Chapter 410: Execution of the Five Elders

Watching Barzab Seven depart, the Five Elders felt a tangle of emotions, especially Satan, who found everything before him unreal to the point of illusion.

Counting on his fingers, Barzab Seven had been at sea for only seven short years.

Seven years were but an instant in history.

Yet Barzab Seven rose from a Morning Star Pirate Crew of merely two members, toppled the World Government, and finally crowned himself King of the Four Seas.

If seven years ago someone had told the Five Elders,

that the World Government, which had ruled for eight centuries, would be overthrown by a cook from Roger’s crew, the Five Elders would have laughed themselves into fits.

Jojyoi, Davy Jones, Roger, and Rocks all failed—yet they expected a cook to succeed?

Even jokes have limits.

But reality,

happened coldly and cruelly just like that.

Satan bitterly regretted not treating Barzab Seven better back then; if he could relive it, he would choose Barzab Seven!

Who could have imagined Barzab Seven could not only ignore Im’s demonic contract but also unite the Marines, the Revolutionary Army, the Four Emperors, and Roger’s remnants into one force?

Satan’s heart swelled with regret.

Yet when Satan saw Galing leaning against the prison railing, staring helplessly at Barzab Seven’s back, his mood instantly lifted.

“Stop staring, Galing.”

“As long as Shamrock stays faithfully by Barzab Seven’s side, the Fijalandu family won’t die out—unlike us...”

Hearing this, Galing straightened up.

“You five are going to die out?”

“Hahahaha.”

The Five Elders looked at Galing as if he were an idiot: “Have you forgotten that descendants of the Holy Land mixed with commoners are usually sent to the original kingdoms of the Twenty Kings?”

“We certainly have descendants too—just unable to continue enjoying wealth and glory.”

Teasing Galing was the Five Elders’ last pleasure.

Fortunately, Barzab Seven was merciful—he let Galing die with them, so even after death, they could still tease Galing.

Meanwhile, outside the Heavenly Prison,

Shamrock hesitated a moment, then revealed everything he knew about the whereabouts of the Holy Land’s non-pure-blood descendants to Barzab.

Since he had become Barzab Seven’s Guard Captain, he must sever all ties with his past to embrace true rebirth.

“Do they know their own identities?”

Shamrock shook his head.

“To ensure the purity of the Celestial Dragon bloodline, non-pure-blood descendants are sent to the original kingdoms of the Twenty Kings immediately after birth.”

“I see.” Barzab paused: “Since they never enjoyed the privileges of Celestial Dragons, they need not bear the responsibilities of Celestial Dragons.”

“Keep an eye on their movements—if those around them refuse to give up...”

Barzab left his words unfinished, but Shamrock understood the subtext.

If they behave, they may live out their lives in peace; if they dare entertain dangerous thoughts, it would fall to him, the Guard Captain, to act.

Or perhaps it would fall to the born killer.

“I’ll watch them constantly.”

“By the way.” Barzab suddenly remembered: “Tomorrow, take Junzi to Alabasta—there are her... family waiting for her.”

Junzi and Shamrock, though stripped of their Devil Fruit powers, were the only two surviving members of the Divine Knights not executed.

One was Shanks’s brother, the other Brook’s old acquaintance.

In the end, both were connections.

“Understood.” Shamrock nodded.

He understood: Barzab Seven did this to spare him from witnessing Galing’s public execution.

For the man who murdered his own mother, Shamrock felt only icy hatred—not a shred of pity.

The next day, noon, one day before the World Summit.

The sun blazed fiercely overhead, turning the Sky City into a dazzling, godlike realm.

The white ground reflected blinding golden light; towering spires pierced the clouds; a breeze stirred, yet failed to dispel the oppressive, deadly atmosphere.

A public execution destined to be recorded in history awaited the end of the old era.

Tenghu, Marine Admiral Sengoku, and Revolutionary Army leader Dragon jointly presided over the execution.

All members of the Morning Star Crew except Barzab, Marine hero Garp, and other high-ranking officers, Revolutionary Army cadres, Whitebeard’s remnants, Flying Sky Crew, and Beasts Crew were all present.

Kings attending the World Summit watched from the sidelines.

The execution platform stood at the center of the Holy Land’s square, towering before the viewing stands, directly facing global broadcast cameras.

The global broadcast was managed by Morgan, editor-in-chief of the United Kingdom People’s Daily.

On the viewing stand, Rayleigh and Xia Qi stood together, expressions stunned.

Whether by design or accident, the execution platform for the Five Elders was an exact replica of the platform where Roger was executed in Loguetown.

“Roger...”

At that moment, Rayleigh shared the same thought as nearly everyone on the sea: Roger was born too early.

If he had waited just seven more years,

he would have seen Barzab Seven, Roger’s successor, overthrow the World Government and crown himself King of the World.

But Roger never lived to see that day.

With the heavy clanking of chains, the Five Elders and Galing were dragged up.

The five had lost all their former dignity;

their once-world-controlling hands were bound tightly behind them with thick Sea-Prism Stone chains, their steps unsteady, their bodies hunched.

The weakness from yesterday’s draining of Devil Fruit power was made worse by the scorching sun.

Galing followed behind, equally disheveled, his arrogance vanished, replaced only by the pallor of mortal fear.

Galing did not want to die—he wanted to live.

But he saw neither Barzab Seven nor Shanks, nor even Shamrock.

To whom could he beg?

Would Marine Admiral Sengoku or Revolutionary Army leader Dragon relish the chance to pull the trigger themselves?

The six knelt on the execution platform, backs forced straight, facing the square, the countless broadcast lenses, the entire world.

Tenghu stepped forward, speaking slowly, deliberately.

His voice, amplified across the airwaves, echoed across heaven and earth, exposing the Five Elders’ and Galing’s centuries of crimes.

Including but not limited to:

Tolerating Celestial Dragons’ abuse of the masses, treating commoners like livestock, erasing the Void Century, manipulating governments, slaughtering dissenters, issuing Tsumi Reis, poisoning the Four Seas...

Tenghu spoke for a full half-hour.

Yet when he saw the thick dossier of crimes, he could only conclude: “Their sins are too numerous to record.”

“Execute!”

Six executioners stepped onto the platform, blades in hand. For the first time, the Five Elders showed a flicker of emotion.

Satan looked up at the sky—no fear in his eyes, only boundless absurdity and resentment.

They had ruled the world for eight hundred years, believing the World Government was heaven’s will—never defeated by Jojyoi, never bested by Nika—yet undone by a cook from Roger’s crew.

How humiliating.

The blades rose, glinting against the sun; they fell—not with earth-shattering roars, but only the sound of steel cutting flesh.

And the muffled gasps from the monarchs on the viewing stand as they watched the Five Elders’ heads roll.

The once-untouchable Five Elders had become sacrifices to the new order, under the gaze of all.

Did they still have a chance?