Chapter 403: The End of Mariejois' Power Struggle!

Outside the grand hall, Sengoku and the others had been waiting for a long time, each feeling a bit anxious.

The silence inside was unnerving. With the massive doors shut tight and their soundproofing effect working perfectly, they had no idea what was happening within.

"Don't worry. Claudius is strong. No matter how powerful Imu is, he wouldn't have been able to resist him," Crocodile said confidently, placing full trust in Claudius at this moment.

Hancock, who had been silent for a while, showed a hint of impatience on her strikingly beautiful face. "Wait? This empress has already grown impatient. I must know His Highness' safety."

Despite the tension, Sengoku managed to remain calm and simply said, "We wait."

Meanwhile, inside the hall, Claudius sat on the Empty Throne, absentmindedly running his fingers over a ruby embedded in the armrest. His expression carried a hint of amusement.

"So this is how it works? I was wondering how that guy managed to shut the doors so suddenly. I thought it was some kind of powerful ability… Turns out, it was just this," Claudius muttered to himself.

Adjusting his position slightly, he leaned back, raised his chin a bit, and adopted a slightly arrogant posture. He rested his left arm on the armrest and shifted his body slightly to the left, then crossed one leg over the other—striking the classic pose of a final boss.

Satisfied with his posture, Claudius twisted the ruby mechanism on the armrest.

With a deep rumble, the grand doors of the palace slowly began to open.

Sengoku and the others, who had been standing outside, were momentarily stunned. Then, their instincts kicked in, and they cautiously stepped forward, ready for anything.

But the moment they entered, they were greeted with a sight that left them speechless.

There, seated atop the Empty Throne, was Claudius. His imposing posture radiated authority, making even Sengoku and the others momentarily hesitate.

Before anyone could react, Claudius spoke. "What are you all standing there for? Why aren't you greeting the King of the World?"

At his words, Sengoku and the others finally relaxed.

They still didn't know exactly what had transpired inside, but from Claudius' attitude alone, it was clear—he had won.

Doflamingo grinned and let out his signature laugh. "Fufufufu… Hail the King of the World."

The others chuckled as well, offering a mix of serious and playful responses.

Seeing their half-hearted reaction, Claudius frowned in dissatisfaction. "Can you be a bit more serious? At least make it sound uniform! You're making this feel like a marketplace, where's the sense of accomplishment in that?"

"Ahahaha! Forget that for now, Claudius—what happened to Imu? Did you kill him?" Garp asked with a hearty laugh.

Claudius, unwilling to entertain their antics further, waved a hand dismissively. "Kill him? Do you guys not understand? That guy was all talk. The moment I arrived, he immediately bowed his head and surrendered. He practically begged me to take this seat! Said if I didn't sit, he'd throw a tantrum and die right then and there."

He sighed dramatically. "I mean, the guy is hundreds of years old, how could I refuse him? Out of respect for the elderly, I reluctantly agreed to sit here. Truly helpless, I tell you."

Garp and the others were stunned not because they believed Claudius' nonsense, but because they were in awe of his shamelessness!

Crocodile, ever the tsundere, scoffed. "Oh? If you really don't want the seat, why don't you get up and let someone else take it?"

Claudius grinned. "Nah, forget it. Truth be told, this chair is ridiculously uncomfortable. But I shall bear the suffering alone!"

"Haha! That's fine, I'll sit on it instead. My a** is big, so maybe I'll fit more comfortably," Garp joked.

Claudius quickly waved him off. "Nonsense! I made a promise to the old guy that I'd sit here, and I intend to keep my word. You don't have to trouble yourself for me—I can handle the burden."

At that, he burst into laughter, and the others joined in.

There was a lightness to their laughter, a shared relief that filled the room.

None of them knew exactly what had transpired between Claudius and Imu, but in the end, the outcome was clear. Claudius had claimed victory.

"The King of the World…" Sengoku murmured with a small smile.

"It looks like the single rooms we prepared at Impel Down won't be needed after all," Chief of Staff Tsuru remarked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, no need anymore," Sengoku agreed, laughing. "Guess I'll have to keep working for a few more years."

As the group continued to chat and inspect the hall, the doors suddenly swung open once more. A figure rushed inside, it was Dragon.

After finishing his business elsewhere, he had hurried over, intent on assisting Claudius. But the moment he arrived, he was greeted by the sight of Claudius sitting on the Empty Throne, looking down on everyone with an air of arrogance.

Dragon's eyes narrowed slightly. "Tch… I was too late."

Claudius grinned, clearly in the mood to show off. "Yeah, too late. It all happened so fast.

Imu took one look at me, grabbed my hand, and burst into tears. Said he'd been waiting centuries for a wise man like me to appear.

He begged me to take the throne, swore he'd die right there if I refused.

I mean, what could I do? I had no choice but to accept."

Dragon, unfazed, walked closer and asked plainly, "So, it's over?"

His simple question cut off Claudius' grandstanding, much to the relief of everyone else in the room.

Listening to Claudius' exaggerated bragging had already been a test of patience. His delivery wasn't even particularly convincing, he acted as if he truly believed his own nonsense, which made it all the more annoying.

So when Dragon interrupted, everyone felt a silent wave of gratitude.

Taking the cue, they spread out, inspecting the hall rather than enduring more of Claudius' theatrics.

Claudius clicked his tongue in mild annoyance and shot Dragon a look. "Way to kill the mood."

But despite his words, Dragon already had his answer.

His expression grew complicated, his thoughts clearly stirring. After a moment, he reached out and placed a hand on the back of the Empty Throne.

"So this is the seat of the King of the World…" he murmured.

Claudius, sensing his emotions, put away his playful tone and nodded solemnly. "Yeah… this is it."

"For the first time in a long while… things feel a little empty," Dragon admitted.

The great mission was complete. The Revolutionary Army's purpose had been fulfilled.

And yet, despite the sense of finality, there was also an undercurrent of anticipation—of excitement for what came next.

"Haha! I'm planning to rebuild the government from the ground up," Claudius announced.

"Monkey D. Dragon, I—Donquixote Claudius extend an invitation to you and the Revolutionary Army.

Join the new World Government. For the world, for our shared future… What do you say?"

Dragon looked at Claudius for a long moment. Then, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and he spoke with conviction.

"Dragon, leader of the Revolutionary Army, accepts. We will serve the new World Government, standing at the forefront under the King of the World."

Claudius grinned. "Great. Minister of Civil Affairs—it suits you, don't you think?"

Dragon chuckled. "I'll look forward to it."

Then, Claudius turned to the others.

"With this, it's over. Mariejois, the World Government—they're in our hands now.

Starting tomorrow, we focus on building the new government.

And as for the World Summit—it's time to prepare for that, too."

(To be continued.)

***

This book is complete. Support me on Patreon to read all advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.