"You all?!"
Seeing that their reprimands had no effect on the two Admirals, the Five Elders erupted in a collective fury.
"Sengoku! Discipline your subordinates at once! Do you no longer wish to hold the position of Fleet Admiral?!"
"Kong! Why are you just standing there?!"
But no matter how the Five Elders barked, the two remained unmoved. Sengoku even spoke up, his voice steady:
"Lords Five Elders, Doflamingo's crimes are truly heinous, and the evidence is now irrefutable. To uphold justice upon the seas and for the continued prosperity of the World Government, I ask that you do not interfere."
"Sengoku... you!" The Elders' faces grew increasingly livid.
"You claim to have evidence? Then where is it?!" another Elder roared.
Sengoku smiled faintly and called out, "Kuzan, come in."
Kuzan? Admiral Aokiji?
The Five Elders frowned and looked toward the entrance. The doors swung open yet again. This time, a tall man entered, hunched over with a wretched, cowering expression. He wore Sea Prism Stone handcuffs and looked like he wanted to shrink into his own shadow.
This incredibly shifty individual was the mad scientist Rowan had snatched from Doflamingo's officers: Caesar Clown.
When Caesar saw Doflamingo pinned against the wall by Rowan like a dead chicken, terror flooded his eyes. He didn't dare look a second longer, lowering his head and taking deep, shaky breaths to calm his racing heart.
Joker... doesn't even have the strength to fight back in Rowan's hands! This old man is too terrifying...
Following behind Caesar, Admiral Aokiji strolled into the room. He spared a brief, disinterested glance at the struggling Doflamingo before looking at the Five Elders. He exhaled a long trail of freezing white mist.
The chill was so intense it instantly lowered the room's temperature, which had been spiked by Akainu's magma. To the kings and nobles, it was a relief from the heat. To the Five Elders... it was a blatant threat.
It was clear: if they moved against Rowan, Aokiji would join the fray without hesitation.
The stance of the Marine top brass was rock-solid. Kizaru and Akainu were already on the verge of attacking. Sengoku had made his position clear, and Aokiji was standing guard. Even the silent Steel Bone Kong was obviously backing Rowan.
These men, the ultimate military power of the world, were ignoring the highest authority of the World Government to stand behind one man.
The Five Elders' worst fears had come to pass. How long had Rowan been back? A month? And already, they had lost control of the Navy. If this continued, the Marines would eventually split from the World Government entirely.
"This is your 'evidence'?" the Elders hissed, looking at the trembling Caesar. "What can this coward possibly prove?"
Sengoku replied calmly, "As a Warlord, Doflamingo has been colluding with the Emperor Kaido, selling Artificial Devil Fruits in secret. We have a mountain of proof, and Caesar Clown is our key witness. He can testify to every one of Doflamingo's crimes."
"Caesar Clown, how exactly do you intend to 'prove' these crimes?" one Elder asked, narrowing his eyes.
Doflamingo was already turning pale in Rowan's grip, but the Elders believed he could hold on a little longer. They were stalling. They had already summoned the World Government's hidden elites. Once they arrived, it wouldn't matter if Rowan brought the entire Navy—protocol would be restored.
Whatever Doflamingo's sins were, only the Government had the right to judge him. Rowan's overstepping was intolerable. If word got out that a Vice Admiral executed a King in front of the Elders, the World Government would lose all face.
They needed the world to know: the Navy is merely a dog of the World Government! If they said Doflamingo could be killed, he died. If they said no, he lived—no matter how much "evidence" existed.
Caesar jumped, startled by the Elder's sharp voice. He looked up, meeting their terrifying gazes. Caesar was smart; he knew that if he told the truth and doomed Joker, the Elders would be displeased.
But then he peeked at Rowan. He remembered the killing intent Rowan had radiated during their journey. Compared to the Elders' political anger, Rowan's aura was a direct promise of death.
I'd rather face the Gods than that old man...
"I'll talk! I'll talk!" Caesar blurted out.
He held nothing back. He detailed the trade with Kaido, the illegal Human Auctioning Houses, and the underground arms dealing. The kings in the room gasped. The infamous "Joker" of the underworld was indeed the Warlord Doflamingo!
As the list of crimes reached its end, Rowan—holding the now-unconscious Doflamingo—turned to the Five Elders.
"Did you hear that? This is the Warlord you pardoned. The King you want to protect. Any one of these crimes is enough to bury him forever, isn't it?"
Rowan's eyes turned cold. "Since the guilt is established... we can skip the formal execution."
Before the Elders could react, Rowan's grip tightened. A massive surge of Ryou (Advanced Armament Haki) flowed from his palm directly into Doflamingo's throat.
CRACK.
The sound of shattering bone echoed clearly through the silent hall. Rowan had sent his Haki deep inside, destroying the target from within.