"Ahhh! I won the lottery! I won the lottery!"
The moment the door was pushed open, a sharp, ear-piercing scream rang out.
"So noisy."
Admiral Cero glanced around with disinterest and spoke lazily.
"I really do not understand why you always like coming to places like this. Other than the pretty female dealers, there is nothing attractive here at all."
…
While the three of them were talking, Tiger Bro, the casino's thug leader, was already leading his subordinates away in a panic to report to the casino owner.
Admiral Cero, Admiral Fujitora, and Vice Admiral Onigumo all noticed it, but none of them paid any attention.
"Cero, just like you enjoy beautiful women and heavy drinking, I enjoy gambling."
Admiral Fujitora Issho tapped the floor lightly with his cane-sword, listening to the excited shouts of gamblers around him. He smiled faintly with his eyes closed.
"Do you not think a place like this, where people reveal their true desires, is far more honest than those noble banquets full of fake elegance and hypocrisy?"
"No."
Cero pouted, completely unconvinced.
"At least at noble banquets there are even more beautiful women. So what exactly happened that made you drag me here?"
"I feel something is wrong here, very wrong."
Fujitora stopped beside a gambling table, gently touching the dice with his fingers, and lowered his voice.
"I sensed your presence on this island, so I wanted to discuss this matter with you."
"Wrong? This place is wrong in every way."
Cero scanned the gamblers around them who were immersed in excitement and greed.
"My Observation Haki picked it up the moment I stepped in."
"Huh?"
Vice Admiral Onigumo looked around carefully, but only saw ordinary people playing cards and throwing chips, nothing unusual at all.
"Cero-san, Admiral Issho, what are you talking about?"
"It is normal that you cannot see it."
Cero glanced at him, then looked back at the gamblers, his expression turning slightly disgusted.
"Your Observation Haki is not refined enough. You cannot sense what is attached to them."
He paused, then frowned and covered his nose.
"That stench, like a sewer."
In the perception of Cero and Fujitora, the faces of everyone in the casino began to distort.
Poker card patterns slowly flickered over their faces, different suits and numbers constantly changing.
Fujitora's Observation Haki was among the strongest in the world.
Even without sight, he could clearly feel the emotions, intentions, and inner states of everyone around him.
At this moment, all the gamblers were wrapped in a strange, dark aura.
Their hearts, which should have been normal, were gradually turning turbid and twisted.
This kind of color usually only appeared on pirates, criminals, and desperate people.
It should not exist on ordinary civilians.
On their bodies, poker suits and numbers rotated endlessly, giving off a terrifying sense of calm before madness.
"This thing is troublesome."
Cero stared at the gamblers whose aura was thickening, their card patterns slowly becoming solid.
"A day ago, I encountered a princess who was also infected by this aura. Her entire body was covered in black and white clown patterns, like the Joker in a deck of cards."
"Spade Ten."
At that moment, most of the gamblers' faces were slowly being covered by the same suit.
"That princess said two months ago, her father lost most of his mechanical processing quota because the Sky Island Alliance distributed their technology to other countries. In desperation, he began praying to a so-called god."
Cero slowly swept his gaze across the casino.
Finally, his eyes locked onto a magnificent golden Buddha statue sealed behind thick transparent glass.
Silver-white lightning flickered faintly in his pupils.
"She said after her father began believing in that god, he completely changed as a person. One day, she also prayed, and she transformed into another self."
Cero's voice grew colder.
"She could not even remember what she did in that state. She only remembered that she felt extremely happy, satisfied, and was even willing to die for that god without regret."
"Changing human nature itself…"
Fujitora frowned deeply.
"Is this the power of some Devil Fruit?"
"It sounds more like a devil seducing people's hearts."
Cero raised one finger, lightning crackling around it as he aimed at the golden statue.
"In mythology, this kind of power has always belonged to devils."
Sizzle!
A bolt of lightning shot out like a bullet.
Boom!
The bulletproof glass shattered instantly, and the lightning struck the golden statue directly.
Crack!
The golden surface split apart layer by layer, pieces falling to the ground.
"Just as I thought."
Cero sneered.
"This place is infected because of this thing."
When the golden shell completely fell away, a new statue was revealed.
It was a humanoid golden figure with curved ram horns.
Its expression was neither joyful nor sorrowful.
Its claw-like hands gently held a golden sphere, as if cradling a child.
Those cold, emotionless eyes gazed at the sphere, giving off an indescribable pressure.
"What is this?"
Onigumo stared in shock.
Fujitora closed his eyes and focused on the area.
He could not see it, but he could clearly feel a terrifying, alien presence.
"That princess called this god…"
Cero narrowed his eyes.
"Creator."
…
Fujitora's body stiffened slightly.
"What?!"
Onigumo's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Creator? Do not the Celestial Dragons always call themselves descendants of the Creator? Is this related to them?"
"Lower your voice."
Cero lightly tapped Onigumo's head.
"This is not something you shout about. It involves those World Nobles."
"But Cero-san!"
Onigumo said in horror.
"If this is true, it must be reported to the World Government immediately!"
Before he could finish, his entire body convulsed.
White smoke rose from his head.
Sizzle!
Cero shocked him with a small arc of lightning.
"Are you out of your mind?"
After a few seconds, Cero spoke seriously.
"Think carefully. If this is false, fine. But if it is true, what do you think the Marines can even do?"
Onigumo froze.
His hair stood on end.
"If it is true… does that mean the Celestial Dragons are conducting terrorist experiments all over the world?"
"So you finally understand."
Cero glanced at Fujitora, who was silently thinking.
At that moment, the casino owner and his guards came rushing toward them in anger.
Cero slowly floated into the air, lightning surrounding him like a thunder god.
"If you spread this and the world turns against the Celestial Dragons…"
His eyes flashed.
"Should the Marines uphold justice and kill them, or protect them while they continue harming the world?"
Lightning erupted violently from his body.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
Sakazuki…
I tested you with the Four Emperors.
And you disappointed me.
If you cannot even wipe out the pirates, how can you oppose the Celestial Dragons?
This kind of cowardly justice makes me sick.
Boom!!!
The sky exploded with thunder.
The casino owner froze in terror.
"That is Cero?! An Admiral?!"
He turned and glared at Tiger Bro.
"This is what you called a taser?!"
Tiger Bro trembled violently.
"Boss, I did not know he was an Admiral! I swear!"
"Shut up!"
The casino owner then fell to his knees without hesitation.
"Admiral Cero! I belong to the family of Saint Rosward! Please forgive us!"
Cero laughed softly.
"Do you really think I would hesitate to kill someone just because they are a Celestial Dragon?"
The casino owner's face turned deathly pale.
"Admiral, please! For Saint Rosward's sake!"
"Your face is worthless."
Cero formed a spear of pure lightning in his hand.
"You scam civilians, sell their children, and then try to threaten an Admiral with Celestial Dragon status."
His voice boomed like thunder.
"You deserve death."
Rumble!
The lightning spear was thrown.
A massive bolt descended from the sky.
Bang!
The ground exploded.
When the smoke cleared, the casino owner had turned into a pile of charcoal.
Several guards behind him were also reduced to ash.
The casino fell into absolute silence.
---