Chapter 404: Roy Appears!
Chapter 404: Roy Appears!
Meanwhile, within the holy land of Marijoa...
"What!?"
"Findus was killed!?"
Mars nearly dropped the report in his hands. His eyes widened in disbelief. Findus had been one of them for less than a year—perhaps the shortest tenure in the centuries-long history of their order.
More than the shock of his death was the manner of it. Mars knew Findus’s strength intimately. The man had been the most successful subject of their experiments, a Five Elder molded with inhuman power. For six months, Findus had carefully arranged his plan with the Navy, laying the groundwork for a decisive takeover.
By timing, he should have arrived at Marine Headquarters only by noon. Yet before evening fell, Morgans was already broadcasting his death to the world.
Mars felt his stomach twist. "Impossible..." he muttered.
The Den Den Mushi crackled. Morgans’s voice, insufferably smug, echoed through the line.
"I’ve recorded the video and sent it over. Quite the story, don’t you think? And I imagine this piece of news is worth a small fortune. About time to settle the bill."
Mars barely listened to his greed. His mind was already racing. Still, he forced out a clipped answer and ordered an aide to handle Morgans’s demands. For now, money meant nothing compared to the storm that was brewing.
He hurried through the gilded halls, clutching the recording shell, and soon found the other Elders—Warcury, Ethanbaron, and Peter.
"Findus was killed," Mars said bluntly, his tone clipped and heavy.
"What?"
"Was it the Dragon Hunter Pirates?" Warcury asked immediately. Of all the factions on the seas, only they had the raw audacity to strike down a Elder so swiftly.
But Mars shook his head bitterly. "No. It was the Marines."
The others stiffened. Marines killing an Elder? That was unheard of. Yet Mars had seen the footage with his own eyes.
Most of the officers who struck Findus down were unfamiliar faces, their power entirely unexpected. The only recognizable figure was Sakazuki. Even after Findus unleashed his altered form, he was beaten—no, humiliated.
Peter frowned. "But wasn’t Findus only supposed to discipline the Navy? His plan had a high chance of success. How could it collapse like this?"
Mars wordlessly handed over the video shell. They watched the moment replayed in the still air: Findus standing arrogantly before the assembled navy, his voice dripping with contempt.
"Hahahaha... Sakazuki, you didn’t think I came here unprepared, did you? The Navy—we only wish to grant you the honor of serving as Celestial Dragons’... no, the chance to become their dogs. Since you refuse... prepare to die!"
The recording fizzled.
Peter’s hands clenched. His expression was filled with fury, but also humiliation. "Idiot," he spat. "Even if the World Government views them that way, how could he declare it so openly? No one would accept such an insult—not even the meekest officer. And Sakazuki is no meek man."
Topman nodded grimly. "With those words, he signed his own death."
Mars exhaled, shoulders sagging. "We must inform Lord Im."
The four Elders moved swiftly to the secluded garden. Among the rare blossoms and trimmed hedges, Im knelt with watering can in hand, tending flowers as if nothing in the world could disturb her.
She looked up as they approached, her eyes narrowing. "What is it?" she asked calmly. "The World Government has made no major moves lately. Did the Dragon Hunters strike again?"
Her intuition was razor-sharp. Even before hearing details, she suspected Ryuunosuke’s crew.
"Findus is dead," Mars reported grimly. "Killed... by the Navy." He handed over the recording.
Im watched in silence. When the scene ended, her expression darkened.
Findus had been their most successful experiment—retaining his will and emotions despite his enhancements. Im had promoted him to Elder to test his integration, hoping he might be the first step in mass production.
But the video revealed his fatal flaw. He had allowed arrogance to cloud judgment, spitting words that sealed his doom.
Was the experiment still unstable? Im thought coldly. Perhaps human will cannot be bound so neatly.
Then her gaze sharpened at another detail. Meliodas’s form—his markings, his aura. The resemblance to them was unmistakable. But why would such a being fight against Findus?
"Is the body gone?"
A cold voice cut through the garden.
From among the flowers, a tall figure emerged. His presence sent shivers through the Elders. His eyes were void of warmth, his expression unreadable.
"Yes," Im replied quietly. "Completely destroyed. Not even the core escaped." She handed him the shell.
"Lord Roy," the Elders whispered, and immediately dropped to their knees.
Compared to Im, Roy terrified them more. He was not human—at least, not in any way they understood. He had not aged a day since they first saw him, decades ago. His power was immeasurable, his will absolute.
"I see." Roy’s tone was flat, as if discussing the weather. "Let him reform. As for you... handle the navy’s situation as best you can. If it proves too difficult, abandon it. Our priorities lie elsewhere. Silence the nobles if they grow restless."
His words carried no emotion, yet they pressed down heavier than steel. Then, without fanfare, he vanished, leaving only the faint stir of petals in his wake.
It was as though his appearance had been nothing more than a passing inspection.
The Elders bowed deeply, shaken but obedient.
"Do as Lord Roy commands," Im said softly, setting the watering can back to the soil. Her focus returned to the flowers, as though none of it mattered.
The Elders bowed once more and withdrew, relief washing over them now that Roy’s gaze was gone.
But in truth, Roy had never left. A moment later, he reappeared behind Im, his eyes narrowed in thought.
"The ones who fought Findus... they were Dragon Hunters," he murmured. "That much is certain. Their strength, their timing—it cannot be coincidence."
He clasped his hands behind his back. "For now, leave the navy entangled with them. Don’t bind them too tightly, but don’t indulge them either. They may be the key this time. Pieces on the board that can serve their purpose."
His lips curved into the faintest trace of amusement.
Im looked up, hesitant. "And what of Sevian and the others? They won’t wait much longer. Jeff has already sent Sevian to find Kai."
Roy’s eyes glimmered faintly at the name. "Kai..." He let the syllables linger, tasting them. Then a smile—not warm, but sharp—crossed his face.
"It seems this game grows more interesting by the day."
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