The Attempted Murder of a Celestial Dragon

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Inside Pangaea Castle at the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the aftermath of a violent clash is visible: guards lie defeated and smoke rises through the hall. The chapter title appears: "Chapter 1084: The Attempted Murder of a Celestial Dragon." Someone shouts, "Who took out the guards?!" Sabo, panting, stands among the fallen guards and is recognized by a disguised Jewelry Bonney. She asks, "You're Sabo, right?" Sabo realizes who she is and says, "Jewelry Bonney?!" Bonney replies that she thinks they are both after the same thing, so they should skip the small talk. The page opens the chapter with Sabo and Bonney unexpectedly crossing paths inside the enemy's castle.

Bonney explains that the intruders broke into the guards' quarters and stole the slave collar keys. Sabo says he heard about Kuma having a daughter and that he has always kept tabs on Revolutionary Army activity. Bonney trusts him and says she will leave it to Sabo and the others to get her father's body to safety. Sabo contacts Karasu and confirms the mission: deliver the keys, tell Morley to get Kuma and the others, and return to headquarters as soon as they are free. Bonney asks what Sabo will do, and he says he will be right behind them after finishing his business. She says she is off to Egghead to see whether Vegapunk has a way to restore Kuma's mind, and if he cannot, she will confront him. As they part, they notice something unexpected nearby.

Sabo and Bonney hide above the corridor, noting that there seem to be fewer guards around. Sabo says they are too short-handed to cover a tower this big, but Bonney says Sabo can blame Kuma for that, adding, "I owe you one!" Below, the guards discuss what they saw: one swears they saw something, but another says the legendary phantom room is only a rumor and that they are talking nonsense. Bonney thanks Sabo and says Egghead is in the New World, while she is heading in the opposite direction. Sabo says they are both determined to save the same person, and Bonney promises to look after her father for him. Their brief alliance ends with mutual trust as they split up.

King Cobra of Arabasta appears before the Five Elders, who ask what he has come to ask. Cobra says he should perhaps begin from the beginning. He explains that the organization known as the World Government was founded 800 years ago when twenty different monarchs came together. Their families promptly moved to Mary Geoise to live as one clan, the ones responsible for creating the world. These founding families are known as the Celestial Dragons, and as such they have ruled over their creation ever since. Cobra frames his question through official history, addressing the highest rulers of the world while seated in his wheelchair before the towering chamber and the Empty Throne beyond.

Cobra continues explaining the World Government's founding structure. Internally, the twenty founders were considered equal, and to ensure no individual dictator would rise up from among them, they installed the Empty Throne. Each founder placed a weapon around the throne to symbolize their vow never to try to sit upon it. At the same time, new royal families were chosen to rule the nations left behind, and references to the previous dynasties were removed from those countries to make the transition smooth. Cobra then points out the exception: Queen Lili of House Nefertari. Though her name was immortalized among the founding twenty, she did not remain to become a Celestial Dragon; instead, she was supposed to return to Arabasta and continue ruling, which is why the Nefertari family still acts as sovereigns.

Cobra states that only nineteen weapons were ever placed around the Empty Throne. He says he has scoured all of his kingdom's ancient texts, and all known accounts after the Void Century have one thing in common: Queen Lili's name is not mentioned once. It appears Lili never made it home to Arabasta, and the burden of ruling the country fell to her younger brother. Cobra asks whether the Five Elders have any record of what became of her. The Elders listen in silence, giving nothing away, while Cobra's question cuts directly into the erased history surrounding the Nefertari family and the missing founder.

The Five Elders answer bluntly that 800 years is a very long time. They admit it is true that Queen Lili of the twenty families did not move to Mary Geoise, and that it was believed she returned to Arabasta afterward, but they claim not to know the details of her motives, journey, or fate. Cobra then says, "In that case... what is the meaning of 'D'?" The Elders immediately ask why he wants to know. Cobra reveals that the truth has been passed down from one generation to the next through a short letter penned by the queen. The revelation shocks the Elders: Lili left behind a message, and Cobra is using it to confront them directly.

At the public courtyard of Pangaea Castle, Saint Charlos has captured Shirahoshi again, riding on her back while she cries out in pain and asks for help. Charlos laughs, "Someone help me! It hurts!" and orders anyone who tries to stop him beaten, saying that if Shirahoshi keeps squirming, his servant Daddy should not hesitate. He says, "I've finally caught myself a giant mermaid!!" and promises, "I'm gonna ride you to town every single day!" Shirahoshi pleads, "No! Please, someone, anyone help me!" Ryuboshi and Manboshi prepare to act despite the danger, while others warn that they will doom their country. Rebecca and Sai notice the scene and rush in. Fukaboshi begs everyone to forgive them because they only looked away for a moment, and Big Brother Neptune urges the royal family to go home and never return to that rotten place.

Sai and Leo charge at Saint Charlos, cursing the Celestial Dragons. Charlos orders Kuma to do away with the small fry, calling Kuma "my invincible slave." Kuma prepares to attack, but Ryuboshi and Manboshi shout that they cannot stop now because it is too pitiful to see how far Kuma has fallen. Another onlooker says that if the princes are royalty, no one will complain if they bury Charlos in money because he is just a fish. The chaos builds as Sai and Leo commit to the assault, knowing they may be attacking a Celestial Dragon in public. The page shows both outrage over Charlos's cruelty and horror at Kuma being used as a weapon against those trying to save Shirahoshi.

Princess Rebecca recognizes Shirahoshi and says Charlos is the worst, while another notes that Rebecca is the baddie from before. Sai turns to Saint Mjosgard and asks, "Hey, Mjosgard, I can hit him, right?" Mjosgard answers, "By all means! I'll take full responsibility!" Fukaboshi tries to show royal restraint, but Mjosgard argues that escaping is easier for Sai and Leo because they do not have a country to think about. Charlos shouts that Mjosgard hit him earlier, and Mjosgard replies, "What's the difference, Mjosgard?" The page ends as Leo prepares "Ton-Tatta..." and Sai begins "Hasshoken Secret Art," setting up their combined strike against Charlos while witnesses scream that they are pirates.

Sai and Leo hit Saint Charlos with their combined techniques: "Drill Dragon Nail!!" and "Tail Hammer!!" The blow crushes Charlos into the ground with a massive impact. People scream that Sir Sai and Sir Leo must not do it because Charlos is a Celestial Dragon, while others shout that they have murdered a Celestial Dragon and that an admiral will surely show up. Charlos's body is flattened into a smashed crater-like shape as panic spreads across the public courtyard. The attack is the attempted murder named by the chapter title, and it shows Sai and Leo openly taking action where others are paralyzed by fear of the World Nobles.

In the aftermath, Kuma collapses while someone shouts, "Stop picking on Kuma-chaaaan!" Another says that Kuma does not have to listen to anyone's orders anymore and that it is okay. Morley arrives and tells Sabo that he has the keys, while the crowd panics over how a giant got into the courtyard and realizes Morley is a Revolutionary Army captain. Karasu tells Morley to head down, and Morley answers, "Okey-dokey!" A Celestial Dragon wails that people massacred his boy, and the chaos continues across Pangaea Castle. The page shows the Revolutionary Army's rescue plan converging with the Charlos incident: Kuma is freed from direct control, the keys are secured, and Morley begins extracting him.

Back in the audience chamber, a hidden Wapol watches from the wall and hears someone approaching. He sees a dark, crowned figure enter and realizes with horror that King Cobra is still present. The Five Elders look on as the figure is addressed as "Great Imu," and Cobra reacts in shock. Imu walks up the stairs toward the Empty Throne and speaks the name "Lili..." before sitting upon the throne without hesitation. The page ends the chapter with the impossible sight: the supposedly empty seat of world power has a hidden ruler, and Cobra has witnessed Imu taking the throne directly.

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