House Arresting a World Noble!

Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan were officially promoted to Admiral candidates. As soon as the news was announced, information about the three drew the attention of nations across the world, while the titles Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji spread throughout the seas.

If ordinary people became Admiral candidates under normal circumstances, it would not have caused such a great stir or drawn so much attention.

The problem was that after Roger's execution and Shiki's capture, the Navy was currently at the center of a "hot topic," and every move it made would be magnified.

Most importantly, all three were top-tier Logia users. That was what truly shocked people. Coupled with the fact that each stood around three meters tall, anyone with half a brain could see that their potential was extraordinary.

The kings of the nations under the World Government in particular could easily imagine that, within the next few decades, the Navy would have three Navy Admirals who were top-tier Logia users!

West Blue, Ilusia Kingdom.

Two Headquarters Class Warships, far larger than branch warships, escorted an incomparably luxurious white cruise ship as it slowly entered the kingdom's harbor. White sails bearing the World Government's emblem rippled continuously in the sea breeze.

At this moment, every other vessel in the harbor had already been ordered away by King Thalassa Lucas, who was determined to welcome the World Noble in the cleanest and most spacious setting possible!

At the same time, he personally led all the kingdom's nobles in waiting at the docks, watching the approaching ship with reverence.

Over a hundred of the strongest and most capable sword-bearing soldiers stood solemnly at their posts, eyes fixed ahead as they maintained order within several hundred meters of the dock.

Not long after the luxurious ship finished docking, four long, wide wooden planks slid down from the deck and joined together.

Two attendants immediately spread a layer of bright, soft red carpet across the planks, connecting it perfectly to the carpet beneath King Thalassa Lucas's feet. Then, a large number of spear-wielding samurai clad in full plate armor split into two lines and briskly disembarked, taking over security for the entire dock in an instant.

Neither King Thalassa Lucas nor the nobles great and small objected in the slightest. Their eyes remained fixed only on the most exalted figure.

A Celestial Dragon!

A blond man wearing a transparent bubble helmet, a white one-piece outfit, and a golden cape sat atop the broad back of a muscular slave, allowing himself to be carried slowly down the red carpet. Behind him followed two government agents dressed in black suits and leather boots.

"Hey, isn't that Captain Onar?" One noble's expression changed as he whispered to the person beside him.

"Yes, it's him—Black Tiger Onar of the Tiger Claw Pirates!"

"Didn't he boldly announce his entry into the Grand Line two years ago? H-how did he become a slave?"

"I remember his bounty was as high as forty-three million Beli." The nobles who recognized the slave exchanged uneasy whispers.

"Ahem!"

King Thalassa Lucas turned back and shot them an unhappy glare. Then he straightened his clothes, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully in greeting.

"A most heartfelt welcome to the Ilusia Kingdom, Saint Rosward, supreme descendant of the creator. I am King Thalassa Lucas!"

Saint Rosward sat cross-legged on Captain Onar's back, glanced around at the surroundings and the nobles who had come to welcome him, then snorted coldly. "The king is one thing, but since when are lowly nobles qualified to stand before a Celestial Dragon?"

"Ah, y-yes, yes, that was my mistake!" Thalassa Lucas froze for a moment, but quickly came to his senses and hurriedly apologized. He then turned toward the gathered nobles and shouted, "What are you waiting for? Kneel and pay homage to the great Saint Rosward!"

The nobles' expressions stiffened. They were used to throwing their weight around in their own kingdom, after all. Just then, the elderly duke standing at the very front dropped to both knees without hesitation and pressed his forehead against the soft red carpet.

With him taking the lead, the others quickly reacted and followed the old duke's example, kneeling one after another on both sides.

Seeing this, King Thalassa Lucas breathed a great sigh of relief and gave the old duke a huge approving nod.

"Not bad."

Saint Rosward nodded, very satisfied with the nobles' attitude. His favorable impression of this kingdom rose considerably.

"Let's go. I'm tired of sitting on that ship. Let's eat something first."

"Yes, yes, yes. I have already ordered the finest chefs in the kingdom to prepare everything. This way, please!"

King Thalassa Lucas stepped aside and extended a hand, gesturing for Saint Rosward to proceed first. The latter did not stand on ceremony. He planted a foot on the back of Captain Onar's head and headed toward the palace deeper within the island, accompanied by the kneeling bows of dozens of nobles on either side.

[Purupuru, Purupuru]

Just as he reached the other end of the red carpet and was about to step onto the clean, level stone road, the sound of a Den Den Mushi came from behind him. Saint Rosward instinctively turned around, because he knew it was the dedicated line from the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.

Sure enough, the government agent on the right took a small platinum-colored Den Den Mushi from his suit pocket. As he picked up the receiver and connected the call, the Den Den Mushi's face changed and it began speaking.

"By order of the Five Elders, all Celestial Dragons currently outside must return to the Holy Land immediately upon receiving this notice. No delays!"

"Repeating: by order of the Five Elders, all Celestial Dragons currently outside must return to the Holy Land immediately upon receiving this notice. No delays!"

Saint Rosward's expression changed as anger surged through him. He had only arrived less than two minutes ago, but just as he was about to demand an explanation, the Den Den Mushi had already closed its eyes.

For a moment, the atmosphere turned strange. Even King Thalassa Lucas was dumbfounded, unsure of what to say or do.

What was going on?

"Saint Rosward, what should we do?" asked the CP agent holding the platinum-colored Den Den Mushi.

"Hiss—haa."

Saint Rosward's face was dark as he hesitated for a moment. Then he took a deep breath, leaped directly off the slave captain's back, and strode toward his luxurious ship.

"We're going back!"

He might have been a Celestial Dragon, but the Five Elders were also Celestial Dragons—and the highest-ranking ones at that. He had no choice but to obey such a direct order. Still, once he returned, there were questions he would have to ask.

Suddenly, he stopped and said to the bewildered King Thalassa Lucas, "You can have this slave. You're not bad."

"Uh... th-thank you, Saint Rosward!"

King Thalassa Lucas watched in utter confusion as the Celestial Dragon boarded the ship again. Five minutes later, even the Holy Guard soldiers had withdrawn completely. More than ten minutes later, the luxurious ship and the two Headquarters Class Warships set sail once more.

Holy Land, Mary Geoise, Pangaea Castle, Moon Chamber.

"Lord Imu, in accordance with your divine decree, all Celestial Dragons have been ordered to return. Within seven days at most, all Celestial Dragons will gather in the Land of the Gods."

Imu listened to the Den Den Mushi's report and nodded coldly.

"From this day forward, without my permission, no Celestial Dragon may leave the Land of the Gods without authorization. Otherwise, their status as World Nobles will be immediately revoked, they will no longer enjoy any privileges, and they will be imprisoned in Mary Geoise's internal prison!"

"Yes, we shall obey your will."

This book has been renamed, as everyone has seen. The editor said that the word "government" was not suitable for a book title, so after discussing it with the editor, it was changed to this. I'm actually pretty helpless about it too. Sigh.