"Mind your words, CP0!"
Gurd's gaze turned icy as a bone-chilling wave of Conqueror's Haki swept through the venue, shaking the entire fortress to its core.
Walls cracked, windows shattered!
The guests gasped at the piercing cold, their breath catching in their throats, not daring to muster even a sliver of resistance.
"Like a demon from hell!"
"No wonder he's worth 3 billion berries!!"
"Even among the Four Emperors, few could match this level of Haki!"
The murmurs of awe never ceased.
"Fufufufu~~"
Doflamingo stared at Gurd, envy flashing in his eyes. As a fellow wielder of Conqueror's Haki, he felt the difference most acutely.
"His Haki has grown stronger than before!"
If they were to clash again, he likely wouldn't last a single round.
Just like when he faced Kaido back then!
The sheer might Gurd displayed now made him abandon all thoughts of rivalry—this was a peak he could never hope to reach in his lifetime.
Chaos engulfed the venue.
"Ahhh, Lord Gurd, please don't unleash your Haki so suddenly!"
"So many people have fainted!"
"This is a banquet—could you kindly retract your Haki?"
"Honestly!"
His subordinates complained loudly.
Gurd withdrew his Haki, his frigid gaze boring down on the three CP0 agents.
"Slaves? What a joke!"
"If the Pirate Empress truly were a slave, how could the World Government turn a blind eye to her serving as one of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea for over a decade?"
"You're here for me, aren't you?"
His voice dripped with scorn as he mocked them mercilessly. "Is it so hard to accept that I refused the God's Knights' invitation? That I rejected becoming a Celestial Dragon?!"
"..."
Gernica's heart pounded violently.
This was news to him!
"What?!"
The Underworld Kings rose to their feet, their faces filled with shock.
The World Government had invited an Earth Calamity to become a Celestial Dragon?!
And it was the God's Knights who extended the invitation!!!
As industry titans, they weren't ignorant newcomers—they knew exactly what the God's Knights represented.
Even among the Celestial Dragons, the God's Knights were leaders, second only to the Five Elders in authority.
And Gurd had refused?!
Unbelievable!
At this moment, no one cared anymore whether the Pirate Empress had been a slave—their minds were completely overwhelmed by this revelation.
What kind of resolve did this take?!
"Fufu~~"
Mingo clutched his face, his fingers digging so hard into his skin that blood trickled from beneath his eyelids, yet he felt no pain.
Returning to the Holy Land had once been his greatest dream, yet Gurd had spurned it without a second thought. This cut deep into his pride.
He thought of the thug Bellamy.
In front of Gurd, wasn't he just another Bellamy?
Silence reigned in the venue.
Gernica suppressed his shock, his voice hoarse. "Mr. Gurd, we mean no offense to you. Regarding the Pirate Empress's past as a slave, we have irrefutable evidence."
"The Devil Fruits consumed by the Pirate Empress and her two sisters originated from the Holy Land, and they bear the Celestial Dragon's Hoof mark on their backs."
"A simple verification will suffice!"
To confirm whether she was a slave, all she had to do was bare her back.
The guests turned their eyes to Gurd and Hancock.
CP0's aggressive stance made them begin to doubt. If Hancock didn't respond directly, even if the accusations were false, they would spread as truth.
The untouchable, world-renowned beauty would be dragged into the mud, becoming fodder for gossip and ridicule among the masses.
Gurd spoke indifferently.
"Eyes."
"What?"
Gernica was stunned.
Gurd's expression turned icy.
"One eye from each of you three!"
"..."
Gernica's heart tightened.
He already understood—this was Gurd's condition. If they wanted Hancock to reveal her back, they had to pay a price!
Just one eye was likely already a concession out of past camaraderie. Otherwise, they might have had to leave half their lives here.
Thud!
Gernica raised his hand and gouged out his left eye!
The two agents behind him hesitated for a few seconds before doing the same.
As Cipher Pol Aigis Zero agents, even death wouldn't stop them from completing the mission assigned by the Five Elders. There was no room for negotiation.
The three clenched their left eyes in their hands, blood streaming endlessly from beneath their masks. The gruesome sight sent chills down the spines of the guests.
It wasn't so much the cruelty—it was Gurd's attitude.
More domineering than even the World Government!
"Consider this just the interest. The rest of the debt, I'll settle with the World Government myself."
Gurd spoke calmly, then pulled Hancock into his embrace, tearing away a piece of the fabric on her back to reveal a red brand.
The woman didn't resist at all, pressing her face tightly against his chest. He could feel the faint dampness of tears.
"There really is a brand!"
The guests widened their eyes, but soon their expressions turned odd.
There was a brand—
But not the Celestial Dragon's Hoof!
Instead, it was a crudely drawn Groudon!
They were already familiar with Groudon.
On either side of the entrance to Fortuna Community, identical murals depicted the "God of Earth," Groudon, who defeated the "Evil Sea God" Kyogre and saved the world. It was also the namesake of Calamity Gurd's ability.
This brand marked the Pirate Empress as Gurd's woman. Even if she had once been a slave, there was no proof now.
Gurd removed his cloak and draped it over Hancock, his cold gaze shifting to the three Cipher Pol agents.
"Any more questions?"
"..."
Gernica fell silent.
They had lost an eye, only to receive this answer.
From his personal standpoint, he could accept it—surviving to return was already a win, and he had a way to justify the outcome.
But from the World Government's perspective, this was an utter failure.
"My apologies, Mr. Gurd!"
"Get lost."
Gurd's voice was icy. "Take a message back to the Five Elders for me. Tell them—no one stands at the top from the beginning. Not even gods. And the day those gods fall into hell will come soon enough!"
"..."
Gernica had no words.
This was nothing short of a declaration of war!
"Let's go."
With the troublemakers gone, the fortress square remained silent.
"Ruined my mood for drinking."
Gurd shook his head, glancing at the guests.
"My apologies, everyone. Tomorrow morning, I'll arrange ships to take you all for a tour of the North Blue. Experience how its sea breeze differs from the New World's!"
"Agreed!"
And so, the farce came to an end.
The Underworld Kings naturally had no objections to Gurd's arrangements. They had been itching to see the North Blue for themselves.
Without witnessing it firsthand, how could they rest easy?
In a corner of the square,
the laborers who had been gathered around playing dice had all passed out from the Haki shockwave—except for Rayleigh, who remained conscious.
"Not bad at all."
Rayleigh set down the dice, chuckling as he shook his head.
In his eyes, this was the best possible outcome. Even if he had stepped in earlier, he couldn't have handled it better.
His perspective on Gurd had shifted once aga
in.
Gurd was indeed dangerous, but in this chaotic world, perhaps only a perilous existence like Gurd could stand against the World Government.
"Shanks."
Rayleigh recalled his conversation with Shanks.
"I've staked my bet on the new era!"
The man Shanks had placed his faith in would likely be no match for Gurd!
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