First Meeting with Our Own Five Elders

Holy Land Mariejois.

"Saint Ross! Please punish me!"

Guernica knelt on the ground, his face filled with fear.

Through the conversation between Ross and Kong, even if he was truly stupid, he realized the problem.

Perhaps Ross had no intention of talking to Kong at all, but had ordered him to relay a message to Saint Saturn—it was his own foolish presumption.

"Go to my grandfather and tell him everything that happened today. If I find out you hid anything, you know the consequences."

Ross said calmly. If his strength were greater than Guernica's right now, or if he had a trusted subordinate stronger than Guernica by his side, he would have killed the man on the spot.

Being this stupid only invited disaster if kept around.

But as long as today's events reached Saturn's ears, his goal would be achieved.

A fool like Guernica—Saturn would handle him.

Someone like Guernica was only fit to shine on the front lines, dying in loyal service to the World Government.

"Understood!"

Guernica dared not say another word, afraid Ross might change his mind. He moved instantly and vanished without a trace.

"Strength..."

Ross sighed softly. He hadn't even seen the trajectory of Guernica's departure.

It was a pity this body was too weak. Unless he ate a Devil Fruit, relying solely on training to grow stronger—even with the best instructors and resources—would take years.

Even if he ate a Devil Fruit, developing and strengthening it would still take time.

For now, he wasn't counting on becoming strong himself.

Since he was a Celestial Dragon, gathering a group of powerful trusted subordinates was the real priority.

Those already grown and possessing Conqueror's Haki couldn't be subdued, so he'd start raising them from childhood, building up his forces first.

This Ohara Buster Call was a good start.

An hour later, a short, stout old man radiating immense authority slowly stepped into Ross's palace.

The old man's entrance was grand. Two squads of CP0 members lined up on the left and right, stretching from outside the palace all the way to the Jaygarcia family's doorstep, leaving a wide path in the middle to highlight his nobility.

Coming home and still putting on this show—wonder who he's trying to impress.

Ross shook his head inwardly, his gaze slowly shifting to the tall CP0 agent behind the old man's left.

This CP0 was carrying the recently departed Guernica. The man now was a far cry from when he'd left—his white suit was shredded, his body covered in bloodstains, his breath faint, a miserable sight.

Ross glanced at Guernica's pitiful state, but felt no stir in his heart. To him, this was perfectly normal.

Among Celestial Dragons, he probably counted as a great philanthropist.

"Grandfather!"

Ross stood up, greeting him with a smile, his eyes finally settling on the stout old man at the front.

The old man was heavyset, with white hair and a graying beard, leaning on a cane, exuding an air of authority.

At the same time, information about this old man rapidly surfaced in Ross's mind.

Jaygarcia Saturn Saint, head of the Jaygarcia Family, one of the Five Elders, in charge of the Navy and foreign affairs—and Ross's biological grandfather.

Jaygarcia Saturn Saint Comprehensive Rating: S+

The comprehensive rating combined strength and status; otherwise, Ross wouldn't have an A rating either.

Perhaps Saturn's strength didn't reach S+ level, but adding the identity of a Five Elder, a top-tier comprehensive rating in the world was only fitting.

"Ross, it's been a while since I last came here. You seem a bit different from before."

Saturn spoke like a kindly old man, chuckling warmly.

After hearing Guernica's account, Saturn keenly sensed the change in Ross.

In the past, Ross only cared about cricket fighting—he never bothered with Navy affairs.

Guernica might not be bright, but his memory was passable. What Guernica couldn't grasp, Saturn understood at once.

This grandson of his seemed to be no simpleton.

Search Book Title not found—try searching the author instead. Maybe the name just changed!

But Saturn was more pleased than anything, without overthinking it. Sudden transformations were common in the Pirate World; cases of drastic personality shifts were everywhere.

The Jaygarcia Family had been lacking in recent generations. If something happened to him, the family might sink to the level of the Rozward Family.

"Maybe it's because I've always looked up to you as my goal, and didn't pay much attention to changes in the household environment," Ross replied with a smile.

"Haha, what's there to aim for in me? If your generation can produce a few Knights of God members, I'll be satisfied," Saturn said, shaking his head with a laugh.

"Since that's Grandfather's wish, then I, your grandson, will definitely become a Knight of God." Ross began to ramble.

The Knights of God were an armed force composed of Celestial Dragons and special strong fighters, tasked solely with protecting the safety and rule of the Celestial Dragons. The commander had the authority to discipline Celestial Dragons, and the position was held exclusively by a Celestial Dragon, second only to the Five Elders.

Whenever a seat among the Five Elders opened up, it was always filled by the commander of the Knights of God.

Ross and Saturn chatted about everyday matters, like an ordinary grandfather and grandson.

In his memory, Ross and Saturn had never shared much affection; they barely saw each other, only holding the title of blood-related grandfather and grandson.

When Saturn had met him in the past, he had never been as amiable as he was today.

But even with this amiability, every word Saturn spoke carried a hint of probing.

To some of these probes, Ross chose to ignore them, brushing them off as a Celestial Dragon's habit; others he answered as Saturn expected.

After just half an hour of conversation, a smile had already appeared on Saturn's face.

"Ross, I heard you requested Admiral Zephyr from the Navy and plan to participate in this Buster Call?"

After all that talk, they finally got down to business.

As the Scientific Defense God-Warrior among the Five Elders, Saturn oversaw technology and military affairs, personally responsible for the World Government's Three Armies.

By taking Zephyr from the Navy, Ross was essentially poaching someone from under him.

"Yeah, the slaves I had before were too weak. I heard Zephyr's good at training, so I figured I'd have him train my slaves," Ross said nonchalantly.

He knew whether he could get Zephyr depended entirely on Saturn's attitude.

But to secure Zephyr, he couldn't seem too eager; otherwise, Saturn would definitely block him.

He and Saturn were grandfather and grandson in name, but there was no real bond. If Saturn knew he cared about Zephyr, he'd surely use it to control him.

"Zephyr, he's done well training the Navy, but making him your personal guard would be overkill."

"Grandpa, how is it overkill? He's just an admiral, right? Can't be nobler than us Jaygarcia, can he? I don't really care who it is—just find someone similar and it's fine," Ross said carelessly.

"True, he's just an admiral."

Saturn nodded understandingly, not seeing any issue with Ross's attitude.

But handing Zephyr directly to Ross was out of the question.

It wasn't about begrudging a top-tier combatant; it was Ross's status that was the problem.

The Celestial Dragons weren't just their family—there were four other Elders among the Five.

If he gave Zephyr to Ross, the other Elders would only think he was securing benefits for his descendant.

If word got out, the other Elders would definitely try to squeeze some advantages out of him.

But the Jaygarcia family had produced no elites for generations. If Ross could step up, arranging an admiral-level guard wouldn't be impossible.

"How about this."

Saturn pondered for a few seconds, then said calmly:

"I'll make Zephyr an instructor for CP0, temporarily responsible for training CP0 for the Jaygarcia family."

First, transfer Zephyr to CP0, letting him spend some time with Ross.

Whether Ross could keep Zephyr would depend on his own ability.

If he could, it would prove Ross had the strength to become an elite, worthy of his attention.

"Thanks, Grandpa!"

Ross grinned, showing his teeth.

Wasn't this a done deal?

With Saturn's word, he didn't even need to use any persuasion on Zephyr.

Saying it was training CP0 for the Jaygarcia family—once they were at the Jaygarcia estate, Zephyr would just be his guard.

His first admiral-level combatant, secured!