"Are you about to make a move?" Elior was on a call with Vegapunk. Elior usually carried a miniature Den Den Mushi, which he transformed into a watch and wore on his wrist in case of emergencies.
"That was to be expected." Elior was not particularly surprised when he learned that the immortal monster was about to be deployed. After all, the dMarines had nearly been destroyed by his forces. How could those Celestial Dragons possibly sleep peacefully?
"King, within the next half month, perhaps even within a few days, are you prepared?" Vegapunk said solemnly. "That monster is no ordinary weapon. Its combat power far exceeds that of an Admiral. In short, it is unfathomable."
Elior replied calmly, "Preparation doesn't matter. If it comes, I'll deal with it. It's not a problem."
"King, I can delay them," Vegapunk continued. "They've ordered me to repair the monster's weapon. I can stall the repairs for about half a month and delay deployment as much as possible. That should give you enough time to prepare."
Elior thought for a moment, then said, "Having more time is fine. Do it that way."
"King, I will not disappoint you."
"Good. That's all for now, Vegapunk. Inform me immediately if anything changes."
After that, Elior ended the call. Hancock and Hiyori, who were kneeling on the ground, looked at Elior with deep concern. They had clearly heard the conversation. The Celestial Dragons intended to send a terrifying war weapon to kill Elior and demanded that his head be brought back to Mary Geoise. A weapon far more powerful than an Admiral.
For a moment, Hancock and Hiyori were overwhelmed with fear. Having been completely dominated both physically and mentally by Elior, they loved him deeply and were naturally terrified for his safety.
"Sir, those Celestial Dragons," Hancock asked anxiously. Hiyori also spoke in worry, "Sir, what should we do? Is that enemy truly so powerful?"
"Am I not powerful as well?" Elior replied indifferently. "Besides, this is not something you need to concern yourselves with."
Afterward, Elior instructed them to continue their work. At present, Elior could use a localized time domain, extending one hour into twenty. If anything, time was the one thing he lacked the least. Naturally, Hancock, Hiyori, and the others soon noticed that the nights had become inexplicably long. It felt extremely strange. Elior did not explain this phenomenon to them.
As for Hancock and Hiyori, they had only arrived at the Paradise that very morning. Now that night had fallen, they came to attend to Elior. He was not worried about that so-called war weapon. After all, his true strength was not limited to raw combat power alone. He could enter a second-stage power state, effectively doubling his current combat strength. Beyond sheer strength, Elior possessed abilities that bordered on the absolute: he could freeze time and space, stop time, and cut through space itself. This was Elior's true trump card.
The next day, Elior gave orders to Kaido and the others to reinforce the defenses of the Paradise. At noon, Elior left. He had more important matters to attend to. He was not worried about being attacked. With his spatial abilities, Elior could perform a space jump of up to three kilometers in an instant, allowing him to return immediately if necessary.
On the other side, at Marine Headquarters, among the three Admirals, Ryokugyu was dead. Only Kizaru and Fujitora remained. Tokikake, previously an Admiral candidate, was urgently promoted and appointed in the face of crisis. Meanwhile, Fujitora was officially named the new Fleet Admiral. Yet the current Marine Headquarters was a shadow of its former self. Worse still, the Marines' surrender had enraged the Celestial Dragons.
In the eyes of those high-ranking nobles, the Marines should never surrender, no matter the cost, even if it meant annihilation. The Celestial Dragons showed no concern whatsoever for the lives of the Marines, leaving Tsuru and the others utterly disillusioned. The Gorosei even declared that Marine Headquarters could be rebuilt if destroyed, but the dignity of the Celestial Dragons must never be lost.
The Gorosei went even further, saying words that completely froze the hearts of the Marine leadership: "You are nothing more than our dogs."
Tsuru and the others were already drowning in grief. Those words only deepened their despair. Of course, Tsuru suppressed her fury. The Gorosei never imagined that such contempt would one day drive the Marines to break free from the rule of the Celestial Dragons. After all, the Marines had risked their lives for so-called justice, not to be treated as disposable tools.
That very night, Elior arrived at Marine Headquarters. Naturally, he infiltrated it in secret. Neither Tsuru, Kizaru, nor Fujitora noticed his intrusion. As night fell, Gion finished her exhausting day and prepared to rest. Suddenly, Elior appeared. A door of space tore open. He stepped through as if ripping space apart.
Gion froze in joy. "Elior!" She immediately threw herself into his arms, her face filled with surprise. "Oh no, sorry, husband," she said hurriedly, pulling away. "I've been busy all day. I'm sweaty and dirty."
"How is that not fragrant sweat?" Elior smiled warmly. Only in front of Gion did Elior reveal this gentle side. His feelings for her surpassed those he held for any other woman.
Elsewhere, Tsuru, still immersed in sorrow, opened the door to Gion's residence. Without warning, an intense sound reached her ears, making her frown deeply. When she saw Elior and Gion, it felt as if lightning had struck her. "How can this be?!"
Her expression changed drastically, unable to accept the scene before her. She nearly fainted from shock. Even her own junior, Gion, was entangled with that demon, and she even called him her husband. Tsuru almost burst into tears. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed weakly onto the sofa as the sounds from the room continued unabated.
Tsuru wanted nothing more than to storm inside and kill Elior. But how could Elior not have noticed her? In truth, he had deliberately allowed Tsuru to enter. He sensed that the time had come: the time to turn Tsuru against the World Government. What he needed was conviction. Tsuru's conviction. Someone to lead the Marines and pass judgment on the Celestial Dragons.
The moment Tsuru entered the residence, Elior severed the space itself, forming a completely independent spatial domain. No sound inside could escape, and Tsuru could not leave. Moreover, Elior applied a twentyfold time dilation. Tsuru sat on the sofa, grief weighing heavily upon her as time crawled forward.
No one knew how long passed before Elior finally emerged. He glanced at Tsuru indifferently. Gion had already fallen asleep. After taking a brief shower, Elior sat across from the stunned Tsuru. She was just an old woman; he had no interest in her. But as a Marine of immense prestige, someone capable of leading the Marines, she was valuable. Elior wanted her to lead the Marines in judging the Celestial Dragons. Otherwise, why would he keep her alive?
"You've seen everything," he said calmly. "Let's get straight to the point, old woman."