Chapter 234 Kings, Marines, and the Five Elders
The bubble ship slowly docked at Mariejois' port.
World Government officials had already been waiting here.
When descending from the sky, the city's appearance was clearly visible.
The entire city was distinctly divided into two parts. One part near the port had buildings standing in rows. The other part was separated by a high wall and massive gates—clearly an ultra-high-class residential district.
That was where the Celestial Dragons gathered.
"So beautiful!" The little princess looked around excitedly. Coming from a desert nation, everything she'd seen before was sand.
Now arriving at such a lively, prosperous city was indeed an unprecedented novel experience for her.
Brett remained silent.
He released his Observation Haki. Then various voices from all directions entered his ears.
From the surrounding Marine guards, from the government officials who came to receive them, even Aokiji's impatient thoughts—he heard them all crystal clear.
But what he heard more were despairing roars and painful wails.
After arriving here, Aokiji left. The government official receiving Brett and the others led them onto an automatically advancing path.
"It's actually a road that moves forward automatically?" King Neptune marveled at this.
"After all, it's the World Government," King Cobra said with a smile. "Their technology has always led the world."
Brett sneered coldly.
Leading the world?
He heard very clearly—a large portion of those despairing, painful voices came from beneath this very road.
This road never operated automatically. It could automatically transport people forward not because of machinery, but because people below pushed it forward like beasts of burden.
Below this great road, people in tattered clothes, gaunt and thin, with dim eyes, were mechanically and numbly pushing the road without pause.
Brett quickly stopped using Observation Haki. He feared those voices reaching deep into his heart would make him unable to restrain some extreme action.
The World Government was truly the thing that least deserved to exist in this world.
At the road's end stood the city's tallest and most magnificent building.
"This is the World Government's central hub—the place called Pangaea Castle!" The veteran who'd attended many Reveries, Cobra, enthusiastically introduced this building to Neptune.
"For the next week, we'll be holding the Reverie here."
"Oh! Looks really impressive!" Neptune looked up at the towering structure with some emotion.
It was as massive as a small town. Compared to it, his own Ryugu Palace was truly far inferior.
Brett also felt some emotion.
The final boss he'd face after coming to this world was perhaps here.
Imu.
Above even the Five Elders, the Celestial Dragons' supreme leader, this world's true ruler—like a mastermind manipulating the world from the darkness.
Even Doflamingo probably knew nothing of that person's existence. After all, during the previous Onigashima meeting, he'd heard absolutely no intelligence about this person from Doflamingo's mouth.
"Please, Your Majesties, and Mr. Brett." The government official leading Brett's group here wore a pleasant smile. "Though the Reverie hasn't officially begun, many kings have already arrived. You can communicate well with them."
Pangaea Castle's doors opened. Brett and the others entered.
Throughout this building were government and Marine guards. Many passages were blocked—simply impassable.
Indeed, the kings of member nations held transcendent status within the World Government, but this didn't mean the World Government would truly submit to them.
One must understand—over one hundred seventy member nations together formed the World Government, yet this World Government stood above each member nation.
Government officials led Brett and the others forward, passing through a spacious palace along the way.
On a high platform stood a tall throne like an obelisk tower.
Before the throne, a pile of swords was inserted.
"That's the Empty Throne." The World Government officials introduced with smiles. "That is the world's center. This throne that no one can ascend symbolizes equality."
"Even the Five Elders with supreme power cannot sit upon it. Its existence tells the entire sea that within the World Government, no one can claim kingship."
"Oh! Is that so?" Neptune nodded repeatedly.
Brett sneered.
This throne neither symbolized equality nor was it truly unoccupiable.
The government was simply deceiving people.
Walking a bit further ahead, they reached a spacious banquet hall. Many people had already gathered here—kings from various nations conversing with each other.
The atmosphere was quite lively.
"King Neptune! Mr. Brett!" Someone immediately approached.
All old acquaintances.
King Riku, Elizabello II, and kings from several nations around their two countries.
"Oh! You've all arrived early!" Neptune laughed heartily.
All old acquaintances.
These kings' nations were the ones that had previously formed a free trade zone with Fish-Man Island—allied nations.
Neptune naturally contacted these kings often. They'd long been friends.
"Let me introduce you." Neptune prepared to introduce his newly met friend Cobra to his old friends.
But—
"Oh! King Cobra has arrived too?" King Riku greeted Cobra with a smile.
"It's been four years again, hasn't it, King Riku!" Cobra also laughed heartily.
They'd attended many Reveries together—of course they knew each other.
Neptune froze slightly, then laughed and joined the pleasantries.
Brett chuckled lightly.
Though Fish-Man Island was attending the Reverie for the first time, thanks to previous preparations, they wouldn't be neglected.
As Brett followed Neptune chatting with various kings, Admiral Aokiji who'd escorted them to Mariejois had already reached somewhere in the city, meeting with his two colleagues.
"So, Kuzan," the man in a yellow-striped suit sprawled boneless across the table asked with a smile, "what are your impressions?"
"Well," Admiral Aokiji pulled over a chair and sat down, his back glued to the backrest. His head tilted back at an alarming angle, as if his neck had broken.
He said, "Seems absurdly strong. If fighting breaks out here, it'll be quite troublesome."
"Right?" Admiral Kizaru said with a smile. "So we should hope the government and Fish-Man Island negotiate smoothly."
"Hmph." The man wearing a crimson suit and Marine cap crossed his arms and snorted coldly. "This time bringing all three of us here was for him. I'd rather hope he breaks negotiations with the government quickly."
"Hey, hey, Sakazuki, that won't do," Kizaru shook his head with a tone of disappointment. "How can you hope the government's plans fail?"
Akainu snorted.
Simultaneously, deep within Pangaea Castle, in the Room of Authority—
"That man has arrived. Should we notify them to begin operations?"
"Let's wait. Don't you think we should meet him first?"
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