For three full days, Claudius stirred up chaos across Mariejois, leaving no stone unturned. Nearly every Celestial Dragon family had been "visited" by him, their homes ransacked under the guise of enforcement.
Like at Saint Rosward's estate, wherever Claudius went, he left with something valuable, whether it was slaves or treasures. By the end of it, Claudius had accumulated a small fortune.
He wasted no time. All 300+ freed mermaid slaves were loaded onto his ship, and with Mero and Lenny accompanying him, Claudius set sail for Sabaody Archipelago. Once there, he planned to have his massive flagship, the Prometheus, coated, a task that would take at least a week given its size.
But Claudius wasn't one to sit idle. During that week, he intended to get a few things done. First, he'd send word to Fish-Man Island, letting them know to prepare for his arrival. Second, he would oversee a joint operation between CP-X and Marine Headquarters to clean up Sabaody Archipelago. The normally chaotic island was about to become a war zone.
Back in Mariejois, inside the grand offices of the Five Elders, a pile of complaints sat on their table, and none of them were laughing.
The pile was made up entirely of letters from furious Celestial Dragons, all directed at Claudius. The grievances were identical: accusing Claudius of raiding their homes, stealing their slaves, and even taking their rare treasures.
Of course, Claudius denied everything. "What nonsense," he'd say. "As an upper-tier Celestial Dragon, I have more wealth than any of you. Why would I stoop so low as to covet your measly possessions?"
The Bald Elder picked up one of the letters and shook his head. "Apparently, Claudius did agree to replace the gate at Rosward's estate, but what he installed instead was a giant iron wall that sealed them inside completely. They can't even leave their own house because he didn't bother leaving a keyhole."
"Hahahaha!" The Sword-Wielding Elder chuckled, tapping his sword's hilt. "That kid has really caused a stir. Mariejois has been in an uproar for days now. He's become the embodiment of chaos like a plague god come to life."
"And he refuses to admit he's taken anything from them," added the Blond Elder, shaking his head in exasperation.
The initial edict to free the mermaid slaves had been a relatively straightforward order, but Claudius had turned it into a full-blown spectacle, stirring up all of Mariejois. Now, not only the Celestial Dragons, but nearly everyone in Mariejois knew what he'd done.
News had spread that Saint Claudius had stormed through the Domain of the Gods, liberated over 300 mermaid slaves, and was now escorting them to Fish-Man Island.
Even the major slave traders in Mariejois, sensing which way the wind was blowing, had sent their remaining mermaid slaves to Claudius without waiting for him to demand them. They couldn't afford to provoke someone who dared to disrespect even other Celestial Dragons.
In the past, Claudius had a decent reputation in Mariejois. While he was known to be eccentric, people didn't see him as a threat. But now? His actions had cemented him as someone no one wanted to cross.
By the time he left for Sabaody Archipelago, his new reputation as "Mariejois' Demon King" was solidified. Even the Five Elders, sitting amidst piles of complaints, couldn't deny that Claudius had lived up to his title.
"How should we handle this?" asked the Bearded Elder with a small grin.
"Well," the Bald Elder began, "it's not like Claudius is doing this for himself. He's carrying out an important task for us. No matter how messy this has become, he acted without hesitation showing us his loyalty in the process. We can't let him feel abandoned now."
The Bald Elder's tone was protective, and his fondness for Claudius was evident. Truthfully, the more he watched Claudius, the more he appreciated him. In fact, he'd even started entertaining the thought of arranging a marriage between Claudius and his granddaughter. After all, Claudius wasn't just competent he was reliable, resourceful, and carried himself like a leader.
But for now, those musings were set aside.
The Curly-Haired Elder frowned and rubbed his chin. "Still, he's a bit too arrogant. If this continues, the grievances in Mariejois will grow too large to ignore. We need to rein him in just a little."
The Bald Elder nodded thoughtfully. "That's fair. We need to address the optics. Perhaps something symbolic to appease the others."
"Let's fine him," the Blond Elder suggested after a moment. "Five hundred million berries."
The Bald Elder considered the figure and then nodded. "Alright, five hundred million it is."
On the surface, it sounded like a significant punishment, but in reality, it was little more than a slap on the wrist. The annual funds allocated to Claudius by the World Government were well beyond that amount, not to mention the wealth he'd accumulated through other ventures.
And after ransacking the Celestial Dragons' estates during his "operation," Claudius had likely pocketed a sum well exceeding two billion berries. Losing five hundred million would hardly faze him.
With the matter settled, the conversation shifted.
"So, what's he up to on Sabaody Archipelago?" asked the Blond Elder.
"Causing even more trouble than he did in Mariejois," the Bald Elder replied, pulling out two files from the stack of reports. He opened them and placed them on the table for the others to see.
The top report was accompanied by a gruesome photograph: a pyramid of severed human heads. In the underworld, such displays were referred to as skull towers, used to terrify and suppress opposition.
"Killing," murmured the Blond Elder, raising an eyebrow.
"Indeed," the Bald Elder confirmed. "Claudius cleaned out the slave trade on Sabaody Archipelago. Every slave trader there has been executed, their heads piled up in the lawless zone as a warning. Even a number of pirates got caught up in the purge. The message is clear, and the results have been effective."
"Violent, but efficient," the Sword-Wielding Elder noted, leaning back in his chair. "It seems Claudius' methods are already producing results."
"Ultimately, it's just some scum getting what they deserve," the Bald Elder said. "And beyond eliminating the slave trade, this sends a strong message. Whether it's Mariejois or Sabaody Archipelago, the World Government's sincerity toward Fish-Man Island is on full display. Claudius' actions speak for themselves."
Indeed, Claudius' over-the-top antics weren't just about theatrics they were calculated. By raising such a commotion, he demonstrated the World Government's commitment to improving relations with Fish-Man Island. The more chaos he caused, the more weight his negotiations would carry.
For the Five Elders, this was all part of the plan.
"Think about it," the Bald Elder said. "For Fish-Man Island, Claudius went as far as offending the entire Celestial Dragon community in Mariejois. He left Sabaody Archipelago soaked in blood with over two thousand heads on display. If that's not sincerity, what is?
"If they still hesitate or try to push back, they're only making things harder for Claudius. And do you think someone with the title of 'Mariejois' Demon King' will let himself be embarrassed on Fish-Man Island? I'd love to see them try."
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