One Piece: Start as a mythical beast, practice to become stronger

Inside the magnificent palace, the lights were still bright and the music had never stopped, but the atmosphere suddenly changed in an instant.

When the first king who was about to leave walked tentatively towards the gate, the heavy door with gold trim suddenly closed silently.

The heavy "boom" shook everyone's eardrums.

The smiles on the kings' faces froze instantly, replaced by an indescribable tension and uneasiness.

"what happened?"

A king in luxurious robes subconsciously turned his head to look at his entourage.

The follower also looked confused and replied softly:

"Your Majesty, I...I don't know either."

Throughout the palace, whispers spread like ripples, and the sound of whispering became louder and louder, as if countless insects were buzzing in the ears.

A king wearing a crown was the first to speak up. He was older and spoke most directly:

"Your Excellency the Five Elders, what does this mean? We are here to watch the ceremony. Now that the ceremony is over, why are the palace gates closed?"

There was a hint of anger in his voice, but it was more of a test.

Before he finished speaking, everyone's eyes immediately focused on the podium, where the five new Five Elders were still standing there quietly.

Their expressions were as calm as mountains, as if everything was under control.

"Shut up!"

Suddenly, a burly man among the Five Elders gave a low scolding, the sound was like thunder, directly drowning out all the noise.

His eyes swept across the hall coldly, as if he was examining a group of ignorant children.

"This is not the time for you to ask questions."

Another of the Five Elder Stars sneered and spoke. His voice was not loud, but it carried a sense of oppression that made people feel tight in their hearts.

He raised one hand gracefully and waved his fingers in the air. In an instant, the music in the hall stopped abruptly.

The originally luxurious banquet hall was now shrouded in an invisible pressure.

The golden chandelier was still bright, but it seemed that even the light was tinged with a layer of coldness.

"We didn't invite you here just to have a meal and leave."

The leading Five Elders spoke slowly. His voice was neither hurried nor slow, but it was like a sharp knife, piercing everyone's heart.

"What do you mean?" a king couldn't help but blurt out.

His voice was already trembling, and he looked at his companions around him for help, but in return he received the same shocked and doubtful looks from everyone.

"Yes, what does it mean?" Another king who was a little calmer also echoed, but his voice was cautious.

The cold-faced man among the Five Elders smiled disdainfully, his tone calm but chilling:

"You, the member states, need to re-evaluate your loyalty from today on."

As soon as the words fell, everyone's faces changed.

Some kings even dropped their wine glasses to the ground, making crisp cracking sounds, but no one dared to pay attention.

"Re-evaluate loyalty?!" A king widened his eyes, almost unable to believe his ears.

He subconsciously took a step back, only to find that there was a marble wall behind him with no way to retreat.

"That's right." Another of the Five Elders slowly walked to the stairs, looking down at the crowd below, his tone extremely calm:

“We have discovered that in recent years, some kings’ hearts are not in the right place.

Shouldn't you reflect on this?"

Although his words were light, they were like a mountain pressing on everyone's heart.

The whispers in the hall suddenly stopped, leaving only dead silence; even the sound of breathing became extremely suppressed.

Morgans sat in the corner, raised his eyebrows slightly, and a meaningful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He tapped the glass with his fingers without saying a word.

Stussy also did not speak, but her eyes wandered between the Five Elders and the kings, as if she was thinking about something.

"It seems that there is a deeper meaning behind this 'watching ceremony'."

Morganse whispered to himself, gently shaking the wine glass in his hand.

The red wine reflected an eerie light under the light, as dazzling as blood.

The heavy door slowly opened again. The sound of heavy metal friction was like a death knell announcing the verdict, making people feel depressed.

The anxious kings and representatives all looked towards the door, only to see a team of majestic World Government guards filing in, standing solemnly on both sides, forming an invisible barrier.

The new Five Elders walked slowly back to their respective seats on the podium, and every step seemed to tread on everyone's hanging hearts.

Their aura is completely different from before.

The banquet just now seemed to be just a smokescreen, but at this moment, every move and every word of theirs revealed an irresistible sense of oppression.

After they sat down, the leading one of the Five Elders spoke first:

"Everyone, today's gathering shouldn't be such a solemn occasion, but there are some things that must be dealt with promptly."

His voice was low and clear, echoing in the silent palace.

He glanced at everyone with an unpredictable chill in his eyes:

"I'm sure you've all heard of the name 'Jin'an'."

The hall fell silent instantly.

This name is like a sharp knife, piercing directly into everyone's ears and hearts.

For the member states of the World Government, this name is both familiar and unfamiliar.

He is the center of the recent storm and a traitor to the World Government, but at the same time, he is also known as the "liberator" and the "light of hope."

Hearing this, several older kings looked at each other, with some hesitation and vigilance in their eyes.

Someone couldn't help but cough twice, trying to hide the uneasiness on his face.

The young royal representative was obviously nervous, his palms holding the scepter were slightly sweaty, but he did not dare to make a sound.

A king who was a little bolder asked tentatively:

“Jin An… is indeed a dangerous person.

But aren't we, the member states... already supporting the World Government enough?

He is far away in Elbaf now, and for us..."

"Enough!" Another of the Five Elders interrupted him and said coldly, "Support? Just verbal support? Don't you know that the rise of Jin'an threatens the foundation of each and every one of you!"

Another of the Five Elders slowly stood up, his voice not loud but suffocating:

"Jin'an is a cancer and must be eradicated. And this time, our World Government will personally take the lead in solving this problem."

He paused as he spoke, as if intending to give everyone time to think.

He fixed his gaze on several kings who obviously had some favorable impression on Jin'an, and there was an unquestionable warning in his eyes.

"So, from now on, we need each of you to contribute your troops, resources, and intelligence."

As soon as the words fell, the people below immediately began to whisper.

"Contribute troops? What does that mean?"

"Jin'an is indeed a problem, but should we send troops? Can our country afford such a consumption?"

"What will happen if I refuse..."

Some people were muttering to themselves with grim expressions, while others were frowning and lost in thought.

But more people choose to remain silent, as if waiting for others to express their opinions first.

Unlike the hesitation of other kings, those kings who had close relations with Jinan became nervous almost instantly.

Someone subconsciously raised his hand to touch his forehead, wiping away the non-existent sweat;

Someone held the scepter tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white;

Another person pretended to be calm and took a sip of wine, but the slightly trembling glass revealed his true mood.

"How should we deal with this?" A king whispered to his ally, "Can we keep our connection with Jin'an secret?"

"Don't make a sound!" The other party suddenly shouted in a low voice, "Any reaction now will expose yourself, calm down."

Morgans, who was sitting in the corner, narrowed his eyes when he heard this.

He knocked on the table, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and murmured in a low voice:

"Finally, something interesting is happening..."

Stussy frowned slightly and looked at the Five Elders on the platform with complicated eyes.

Her fingers tapped unconsciously on the wine glass, as if she was calculating something.

The Five Elders on the platform had obviously seen through everyone's thoughts.

They looked down coldly, their eyes scanning the venue like hungry wolves.

"Everyone." The leading Five Elders spoke again, his tone icy but with a hint of threat, "This time, we don't need to question, and we won't accept rejection.

Because this is to maintain the balance of the world - and each of you is part of this balance."

His voice echoed in the hall, like a verdict, making people feel suffocated.

At this moment, everyone realized that this "ceremony" was nothing more than a test to thoroughly screen loyalty.

Those who hesitate in their hearts may soon face a devastating disaster.

...

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