Chapter 5 - The Five Elders

Gawain remained silent for a long time, and after a moment of reflection, Kong finally nodded heavily.

"I understand!"

He said, then waved his large hand.

"Did you hear the orders from the Celestial Dragons? Clean up the area and ensure all those who fainted here are properly taken care of! No slave is to be killed; Gawain needs those people to spread the news of his overwhelming defeat of another Celestial Dragon, haha!"

After this disdainful order, Kong turned and left, leaving only the spiked Mohawk silhouette behind him.

Once Kong departed, the CP0 members gathered around Gawain.

The leader of the CP0 squad bent over and leaned closer to Gawain, speaking in a highly respectful and quiet tone.

"Gawain, the Gorosei are still waiting for you. What do you think…?"

"Mm!"

Gawain, gently flicked off some ash from his cigarette and nodded.

Seeing Gawain's agreement, several CP0 members carefully lifted the sofa on which Gawain was seated.

Gawain wasn't too fond of this position; it felt somewhat like a black man carrying a coffin, but his injuries were quite severe, making it difficult for him to get up.

Ah, the Conqueror's Haki—that was the flame that had ignited in his heart after coming to this world, wasn't it?

He realized he was still too young; the awakening Conqueror's Haki had affected his mind, making him impulsive.

But then again, isn't that what it means to be young?

As he contemplated this, Gawain observed the CP members.

They used their slowest Moonwalk, trying to make Gawain as comfortable as possible while heading toward the back of Sabaody Archipelago, where the Gorosei were located.

Before long, Gawain's view crossed over the Sabaody Archipelago, which was used for convening world meetings, meeting with the three armies' marshals, and gathering the Seven Warlords, finally arriving at the area where the Gorosei were situated.

The CP0 members did not stop in front of the Gorosei's door; instead, following orders, they directly entered, passing through the corridor and placing Gawain on the impeccably polished floor.

After they landed, the leader of the CP0 stood beside Gawain and extended his hand.

Gawain was momentarily taken aback; was he going to take away his cigarette?

So, he shook his head.

Seeing this, the CP0 member felt somewhat awkward; he pondered over what decision to make.

Should he leave, or allow this Celestial Dragon, who was somewhat unfamiliar and left no impression but had an extraordinary aura and unparalleled Conqueror's Haki, to break the rules?

Fortunately, a voice coming from the side relieved the pressure on the CP0 member.

"Good kid, hahahaha! Let me see which junior has unleashed a Conqueror's Haki that even we old ghosts can't imagine!"

Gawain turned to look in the direction of the voice and saw an old man dressed in loose, traditional Japanese clothing, exposing his chest and carrying a long, narrow sword, walking toward him from afar.

As he walked, he waved his hand at the CP members.

"Leave!"

"Yes, sir!"

The CP members immediately bowed and retreated from the room.

Once the CP members left, the other four members of the Gorosei stepped out, except for the old man with the sword.

Three of them, just like their predecessors, gazed intently at Gawain.

The last one, an elder with shoulder-length white hair, was on the phone, giving instructions.

Gawain could hear his voice; at least the Gorosei appeared to be very open, speaking without any hint of secrecy.

The elder was speaking to the phone, which had a deadpan expression.

"No need; no one dares to launch an unprovoked attack on Mariejois. The incident involving Fisher Tiger attacking Mariejois eleven years ago will not be repeated!

However, even though we don't need your support, you must quickly dispatch the Seven Warlords member Bartholomew Kuma to Mariejois!"

After finishing his words, the elder with shoulder-length hair put down the phone and turned to look at Gawain.

"I was wondering who could unleash such unimaginable Conqueror's Haki. It turns out to be you, little Gawain!"

While speaking, the elder with shoulder-length hair, along with the other four, positioned themselves in front of Gawain's sofa.

The sword-wielding elder was particularly warm; he even moved close to Gawain and gently patted his shoulder.

"Unlike him, I had already thought it must be you, kid.

After all, there's no other Celestial Dragon heir in all of Mariejois with such an extraordinary appearance and demeanor as yours!"

"Come, take a look at this knife. If you like it, then after I die, it will belong to you! What do you think...?"

"Ahem!"

Before the sword-wielding elder could finish his sentence, an elderly man with a round head, bald except for two long, horizontal mustaches on his upper lip, interrupted eagerly.

"Little Gawain awakened the world's number one Conqueror's Haki, not the world's number one Armament Haki! The Conqueror's Haki comes from willpower and determination, which are not the essential qualities needed for someone in charge of combat!

On the contrary, Gawain is very suitable to take my place. There is no job better suited for a man with such strong willpower than diplomacy!"

After he finished speaking, the elder with two mustaches approached Gawain with a smile.

"Do you enjoy dealing with those so-called kings among other lowly people? If not, I hope you can adapt and come to love this work; you can work with me...!"

"Ahem!"

As expected, the elder with two mustaches was interrupted again by another cough.

Next to him, an elderly man with short yellow hair and a neatly trimmed yellow mustache stepped forward.

"Narrow-minded thinking! A person with such determination can undoubtedly walk toward the highest peaks, regardless of the direction they choose!

Little Gawain, through your Conqueror's Haki, we have already seen your excellence, and we promise that we will not, and will not allow, such an outstanding junior to be overlooked.

Among the five of us here, we are the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons. We know very well that someone like you, who can unleash unprecedented Conqueror's Haki, must have a vast ambition to achieve great things.

Look at the five of us; I am responsible for everything related to the economy!"

"And I handle all matters related to culture and education!" the elder with shoulder-length hair added with a smile.

"Don't be fooled by their eagerness to introduce themselves; whether dealing with money or ancient texts, nothing can compare to the sheer authority of issuing commands to the kings of the allied nations!

Consider my direction more; I am responsible for all diplomatic affairs!" said the elder with two mustaches.

Following them, an elder wearing a black fabric hat, revealing a classical European judge's hairstyle with disheveled and noisy facial hair, added,

"Diplomats tend to talk a lot; my responsibilities don't require such pretentiousness!

Gawain, I oversee all matters related to law; if your awakening relates to the crimes and punishments of this sea, and if you enjoy listening to the wails and screams of the guilty, then consider my direction!"

With that, four of the five Gorosei had introduced themselves one after another.

As for the last one, he was the sword-wielding elder who was closest to Gawain and appeared first!

The sword-wielding elder smiled as he took two steps back and then gently rested the blade's sheath against the ground.

"Economy, culture, diplomacy, and law—how can they compare to commanding the army, overseeing the CP division, launching strikes against pirates, and waging war across the seas?"

As he spoke, the smile on the sword-wielding elder's face grew increasingly profound.

Unbeknownst to them, an aura erupted from the five elders in front of Gawain!

Gawain felt a surge of anxiety; had he not faced prior encounters, he might have fallen to the ground under the weight of this pressure, even if he didn't faint.

However, facing this invisible, terrifying pressure, Gawain merely flicked off some ash from his cigarette.

"Are you all playing with me, tempting me, testing me? Otherwise, why release your Conqueror's Haki to suppress me? Is this your way of showing me respect before taking action?

Seniors!"

As the ash fell to the ground, Gawain's Conqueror's Haki erupted once again, its intense aura causing the clothes of the five elders across from him to flutter!

But this was just the beginning.

Let's not forget that Gawain's Conqueror's Haki strength had already exceeded the norm!

Even Shanks, the monster who is now one of the Four Emperors, during his peak, could barely crack the hull of the Adam, the ship he was on!

And Gawain?

His Conqueror's Haki had completely destroyed every inch of buildings within a radius of several hundred meters the moment he awakened!