Saint Michael, the commander of the God's Knights... that elegant, overwhelmingly powerful man who made hearts tremble—had actually died, just like that, without a sound!?

If she weren't standing in the council chamber of Pangaea Castle, Stussy would've thought she was hallucinating.

The commander of the God's Knights was the strongest and most revered among all the Celestial Dragons, a figure who, at least nominally, held the power of life and death over every Celestial Dragon.

It was said that he was a shining star who made all geniuses look dull by comparison, whose brilliance outshone his peers, and who had repeatedly claimed the crown in the World Noble Hunting Tournament.

Such a mysterious and powerful figure... dead?

Stussy could hardly believe her ears.

Wait!

A flicker of realization crossed her mind, and her pupils contracted slightly.

Could Michael's death be related to that bastard?

Now that she thought about it, it had been a while since that bastard last came to see her, and the timing matched up.

Most importantly—

Aside from that bastard Daren, Stussy really couldn't think of anyone else in this sea who could've killed Saint Michael.

Roger? Kaidou? Big Mom? Whitebeard?

All of them were terrifyingly strong, and maybe they had the power to do it, but none of them would take that kind of risk.

Saint Michael was too important. Even setting aside his title as the "strongest Celestial Dragon," his position as commander of the God's Knights alone meant that anyone who dared to touch him was essentially declaring war on the World Government—a war to the bitter end.

Since Roger became the Pirate King and disbanded the Roger Pirates, he had vanished from the seas, his whereabouts unknown.

There was no reason for him to seek out Michael.

As for Kaidou and Big Mom...

These two Yonkō were also at the peak of power, but their organizations were vast and currently focused on conquering the New World. They were recruiting and expanding—no way they'd risk a war with the World Government now.

Then there was Edward Newgate, the "Strongest Man in the World"...

Stussy had ruled him out right away.

For all his overwhelming might, Whitebeard's ambitions were surprisingly modest.

He wouldn't endanger the lives of the "family" in the Whitebeard Pirates just to challenge the World Government.

That's why, in the CP0 threat assessment files, Whitebeard's danger ranking among the major pirates in the New World was the lowest.

Thinking through it all, it seemed like the only person left with both the motive and the strength to kill Michael... was Daren.

Well, maybe one more—Monkey D. Dragon, the rising, unstoppable leader of the Freedom Fighters and Garp's son—he could count as half a suspect.

With that thought, Stussy lowered her head further, trembling with fear.

The council hall fell into a deathly silence.

Several seconds passed before the Five Elders slowly stirred from the suffocating quiet.

Saint Saturn fixed a chilling glare on the official. His aged eyes glowed with a strange red light, as if he might lose control of his fury at any moment and blow the man's head off with just a look.

Coldly, he asked,

"Have you found out who the killer is?"

The World Government official, sensing Saturn's killing intent, didn't dare meet the gaze of the Five Elders. He looked like he wanted to bury his head in the documents he held, replying in a trembling voice,

"According to our internal investigation, Saint Michael left to carry out a classified mission."

"He brought with him two subordinates from the God's Knights, five CP0 senior agents, and over one hundred elite guards from the Holy Land. The mission was codenamed 'Bait.'"

"The final result of the mission was... total annihilation."

"...So in the end, he was the one hunted by the prey?"

Saint Peter, with his golden hair, spoke coldly, his face like a block of ice.

The official didn't dare respond to the remark and said, his voice filled with dread,

"The mission site has been identified—an uninhabited island in the New World. The battlefield left behind was horrifying... the entire island had been split in two."

As he said this, unspeakable fear flickered in his eyes, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.

He spoke carefully, choosing his words with caution.

"According to the CP Intelligence Division's analysis of the battlefield traces, Saint Michael faced two main opponents this time."

"Who!?"

The Five Elders' eyes flashed with a chilling light as they locked their gazes on him.

Under their oppressive stares, the official dropped to his knees with a loud slap, trembling as he said,

"Rogers Daren and Monkey D. Dragon!"

"The former is suspected to have unleashed an overwhelmingly powerful force—enough to suppress even Saint Michael-sama!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the Five Elders' pupils simultaneously shrank into pinpoints. For a brief second, they stood there stunned.

Saint Michael... was suppressed?

The first thought that surged through their minds was—impossible!

No one understood Saint Michael's power better than they did. He hadn't become the commander of the God's Knights just because he hailed from one of the most prominent families in the Holy Land, a bloodline shared with the Five Elders' own "Warrior God of Science and Defense," Saint Saturn. No—it was because he had truly earned the title of "strongest"!

Even without their prolonged lifespans and deep-rooted strength, Saint Michael, with his awakened Mythical Zoan abilities, should never have been someone Daren could overpower.

In fact, the Five Elders firmly believed that even if Daren and Dragon joined forces, they still wouldn't have been able to suppress Saint Michael.

Let alone wipe out every single one of the forces he brought with him.

Unless...

"We understand. You may leave," said Saint Warcury in a hoarse, grim voice.

"Since Saint Michael's operation was a classified mission, let it remain buried."

"Without our explicit orders, no one is to speak a word of this to the outside world."

At his words, the CP0 agents and World Government officials present all let out a collective sigh of relief, as though they'd just been granted clemency. Some couldn't get out of the suffocating council hall fast enough.

But beneath her mask, Stussy's expression subtly shifted.

That's it?

The commander of the God's Knights is dead. Two members of the order and several elite CP0 agents are dead too...

And the Five Elders, the highest authority in the World Government, are just letting it slide?

To Stussy, it felt like they had simply vented their fury and moved on.

Her gaze turned hazy for a moment, her thoughts scattered.

The scene before her gave her the chilling sense that the world as she knew it was crumbling.

"Stussy..."

Just as she was about to step out of the council hall in a daze, Saint Saturn's voice suddenly called out from behind.

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