That voice.
That unmistakable voice.
In an instant, the entire plaza froze. Then, as recognition struck, eyes widened everywhere.
They had all heard this voice before—during the public address that shattered the world order, that tore the Member States away from the Government's rule…
The owner of that voice—
Disbelief washed over every face present. One by one, people jerked around, staring toward the source of the sound.
And then—
Terror filled their eyes.
Figarland Garling spun around violently, fury twisting across his face, bloodshot eyes locked on the distant direction of the voice.
Doflamingo, after a brief stunned pause, recovered instantly. A strange smile tugged at his lips, his barely contained excitement flashing in his eyes.
Because he had seen it.
The Gorosei—those aloof, untouchable figures—had all reacted in the same instant the voice rang out.
Their expressions shifted at once.
Tension.
Shock.
Disbelief.
And a flicker of something far more primal—
Fear.
Doflamingo swore right then that the sight of the Gorosei's expressions contorting at the same time was the most magnificent thing he had ever witnessed.
"Guard positions!"
A Holy Land Guard captain barked the order, his voice tight.
In an instant, hundreds of armored guards surged into formation around the plaza, weapons raised, all eyes locked on the direction the voice had echoed from.
Representatives from Member States and invited guests reacted just as quickly—faces pale, bodies trembling.
"That voice…"
"No way…"
"How… how could this be happening?!"
"That direction… above the Stairway to Heaven…"
"Pangaea Castle!"
"Impossible!"
Panic rippled through the crowd like wildfire.
"King Cobra… did I hear that right? That voice—"
King Riku nudged Cobra urgently. "I know nothing about it!"
"I know nothing!" Cobra declared firmly before he even took a breath.
King Riku: "..."
If you don't know, you don't know. Why the performance?
He gave Cobra a speechless look.
Then—
BOOM!!
A deafening blast erupted from the top of the Stairway to Heaven. The shockwave split the cloud sea covering Pangaea Castle like a nuclear detonation.
Clouds tore apart, scattering to reveal a tornado-like column of blue lightning bursting from within the Chamber of Authority. It speared into the sky, exploding into rings of thunderous light that rippled outward, kicking up violent winds.
"Damn it!" Figarland Garling's soul trembled.
The Gorosei's faces drained of color as they felt the destructive energy radiating from the blast. Their pupils constricted sharply.
This energy…
Could that brat be targeting Lord Imu?!
Their gazes raced across the crowd, their minds rapidly aligning.
No.
Lord Imu's existence must never be exposed.
If it is… the World Government's legitimacy will crumble.
The five of them reached the same conclusion instantly.
But the Stairway to Heaven was too high… the distance too great…
"Kong! Stop that damned brat—"
Saint Saturn lunged forward, roaring.
But before he could finish—
A dark figure burst from the gaping hole torn open in Pangaea Castle's wall, ejecting from the Chamber of Authority like a fired shell.
It hurled downward toward the plaza at terrifying speed.
BOOM!
The ground convulsed under the impact, quaking violently before erupting in a plume of dirt and smoke.
"Protect the representatives!"
"Alert! Alert!"
"Are we under attack?!"
"Protect me!"
Chaos detonated across the plaza.
As the dust blew away, a stunned silence fell.
In the center of the massive crater, a hulking, half-naked figure staggered upright. His mohawk was bent and buried under dust; blood dripped from his jaw.
Steel Bone Kong.
The Gorosei: "..."
"Kong, what the hell are you doing?! Why didn't you stop him?!" Saint Saturn snarled.
Kong merely glanced up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
"You'll understand soon enough, Your Excellencies."
Before he finished, sunlight spilled across the Stairway to Heaven—
And a towering figure stepped out through the shattered wall.
Short black hair whipped in the wind. His torn black jacket hung in ruins, revealing a torso carved with scars and hard angles, muscles gleaming like iron beneath the light.
Violet-blue lightning curled around him in spirals, like living flames dancing freely across his frame.
Each measured step shook the earth, sending tremors through the crowd.
Black-red lightning flickered at his fingertips. Blood stained the corner of his mouth, twisting his smile into something feral.
Thump.
He took another step.
His military boots struck the top of the Stairway to Heaven as he leaned slightly forward, gaze sweeping across the entire world with detached insanity.
He looked down upon the Commander of the Knights of God, the Gorosei, every representative of every Member State, and the distant Celestial Dragons of Mary Geoise.
As though the world itself had tilted beneath him.
A savage grin stretched across his face.
"Oi."
To be continued...