Chapter 307: The Celestial Dragons (Conclusion)

Upon hearing the Celestial Dragon's command, the two Marines' expressions shifted, and they immediately stepped aside, clearing the path.

"You, come here," the Celestial Dragon, who was perched arrogantly on the back of a slave, beckoned to the dark figure ahead, his voice dripping with disdain as he picked his nose.

This Celestial Dragon, constantly with a snot hanging from his nose, was particularly repulsive, yet he seemed blissfully unaware of how disgusting he appeared, believing himself to be superior.

Seeing no reaction from the figure in front of him, the Celestial Dragon angrily kicked the slave beneath him, signaling him to move forward until they were about two meters away from the cloaked figure. The Celestial Dragon then drew a golden pistol and pointed it at the figure.

Throughout the entire encounter, the guards surrounding the Celestial Dragon showed little concern. It wasn't that they couldn't recognize the suspicious nature of the cloaked figure but rather that they couldn't fathom anyone daring to challenge a Celestial Dragon. 

After all, hot-headed individuals like Luffy and Zoro were rare in this world, and the idea that the Celestial Dragons were "Creators" was deeply ingrained in the minds of most people.

The bodyguards who accompanied the Celestial Dragons had adopted the same arrogance as their masters, believing that the mere presence of the Celestial Dragons was law in itself.

People hidden in the surrounding alleys, apart from those who had already fled, stared intently at the cloaked figure, trying to discern what he planned to do.

"Is this guy looking to die?" someone murmured under their breath.

"Snotface... This family really likes showing up in Sabaody Archipelago, huh?" Daniel thought as he stared at the snot-nosed Celestial Dragon pointing the gun at him. Although Daniel couldn't recall the names of the Celestial Dragons, he remembered this particular one well—the same one Luffy had punched in the face.

But even so, it was surprising that the Celestial Dragons seemed to possess remarkably strong physiques. Despite Luffy's considerable strength, he hadn't managed to knock him out with a single punch.

The figure in the black cloak was, of course, Daniel.

"Didn't you hear me? Show your face!" the Celestial Dragon demanded, anger seeping into his voice as he tightened his grip on the golden pistol's trigger.

Swoosh!

In the instant before the Celestial Dragon could fire, a flash of cold light flickered in the air, followed by a blood-curdling scream that echoed across the entire Island 1 of Sabaody Archipelago.

"Aaahhh!"

The Celestial Dragon, now sprawled on the ground with his left hand clutching his shoulder, rolled in agony, his screams cutting through the stillness. The surrounding onlookers were stunned into silence, unable to believe that someone had actually dared to attack a Celestial Dragon.

Not only were the bystanders shocked, but so were the Marines, the CP agents, and even the other Celestial Dragons—all frozen in disbelief.

"He's lost his mind," muttered one of the hidden figures who quickly turned and fled the scene.

The attack on a Celestial Dragon would inevitably draw an Admiral's intervention, and staying here was now far too dangerous. Others who realized the gravity of the situation followed suit, leaving as fast as they could.

"Celestial Dragon attacked! An Admiral is coming!" someone shouted, breaking the paralysis that had gripped the remaining bystanders. Many of them bolted from their kneeling positions, running as fast as they could.

The arrival of a Marine Admiral was a nightmare scenario for any pirate.

"Charloss Saint!" The other Celestial Dragons and their guards finally snapped out of their stupor. They shouted the fallen Celestial Dragon's name as six of his closest guards, using the Soru technique from the Six Powers, rushed towards Daniel.

A Celestial Dragon had been attacked right under their noses—a crime they could not forgive.

"Stop! If any of you move, I'll end his life." As the guards charged at him, Daniel made a swift motion with his left hand. The fallen Celestial Dragon, Charloss Saint, was suddenly ensnared by chains that lifted him off the ground and dragged him towards Daniel. A blade was then pressed against the Celestial Dragon's throat.

The sudden shift caused the six guards to hesitate. Just as they were about to reach Daniel, they changed direction using Geppo, landing in a circle around him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

No sooner had the guards landed did Daniel produce a handgun with his left hand, shooting three of them in the forehead with impeccable precision. The remaining three, using the advanced technique of Kami-e, dodged the bullets just in time.

"Impressive. You're skilled in the Six Powers," Daniel remarked without surprise. Anyone serving as a Celestial Dragon's bodyguard had to be among the best, even if they rarely got the chance to demonstrate their abilities.

After all, the World Government had ruled for 800 years, and its true strength was beyond most people's understanding.

Countless agents across the ten branches of CP, from CP0 to CP9, were skilled in the Six Powers. Even within CP9, the unit led by Rob Lucci was just one of the many powerful groups.

"Impressive, but how dare you dodge my attack? That's not very smart," Daniel continued, pressing the gun against Charloss Saint's left leg and pulling the trigger.

"Don't scream. Yes, you're a smart one," Daniel said as he noticed the Celestial Dragon suppressing his scream when the blade slightly grazed his neck, causing just enough pain to force him to reconsider his outburst.

"Now listen, you three. Don't even think about dodging or resisting, or the next bullet will go into his head," Daniel ordered, pointing the gun at Charloss Saint's head as he smiled at the three remaining guards.

"Don't resist, don't resist!" Charloss Saint echoed desperately as Daniel loosened the blade from his neck, giving him the chance to shout out.

"Goodbye." Without further delay, Daniel fired three more shots, killing the remaining guards, then smirked as he remarked, "Being a Celestial Dragon certainly has its advantages. Let's see how far we can push it today."

"Rozwad Saint, you must retreat immediately!" The leader of the bodyguards, realizing the gravity of the situation, urged the leading Celestial Dragon to withdraw. However, the Celestial Dragon's arrogance made him dismiss any thoughts of retreat, demanding instead that the guards and Marines rescue his son, Charloss Saint.

Faced with such a command, the guards had no choice but to obey, even though it meant walking straight into Daniel's trap.

"Do not resist," Daniel calmly repeated as the oncoming guards fell one by one, all shot by Daniel for disobeying Charloss Saint's orders.

The bodyguard captain's face grew increasingly grim as his men continued to fall. He knew that the arrival of a Marine Admiral was imminent.

"Rozwad Saint, please, retreat now!" the captain begged again.

This time, the elder Celestial Dragon did not ignore the plea, his gaze locking on the horrific sight of his son, now missing an arm, his body riddled with bullet holes, being dragged across the ground by Daniel.

"Protect the Celestial Dragons! Evacuate them now!" the captain shouted as he finally gave the order for the remaining four Celestial Dragons to retreat.

Bang!

But as soon as he issued the order, the captain felt a sharp pain in his side. The next thing he knew, he was sent flying, crashing into a building on the side of the street.

"Did you ask for my permission to leave?" Daniel, who had kicked the captain, continued his approach. The captain had mastered all Six Powers, making him a formidable opponent, but Daniel was on an entirely different level.

Mastery of the Six Powers was indeed tiered. The lowest level was mastering just one technique, while the highest was mastering all six individually. However, true mastery meant being able to combine the Six Powers seamlessly, the pinnacle being integrating all Six Powers into a single technique.

Among those proficient in the Six Powers, many were skilled, but few had achieved true mastery. Even in Rob Lucci's CP9 group, only he had fully mastered the Six Powers.

After dealing with the captain, Daniel swiftly dispatched the remaining guards and Marines protecting the four Celestial Dragons.

"You, stop!" Rozwad Saint, realizing his peril, pulled out his golden pistol and aimed it at Daniel.

"If you don't want to lose that hand, go ahead and shoot," Daniel replied, unfazed as he continued walking toward them.

"Die!" shouted a female Celestial Dragon, Summerlya Saint, as she fired her weapon. But before she could register what had happened, she was screaming in agony, her hand severed by Daniel's blade.

"Summerlya!" The other Celestial Dragons screamed as they saw her bloodied form.

"Drop your weapons, or you'll be next," Daniel commanded, and this time, none of them dared to defy him. They quickly discarded their guns.

"Five Celestial Dragons—this should be enough to negotiate with," Daniel thought as he skillfully bound all five of them together with chains.

"You've got some nerve. Do you know who we are?" Rozwad Saint blustered, though his voice shook as he pointed a trembling finger at Daniel.

Slap!

Daniel's Vibranium-clad hand slapped the words right out of Rozwad Saint's mouth, sending his teeth flying and leaving him spitting blood.

"Father, you—" Summerlya Saint began to protest, but Daniel backhanded her just as brutally, leaving her in the same state as her father. The other Celestial Dragons fell silent, terrified.

"Of course, I know who you are—just a bunch of scum calling yourselves Celestial Dragons," Daniel sneered. "You enjoy having slaves, don't you?"

As he spoke, Daniel produced five slave collars and fastened them around the necks of the Celestial Dragons.

"You..." Summerlya Saint began to shout, only to be silenced by another hard slap from Daniel.

"Call me 'Master,'" he commanded.

Despite her initial defiance, fear quickly overtook her. Summerlya Saint stammered out, "M-Master..."

Daniel nodded, satisfied, before turning to the others. "You all better remember that too. Now, let's add some insurance."

With a calculated grin, Daniel attached several bombs to each of the Celestial Dragons, ensuring they were securely fastened.

"This... This is insane," one of the remaining observers whispered from a safe distance. The once-bustling streets had nearly emptied, save for a few who remained hidden, watching in stunned silence as Daniel methodically turned the tables on the so-called gods of the world.

In a secluded area, watching from afar, were two figures—Silvers Rayleigh and Shakuyaku.

"I never imagined someone would dare to go this far," Rayleigh murmured, his normally steady hands trembling slightly, not from fear, but from sheer disbelief at what he was witnessing. Even in the age of pirates, such a brazen act against the Celestial Dragons was unheard of.

"He's playing with fire, and he knows it," Shakky added, though a small, amused smile played on her lips. "The Admirals will be here soon, and that won't be pretty for him."

Back on the street, Daniel, now having fully secured the Celestial Dragons, turned his attention to their remaining guards.

"Make them kneel," he ordered Rozwad Saint.

The Celestial Dragon, now thoroughly broken in both spirit and body, didn't hesitate. "Kneel! All of you, kneel before him!"

The remaining guards and the few surviving Marines exchanged uncertain glances. They were under orders to protect the Celestial Dragons at all costs, but with the Celestial Dragons themselves now hostages, they were paralyzed by indecision.

"I said, kneel!" Rozwad Saint screamed, his desperation evident. The guards quickly obeyed, dropping to their knees, but the Marines hesitated.

Daniel noticed and smiled darkly. "What's this? Not even the Celestial Dragons can make the Marines kneel? It seems you're not as powerful as you think, Rozwad."

His words were laced with scorn, and with every second that passed without the Marines kneeling, the tension grew thicker.

"I'm telling you, kneel, or I'll destroy your country!" Rozwad Saint screamed, his voice breaking as he realized how little control he actually had.

The Marines, though conflicted, slowly began to lower themselves to their knees, understanding that refusal could mean the deaths of the Celestial Dragons—and their own demise at the hands of a furious World Government.

Finally, everyone was kneeling before Daniel. He looked down at the Celestial Dragons with cold satisfaction.

"You see? Even the so-called gods can be brought low."

He looked at the bombs strapped to the Celestial Dragons, double-checking the timers.

"These should be enough to ensure they don't try anything stupid."

Satisfied that everything was in place, Daniel finally let out a deep breath. "Now, let's have a little chat with the World Government."

He pulled out a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.

"This is Celestial Dragon territory. Who dares?" A gruff voice on the other end barked.

"Let me speak to someone in charge," Daniel said, his voice steady and authoritative. "Tell them it's about five Celestial Dragons currently at my mercy."

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end before the voice muttered something incomprehensible and disconnected.

"It won't be long now," Daniel thought, looking around at the chaos he had created.

Far away, deep within Mariejois, the Holy Land where the World Government's highest authorities resided, alarms were blaring. Within minutes, the call Daniel had made reached the highest echelons, and a special session of the Five Elders was convened.

"A situation with the Celestial Dragons has arisen," one of the elders, an old man with a long beard, said calmly as he received the report.

The room fell silent as they listened.

"Do whatever is necessary," another elder, a bald man with a scar across his face, finally said, his voice icy. "No one threatens the Celestial Dragons and lives."

"And send in the Admirals," the first elder added, "We need to make an example of this one."

Back in Sabaody Archipelago, Daniel waited, knowing that an Admiral's arrival was imminent. The confrontation would be unlike anything seen before—an inevitable clash with one of the world's strongest forces.

But for now, Daniel stood tall, a grin spreading across his face as he relished the chaos he had unleashed. He had drawn out the World Government, and soon, he would face the consequences of his actions.

But first, he would ensure that the entire world knew the truth about the so-called gods they worshipped. The Celestial Dragons had been brought to their knees, and soon, the world would witness their downfall.

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