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Mary Geoise has many forbidden areas.
For common people, any place frequented by Nobles is a forbidden zone. The rules here are strict; it's not like Sabaody, where pirates have a chance to act. Anyone who dares to intrude here will certainly be shot on sight.
For the Nobles and Kings of various countries, the center of Mary Geoise, Pangaea City— where the Celestial Dragons' core residence is located and where Rowen and Lirisk are fighting—is a place where any outsider would face certain death.
Similarly, for the Celestial Dragons, there is also a forbidden area within Mary Geoise.
That is the ancient corridor known as the Room of Flowers, located in the deepest part of Mary Geoise!
Apart from Imu himself, including Vic, anyone found there would face an indisputable death penalty!
"What does Orrick want to do?!" Vic couldn't help but roar in anger.
Isn't undermining the government's authority already enough?!
"It seems nothing escapes you, Vice Admiral Soryu."
Lirisk slowly moved his massive body, turning to face the tall and imposing figure, then shook his head.
"But I'm sorry, I'm not very clear about what my father intends to do."
"Oh? Why not share your guesses with us?"
Rowen calmly carried his thunder halberd on his back before saying: "Lirisk, I believe you should know that your greatest mistake so far has been believing in your father's plan."
"As long as you turn back now, Imu might offer you a chance for redemption."
Ten years of disappearance caused Lirisk to nearly miss the crucial period when Orrick was quietly setting everything up.
So far, how to judge his involvement remains under discussion.
"This is a fact."
If Lirisk betrays Orrick, they might find an opportunity.
"Divide and conquer!"
Rowen wasn't a master of military strategy, but he understood some principles of dealing with people. Just like his judgment of Vazat, as long as there is even a sliver of hope, people won't reach a dead end.
"Without a dead end, one doesn't act recklessly."
Historically, those wicked and desperate criminals, apart from innate or cultivated psychological perversions, were mostly driven to their extremes by having no other options.
"If possible, I hope Lirisk is given a chance."
Hearing this, Vic's eyes brightened, and he added, "That's right! Lirisk, you are a good kid. I know you harbor some resentment!"
"How about this: as long as you tell us everything you know, I will definitely plead with Imu Sama for you."
If anyone else had said this, Lirisk would have dismissed it. Betrayal and factionalism are almost second nature to politicians.
"It's better to believe in ghosts than to trust a politician's words."
However, Vic is different. He is a genuinely concerned elder who cares for all the Celestial Dragons, the only one who hasn't mocked the origins of the Nibelung Family.
He has always acted as Imu's messenger and representative, never involving himself in politics, focusing solely on mediating neighborhood disputes and maintaining the fragile bonds within the Celestial Dragons' household, ensuring their harmonious coexistence.
"He is someone worth trusting."
"No wonder my father said that adoration is the emotion furthest from understanding."
"What?"
Vic was stunned, staring at Lirisk's cold and emotionless eyes, momentarily speechless.
"Do you really understand that person, Vic San..."
Lirisk slowly shook his head, then suddenly charged forward.
Boom!
Four massive craters were created where he landed, and his tremendous power erupted from his limbs like a giant-scale Tekkai, ruthlessly slamming into Rowen.
Clang... Clash!
Rowen swung his thunder halberd to block the coming attack, but the immense force numbed his arm, and his feet dug into the hard ground, pushing him back.
"Do you still not see this?" Lirisk's cold eyes fixed on him, and he said calmly.
Rowen grinned.
"No, I naturally do."
Bang!
As Lirisk's previous strength was mostly spent, Rowen swiftly counterattacked with his right foot, with his muscles bulging as he pushed forward with electrical currents.
Clang!
In the sharp clash of metal, Rowen, who was less than three meters tall, managed to lift the massive creature's upper body off the ground with a powerful push.
"But what does that have to do with me, right?"
"As long as I get the information I need, what happens to you as a disposable piece? Why should I care about that?"
The Justice cape fluttered with his movements, the glaring word "Justice" on it standing in stark contrast to Rowen at that moment.
"Indeed, this is the you I know..."
"Vice Admiral Soryu!!"
Lirisk roared in anger, his extended claws tearing through the void, turning into an invisible shadow as he struck straight at Rowen's waist.
If that claw had landed, it would have definitely split him in two!
At that moment!
Zī Zī...
Boom!!!
A flawless white beam of light pierced through Lirisk's chest, instantly freezing his movements.
However, what was strange was that Rowen was standing right in front of him, and the angle should have been from below, but the beam of light came from above, slanting downwards.
Awakening Technique...
Meteor Guns: Nailed Shadow!
The thunder halberd was still in Rowen's hand. This was just a minor technique that evolved from the principles used in the Prison Dragon Lock Sky Formation
The cold claws hovered close to Rowen's forehead, so near that he could feel the sharpness of the claws slicing through the air.
However, with such a close distance, Lirisk couldn't bring himself to strike.
The massive electrical power inside Lirisk flared up. Upon closer inspection, one could see countless faint electrical currents flickering in his eyes, paralyzing his movements.
"I don't have time to waste with you, Lirisk."
"So... goodbye!"
Another white thunderbolt shot up diagonally through Lirisk's chest before Rowen scattered into thousands of lightning serpents, swirling through the air like a tide, creating a brilliant flash of lightning.
Finally revealing himself, he drew a "7" in mid-air with his hand, then gripped the end of the thunder halberd and plunged it into the ground like a falling meteor.
Awakening Technique: Prison Dragon Lock Sky Formation!
Bang!!
The massive lizard's body fell once more, and along with it, a third of Pangaea City.
An invisible magnetic force pulled everything on the surface, trying to crush the opponent into itself, bringing terrifying pressure!
Kā Chā kā Chā...
Blood oozed from the cracks in the hard scale armor, the fragile muscles unable to bear the immense pressure, causing the protective scale armor to crack and embed itself back into the flesh.
"Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Lirisk screamed in pain as he struggled to break free.
But having been overwhelmed by the excruciating pain, he couldn't quickly resort to self-harm like Whitebeard.
Having completed this, Rowen turned and smiled.
"Vic San, could you lend a hand?"
Trying to knock out or kill a peak-level Zoan user was far too time-consuming. Even Rowen chose a different approach to end the battle.
---
In the Room of Flowers, the plant-covered area actually had a vast interior space.
Apart from Imu's residence, behind it was a long corridor with walls marred by age, covered in traces of time.
At this moment, at the end of the corridor, in a deep room.
Imu stood with his hands behind his back, slowly speaking: "You've arrived..."
Surrounding him, there was no sign of anyone else, so after Imu spoke, the area remained silent as if no one else was present.
But soon, a section of the green bricks on the wall began to tremble and rotate.
A hand emerged from the darkness, followed by a head, shoulders, legs, and feet.
Orrick, with a neutral expression on his face, stood behind Imu and said: "Did you know I would come?"
"Every time this secret passage opens, the brick patterns on the wall change. You can even determine the opening location from these changes... After a few visits and with time, you'll discover the pattern."
Imu slowly spoke, looking ahead: "You've been here three times, staying each time for a long period."
"Do you think taking this will make me helpless?"
Following Imu's gaze, in front of them was a gigantic straw hat!
Made of yellow straw, with a brim entwined with red fabric... It was identical to the straw hat Shanks inherited from Roger and passed on to Luffy!
"Only the size is obviously unsuitable for humans."
It rather looked like an offering, deliberately magnified and placed here.
"But here's the problem..."
"What kind of offering would be abandoned in this dark corner, untouched for a century, letting it fade into obscurity?"
"Or, could its owner actually be a Giant?"
"How will you know if you don't try?"
Orrick laughed casually: "Since you know so much, don't keep it hidden, old man. Protecting the truth of the hundred-year blank period is not just your duty, responsibility... and glory!"
(End of Chapter)