Chapter 469: The Gu Poison Game
Early the next morning.
The sky above the Holy Land of Mary Geoise always seemed exceptionally vast and distant.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, spilling onto streets paved with holy gold and white stone. The air was thin and freezing, as if every breath carried a suffocating sense of "nobility."
The Celestial Dragon Guard had long since formed up on both sides of the street, standing at attention.
Their silver armor reflected the light, their formation as flawless as a mirror. Every man held his head high, the "Mark of the Gods" on their chests gleaming with pride and arrogance.
They were the most loyal guards of the Celestial Dragons, considering themselves the shadows of the "Gods in the Heavens."
"I heard... we are welcoming two Marine Admirals today?"
A young guard muttered softly.
Another sneered disdainfully, "Hmph, they're just mortal soldiers. When they see us, they should drop to their knees—"
However, before his words could finish.
—The wind suddenly changed.
A low rumble echoed from the end of the street.
The ground trembled slightly, the air torn apart by an invisible force.
In the next second—
Auras of blistering heat and freezing cold collided like heaven and earth crashing into each other.
The right half of the street was baked by raging flames; the temperature skyrocketed, causing the air to warp and distort.
The left half of the street, however, was condensed by frigid air, frost creeping across the stone bricks and blanketing the ground.
Heatwaves and cold currents converged in the center of the street.
It was a torn line of temperature—one side burning, the other freezing.
The expressions of several guards drastically changed. The men on the right broke out in cold sweat, their breastplates turning scorching hot from the heatwave.
The men on the left had purple lips, the frigid chill shooting straight up their spines from the soles of their boots.
"Wh... what is going on?!"
"The air... is burning, and freezing at the same time?!!"
They struggled to raise their heads, only to see two towering figures walking side-by-side from the distant end of the street.
Their footsteps were slow, yet they struck like war drums against everyone's beating hearts.
With every step they took, the ground groaned.
The man on the right walked with strides as steady as a mountain. His dark crimson suit was ruffled by the wind, a deep red rose pinned to his chest.
Blade-like patterns were faintly visible on his right arm, while tattoos of roses and cherry blossoms coiled from his left chest down to his elbow—looking like flowers blooming amidst flames.
He wore a Marine cap, his hands covered in black leather gloves, and his "Marine Admiral" cape snapped fiercely in the wind.
—Admiral Akainu, Sakazuki.
With every step he took, the air beneath the floor tiles crackled softly from the scorching heat. Extreme high temperatures swirled around his feet, leaving behind scorch marks and a faint glow.
And to his left, a completely polar opposite aura flowed.
That man was tall, his expression placid. He wore a white suit vest over a dark blue shirt, his tie hanging loosely. He exuded an air of languid laziness, yet suppressed a bottomless, freezing chill.
The "Justice" coat draped over his shoulders fluttered gently, and wherever the hem of his coat passed, frost and snow condensed in its wake.
His strides seemed casual, yet every step left behind a thin layer of ice.
—Admiral Aokiji, Kuzan.
Fire and ice walked side-by-side down the sacred grand avenue of the Holy Land just like that.
They did not speak, but the opposing forces in the air plunged the entire street into a bizarre equilibrium.
The two columns of the Celestial Dragon Guard stood frozen in place. The men on the right were flushed red from the oppressive heat, sweating like rain;
The men on the left were invaded by the frigid chill, their teeth chattering.
No one dared to speak, and no one dared to move.
The two figures slowly walked past between them. The hems of their coats brushed against the air, kicking up a light breeze mixed with ashes and ice chips.
As that breeze blew past—
The frost condensed on the silver armor instantly evaporated. Steam and frigid mist blended together, transforming into a hazy ribbon of light under the sun.
It wasn't until the backs of the two Admirals disappeared at the end of the street that everyone slumped to the ground, as if their souls had been drained away.
"Is... is that... the aura of a Marine Admiral?"
"Monsters... they aren't even human..."
Their voices trembled, a mixture of fear and absolute awe.
—That silent, oppressive pressure was far more real than any "majesty of the Gods."
Pangaea Castle Outer Perimeter · Plaza Outside the Room of Authority
That architecture, symbolizing the "Will of the Gods," stood majestically under the sunlight.
The Plaza of Authority was located just outside the core. It was an ivory-colored pure land, its ground paved with holy white stone slabs as smooth as a mirror, reflecting every single ray of sunlight.
The pillars on both sides towered dozens of feet high. Dragon-shaped reliefs coiled around each stone pillar, their eyes inlaid with gemstones that reflected a dim, cold light.
This was a ceremonial ground exclusively for Celestial Dragon nobles and high-ranking world officials. It was just a single step away from the center of power—sufficient to display the majesty of the Gods, yet ensuring that if "something unexpected" occurred, the main sanctuary itself would not be affected.
After careful consideration, the Five Elders had chosen this place as the "Ground of Bestowal."
They constantly proclaimed themselves "Gods," but as "Fire and Ice" approached, they still chose to hold something back and play it safe.
The wind slid down from the domes of Pangaea Castle.
The Five Elders had long since been standing quietly here, their golden robes trailing on the ground, their embroidered patterns solemn and dignified.
They stood at the far end of the plaza, their gazes piercing through layers of light and shadow, staring down that white grand avenue leading to the throne of the Gods.
—And then, they saw those two silhouettes.
The moment they walked over from the end of the street, the air seemed to be split in two.
Half was as blisteringly hot as purgatory;
Half was as freezing cold as an abyss.
The light fractured between them into two different color temperatures. Blazing flames and biting frost intertwined into a network of veins across the floor tiles.
The wind of the Holy Land had ceased at some unknown point.
The Five Elders quietly observed those two figures standing shoulder-to-shoulder.
No one spoke, but a silent, oppressive pressure filled the air—
It was the indifferent gaze of "Gods scrutinizing mortals."
Saint Garling was the first to speak. He slowly took a step forward, his gaze beneath the sunglasses as cold as the edge of a blade.
"The order of the Marines seems to have become... overly independent in recent years."
His tone was calm, yet every word felt like a hooked knife.
"With Sengoku's retirement imminent, Roy secretly reorganizing the system, and now even the succession of the Fleet Admiral has to go through your 'discussions' first?"
Sakazuki and Kuzan remained silent. They offered no defense, simply staring straight ahead.
A faint smile surfaced on the corners of Saint Garling's mouth, laced with disdain and provocation.
"However—"
He turned around, facing away from them, his tone suddenly turning solemn as if reading a "Divine Decree."
"After careful consideration—"
"We have decided to give both of you an opportunity."
Saint Ju Peter raised an eyebrow, slowly picking up where he left off: "The position of Marine Fleet Admiral cannot be taken lightly. We must confirm with our own eyes who is truly worthy of inheriting the name of 'Justice'."
Saint Warcury's tone was deep and cold: "At the same time, this is also a test of loyalty. In this land of divine authority, we want to see your hearts clearly—do they lean towards the Marines, or towards the World Government?"
Saint Mars's gaze shifted slightly: "The victor becomes Fleet Admiral; the loser steps down. No matter the result—we will not interfere."
Saint Nusjuro stepped forward with his sword in hand, his cold voice dropping: "Under the domain of the Gods, only the victor can represent 'Justice'."
The voices of the Five Elders intertwined and echoed, like the resounding clatter of five scepters striking beneath the dome.
At this moment, their intentions were blatantly obvious—
This was a "trial," a meticulously orchestrated provocation.
They wanted to use this "War for Fleet Admiral" to pit fire and ice against each other, forcing the spine of the Marines to snap itself.
To the Five Elders—this was a highly efficient "Gu Poison Game."
They wanted to personally weigh the power and ambitions of the two Admirals within a controllable scope, while simultaneously splintering the Marines, bringing that increasingly dangerous heart back under their control.
And in their eyes, this was nothing more than a "play."
A "gladiatorial performance" used to test loyalty and obedience.
Saint Garling turned back around, the smile on his lips growing increasingly freezing.
"Begin—Akainu, Aokiji."
"Let us see—who is the true 'Justice'."
The wind gradually picked up, and Sakazuki and Kuzan's gazes met in mid-air.
In that instant, the air seemed to ignite.
The ground on one side began to smoke and crack;
On the other side, frost spread from beneath his feet, covering the white stone.
The auras of fire and ice intertwined, roaring and expanding across the plaza of the Holy Land.
Watching this scene, the eyes of the Five Elders flickered. They believed their "plan" was working—
Little did they know, a completely different kind of light had long since ignited within those two pairs of eyes.
Sakazuki let out a low chuckle, firelight dancing in his pupils.
Kuzan narrowed his eyes slightly, frigid air dissipating from his fingertips.
In the depths of their hearts, the exact same thought echoed simultaneously:
"What a bunch of idiots."
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you