Stussy's eyes widened slightly as she tried to make out who the statue was meant to depict.
But the statue had only just been erected. Its form was rough, the features unfinished, with no clear facial details yet carved. There was no way for her to recognize it.
No matter how hard she thought, she couldn't recall any Celestial Dragon in Mary Geoise whose appearance matched this silhouette.
The nagging sense of familiarity—so strong yet impossible to place—left a tight, uneasy pressure in her chest.
She instinctively took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and kept climbing, one step at a time.
The giant statues on either side faded behind her as she ascended, pushing through the discomfort of feeling constantly watched by unseen CP agents. At last, she reached the summit of the Celestial Stairway.
Before her stood Pangaea Castle, solemn and imposing under its Baroque-style domed roof.
Watched by two rows of Holy Land guards in silver armor, Stussy stepped forward. Dressed in her white CP uniform skirt, she bowed slightly in front of the heavy doors of the Hall of Power and spoke with respect.
"CIPHER-POL-AIGIS-0 member Stussy, here to pay respects to the Five Elders."
After a few seconds of silence, a hoarse, aged voice responded from behind the door.
"Enter."
Creak... creak...
The massive doors slowly opened, revealing the same five aged figures that had once filled her with dread.
Stussy stood just outside, the blinding sunlight at her back.
Inside, the light grew dim, and the Five Elders sat like shadows hidden in the gloom. Their scrutinizing gazes bore into her, oppressive and piercing.
It felt like being stared at by five demons from the depths of hell.
Stussy paused for a brief moment, took a breath, and stepped inside.
"Five Elders."
As her eyes adjusted to the change in lighting, she noticed a slender figure seated on a leather sofa off to the side.
Blood-red crescent-shaped hair. A Western sword at his hip. A look of casual arrogance on his face.
The man set to become the next leader of the God's Knights sat there with one leg crossed, sipping hot tea, watching her with a faint smirk.
Stussy froze in surprise, hesitated, then gave a slight bow.
"Greetings, Figarland Garling-sama."
Figarland Garling took a light sip of his tea and smiled.
"No need to be so formal."
He gave her a slow once-over, then turned to the Five Elders with a grin.
"You old men have good taste. I didn't expect CP0 to have such 'excellent' talent."
He drew out the word "excellent" with exaggerated emphasis, clearly mocking.
Topman Warcury frowned.
Saint Nusjuro paused in the act of polishing his cursed blade, then resumed as though nothing had happened.
Saint Peter narrowed his eyes.
Saint Mars stood still, expressionless.
But it was Saint Saturn, his black flat cap casting a shadow over his cold gaze, who finally spoke.
"Even if you're about to become the leader of the God's Knights, don't get too carried away, Garling."
Figarland Garling shrugged with a grin.
"Didn't think you lot cared that much about this woman. I was even thinking of offering her the chance to become my wife…"
Stussy's pupils shrank.
But before she could react—
Shhhk!!
A razor-sharp crack tore through the air.
It was as if a Haki-coated Meito had slashed the atmosphere itself, sending a vicious gust screaming past.
Caught off guard, Stussy barely registered the flash before—
Clang!!
A deafening clash of metal rang out, and a burst of brilliant sparks lit up Figarland Garling-sama's devil-may-care smirk.
"Young people these days... so full of energy."
A smirk played at the corners of his mouth.
At some point, the Western sword marked with a griffin emblem had already been drawn. He held it one-handed, pressing the blade firmly against something invisible in the air.
Light flickered. Dust danced.
Stussy's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but exclaim,
"That's... the Ito Ito no Mi!?"
What Figarland Garling-sama had blocked was a thread—an invisible thread infused with Haki!
Where it passed, the Hall of Power looked like it had been sliced straight down the middle. Even the lavish marble floor now bore a razor-thin hairline crack.
"I didn't come all the way from the New World to this filthy place just to listen to your nonsense... especially not yours, Captain."
A cold, mocking voice slithered out from the shadows. Then, from the other side of the hall, a flamboyant figure with blond hair strutted out with swaggering arrogance.
Patterned capris, pointed shoes, a pink feathered coat, and over-the-top sunglasses.
His short platinum-blond hair gleamed like a crown of gold.
One hand in his pocket, the other casually pulling at something in midair as if tugging invisible strings, he sneered,
"This woman's my rival. I won't let you lay a finger on her."
"Oh? And why's that?"
Figarland Garling-sama chuckled, clearly amused.
Doflamingo let out a maniacal laugh.
"Fufufufu... because I want to be the one to kill her."
Figarland Garling-sama shrugged, his interest fading at once.
"Suit yourself."
The moment the words left his mouth, Stussy finally snapped out of her shock, blurting out,
"Doflamingo!?"
She stared at the golden-haired Celestial Dragon, completely stunned.
"What are you doing here!?"
Her mind spun in chaos.
Wasn't Doflamingo Daren-sama's godson?
Hadn't he been cast out of the Holy Land by the World Government and sworn vengeance against the Five Elders?
Then why was he now in the Hall of Power at Pangaea Castle!?
Could it be... was Doflamingo planning to betray Daren-sama—offering his loyalty as a way back into the Holy Land?
Countless thoughts raced through her head. As she stared at Doflamingo's mocking, defiant smirk, her heart sank.
"I'm a Celestial Dragon. Isn't it perfectly natural for me to be in the Holy Land?"
Glancing at the dumbfounded Stussy, Doflamingo gave a cruel chuckle.
"But I never expected the so-called Dark Emperor of the New World, the Queen of the Pleasure District... would turn out to be a high-ranking agent of the World Government."
"Fufufufu... no wonder you've been doing so well in the New World, Stussy."