The Celestial Dragons' Privileges

Vortex Triangle Sea Area, Enies Lobby.

The sky that never saw night made this island a symbol of the World Government's justice.

One corner of Enies Lobby.

CP9 headquarters building.

"Hey, hey, you've got to be kidding me! Roy, you were injured this badly? Did you really fight Plague?"

Spandam looked at Roy, who lay on the lawn as limp as a dead dog. The bandages wrapped around him finally made Spandam voice the doubts in his heart.

"Didn't the report I submitted explain it clearly?

What's there to doubt? Do you think I'd cut myself up?"

Though he was covered in bandages, it did nothing to stop Roy from smoking.

He exhaled a white ring of smoke and looked irritably at Spandam's eager expression.

"Come on, don't be so stingy! I'm just curious.

That was one of the Beasts Pirates' Three Calamities!

Still, Roy, you actually fought a monster like that. Just how strong are you?"

Spandam and Roy could be considered partners who understood each other better than anyone else at present.

Yet Roy's experience this time made Spandam feel, for the first time, that he could not see through Roy.

Though he had never personally met the Beasts Pirates' Three Calamities, they were Great Pirates whose names had echoed across the seas for decades. Just thinking about them was enough to understand their terror and strength.

And now, Roy had not only fought such a terrifying monster, but had even managed to escape from its hands.

That was simply too shocking.

Spandam knew Roy was strong, perhaps even comparable to Rob Lucci. But before this, Roy's strength had merely been speculation. Now that Roy had displayed such an achievement, Spandam still found it hard to believe.

It was like everyone being poor students, only for the person sitting beside you to suddenly get accepted into Tsinghua University.

That kind of gap was indeed hard to accept in such a short time.

That was exactly how Spandam felt now.

Roy paid little attention to Spandam's nagging beside him.

He pulled a Den Den Mushi from his pocket, one with an exceedingly calculating face.

The reason Roy had been able to evade the World Government's investigation and punishment this time was largely thanks to the maneuvering of the person behind this Den Den Mushi.

But the price of calling this Den Den Mushi was truly exorbitant.

In order to quickly settle this failure,

Roy had spent a full five hundred million Berries on this call.

Looking at the Den Den Mushi sleeping peacefully in his hand,

"The Celestial Dragons' privileges really are useful," Roy sighed.

Yes, Roy had lost a secretly transported Seraphim test subject this time.

According to the World Government's rules, even with connections, he would still inevitably have faced severe punishment.

Just like Rob Lucci, who had transported the Gomu Gomu no Mi back then. Because he had failed his mission to escort important cargo, the World Government had thrown him into prison.

He had been a genius who claimed to be on the same level as Rob Lucci.

But for the vast and powerful World Government, talented geniuses were often the one thing it lacked least.

Yet both had failed missions involving the escort of important items.

Roy's outcome was completely different from Rob Lucci's.

After failing his mission, Roy could still lie unharmed on the lawn, basking in the sun and smoking.

But Rob Lucci could only be imprisoned because of his failure.

Although the Seraphim test subject Roy had transported was not as important as the Gomu Gomu no Mi, it was still one of the World Government's top secrets that absolutely could not be leaked.

And moments like this were when one's methods mattered most.

The main reason Roy had been able to escape the World Government's punishment and further investigation was that, through Spandam and their previous deal, he had gained access to Carlos, a Celestial Dragon's butler.

Five hundred million Berries, along with the beautiful women and rare treasures Spandam had gathered as tribute.

Carlos, the butler-slave deeply trusted by Saint Gareth.

Faced with Roy and Spandam's tactfulness, he naturally exercised some of the Celestial Dragons' special privileges. As a result, the investigations and punishments aimed at Roy were quietly erased.

That was the power held by the Celestial Dragons. Sometimes, all they needed was a few words to instantly open a road that had been completely blocked.

Of course, the Celestial Dragons' privileges were only part of why Roy had escaped.

The efforts of Spandam and the forces behind Roy, as well as part of the strength Roy had displayed, were also important factors in his escape.

And most importantly, the surveillance Den Den Mushi in the transport ship's hold had revealed that

the test subject lost aboard the transport ship had not fallen into the hands of the Beasts Pirates, but had plunged into the sea due to the ship's damage.

In short, through Roy's various arrangements, he ultimately escaped the World Government's pursuit and even retained his current position.

That was the biggest difference between having people behind you and having no one behind you.

Roy looked at the sleeping Den Den Mushi in his hand.

Thinking of the enormous sum of money and goods he had handed over to Carlos,

Roy felt a great deal of heartache, but when he thought of the Jinbe clone sleeping inside the cultivation pod in the sky,

all his pain and losses suddenly became unimportant.

After all, merely spending some money and favors had gotten him a clone of a Shichibukai.

Anywhere in the Pirate World, for anyone, that would count as an incredibly profitable deal.

Roy ignored Spandam's words and simply stared blankly at the Den Den Mushi.

"Hey, hey, Roy, are you even listening to me? Don't forget, you still owe me plenty of money and favors."

Thinking about how all the money he had recently earned had been lent to Roy,

Spandam immediately became irritated.

"Hey, Spandam, when is that guy Caesar Clown being sentenced?"

Roy turned his head, his face as innocently blank as Shanks when facing Buggy.

"Caesar Clown, that mad scientist? I think he'll be sentenced tomorrow, then sent to Impel Down the day after tomorrow."

"Hey, hey, Roy, don't change the subject! Were you even listening to me just now?"

Roy continued ignoring Spandam's angry shouts.

"The day after tomorrow?"

He touched the bandages wrapped around his body.

"Perfect. That's when my vacation starts too."