High in the sky over the New World, the toothless pterodactyl spread its wings and soared. On its back, Bege hung his head, like a corpse. Of course, this was only because Bege had shifted his attention inwards.
Inside Bege's body, the executives of the Calamity Company were gathered.
"This time, only Douglas Bullet and King will come with me," Roa said, leaning leisurely on the sofa. "If the enemy is a God's Knight, one can never be too careful."
"After all, Boss," King asked curiously, "what kind of power do these so-called God's Knights possess?" Boss didn't even seem to fear opponents like Roger or Shiki. But when it came to the God's Knights, he was so solemn.
"Doffy," Roa turned to look at Doflamingo, who was standing behind one side of the sofa's backrest. "Weren't you once a Celestial Dragon? Tell us what you know about the God's Knights."
Doflamingo seemed somewhat distracted. Only after hearing Roa's voice did he snap out of his daze, quickly speaking, "I... I don't know much about them either. I only know that they are an organization composed of the most powerful Celestial Dragons, possessing the authority to judge other Celestial Dragons, and their status is only below that of the Five Elders."
"Celestial Dragons who can judge other Celestial Dragons?" King nodded slightly. "Indeed, there are many elites among the Celestial Dragons." It would be strange if all Celestial Dragons were idiots. Nineteen families had multiplied for eight hundred years. Even if Celestial Dragons generally lacked strong reproductive desires due to their extravagance and debauchery, by today, their total number had long exceeded a hundred thousand. Among a hundred thousand people, there would always be some talented individuals. And this group possessed resources from almost half the world; with just a little ambition and talent, they could become strong.
"It's not just about status and strength," Roa said languidly. "Seven years ago, at God Valley, when they and the Five Elders made their appearance, they shocked everyone."
"Because of what?" Bullet asked gravely.
"Immortality." Roa said casually, "The Five Elders and the God's Knights all possess a special teleportation ability, allowing them to gather a large force in an instant. But that's not the key; the real key is that all of them possess true immortality."
"Immortality?" Even Moria, who had remained silent, exclaimed in disbelief. "Boss, are you talking about the kind of immortality I'm thinking of?" While teleportation ability was formidable, there were many strange abilities in the sea, so it wasn't too surprising. But immortality? That was completely different! Also, the term 'Boss' had become increasingly natural after calling him that a few times.
"Yes, of course, it's that incredibly unreasonable kind of immortality where they can continuously recover no matter if their heart is pierced, their head is cut off, or even if they're burned to ashes." Roa said casually, "There shouldn't be a second type of immortality in the world, right?"
"There... there's actually such an ability?" Moria couldn't help but swallow. "In that case, aren't they invincible?"
Bege anxiously said, "Boss, wouldn't that just be going to our deaths?" How could one defeat an enemy with immortality?!
Doflamingo nodded in deep agreement. So the God's Knights actually possessed such power? This is the power Celestial Dragons should possess!
"Quiet." Bullet snorted coldly. "What if they're immortal? There can't be an unbreakable ability in the world!"
"That's right!" Roa snapped his fingers with a smile. "That's the significance of this operation." Since only one God's Knight had come, plus two CP0s as extras, there couldn't be a better opportunity than this.
Can God's Knights summon people through teleportation arrays? As long as he doesn't call people over from the start, Roa guarantees he won't have the chance to draw a teleportation array.
"Let's seize this opportunity and try to figure out how to break their immortality. Otherwise, it would be quite awkward when we eventually attack Marijoa." According to dramatic theory, all mechanisms are designed to be broken. Whether it's absolute defense, super regeneration, or the immortality of the God's Knights, there must be a way to break them. Otherwise, how would Luffy become the Pirate King?
"Understood, Boss!" King nodded seriously.
"Then, be careful—hmm, it might also be very easy."
Butt Island, an island not far from the Hachinosu Island waters. This was a non-World Government affiliated country, or perhaps it could no longer be called a country at this point. It was too far from paradise, and too close to Hachinosu Island. Order had long since collapsed, and the entire nation had long ago become a hunting ground for rampant pirates. It was only in recent years that Wang Zhi had restored some order to the surrounding seas, adopting the appearance of a feudal lord, which allowed the island to recover a little.
At this moment, in a nondescript hut on the eastern side of the dilapidated city on the island. Stussy had dutifully changed into a simple dress, her brilliant blonde hair covered by a hood, and her beautiful face darkened and dirtied by makeup.
She was currently on a Den Den Mushi call with the God's Knight. "Yes, Lord Thomas, he says he'll be here soon, you can prepare."
"Mm, perform well," the voice on the other end replied.
Stussy patiently waited for the God's Knight on the other end to hang up before finally letting out a small sigh of relief. Then, the woman let out a bitter laugh. A triple agent, it's truly difficult. Now, she could only pray that Roa would win. If he failed, he would surely expose her without hesitation. That's just the kind of person he was.
After all, knowing how terrifying the God's Knights are, why would he actively walk into their trap? He's completely looking for trouble! Stussy's indignation truly had no one to share it with. Doctor, perhaps it would have been better if you hadn't created me.
Time slowly passed amidst Stussy's self-pity. Finally.
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock on the door.
"Is Aunt Stussy home?" A cheerful boy's voice rang out, "Your mercenary has arrived."
He's here!
Stussy took a deep breath, her face instantly and seamlessly switching from sorrow to a look of panic. She rushed to the door and pulled it open.
"You're finally here, Roa!"
Looking down at the woman before him, whose face was filled with terror, Roa couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Even with makeup intentionally applied to conceal her beauty, her delicate, pitiable expression, full of a sense of brokenness, could still make any man who saw her heart waver.
Not good! Hormones are starting to kick in! Is the little head going to start commanding the big head? Is this puberty? Not bad.
"To be in such a sorry state," However, the act had to be complete. Roa flirtatiously raised his hand to cup Stussy's chin, his tone mocking. "The Aunt Stussy I remember was always so glamorous."
Stussy's acting was completely superior to Roa's. She subtly turned her face away, showing a look of being unable to bear the humiliation. "What happened in the past was due to Whitebeard's influence. I'm sorry, Roa! You must help me this time!"
"You gave me a Mythical Zoan, of course I'll help you." Roa grinned, spreading his right hand. "Where's the fruit?"
"You have to first ensure I get through this crisis!" Stussy argued reasonably, "Otherwise, how would I know—"
"Oh! You keep saying you're sorry, but you still don't trust me?" Roa spread his hands. "Then there's nothing to discuss. I always collect payment upfront."
Stussy's expression shifted. Then, at that very moment.
"Hahahahaha! He's finally here! Calamity Roa! I've been looking for you for a long time!"
A figure directly smashed through the wall behind Stussy, appearing before Roa amidst the flying dust.
"Oh? What does this mean?" Roa said, examining the man while feigning ignorance. "What do you mean 'looking for me for a long time'? Aunt Stussy, shouldn't you explain to me, have I fallen into your trap?"
It was a middle-aged man in his forties. He was about three meters tall, quite robust, with dust on his white suit. His short black hair stood up like steel nails, and there was an excited smile on his face.
Should I say he's worthy of being a God's Knight? His appearance and attire are a world apart from Celestial Dragons in the usual sense. As for the CP agents who entered with this guy, Roa simply ignored them. They were just trash. Unless the CP0 boss personally made a move, Roa wouldn't even give them a second glance.
At this moment, Stussy's act continued. The woman's face suddenly turned deathly pale, and she instinctively grabbed Roa's sleeve. "No! I don't know what's going on either! Roa, believe me!"
"Stussy, we should indeed thank you." At this point, a CP0 executive, perfectly cooperating with Stussy, sneered, "Our target was originally Roa. We intended to interrogate you for his whereabouts, but we didn't expect you to directly call for his help! Excellent, it saved us a lot of trouble!"
"Oh! So, I was indeed implicated?" Roa listened, nodding repeatedly. "Did you hear that, Aunt Stussy? You've gotten me into trouble, so the price goes up!"
"We'll talk about that later!" Stussy had already meekly hidden behind Roa.
"Alright, enough of this boring nonsense," the God's Knight Thomas said, examining Roa with interest. "Hehe, Roa, right? The following news might be too shocking for you, so prepare yourself."
Such familiar rhetoric. I can't possibly have a second uncle who left me 20 billion berries, and you can't possibly be my second mistress, right?
"Oh? Is that so? Then wait a moment, I'll adjust myself." Roa cooperatively took deep breaths, adjusted his state of mind, then patted his own face, and finally said with a serious expression, "Alright! I'm ready, speak!"
"Hahaha! Interesting boy!" Thomas laughed heartily. "Since you experienced the God Valley incident seven years ago, you certainly know about our God's Knights, right?"
"Your God's Knights?" Roa, again cooperating, his eyes widened slightly. "You're a God's Knight?"
"Allow me to introduce myself! I am Saint Topman Thomas!" Thomas grinned, "From the Topman Family!"
The Topman Family? Roa knew this family. They certainly had far more prestige than the Donquixote family, which produced only failures. One of the current Five Elders, Saint Topman Warcury, who was most likely the strongest of the five, was from the Topman family.
"I'll keep it short," Thomas said. "The higher-ups sent me to invite you to join the God's Knights. Rejoice and weep with joy, mortal!"
"You have received the recognition of God. Not only will you become a new Celestial Dragon, but you will also become one of us." As he said this, the CPs behind him cast envious glances at Roa. That's a Celestial Dragon, that's a God's Knight!
"Huh?" But Roa was truly stunned by this guy's words. Not just him, even Stussy's eyes widened in disbelief. No way? Was this the true purpose of this God's Knight's visit? To invite Roa to become a new God's Knight? Have the Celestial Dragons gone mad? Have they forgotten how many Celestial Dragons Roa killed at God Valley seven years ago? Also, can non-Celestial Dragons actually become God's Knights? In that case, are there outsiders among the current God's Knights?
Compared to Stussy, Roa, though also astonished, was much less so. After all, he knew that in the original story, Loki also received an invitation from the God's Knights. However, Roa also found the fact that he himself received an invitation quite absurd. He couldn't help but ask curiously, "You must know what I did at God Valley seven years ago, right?"
No, is Imu's heart really that big?
"Those kinds of people, if they died, they died." Thomas said nonchalantly, "There are also class differences among Celestial Dragons. If you accept the invitation to become a new God's Knight, then their deaths will have served a purpose."
Wow. It seems the internal conflicts within the Celestial Dragons are quite sharp. Roa clicked his tongue.
"But," Thomas's gaze turned cold, "if you refuse, you will have to repay their deaths with your own life!"
"Then," Roa rubbed his chin, where faint stubble was starting to grow, "what do I get?" Honestly, if he had started as a Celestial Dragon, he would have already soared. Who could possibly come into contact with more 'black aura' than a Celestial Dragon?
"All of this!" Thomas laughed, suddenly clenching his fist as if grasping the entire world. "Wealth, power, status, reputation! Everything you can imagine, plus power you can't even imagine! You will gain all of this!"
"Sounds pretty good, actually," Roa slowly nodded.
"Then what are you hesitating for? Hurry and come back to Marijoa with me!" Thomas said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. So smooth! This is a matter of course! Who could refuse to become a new Celestial Dragon?
"Um, can I not go to Marijoa?" Roa probed, "Let me stay on the sea, um, as an external elder of the God's Knights."
"What are you saying?!" Thomas immediately raged, "Having become a Knight of God, why would you linger in the lower world? Associating with ants, do you wish to bring shame upon our name as God's Knights?"
"In that case, it's truly a pity." Roa sighed wistfully. "Because I have a disease where I'll die if I go to Marijoa. So, I refuse."
Just kidding, if I go to Marijoa, I'll definitely be branded by Imu. Roa didn't want to have his life taken by a mere thought from Imu, like the Five Elders. Although it still couldn't be proven whether Saturn was directly killed or just lost his immortality and died of old age, what difference would it make? Roa wouldn't gamble.
"What did you say?" Thomas suspected he had misheard. The CPs who had come with him also looked incredulous. Did I mishear? It must be a mishearing, how could anyone—
Roa's face, in that instant, seemed to harden. He subtly tilted his head, presenting his sharply defined profile to Thomas. "What I, Roa, love doing most is telling arrogant people,"
"No!"
"Then you, can go die!"
Without any hesitation, Thomas lunged directly at Roa. This guy's body swelled in an instant, brown feathers stretched out from his skin, his hands transformed into a pair of massive wings, and his feet became bird claws. He transformed into a bird, a giant bird with a wingspan exceeding thirty meters. The large bird had two pairs of wings, and most crucially, its body was enveloped in a large amount of lightning!
Mythical Zoan.Tsk, the resources Celestial Dragons can mobilize are still too vast. Is every member of the God's Knights a Mythical Zoan? But what kind of ability is this, a Zapdos form? But the color is wrong.
However, it was great that he was a Devil Fruit user. Roa also instantly entered his hybrid form, directly launching himself towards the giant bird.
"Lightning!!" The giant bird let out a sharp roar, instantly releasing ten thousand bolts of lightning from its body, raining down on Roa.
"How arrogant. You haven't read the Marine reports, have you?" Roa chuckled. Bringing thunder to the Thunder God, are you?
The falling lightning burst open in the next instant, scattering into points of light across the sky. By this time, Roa had already closed in, his right hand transforming into a palm blade, striking directly at the giant bird's chest. If it were a normal person, they would surely have dodged by now, but Thomas was a God's Knight! The most daring God's Knight! Completely ignoring Roa's attack, his sharp beak, now covered in black Haki, lowered directly to peck at Roa. This was the confidence bestowed upon him by his immortality.
Thus, Roa's right hand effortlessly pierced into Thomas's chest. He encountered no defense at all; Thomas was completely open, allowing him to attack. Rich and generous.
"Uh!!" Thus, the Haki on the God's Knight's beak suddenly dissipated, his body went limp, his massive form rapidly shrinking, returning to human size and falling from the sky.
"Saint Thomas?" The CPs looked bewildered.
"Seastone?!" Thomas, sprawled on the ground, looked up at Roa in disbelief.
Roa landed lightly on the ground, shrugging, somewhat wistfully. "I've had it with me for a long time, but I never got to use it."
"Thank you for finally making it no longer a bullet of goodwill."
In an instant, the battle was decided. That's why Roa said it might be very easy.