Chapter 342: Starry Sky Throne, Twelve Trials
For the rest of the people in the world.
They naturally would not know of the 'unexpected awakening' happening in the sea area of the great elevator, which was destined to change the course of history on this sea.
In fact, the entire world was currently plunged into a state of panic.
The reason lay in...
"Vice President Andrew, the news can't be hidden anymore—Anka Big News Agency and the Four Seas Newspaper have also discovered the situation in the Sabaody Archipelago, and have now connected the signal via broadcast Transponder Snails."
Inside the World Economy News Paper, a staff member looked at the footage sent back by the visual Transponder Snail in front of him and couldn't help but ask his superior in a low voice.
In fact, at this moment, the reactions of all the reporters and editors of the World Economy News Paper were similar.
They were all looking at the starlight giant ship that appeared in the Sabaody sea area on the screen.
Its continent-like size surpassed any island ship they had ever seen, and those countless massive deep-sea Sea Kings surrounded it like an honor guard.
Even in the eyes of the knowledgeable reporters and writers of the World Economy News Paper, that was an unprecedented scene.
And more crucially...
"There's no mistake, it must definitely be that ship that appeared in the sea area near Elbaf, almost exactly the same as the intelligence we got—the only difference is that the size is even more astonishing than we estimated, and that island embedded in the hull... is that Fish-Man Island?"
"A ship rising from beneath the sea surface seems to have also brought Fish-Man Island to the sea surface, plus that unique starlight... Vice President, this is highly likely the 'Flagship' of The Zodiac!"
Their expressions were all very conflicted.
As the most influential 'mouthpiece of the world' in this world, the World Economy News Paper was once undoubtedly unbridled.
'Big News' Morgans, through long-term planning and years of hard work, coupled with his unique ability to control birds and beasts, had even practically become the de facto controller of public opinion across the seas.
Among them were even some top-secret intelligence that the Government and even the Five Elders didn't know.
Because he held sensitive information and intelligence about evil deeds the Celestial Dragons had committed in the past, and the World Government needed to rely on his power to control public opinion.
So Morgans used this as a bargaining chip to cooperate with the Five Elders, and in the past, it could be said he thrived like a fish in water.
But just recently.
After the Dressrosa incident, Morgans was taken away by the World Government, only conducting the most basic communication with the World Economy News Paper.
And after the decisive battle between the Zodiac Snake and Hawkeye, and the death of Saint Saturn, one of the Five Elders, Morgans simply vanished entirely.
If it weren't for them holding Morgans's Vivre Card, confirming he was still alive, everyone would have definitely thought this 'Big News' was already dead.
The 'Celestial Dragon evil deeds' that they used as a bargaining chip in the past, which could greatly damage the reputation of the World Government, no longer seemed to matter to the World Government at all—even if they tentatively released a small portion of related intelligence, no one from the Government paid any attention to them.
This made the staff of the World Economy News Paper somewhat constrained. In several subsequent reports, they could only cooperate with the World Government in exchange for their President's safety.
Including this time as well—under the World Government's gag order, they didn't directly broadcast the massive natural disaster occurring in the Sabaody Archipelago to the whole world.
But now, the situation was clearly different.
The intelligence they held told them that the giant ship had a very high probability of being the flagship of The Zodiac.
Besides that, the terrifying size of that behemoth was impossible to conceal—some of their peers were already preparing to start broadcasting at that very moment.
Therefore...
"Turn on the broadcast Transponder Snail."
Vice President Andrew said decisively after hesitating for a moment.
"But, the Government's order clearly states that if we don't do as they say, the President will very likely..."
Hearing this, an old employee felt somewhat uneasy.
"No!"
However, Andrew shook his head after hearing this.
"Although I don't know exactly what has changed within the World Government to make their attitude undergo such a massive shift."
"But the President's Vivre Card is still here, which shows that the Government at least still needs the power of our World Economy News Paper."
"And this incident is absolutely an event significant enough to affect the entire world... no, sufficient to change history."
"If we don't report this while it's breaking, then we will very likely lose our standing in the press as a result—in that case, we would be 'worthless' to the Government!"
The logic of what he said was very simple.
The Government clearly no longer cared about the exposure of the Celestial Dragons' scandals, so they imprisoned Morgans without hesitation.
But at the same time, they didn't kill Morgans—this represented that they still had uses for the World Economy News Paper.
So once the World Economy News Paper lost its role as a 'mouthpiece' in the fields of intelligence and public opinion, that would truly be the death warrant for Morgans.
"But..."
After hearing this, a group of staff members still clearly hesitated somewhat.
But immediately after, Andrew's words dispelled their hesitation: "You guys are all veterans who have followed the President for many years... think about it, if the President were here, facing news of this magnitude—what would he say!?"
As soon as these words came out, all the staff members present were stunned.
And in their minds, they could all seemingly conjure up what that albatross wearing a top hat would say.
"Hey, hey, what are you spacing out for!? Hurry up and go report!"
"This is the cry of the era... there's no need for any consideration, let it spread!"
"Let this world turn upside down under 'Big News'!"
The staff members of the World Economy News Paper no longer had any hesitation.
"Turn on the broadcast Transponder Snails!"
"Open all channels, and the backup channels too—use them to briefly recount the things that happened in the Sabaody sea area recently!"
"Copy! I want to see the best copy within three minutes!"
The entire Newspaper Island seemingly started to 'come alive'.
In under five minutes, audiences all over the world who had been waiting finally received the characteristically crisp broadcast footage of the World Economy News Paper.
"Friends around the world tuning in, I believe you might have all heard of the 'Big Event' happening in the Sabaody sea area at this moment!"
"As everyone wishes, the World Economy News Paper will conduct a live broadcast for everyone—what you are seeing now is the 'visitor' that has appeared in the Sabaody sea area today."
Accompanied by the authoritative yet accessible report from the host of the World Economy News Paper, all the audiences saw the magnificent starlight giant ship existing in the footage, resembling a continent.
Exclamations such as "What is that thing" and "So huge" arose one after another everywhere in the whole world.
"We believe this ship is the one that appeared not long ago during the Elbaf anomaly, when the 'Treasure Tree Adam' sank."
"And now, it has truly appeared on the sea surface for the first time."
The host's words were full of curiosity: "Whose flagship it is, I think we will soon... Oh? Oh? That is... that is..."
Before his words were finished, he let out an excited cry of disbelief.
It wasn't just him.
Everyone in the whole world could see it clearly.
Boom!
Countless deep-sea Sea Kings surrounding that giant ship opened their mouths at this moment and launched massive jets of water towards the sky.
Those countless jets formed iridescent rainbows in the sky above the sea area—those rainbows arched over the giant ship, as if they were its decorations.
And amidst the rainbows and starlight, several figures appeared at the highest point of that giant ship.
Those were several members of the Fish-Man race, and three tall Giants.
"That is... the Fish-Man royalty of Ryugu Palace!?"
Very obviously.
To the people of this sea, many had been to Fish-Man Island—at least the vast majority of pirates arriving in the New World, or merchants who had smuggled goods, all needed to pass through Fish-Man Island as a 'hub' to head to the New World.
This group of people actually already suspected it a little the moment the Aster surfaced, after all, the Fish-Man Island embedded on the Aster by the power of the 'Combine-Combine Fruit' was instantly recognizable by its appearance alone.
And now, they had even recognized it.
Among those few Fish-Men, there stood, unmistakably, the master of Ryugu Palace, Neptune, and his three children, as well as...
"So beautiful, so huge... is that the legendary 'Princess Shirahoshi'?"
"The 'Number One Beauty of Fish-Man Island' who is rumored to be comparable to the Pirate Empress?"
"I heard she never leaves Ryugu Palace, she actually appeared too!?"
Many people quickly noticed Shirahoshi, whose appearance and figure were extremely astonishing, and couldn't help but let out exclamations.
And what's more, a look of greed appeared in the eyes of some—the legendary princess of Fish-Man Island, how much would she be worth?
"But on the other side... it's the Giant race."
However, immediately after, many people also noticed the three Giants on the other side.
Of course, unlike Fish-Man Island.
Elbaf, located deep in the New World, was unknown territory to most people.
And even if there were adventurers or pirates who had reached Elbaf, the vast majority of people could not possibly recognize the identities of those three Giants.
So, at this moment, most people just sighed in admiration: "The Giant race still exists... speaking of which, this ship is indeed related to the sinking of Elbaf!"
"Given this size, could it be that this ship was built by the Giant race?"
"Impossible, even for the Giant race, this size is far too extreme—a ship almost like a continent, never heard of it."
"Speaking of which, the Giant race suddenly boarding a ship... this couldn't be another 'Giant Warrior Pirates', could it?"
People discussed spiritedly like this, especially those in power who couldn't help but feel a bit worried.
Although the Giant Warrior Pirates that once rampaged across the sea was already a hundred years in the past.
But even now, they were still the nightmare of many countries on this sea.
And even as people discussed animatedly — accompanied by the host's exclamation:
"Hm?"
"Someone else walked out!"
"Wait, that appearance is..."
Everyone also already saw—in the middle of those Fish-Men and Giants, a figure had already walked out.
That was a man holding the 'Book of Stars', wearing a horse head mask.
With his appearance, boundless starlight surged out behind him.
As the brilliant starlight circulated, the book he held in his hand slowly floated up, as if becoming the 'hub' of the starlight.
Phantasmal visions began to flicker continuously behind him.
A spiritual mountain with flowing waterfalls, like a fairyland.
A giant pyramid standing atop a scorching desert.
A pitch-black underworld domain composed of countless shadows.
Ever-changing, an illusion seeming to be constructed from countless phantoms.
One scene after another flickered, then faded.
More crucially, within every phantasmal vision, people could make out a figure similarly wearing a mask standing within it.
And at the very end.
In the center, surrounded by all twelve phantasmal visions, a beam of starlight — like the core of all starlight — shone down.
There was nothing there, only a massive throne.
Anyone who had ever been to Mary Geoise, or had gazed upon Pangea Castle, would instinctively think of that throne representing the true master of the world—the Empty Throne.
However, it was obvious that the throne manifested at this time was not the 'Empty Throne'.
What was engraved on that throne was not the 'Cross-Star', but the 'Twelve Stars'.
That was...
[Starry Sky Throne]
And upon the throne, a phantom sat.
His entire body was hidden within the starlight, and combined with the fact that he seemed to be a phantom himself, his features were impossible to make out.
But everyone could instinctively understand who that was.
That was the 'Star Lord'!
"Sea beast animal mask—it's The Zodiac. If it's a horse mask, could that person be... could that person be..."
The host's voice almost cracked at this moment.
But clearly, this was no longer important.
Because at this time, that man wearing the horse head mask had already spoken.
"My name is 'Uma', the Recorder of The Zodiac."
"Here, on the orders of my Lord, the 'Star Lord', I shall announce my Lord's will."
He said softly.
"As everyone can see—the Fish-Man race and the Giant race, with the consent of the Ryugu Palace royalty, Giant Regent Hajrudin, Giant King of the Underworld Loki, and Giant Queen Ida, have allied with The Zodiac."
"Starting today, all Fish-Men and Giants in the world are subjects of the stars."
"They will be allowed to board and ride the Ship of Stars 'Aster', and enter the 'Star Garden' Starosia to live freely, and will never again suffer oppression and misery."
"And this is not an isolated case."
While speaking, he raised his hand and opened the book.
Brilliant starlight sprinkled down from the book along with his movements at this moment.
The rolling giant waves and natural disasters of the entire Sabaody sea area were calmed in an instant.
"My Lord is merciful—so starting today, the Ship of Stars will sail anywhere on the sea."
"Wherever it passes, any creature possessing wisdom and harboring no malice, regardless of race and status, can enter the 'Star Garden' to accept the trials of The Zodiac."
"Of course, those who harbor malice will naturally be buried in the sea."
While speaking, the deep-sea Sea Kings surrounding the Aster erupted into motion, as if to underscore his words.
"Those who pass the twelve trials will have the opportunity to make a wish to the Zodiac members — to have it fulfilled, to live freely, and to obtain the protection of the stars."
(End of Chapter)
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