The entire cabin fell into dead silence.

Every staff member of the World Economic News Agency stared in shock, unable to believe what they were seeing.

A second later, angry shouts erupted.

"Weil, what the hell are you doing!?"

"That's our president!"

"Don't forget—it was President Morgans who saved your life when you were nearly frozen to death that winter!"

"How old were you back then? Wasn't Morgans the one who took you in and raised you like a son?"

"Damn it! And now you're pointing a gun at him!?"

"..."

The young man named Weil listened to their outrage in silence. He simply shook his head and spoke in a raspy voice.

"Destroy that intel, President Morgans."

"You know better than anyone—if you dare publish this, the World Government will never let you go."

Morgans slowly raised his hands, the scent of gunpowder from the barrel pressed to the back of his head lingering in the air. Then he laughed.

"Tell me something, Weil... Were you really just a homeless orphan?"

Weil was quiet for a moment before answering.

"Everyone in the CP organization is a homeless orphan."

"Please, President Morgans... Just do as I say."

Morgans slowly looked up, his gaze dazed as he stared out at the sky through the cabin window, then sighed.

"Weil, you know... Twelve years ago, I faced the exact same choice."

Weil arched a brow.

"God Valley?"

"That's right. God Valley."

Morgans gave a faint smile.

"I once made a promise to a kid... to reveal the truth about what happened there. It would've been the biggest scoop of the century."

"He was such a naive little brat... even if he looked as terrifying as a bear."

"Twelve years passed. And I missed my chance."

Weil asked coldly,

"You were threatened?"

"I was."

Morgans chuckled lightly, a complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.

"The World Government came down hard on me back then. I had no choice but to give in."

"They gave me a deal I couldn't refuse."

"I thought I'd never get another shot in this lifetime... but now, fate's handed me a second chance—and I'm not letting it slip away again."

As he spoke, Morgans slowly turned around to face him, even with the barrel still pointed at his head.

He smiled gently at the young man standing before him—the same boy he had pulled from a frozen alley fifteen years ago and raised into adulthood.

"Pull the trigger, if you really want to stop me."

"But don't expect me to back down willingly..."

Morgans' smile softened.

"After all—I'm Big News Morgans."

Silence returned.

Weil stood frozen, staring at the strange-looking man before him. His hand holding the pistol began to tremble.

His expression twisted with emotion.

Pity, coldness, frustration, anger, shock, confusion... an endless swirl of feelings tore across his face, until finally, it all collapsed into one thing—deep, overwhelming despair.

He suddenly gritted his teeth hard. A flash of grim determination sparked in his eyes.

To everyone's shock and horror, Weil let out a beast-like growl, eyes bloodshot, and swung the gun toward his own temple.

He pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The shot rang out.

Weil's gun flew from his hand, knocked away in an instant.

He stood there, stunned, staring wide-eyed at the man now holding the weapon—

Morgans.

"My child, I didn't save you back then just so you could throw your life away now."

Morgans smiled as he patted his shoulder.

Weil trembled, then dropped to his knees with a heavy thud.

Morgans shook his head, blew away the white smoke from the gun's barrel with a grin, then turned to the gathered staff and issued his orders with solemnity.

"This place is no longer safe. Prepare to relocate—now."

"And also…"

He raised the intelligence documents and photos in his hand, spread his wings wide, and burst into laughter.

"Print all of it—get it on the front page of tomorrow's paper. Run overnight editions... Make sure that by this time tomorrow, the entire world knows that the noble and sacred Celestial Dragon Holy Land, Mary Geoise, has been blown sky-high!"

"The headline will be... 'The King of the North Blue, Rogers Daren, Officially Declares War on the World Government!—The First Battle of the World's Strongest Fleet, the North Blue Fleet!'"

"The flying fleet has reappeared, and it may very well be the most powerful weapon of mass destruction in the world!"

"Kwahahahaha!!"

As Morgans laughed, the entire cabin straightened up. Every staff member stood tall, their chests puffed out.

"Yes, President!"

A series of deep rumblings echoed from the ship's hull. A massive hot air balloon burst open from the ceiling, and the moment it was ignited, its immense buoyancy lifted the entire headquarters of the World Economic News Agency... into the sky!

...

The ship shook violently. Morgans looked out the window at the boundless blue sky and drifting clouds, a feeling of exhilaration and freedom swelling within him.

"President Morgans…"

A hoarse voice called out from behind.

Morgans paused and turned to see Weil still kneeling on the floor.

His eyes were locked on Morgans, throat trembling, eyes gradually reddening. In a raspy voice, he asked,

"Back then... what kind of threat were you under?"

Morgans fell silent for a long moment. Then he let out a faint, carefree smile.

"It doesn't matter... my child."

Weil felt as if he'd been struck by lightning.

...

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

One after another, warships brimming with tension and might pulled into port. Even before the gangplanks fully dropped, Marine soldiers leapt from the decks, weapons in hand, moving swiftly and precisely toward a designated location.

Without a sound, the troops arrived in under ten minutes at the front of a traditional Japanese-style courtyard.

The buildings around it had collapsed, the ground scarred by battle—cracked, scorched, reduced to rubble like a war-torn wasteland.

Yet in the midst of this devastation, that one Japanese-style mansion remained perfectly intact, standing still and serene, untouched as if sealed off from the chaos around it.

It had been protected well.

But now—

As hundreds of Marines reached the scene, their hands trembled and their eyes reddened. Gritting their teeth, they raised their weapons.

Swish, swish, swish!

Dozens of black-muzzled rifles,

Blades gleaming in the sunlight,

Cold steel forged for war,

All of them—guns and sabers once wielded in brotherhood—

Now aimed at a group of all-too-familiar figures, battered and bloodied, standing before the mansion.

More precisely,

They were all aimed at the purple-haired old man standing at the very front of the group.

"By order of the Five Elders, the supreme authority of the World Government, this location is now under military lockdown!"

"All personnel—evacuate this mansion immediately, or else... you will be executed without mercy!!"

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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