"Saint Charlos, please reconsider! If you answer incorrectly, you'll be punished!"
The butler beside the Celestial Dragon pointed nervously to a headless corpse—a king who had just been executed. His voice trembled with fear.
The gruesome sight was terrifying. Even a single glance would make anyone's heart shudder.
"Get out of my sight. Punishment? Who dares to punish me?!"
Saint Charlos arrogantly raised his chin, gazing around the vast World Conference Hall filled with hundreds of kings and nobles.
Even though he didn't fully understand what the question was about, it seemed ridiculously simple to him.
After all, in Mary Geoise, the Celestial Dragons were gods—the kings of kings. Even if he answered incorrectly, who would dare to touch him?
"It has to be A! That Bandit looked tough. I'm sure he twisted Red Hair's arm!"
Charlos declared confidently, wearing a smug smile.
In his mind, this was easy. Use a little brainpower and the answer practically reveals itself.
The kings present pondered the question too. Sea Kings? No—those were only in the Calm Belt, not the East Blue. Whales? Too docile. And no one had even heard of a "King of the Near Sea" before.
So, Charlos' choice actually seemed… logical.
His arrogance made people uncomfortable, but no one dared to speak up. This was Mary Geoise, and disrespect toward a Celestial Dragon was a death sentence—possibly delivered by an admiral.
But then came the mechanical voice:
[Wrong answer! Please accept your punishment.]
Everyone froze.
They were stunned—how could a Celestial Dragon be wrong?
Even worse—he was actually being punished?!
"WHO DARES TO PUNISH ME?! I want to see who dares touch me in MARY GEOISE!"
Charlos roared, still seated confidently, unbothered. He truly believed no one would dare.
The kings nearby were drenched in sweat. Truly, no one had ever laid a hand on a Celestial Dragon before.
If someone dared to show themselves now, they'd be endlessly hunted by the Navy.
Then, the voice echoed again:
[Questioning the authority of the live broadcast room: Double punishment applied.]
[Celestial Dragon status revoked! All privileges removed.]
"CRASH!"
A sharp sound rang out—glass shattered.
"AAAHH! It hurts! It HURTS!"
Charlos screamed, stumbling out of his chair, blood pouring down his face.
The transparent glass dome on his head had shattered—slashing his face with jagged shards.
"Quick! I don't want to breathe the same air as these lowly creatures!"
He clutched his bloodied face and screamed at his butler.
Celestial Dragons believed themselves too noble to breathe the same air as commoners.
"Saint Charlos…" The butler was panicked and hurried to bring another glass dome.
But before he could place it on Charlos' head—it exploded in his hand, causing a second blast of injuries.
"YOU BASTARD!!"
Charlos shrieked with fury. Since birth, he had never suffered like this.
Being forced to breathe common air—this was worse than death for a Celestial Dragon.
A massive insult to his "divine" status.
"Who are you?! Come out if you dare!"
Seeing his son covered in blood and screaming in disgrace, Saint Roswald shouted furiously.
They couldn't see the culprit.
But then came the voice—calm, omnipotent, chilling:
[I am everywhere. I am above the entire world.]
The voice echoed like a god's decree.
No one—not even now—understood what was happening.
[Saint Charlos answered incorrectly. Punishment doubled. You are banned from answering the next three questions.]
[Now revealing the correct answer.]
The footage resumed.
Luffy was carried to the sea's edge by the so-called Bandit Higuma, as they escaped in a small boat.
Higuma had already been crushed by the Red Hair Pirates and knew he was hopelessly outmatched—so he fled.
But then, a huge shadow loomed beneath the sea.
A massive sea monster surged up from the depths—the King of the Near Sea had appeared!
The entire hall gasped.
So that Bandit… he was just a fraud. All talk.
The King of the Near Sea was the true culprit behind Red Hair's lost arm.
Higuma was swallowed in one bite. Luffy was next.
But just in time, Shanks jumped into the water—holding Luffy close to him.
Blood filled the water.
"GET LOST!!"
Shanks roared, his Conqueror's Haki blasting out across the sea.
The King of the Near Sea recoiled in fear and retreated.
"No way… a Four Emperor lost his arm to a random sea beast?!"
"I feel like even I could do that."
"Be confident—no, overconfident."
"Red Hair's reputation just tanked."
In the hall, kings and pirates whispered among themselves. Many were disappointed.
Then, the giant screen displayed another scene—
Whitebeard and Red Hair sat opposite each other on the Moby Dick.
In front of Shanks was a massive wine bowl.
Whitebeard:
"To think someone like you would lose an arm in the East Blue… unbelievable."
Shanks:
"I bet it on the future—on a boy I met in that sea."