Gu Battle
The next morning.
The sky in Holy Land Mary Geoise is always exceptionally high and distant.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, spilling onto the streets paved with gold and white stone. The air was thin and cold, as if every breath carried a suffocating sense of "nobility."
The Celestial Dragons' Guard Unit were already lined up on both sides of the street, ready to go.
Their silver armor gleamed, their ranks were like mirrors, and each person stood tall and proud, the "mark of the gods" on their chests radiating pride and arrogance.
They are the Celestial Dragons' most loyal protectors, and they consider themselves the shadows of the "Gods of Heaven".
"I heard... we're welcoming two Marine Admirals today?"
A young guard muttered to himself.
The other man sneered disdainfully, "Hmph, just ordinary soldiers. They should kneel before us—"
However, before he could finish speaking...
The wind suddenly changed.
A deep rumble came from the end of the street.
The ground trembled slightly, and the air was torn apart by an invisible force.
The next second--
The hot and cold energies collided like heaven and earth.
The right half of the street was scorched by flames, the temperature soared, and the air distorted.
On the left half of the street, however, a chill had set in, and frost had crept up the stone bricks and covered the ground.
A heatwave and a cold front converged in the middle of the street.
It was a torn temperature line—burning on one side and freezing on the other.
The guards' expressions changed drastically; the man on the right was covered in cold sweat, his breastplate burning hot from the steam.
The person on the left had purple lips, and a chill ran up their spine from the soles of their boots.
"Wha... what's going on?!"
"The air... is burning, and it's freezing?!"
They struggled to lift their heads and saw two tall figures approaching side by side at the far end of the street.
Their footsteps were slow, yet they struck like war drums on everyone's heartbeats.
With each step, the ground seemed to murmur.
The man on the right walked with a steady, mountain-like gait. His dark red suit billowed in the wind, and he wore a deep red Roses on his chest.
The right arm is faintly marked with Razor -like lines, while the left chest and elbow are adorned with Roses and cherry blossom tattoos—like flowers blooming in flames.
Wearing Marine Cap and black leather gloves, his "Marine Admiral" cloak Hunting Roar in the wind.
--Admiral Sakazuki, the Admiral Akainu.
With each step he took, the air beneath the floor tiles crackled and popped under the heat, leaving scorch marks and glimmers of light around his feet.
To his left, however, a completely opposite aura flowed.
The man was tall with a plain face. He wore a white suit vest and a dark blue shirt, with a loose tie, exuding a lazy air, yet suppressing a bottomless chill.
The "Justice" coat draped behind him fluttered gently, and wherever the hem touched, frost and snow condensed.
His steps seemed casual, yet each step left a layer of thin ice in his wake.
--Aokiji Admiral Kuzan.
Fire and ice thus walked side by side on the sacred avenue of the Holy Land.
They didn't speak, but the opposing forces in the air created an eerie balance throughout the street.
Two rows of Celestial Dragons' Guard Unit stood frozen in place, the men on the right their faces flushed red and drenched in sweat from the heat.
The person on the left was chilled to the bone, and their jaw trembled.
No one dared to speak, and no one dared to move.
The two figures slowly walked between them, their clothes brushing against the air, stirring up a breeze carrying ash and ice shards.
When the wind blows—
The frost that had formed on the silver armor evaporated instantly, the steam and cold mist mingling and transforming into a hazy band of light in the sunlight.
Only after the two Admiral's figures disappeared at the end of the street did everyone collapse to the ground as if their souls had been ripped out.
"That... that's... the aura of Marine Admiral?"
"A monster... that's not human at all..."
Their voices trembled, a mixture of fear and shock.
That silent pressure was more real than any "divine majesty".
Pangaea Castle Outer Square - Power Hall
The building, symbolizing "divine will," stood majestically in the sunlight.
Power Plaza is located on the outer perimeter of the core. It is an ivory-colored sanctuary, with its pristine white stone slabs smooth as a mirror, reflecting every ray of sunlight.
The pillars on both sides are several meters high, each stone pillar is decorated with a dragon-shaped relief, and the dragon eyes are inlaid with gemstones, reflecting a faint, cold light.
This is a ceremonial venue exclusively for Celestial Dragons nobles and high-ranking officials of the world. It is only a step away from the center of power, which is enough to demonstrate the majesty of the gods, and also ensures that the Holy Temple itself will not be affected in case of "unforeseen circumstances".
After careful consideration, the Five Elders chose this place as the "place to bestow power."
They constantly proclaimed themselves "gods," but when the "fire and ice" were about to arrive, they still chose to hold back.
The wind slid down from the dome of Pangu Palace.
The Five Elders stood silently there, their golden robes trailing to the ground, their patterns solemn.
They stood at the end of the square, their gaze piercing through layers of light and shadow, fixed on the white avenue leading to the throne.
Then, they saw the two figures.
The moment I walked from the end of the street, the air seemed to split in two.
Half of it was scorching hot, like Purgatory.
Half of it is as cold as an abyss.
The light refracted between them into two color temperatures, with flames and frost intertwining in veins on the floor tiles.
The wind in the Holy Land has stopped sometime ago.
The Five Elders watched silently as the two figures stood side by side.
No one spoke, but a silent, oppressive atmosphere filled the air.
That was the cold, indifferent gaze of "God scrutinizing mortals".
Saint Garling spoke first, taking a slow step forward, his gaze behind his sunglasses as cold as a blade.
"The navy's order seems to have become... too independent in recent years."
His tone was calm, yet every word he spoke was like a hooked knife.
"With Sengoku about to abdicate, Roy is secretly reorganizing the system, and even the succession of the Fleet Admiral has to go through your 'discussion' first?"
Sakazuki and Kuzan silent; they offered no explanation, simply staring straight ahead.
A faint smile appeared on Saint Garling's lips, a smile that revealed disdain and provocation.
"But--"
He turned around, his back to them, and his tone suddenly became solemn, as if he were proclaiming a "divine decree."
"Please consider this carefully--"
"We've decided to give both of you a chance."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter raised an eyebrow and slowly replied, "The position of Fleet Admiral is not to be taken lightly. We must see for ourselves who is truly worthy to inherit the name of 'Justice'."
Saint Warcury said in a somber tone, "At the same time, this is also a test of loyalty."
In this land of divine right, we must see your hearts—are they with the Navy, or with the World Government?
Saint Mars's eyes flickered slightly. "The victor becomes Fleet Admiral, the loser steps down. Whatever the outcome—we will not interfere."
Saint Nusjuro stepped forward, sword in hand, and coldly declared, "In God's kingdom, only the victors can represent 'Justice'."
The voices of the Five Elders intertwined and echoed, like the sound of five scepters striking under the dome.
At this moment, their intentions became crystal clear.
This was a "trial," a carefully planned provocation.
They want to use this "battle for the Fleet Admiral" to pit fire against ice and break the backbone of the navy.
For the Five Elders, this was a highly efficient "battle against Gu".
They must, within a controllable framework, personally assess the strength and ambition of the two Admirals, while simultaneously dividing the navy and bringing that increasingly dangerous heart back under control.
In their view, however, this was nothing more than a "show".
A gladiatorial performance used to test loyalty and obedience.
Saint Garling turned around, his smile growing even colder.
"Let's begin— Akainu, Aokiji."
"Let's see—who truly 'Justice' is."
As the wind picked up, Sakazuki and Kuzan's eyes met in mid-air.
In that instant, the air seemed to ignite.
The ground on one side began to smoke and crack;
On the other side, frost spread from their feet, covering the white stones.
The auras of fire and ice intertwined, roaring and spreading across the Holy Land's plaza.
The Five Elders watched this scene, their eyes flickering slightly; they believed their "plan" was working.
Little did they know, a completely different light had already ignited in those two eyes.
Sakazuki chuckled softly, firelight flickering in his eyes.
Kuzan narrowed his eyes slightly, and a chill emanated from his fingertips.
In their hearts, the same sentence resonated simultaneously:
"A bunch of idiots."