pushed another toward Saturn.
Tap!
Saturn lit his cigarette as well.
Joey exhaled smoke and said, "Since there are nine… wouldn't it be more fitting to reduce it to seven for now?"
Saturn nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Seven would be a much better number."
Lighting the cigarette symbolized his acceptance.
As for which two players they'd target… That wasn't a discussion for now.
No need to rush.
Some things… were better handled slowly.
"Heh…" Saturn chuckled. "I must admit, Clan Leader Joey, you truly are a shrewd man. A man of immense capability. It's hard to imagine just how far you'll go in the future."
Joey responded warmly, "I'm just a man with a bit of skill. My only wish is to fulfill my mother's dream. She wanted to create a utopia where all races could live together in harmony. As her son, it's my duty to make that dream a reality."
Saturn nodded. "A caring son, indeed."
Joey smiled. "Sir, then let us have a successful partnership."
"A successful partnership."
The two locked eyes and exchanged knowing smiles.
And with that… They raised their teacups in a silent toast.
A gesture that sealed their temporary truce.
Whatever the future held… for now, this was enough.
.
.
.