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During the Levely.
Fierce discussions and arguments echoed throughout the vast, empty hall, accompanied by angry insults.
Nefertari Cobra was no longer as calm and collected as he had been earlier. His face was livid, and his eyes seemed to spit fire.
“Heh, the Warlord System?”
“King of Alabasta, have you been receiving benefits from pirates?”
“I now suspect that you’re colluding with pirates!”
“How ridiculous, using pirates to curb the world’s growing chaos. What a naïve idea!”
“I suspect that King Cobra is in league with pirates. He should be sent to the execution platform and hanged!”
“Oh, right, his family too. Not a single one of them should be spared!”
“…”
These words, half mocking and half scornful, threw the entire meeting into chaos. By the end, Cobra was trembling with rage, his anger boiling over. There were a few voices of support, but far more were filled with contempt and abuse.
The so-called nobles were not much different from ordinary people, just better at disguising themselves as civilized.
In fact, once their hypocritical masks were torn away, they could be even more brutal than beasts.
Suddenly, a tall figure strode into the hall.
In an instant, the spacious chamber fell silent, as if someone had pressed pause. Some even showed fear on their faces.
An indescribable aura swept across the hall; this terrifying pressure made everyone tremble.
“Who said they wanted to execute the Nefertari family?” A cold voice rang out, spreading across the entire room. The figure slowly sat down beside Cobra, his icy gaze sweeping across everyone present.
Anyone who met his gaze instinctively shrank back, their bodies trembling.
“I can execute him first.”
Another sentence followed.
A chilling gust seemed to sweep through the hall, causing those who had spoken out earlier to break out in a cold sweat.
“Nefertari Kojin!!!”
“That legendary Vice Admiral with immense strength!”
“I’ve heard that he already has the power of an Admiral. Truly terrifying!”
“The man who captured the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and Golden Lion Shiki!”
For a moment, the entire hall fell silent. Everyone stared at the bare-chested figure with sharply defined muscles and swallowed nervously. His visible strength, combined with the legends surrounding him, meant that no one dared to confront him.
Some of the nobles, having heard that he had recently beaten a Celestial Dragon, were even less willing to speak. This was a man who had dared to strike a Celestial Dragon and faced no consequences. If they angered him and were beaten, it would be for nothing.
“I proposed the Warlord System.”
“Whether it will be adopted depends on the World Government.”
“It’s not your place to point fingers here.”
Kojin spoke indifferently, sitting with one leg crossed over the other, and then ignored the meeting entirely.
“Prince Kojin is right.”
“We will carefully consider the Warlord System.”
“The meeting will now continue!”
The old man at the podium spoke with a trace of reverence in his eyes. The others didn’t know, but he knew very well where Kojin had just been and what he had experienced. A man who could return from there unscathed and sit there again was beyond his comprehension.
The meeting resumed, and the Warlord System was temporarily set aside.
Cobra let out a slight sigh of relief and looked at his younger brother, asking, “How did it go?”
“It was just a simple probe. Both sides reached a certain balance,” Kojin replied with a smile.
“In short, nothing happened.”
Only then did Cobra relax. “That’s good.”
Afterwards, Igaram draped a loose robe over Kojin’s shoulders, covering his body.
Kojin sat there, no longer paying attention to the meeting. His eyes narrowed slightly as he sank into thought.
It could be said that whether it was the Gorōsei, Imu, or himself, all had the intention of probing one another.
They all wanted to investigate his strength personally, and he was doing the same. The power of the Five Elders and the mystery surrounding Imu were hurdles he would eventually have to overcome.
This brief exchange made both sides wary of each other, creating a fragile balance. The World Government had one less problem, while he gained time to continue growing in secrecy.
However, the pressure they placed on him was immense.
“They’re all incredibly strong.”
“A simple probe isn’t enough to determine their true strength. Ruling this world for eight hundred years… their foundation must be unfathomable.”
Kojin frowned slightly.
Clearly, the power he had built so far was not enough to truly contend with the World Government.
“A hidden dragon should not act. When the time isn’t right and one’s strength is insufficient, one must quietly accumulate power and wait for the right moment.”
“Clearly, I’m in that phase.”
His brows relaxed.
The atmosphere in the hall gradually became lively again.
Soon, the meeting entered a temporary recess. Everyone stood up and left their seats, waiting for it to resume the next day.
“The Warlord System seems to be facing some resistance. I don’t know why you proposed it, but will it really benefit the world?” On the way back, Cobra asked with a confused look on his face.
“It was just an interesting proposal, that’s all. But in the end, it will definitely be approved.” Nefertari Kojin replied with a faint smile.
This was simply part of the world’s natural course. Even without him, the World Government would eventually propose and implement it.
“Where did you go just now?” Nefertari Cobra asked in a low voice.
Kojin was about to answer when he suddenly paused, his eyes shifting forward.
Not far away, a group of imposing figures approached. He had seen the man leading them not long ago. It was Saint Figarland Garling, with his signature crescent-shaped red hair and sharp, piercing gaze.
Unlike last time, he was followed by eight more figures, all cloaked in robes and exuding stern, oppressive auras.
Their loose, wide garments completely concealed their weapons and bodies.
“The Holy Knights!”
Whispers of shock quickly spread.
Kojin’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Garling. Cobra clenched his fists, and his expression turned tense. The Holy Knights were a mysterious group of immense power who even possessed the supreme authority to judge the Celestial Dragons.
“CP0!”
“The strongest shield!”
More exclamations rang out.
Kojin turned his gaze to the other side.
Nine tall figures approached. He didn’t recognize their leader, but from the murmurs around him, he knew who they were:
CP0.
“Kojin!” Cobra called softly, his forehead already covered in cold sweat.
Instinctively, he stepped forward and shielded his younger brother. Igaram and Eveya stood beside them, looking tense and alert. The two groups were clearly coming for them, but their intentions were unclear.
“Nefertari Kojin, it seems you have violated the rules of the Celestial Dragons.” Garling spoke with a faint smile on his face.
“Oh?” Kojin raised an eyebrow and smiled back.
The next instant, his pupils shrank. He stepped forward swiftly, blocking Cobra, his right hand gripping the hilt at his waist.
Clang!
His blade left its sheath, and the sound of a dragon’s cry seemed to echo through the void. At the same time, Garling appeared before him, sword in hand, and slashed down.
Clang!
The two blades collided with a metallic crash, and sparks flew.
A ripple of force spread outwards, throwing the surrounding crowd into a state of panic.
“Are you planning to start a war here?” Kojin grinned as lightning burst across his body and thunder rumbled above his head.
Garling narrowed his eyes.
“It’s just a friendly sparring match. Look, they haven’t made a move yet.”
Kojin chuckled and glanced at the other eight cloaked figures in the distance. “Sparring, huh?”
“Yes.” Garling’s figure flickered, his blade flashing through the air with dazzling brilliance once more.
Once again, Kojin blocked it steadily.
Their swords clashed violently, sending out shockwaves and causing cracks to form beneath their feet with a sharp kacha.
“Such tremendous strength…” Garling’s pupils contracted.
His blade twisted, cutting at a strange angle straight towards Kojin’s centerline.
Lightning flashed as the blade grazed Kojin’s chest.
At the same time, Kojin’s sword suddenly struck out, reaching Garling’s neck in the blink of an eye.
“This is dangerous!”
Garling’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly retreated.
There was a flash of blade light, and his clothing was sliced, a piece of fabric drifting slowly to the ground. Seeing this, Garling’s expression darkened slightly. He raised his head, looked at Kojin once more, then sheathed his sword.
“The Nefertari family has produced quite a remarkable figure. But in this Holy Land, you’d best not be too arrogant.”
Kojin smiled faintly and sheathed his blade too.
This had undoubtedly been another test and a show of force.
Clink!
The moment his blade returned to its sheath, a sharp wind suddenly howled above him.
A fierce kick descended from above, aimed directly at his skull. The pressure intensified, like a blade cleaving downward. Kojin looked up, a curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
“Even CP0 wants to join in?”
His body trembled slightly as a shockwave burst outward.
“Tekkai!”
The seemingly ordinary technique name made the attacker smile.
“You’re too arrogant.”
“Just Tekkai?”
But the next second, when his foot struck Kojin’s head, there was a cracking sound, and the man’s expression changed instantly.
“Have you trained Tekkai to this level?!”
He was filled with shock, followed by intense pain. He quickly retreated, creating distance between himself and Kojin, and a deep wariness flickered in his eyes.
Garling watched the scene unfold, his gaze flickering as he narrowed his eyes.
Without realizing it, the two groups had blocked Kojin’s path. The surrounding nobles stood silent, like cicadas in winter, sensing that something was very wrong.
At that moment, two figures approached quickly from a distance.
“Well now! My dear disciple, who are you sparring with?”
“Do you need your teacher’s help?”
“This old body of mine hasn’t had a good stretch in a long time!”
A voice filled with both amusement and chilling intent echoed in everyone’s ears. Garling and the members of CP0 both showed slight changes in expression.
(End of Chapter)
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