"This..."
The moment they heard that name, the Elders froze for a second, then exchanged glances.
Yet Shamrock still wore a confident smile, his calm demeanor strikingly similar to Shanks's.
"I admit, at the same age, that guy is definitely worthy of a battle with me. Perhaps only if I go personally will I have a chance to successfully recruit him."
Shamrock, possessing talent equal to Shanks's—enough to reach the very peak of the seas—was nothing if not arrogant.
He even claimed that only he could subdue Orin.
But in the eyes of the Elders...
They quietly exchanged glances, and in each other's eyes, they saw a shared conclusion—
That was almost impossible.
They did acknowledge that, as a son of the Figarland family, much like Saint Garling, Shamrock possessed one of the strongest talents they had ever seen.
When he reached his peak, catching up to the former king among the Celestial Dragon combatants, Saint Garling, wasn't out of the question.
But to suppress Orin...
That was extremely difficult!
Purely in terms of talent, Orin's aura and abilities were almost on par with Shamrock.
At only nineteen years old, his Conqueror's Haki was just a hair's breadth from complete mastery—already rivaling the former emperors of the sea.
Especially during the war in Totto Land—the combat footage sent back by government spies had left them speechless.
Even using a frontal fighting style he wasn't best at, Orin had severely injured two emperor-level monsters.
So young, yet his Conqueror's Haki alone could shatter the earth...
When they saw that scene, they even wondered privately—
Could any of them defeat Orin in a one-on-one battle?
One might lose, two would be safer, five probably couldn't even catch him.
But Shamrock?
Nusjuro glanced at his demon blade—he might actually have a solid chance solo.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows, Orin raised an eyebrow at the conversation.
Interesting...
A Celestial Dragon?
He'd never considered that path before—but it sounded pretty fun...
World Noble, Celestial Dragon, Saint Orin?
Just the thought made the corners of his lips curl slightly.
It wasn't because he coveted the perks of being a Celestial Dragon—
Commanding Admirals, unlimited funds, CP bodyguards...
Orin, who controlled the entire underworld, could achieve all that with his own power—and a hundred times more extravagantly than any Celestial Dragon.
But the title itself intrigued him.
Tied to many with the D. name, a Celestial Dragon, financial backer of the Revolutionary Army, and a current pirate...
Orin had to admit—it was tempting.
Maybe... time to show himself?
Orin observed the scene. Among the Elders, Saint Marcus Mars spoke up calmly:
"Orin is not someone so easily dealt with. Even for us."
In other words, he was trying to save reputation for the Elders.
This was the person who had made even the five highest authorities in the world feel helpless and overwhelmed.
And now some kid claims he can just recruit him?
Why not recruit the five of them too while he's at it?
Absolutely clueless.
But Shamrock didn't see it that way.
As the future of the Figarland family, he was used to victory—already walking the path of a future emperor. Among his peers, he had never faced a worthy opponent.
Though he'd heard of Orin's feats, he believed most of them came down to Devil Fruit powers.
He didn't deny Devil Fruits were part of a person's strength—but in terms of raw Haki and swordsmanship, he was confident he wouldn't lose.
"They say he's come to Mary Geoise. I'll find him and prove it to you..."
On the throne, Imu watched the unfolding farce without much emotion.
Or rather, apart from events 800 years ago and Joy Boy, Imu—who had seen centuries pass—rarely concerned themselves with "mortal affairs."
"Handle it yourselves."
Clearly, Imu wasn't interested in getting involved.
And with their ancestor unwilling to intervene, Shamrock had no fear of the Elders either.
"I will challenge him. As long as he accepts..."
"I'm fine with that."
A voice interrupted him out of nowhere.
Everyone was stunned and turned toward the source.
The fastest reaction came from a mysterious arrow streaking through the air—aimed straight at Orin.
A casual strike from the King of the World.
Scarlet light burst from Orin's eyes. Clad in a black cloak and a dark crimson aristocratic suit, he vanished from his original spot.
Faster than the arrow.
Even the most precise and deadly attack couldn't touch him—space itself bent to his will. Not even the World King's strike could harm him.
Calm and collected, he reappeared behind the Elders and the Figarland father and son.
"Nani?! Orin!!!"
The Elders were long-time acquaintances.
Garling and Shamrock had seen his face on bounty posters more than once—they knew him well.
Only Imu's gaze turned ice cold, locking onto Orin's figure.
"You've uncovered the existence of Imu-sama without permission. You must die here!"
Garling immediately drew his long sword, killing intent flaring. The recruitment plan was forgotten.
For Orin to stumble upon the secret of Imu's existence—such a revelation was a capital offense.
"Wait, Garling. Orin already knew about Imu-sama!"
One of the Elders interjected quickly.
Seeing Imu's strike fail to affect Orin, and realizing his bizarre powers were beyond their grasp, their hearts sank.
If they couldn't take him down... then better not start a fight—especially not in the most secret place of the Holy Land.
"Nani?!" Garling froze. Seeing that Imu didn't make another move, he slowly sheathed his sword.
Shamrock was about to draw his blade, but Garling stopped him with a hand and shook his head.
Because at that moment, Imu and Orin were staring directly at each other.
"Interesting ability... You already knew of my existence? Was it through the Poneglyphs or the Final Island...?"
Imu looked at Orin with a mix of contemplation and scrutiny.
"Hmm... probably just my naturally gifted Observation Haki that sees the future."
When in doubt, blame it on Haki—Orin had made a habit of that. After all, with so many types of Observation Haki, who could prove this one didn't exist?
It was just seeing a very distant future.
"I see... In terms of Observation Haki, you truly see farther than anyone I've ever encountered. No wonder they keep bringing up your name."
Perhaps it was the realization they couldn't capture him now.
Or maybe Shamrock's words earlier had lessened the hostility.
"In that case... would you be willing? To become a Celestial Dragon, and join the God's Knights."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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