A flurry of footsteps echoed as two towering figures strode purposefully towards them at the head of the group.
"It's Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp!" Someone exclaimed excitedly.
Kojin smiled faintly and turned to face the newcomers. Neither man wore a serious expression on their faces as they were both grinning, their eyes fixed on the group.
"That brat again! Garp, can't you keep him in line? He's causing trouble for us here in Mary Geoise!"
The complaints rang out, yet everyone could detect an undercurrent of amusement in the speaker's tone.
"He hasn't done anything wrong! Why should I interfere?" Garp boomed with laughter.
Kojin, still smiling, met Sengoku's gaze before shifting his attention to Garp.
"Sensei, you're here too?"
Garp quickly strode over, his face lit up with surprise as he took in Kojin's noble demeanor. "You look much more energetic than last time! And as for why I am here, it's a matter of duty; those guys insisted I take charge of security here."
'What a joke!' Garp scoffed. "The most heavily guarded place in the world, why would they need me to guard it?" He ended with a derisive laugh.
"Watch your tongue, Garp," Sengoku hissed urgently, desperate to clamp his old friend's mouth shut. "This isn't Headquarters."
"Admiral Sengoku!" Kojin finally greeted him.
"Hmph! Brat! You gave me quite the beating last time," Sengoku snorted, his voice bristling with anger.
After the Battle of Ohara, he and Zephyr had been bedridden for almost three months, and it took another six months for their injuries to heal completely.
"Cough, cough." Kojin scratched his head awkwardly, at a loss for words.
In truth, the relationship between the two men had become somewhat strained after that battle, far less relaxed than it was with Garp.
"All right, Sengoku, you were outmatched and got your ass kicked by my apprentice. And you have the nerve to go around talking about it!" Garp sneered while picking his nose. "Don't you feel embarrassed?"
"Garp, you asshole!" Sengoku roared in fury.
The black-clothed guards standing nearby stared blankly at the scene, having never imagined that the Admiral's arrival would unfold like this.
"Hey, what are you gawking at?" Garp barked suddenly. "Take this guy away for treatment already! Do you want him to die here?"
The Black-Clothed Guards flinched, and the one at the front hesitated. "But what about Saint Nefertari Kojin? What he said just now..."
Sengoku's face turned icy. "Do you want us to start a full-scale battle and destroy Mary Geoise?"
The Black-Clothed Guard trembled violently, unable to utter another word.
"Quick! Get Saint Mjosgard to treatment immediately!"
The entire group hoisted the unconscious Saint Mjosgard onto their shoulders immediately and vanished from the scene in the blink of an eye. Garp and Sengoku turned their attention back to Cobra, exchanging polite greetings, then scanning the crowd behind him.
When their eyes landed on Fisher Tiger and Boa Hancock, Sengoku narrowed his gaze slightly, but he remained silent.
"Boy, this is Mary Geoise," Garp said casually. "Be careful about what you do here."
Kojin smiled and nodded.
"Don't underestimate the power of the world, kid," Sengoku added in a deep voice.
Kojin's eyes flickered as he replied, smiling, "I've never underestimated anyone."
Sengoku nodded. "Don't cause any trouble here. Next time, it won't just be us coming for you! Since you're representing the Nefertari royal family at this conference, you must fulfill your responsibilities as a Noble."
Kojin nodded thoughtfully.
"Ignore Sengoku's words," Garp boomed, laughing heartily. "Even here, Sensei will stand firmly by your side!"
"Haha!"
"Asshole! Show some restraint!" Sengoku roared, his face turning red with anger.
Garp merely chuckled heartily and clapped Kojin on the shoulder. Lowering his voice, he said in a serious tone, "Still, listening to Sengoku's advice isn't a bad idea. He understands the power dynamics here better than I do."
Kojin nodded solemnly.
The two men arrived quickly and left just as swiftly.
After they left, Kojin's entire group moved forward.
Participants in the Levely had come from all corners of the world, and accommodation had been prepared for them in advance. Suddenly, as Kojin was exchanging greetings with the welcoming servants, he frowned.
"What's wrong?" Cobra asked in a low voice, having noticed the change in his expression.
"Nothing!" Kojin replied with a forced smile, shaking his head.
He then glanced sideways.
In his peripheral vision, he saw a figure standing nearby with a sword strapped to his waist, staring at him intently. Despite his calm demeanor, he radiated an inexplicable sense of authority.
The figure had red hair shaped like a crescent moon above his head and wore black sunglasses.
Noticing Kojin's gaze, the man gave a slight nod; his face was utterly devoid of expression.
Kojin withdrew his gaze, instantly recognizing the man's identity: He was Saint Figarland Garling, Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, former King of God Valley, and closely connected to the future Yonko, Red Hair Shanks.
His presence here carried extraordinary significance, subtly conveying an unspoken message.
Yet the man made no further move, merely observing Kojin from afar.
Moments later, Cobra, accompanied by a servant, made his way to his quarters. Kojin withdrew his gaze.
Seeing him disappear, Saint Figarland Garling turned and left as well.
After slowly entering the palace, he sat down on a sofa and crossed his legs.
"Has he arrived?" A deep voice rumbled.
"Who do you mean?" Saint Garling asked calmly, glancing at the elderly man with a distinctive walrus mustache before him.
It was Topman Warcury, one of the Five Elder Stars and the Warrior God of Justice.
"Nefertari Kojin!" Topman Warcury stated grimly.
"He's here. I just met him," Saint Garling replied.
"Are you confident in taking him down if we strike him here?" Topman Warcury asked with a cold look on his face.
"Heh. Without having clashed with him yourself and relying only on written reports, how can you ask such a question?" Saint Figarland Garling scoffed.
Then he added, "Even so, you should know better than anyone how much we've learned about him. To strike against him would come at a staggering cost! But we can do it if you no longer desire Mary Geoise, this Holy Land perched at the world's summit."
"In that case, I might be willing to lead an attempt."
Hearing this, Topman Warcury frowned deeply.
"There can be no room for error here."
Saint Figarland Garling smiled faintly, having anticipated this response. He slowly rose to his feet and walked towards the door.
"If you make up your minds, inform me. I have no time to waste here."
With a wave of his hand, Saint Figarland Garling vanished in an instant.
Seated on the sofa, Topman Warcury fell into deep thought. After a long silence, his expression suddenly shifted dramatically.
"Regardless, we must test his strength! If we can uncover his weaknesses and vulnerabilities through such a test..." Topman Warcury's face turned icy, and murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
"No sooner does he arrive at Mary Geoise than he causes such a massive incident! That boy truly can't stay out of trouble!"
At that moment, another figure strode into the room, his hair and mustache both golden.
It was Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, the Warrior God of Agriculture.
"With the Levely approaching, I don't think it's wise to question him right now," Saint Shepherd Ju Peter said.
"If we lose control of the situation during the Levely, we will become a laughing stock," Saint Marcus Mars, the Warrior God of Enviroment, spoke dryly.
"Then we'll wait until after the Levely and invite him to meet with us," Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, the Warrior God of Science and Defense, suggested.
"It's time he gave us an answer anyway!"
"Very well, let's proceed that way," came the voice of Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, the Warrior God of Finance.
Topman Warcury sat on the sofa with a grave look on his face. After a moment, he nodded decisively.
...
The place where Kojin and the others lived was extraordinarily luxurious, surpassing any high-end establishment he had ever seen in his past or present life.
Even the carpet under his feet would fetch an unimaginable price if auctioned off at the Sabaody Archipelago.
"The life of a Noble is truly mesmerizing!" Kojin sighed.
Here, servants stood guard outside their doors around the clock. When not attending to their duties, they stood motionless, barely daring to breathe.
Whatever request was made, the servants would do their utmost to fulfil it.
Kojin had summoned a doctor to treat Fisher Tiger.
Afterwards, he sat quietly in the room, his heart overflowing with emotion.
It wasn't just the Celestial Dragons who lived extravagantly; even he had nearly succumbed to the allure of this lifestyle the moment he entered the palace. The Celestial Dragons could be said to be the gods of this world, standing at its pinnacle.
Whatever demands these gods made would be granted, regardless of whether they were just or evil.
Perhaps it was more accurate to say that Celestial Dragons raised in this environment had no concept of justice or evil.
From childhood, every whim was catered to, and they were indoctrinated with the notion of their inherent superiority.
Meanwhile, a select group fiercely defended the prestige of their Celestial Dragon heritage and their lineage as descendants of the Twenty Kings. They would stop at nothing to maintain their authority, even committing heinous crimes.
Boa Hancock and her two sisters sat in a corner, their curiosity mingling with fear. They did not dare to make a sound. Servants had cleaned and dressed them in proper attire moments earlier.
"Hancock!" Kojin suddenly called out.
"Sir!" Hancock replied instantly, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She made little attempt to hide her adoration for Kojin. The image of him throwing that punch earlier had been etched deeply into the young girl's heart.
"You don't need to be afraid anymore," Kojin said while turning to sit on the chair and leaning forward to gaze at the girls with a smile. "No one will dare harm you again!"
Her cascading black hair, slender figure, and elegant dress hinted at the unparalleled beauty she would one day possess, a glimpse of the World's greatest Beauty:
Fifteen-year-old Boa Hancock.
She was precisely the ideal age for a 'loli'... a delicate, budding flower.
(End of chapter)
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