Mary Geoise, at the gate of the Ilinulay Family Estate.
"Get out of my way! I am Saint Chaporos! How dare you block my entrance?" Chaporos's face flushed with rage as he roared at the two black-clad guards before him.
"This...?" The guards exchanged hesitant glances.
The man with the bubble is indeed Chaporos, but who are the three shady figures behind him? They don't look like good people at all!
"I'll say it again: Get out of my way, or you'll regret it!" Chaporos snarled.
'Damn it! I was kidnapped just for taking a walk! To make matters worse, they're forcing me to lead them here and threatening to kill me if I disobey or resist. Now, after everything that's happened, I'm being blocked by two gatekeepers?'
'Can life get any worse? I'm starting to doubt if I'm a real Celestial Dragon anymore.'
The two guards reluctantly stepped aside, forced by the Celestial Dragon's authority. Though the three figures behind Saint Chaporos seemed peculiar, they must be his attendants standing behind him.
"Hmph!"
Seeing the guards clear the way, Chaporos's anger subsided slightly. He glanced smugly at the trio behind him. But when Trens subtly raised the muzzle of his gun, Chaporos shuddered and quickened his pace, leading the group into the Celestial Dragon's palace.
"You've done well. After this is over, we might consider making you a trainee crew member," Crocodile murmured in his raspy voice, igniting a fresh wave of resentment in Chaporos's heart.
Who wants to be a pirate anyway? Just a trainee crew member? My father is a Celestial Dragon! Why wouldn't you make me captain?"
"Crocodile's suggestion is a good one. If we let you go, you'll never stop thinking about this. This matter is too deeply entangled. Unless we kill you to bury the truth, we'll have to take you with us," Jason said while nodding.
"Don't worry. Being a pirate is great! You might be a bit of a troublemaker, but once you join us, we'll treat you like a human being," Trens said with a reassuring smile.
Chaporos's lips twitched. He wanted to curse at them, but he didn't dare. Instead, he gave them a cold snort to express his displeasure.
Following their original plan, they quickly located the courtyard where Yilu was being held.
Under the eaves, one must bow one's head. Though somewhat foolish, Chaporos knew that any misstep could prompt the three men behind him to act without hesitation.
To dare infiltrate the Celestial Dragons' realm, one must be either mad or bold beyond measure. Just thinking about it made that clear. If he made a scene, their first instinct would undoubtedly be to silence him permanently.
"I am Saint Chaporos! I'm here to see my fiancée!" Standing before the manor's gate, Chaporos barked, "Get out of my way!"
The guards at the entrance were noticeably stronger than those they had encountered earlier. Jason and his companions tensed, their mental alertness heightened.
The Celestial Dragons' palace was exceptionally well-defended. These black-clad guards moved with practiced precision, their eyes cold and calculating. They were undoubtedly elite warriors, handpicked from thousands. If the group were surrounded, escape would be impossible.
"Saint Chaporos, we know of you," A squad of guards said, bowing politely with composed smiles on their faces. "Princess Yilu was originally betrothed to your elder brother, but the plan changed, and you were chosen instead."
"You may enter."
Hearing their respectful tone, Chaporos suppressed his urge to lash out. He snorted before striding through the gate. However, when Crocodile and the others approached, the guards extended their hands, blocking their path.
"You cannot enter."
Chaporos's eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. But when he spotted the gun muzzle concealed beneath Tren's coat, he abandoned the idea.
"Let them follow me. These three are my personal guards. Wherever I go, they go!" He declared coldly, turning to address the guards.
Facing the guards, Chaporos displayed the full majesty of a Celestial Dragon.
"This...!" The men in black hesitated.
"What? On Celestial Dragon territory, on your Ilinulay territory, you're worried I might do something?" Chaporos sneered.
This taunt finally forced the men in black to act.
"Please enter. We'll wait outside. If you need anything, just let us know."
Chaporos didn't understand the guards' true intentions. He merely tilted his head back, let out a disdainful snort, and strode inside.
However, Crocodile and Jason noticed the warning glances the guards shot their way.
On the surface, the guards claimed to be at their disposal, but beneath the surface, they threatened to intervene if they took any rash actions. Any unusual sound would trigger their immediate intervention.
Within the manor, Yilu sat on the steps, lost in thought. Runta leaned against the wall near the entrance with his eyes half-closed as if resting.
Suddenly, Runta's eyes snapped open, his gaze fixed on the doorway.
Chaporos strode in, followed closely by three figures of varying appearances.
With a single glance, Runta recognized that something was off about them.
"I've come to see my fiancée. Is Yilu present?"
With three hardened criminals behind him, Chaporos seemed remarkably composed, his intellect operating at peak efficiency. Every second pushed his mental capacity to its limits.
Runta stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "Greetings, esteemed Saint Chaporos. Princess Yilu is inside."
"Who are you?" Chaporos asked coldly.
"I am Princess Yilu's guard. I am responsible for her safety," Runta replied evenly.
"Leave. I wish to speak with her alone."
Chaporos's attitude was downright barbaric.
But Runta wasn't surprised in the slightest. He had seen Celestial Dragons far more savage than this young man before; compared to them, this fellow was merely putting on a show of ferocity.
"I'm afraid I can't comply, Your Highness," Runta said firmly, shaking his head. "Princess Yilu requires my assistance at all times."
"Then may we speak with Princess Yilu in person?" Trens suddenly interjected.
His words immediately sharpened Runta's gaze.
Chaporos froze for a moment, then clamped his mouth shut, saying nothing.
The atmosphere instantly turned strange, plunging into silence.
Runta's keen intuition told him that something was definitely amiss between these three and Chaporos. Their relationship was clearly not one of master and servant.
No guard or servant would dare interrupt a Celestial Dragon without permission.
Even more bizarre was Chaporos's complete lack of reaction—not even a word of reprimand.
Crocodile slipped his hand into his coat, while Jason clenched his fist.
Trens, meanwhile, continued to smile at Runta, saying nothing.
(End Of This Chapter)
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