"Lord God? Lord Liuyun? God?"
Ufole craned his neck, calling out and looking around, but there was no sign of Liuyun.
"So strong. Was that spatial transposition? I was on Fish-Man Island a moment ago, and in the blink of an eye I'm in the New World on Whitebeard's turf. It has to be teleportation. Just how powerful is Lord Liuyun?" he muttered, admiration for Liuyun swelling until it overflowed.
"Lord God, wait for me!"
After dropping Ufole off, Rakuya returned to Fish-Man Island.
During these two days, news that shook the world had exploded one after another.
First came the bombshell that a man called Liuyun had annihilated the Holy Land and slain the Five Elders.
That single report swept across the globe like a hurricane.
Just as pirates everywhere were about to ride that gale and bombard Marineford, an even more staggering update landed.
The Five Elders were alive.
The shock of that headline was no less than a magnitude-12 quake. Pirates who had grown arrogant after the fall of the World Government instantly pulled in their horns and went quiet.
Only Rakuya knew the truth of their return. To everyone else, the Five Elders were simply too strong to die.
"Lord God, something big has happened!"
King Neptune hurried in from outside, flustered and out of breath.
"What is it?"
"Lord God, the Five Elders didn't die. They survived!" His face drained of color. If the Five Elders lived, Fish-Man Island could become a prime target for eradication. The Celestial Dragons were here, suffering torments no human could bear. If that reached the Five Elders' ears, they would surely move heaven and earth to wipe Fish-Man Island out.
Rakuya feigned surprise. He knew better than anyone whether those five fossils had died, but before Neptune he still put on a show.
"They survived? It's in the paper!"
Neptune, panic-stricken, thrust a newspaper into Rakuya's hands.
Rakuya took it and skimmed.
Bold, eye-catching characters blazed across the front page.
"Supreme authorities of the World Government, the Five Elders, are not dead."
The piece was short, but the weight of it was crushing. A few lines were enough to kill the rising wave of pirate rebellion and douse the flames, serving as a deterrent to all.
At the same time, the story drowned every corner of the world.
Pirates, Marines, and civilians alike all knew.
Beneath the headline sat an illustration, crisp and clear, showing two figures.
Rakuya smiled faintly. Those two were none other than himself and Peach Rabbit. In the image he wore the black robe patterned with crimson clouds, cold and aloof, his presence overwhelming.
A bounty poster.
It was the Government's new wanted notice.
"Mysterious man, Liuyun: bounty ** beli. Crimes: destruction of the World Government, devastation of the Holy Land Mary Geoise. By supreme order of the World Government, a global manhunt for Liuyun. Information leading to his capture will be rewarded with five hundred thousand beli."
Rakuya chuckled. The Government was really bleeding itself dry to get him.
Beside him on the poster was Peach Rabbit. Since she had not attacked during the incident, her bounty was much lower than his.
"Mysterious accomplice: bounty ** beli. Crime: associate of the mysterious man Liuyun. Information reward, two hundred thousand beli."
The entire world was now obsessed with the name Liuyun.
What stunned them even more was the Five Elders.
To survive an apocalyptic cataclysm like that, without dying?
Many people sucked in cold breaths. How terrifyingly strong did one have to be to live through such a blast and shockwave?
For a while, countless pirates went silent.
That invisible pressure kept them from gambling their lives.
If even Liuyun could not kill them, then their power was beyond imagination.
Charging recklessly at Marine Headquarters would be no different from suicide.
"Lord God, we captured the Celestial Dragons and are subjecting those so-called world nobles to punishment here on Fish-Man Island. Will the Five Elders come to rescue them? Or will they just erase Fish-Man Island altogether?"
"Do not worry. The Five Elders are Devil Fruit users. If they dare come down here, it will be no different from courting death. If necessary, I will kill them again and guarantee Fish-Man Island's safety."
Rakuya's calm dominance washed Neptune's worries away.
"Then I thank you, Lord God." Neptune bowed and withdrew.
Beyond the Government's fall and the Five Elders' return, Rakuya's deep-sea grand tunnel was another sensation.
Pirates were pouring in. Fish-Man Island was bursting at the seams. The entire island thrummed with noise and scuffles, yet all the pirates obeyed the posted rules. No one dared cross the line.
Because this island was under Liuyun's protection, and none of them dared act unruly.
The "Beat a Celestial Dragon" business was booming too. In just a few days, hundreds of pirates had taken a turn.
The holding yard was a scene of misery. Every Celestial Dragon was unrecognizable, drenched in blood and battered beyond belief. Yet they always clung to life. Whenever they wanted death as release, it would not come. Worse, at the brink of unconsciousness, their minds would snap back to full clarity.
That inexplicable curse struck them all.
News that Fish-Man Island was detaining Celestial Dragons reached the ears of the Five Elders within two days. How to respond was still under discussion.
"Up."
Rakuya walked to Peach Rabbit's bedside and flipped the quilt. The girl had slept for two straight days.
"Mmm."
Peach Rabbit stretched, blinking sleep from her eyes. She caught Rakuya's teasing gaze and sat up.
"What time is it?"
"What time? You've slept two days and two nights. If I didn't wake you, you might have slept yourself to death." Rakuya laughed, then handed her the paper while she was still groggy.
"Here. Fresh from the Government. Congratulations, you're now a five-hundred-million-beli pirate."
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