Chapter 164: Palace Exodus Amidst the Collapse of God Valley

Inside the palace at God Valley.

“We’ve received Lord Karl’s orders—we need to evacuate immediately.” Jennifer hung up the Den Den Mushi and glanced over at White Tiger and Smith.

“It’s up to you now.” Smith wasted no time, turning White Tiger into a stone no bigger than a thumb.

Then Jennifer and Smith slipped straight into White Tiger’s body. “Hahaha, relax,” one of them chuckled.

White Tiger, seeing them enter, stretched out two tiny feet from the little stone.

With long strides, he hurried in the planned direction. Jennifer guided him from inside using the Log Pose.

Meanwhile, Smith was already sprawled atop a mountain of gold, letting out a booming laugh.

A nearby Fishman quickly brought over fine wine and food.

Though envy flickered in the Fishmen’s eyes, they managed to stay composed.

They knew all too well—the only reason they could walk openly through the New World now was because of Lord Karl. Over the years, Fishmen had tirelessly gathered sunken ships from the sea floor.

They’d seen treasure mountains like this before. Karl might make money fast, but he spent it even faster—a single research facility devoured hundreds of billions of Berries each year.

Let alone the ongoing four-year push to build up all fifty-six islands in the Sweets Sea.

Every year saw expenses in the hundreds of billions. By now, the islands, filled in where needed and built up relentlessly, were connected by marine railways mapped out by the research labs. The fifty-six islands were tightly linked.

To get from one island to another, you only needed to hop a sea train and you’d be there in just a few minutes.

Meanwhile, year after year, more slaves from around the world and war refugees poured in.

The population of the Sweets Sea had surged to over one hundred million.

Each island now housed around 1.7 or 1.8 million people.

White Tiger slipped carefully out of the palace. Right outside, pirates and guards were locked in fierce combat. They made sure not to get involved, picking a quieter route and hurrying toward the edge of the island. Their mission: get the gold and Devil Fruits off the island.

“Has the war really spread this far already?”

“Good thing we were quick to get ready,” someone said with relief.

Inside, Jennifer watched the chaos outside and let out a grateful sigh.

Smith came to the window too, taking in the scene. “Yeah, I can’t believe how quickly the flames of war reached us.”

“Is that… Lord Karl?” Jennifer suddenly exclaimed.

Even White Tiger froze mid-stride, turning his head toward that direction.

A crimson giant, hundreds of meters tall, battled figures darting through the sky—tiny by comparison.

“That’s got to be Lord Karl’s Titan Form. Didn’t expect we’d see it here.”

“Let’s move! If Lord Karl’s unleashed his Titan Form, things are about to get even rougher.”

White Tiger shuddered at that—he knew just how terrifying Karl was in his Titan Form. He picked up the pace, dashing for the island’s edge.

On the other side of the island, Karl was facing the first opponent he’d ever had to take seriously.

“Lightning Marsh!”

In the next instant, Karl shot into the sky. For almost ten kilometers in every direction, thunderous lightning turned the land below into a crackling marsh.

Bolts of plasma took shape and launched themselves at Woqiuli—Saint.

With the Five Elders entering the battle, three rushed to support Kong and Garp. Five surrounded Rocks, their attacks ferocious and relentless.

The other two appeared at Karl’s side and launched a furious assault.

“Raaaagh!” The sheer menace from the Lightning Marsh was palpable.

Peter—Saint instantly transformed into a poison dragon hundreds of meters long.

“A Mythical Zoan-type?”

Karl was taken aback; this poison dragon looked eerily similar to Kaido’s Blue Dragon Fruit form.

The poison dragon surged forward, coiling around Karl. The clash of their enormous bodies shook the whole island, splitting a chunk off the landmass.

“Kowa inai!” Borsalino floated midair, arms crossed, marveling at the distant battle.

At his feet lay Julian, clearly still unconscious.

Sakazuki surveyed the chaos on the island, growing ever more furious. “This isn’t what justice looks like!”

Years of brainwashing had drilled into everyone the lesson: Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.

The World Government was running out of time—with the people’s support gone, collapse was inevitable.

“Gravity Blade—Fierce Tiger!”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Following Borsalino’s lead, the Young Vanguard stormed into the island. They saw endless slaves and obscene extravagance.

With their Observation Haki, they even sensed the wails of countless slaves beneath their feet.

The scene before them filled them with rage, glaring at the Celestial Dragons scurrying everywhere.

“Ji hihihihi!”

“Shadow Giant!” To Kofi’s horror, a massive shadow giant appeared behind him and hammered him into the ground with a giant fist.

The newcomer was none other than the three-meter-tall Moria.

“Looks like everyone made it out in one piece.”

With Borsalino taking out Julian first, the rest—Sakazuki, Issho, Perospero, Katakuri, and Moria—quickly defeated the vice admirals before them.

“Now comes the treasure hunt!” Moria, for some reason a little greedy these days, dashed toward the opulent palace.

The others could only shake their heads with a wry smile and hurried after him, storming into the Celestial Dragons’ palace.

The battlefield was utter chaos now. The Navy couldn’t hold back the flood of pirates pouring into the island.

As more and more marines and guards fell, some pirates had already begun looting the Celestial Dragons’ palace.

“This pillar’s solid gold! Carry it out!”

“The floor’s gold too! Grab it!”

Pirates who’d rushed in drew their blades on each other, realizing the columns, floors, and even the rooms were all cast from gold. Their greed took over as the grand heist began.

As for the Celestial Dragons on the scene, hundreds were already dead or wounded.

At the outskirts of the battlefield, the Five Elders looked on helplessly as the Celestial Dragons kept falling. Karl and Rocks had all five of them completely tied down.

“You used this Devil Fruit to insult the dragon.”

Karl, steadying himself with his left hand, grabbed Peter by the dragon’s head and jeered.

To think someone would use a Mythical Zoan and treat it like a simple constrictor.

Putting such power in Celestial Dragons’ hands was a total waste.

“Damn you! How is this possible?”

“Why are you so strong?” Peter’s eyes widened in disbelief as Karl tore his massive body apart.

Karl just shrugged. “What else? You’re just too weak.”

In the next instant, Karl’s giant hands yanked open the poison dragon’s jaws, ripping it clean in two.

“N-no, stop!” Peter’s cry was cut off as his body split from his mouth down, torn apart.

Purple blood rained everywhere. Clouds of white vapor rose from the ground—clearly, the dragon’s blood was laced with deadly poison.

“Peter!”

Woqiuli could only cry out in shock.

He’d never imagined Peter would be torn in two after such a brief clash with Karl.

A flicker of horror crossed his face. Peter had always been the stronger of them.

“That just leaves you!”

“Today’s the day the Five Elders are erased!”

Hearing Karl’s words, Woqiuli snorted. “You think you can pull that off?”

The Five Elders were really just representatives from each Family, rotated every twenty years.

So as long as the Celestial Dragons survived, so would the Five Elders.