Of course, Orion didn't discovered Rayleigh presence since the beginning.
When he stepped out of the cabin onto the deck, he simply wanted to use his Observation Haki to cover the entire island and get a sense of the situation.
He didn't expect to find Rayleigh, the former right-hand man of the Pirate King, amidst the vast sea of voices. Naturally, he could have ignored Rayleigh presence, as the current Rayleigh posed no threat to him.
The reason he chose to communicate with Rayleigh through Observation Haki was that he felt it necessary to interact with the legendary Dark King and observe his reaction.
Everything went as he had anticipated. Rayleigh, who had not only been discovered but also had his true identity revealed by Orion, wore an expression of shock and disbelief.
Before Rayleigh could recover, Orion voice echoed in his mind once more.
"Once this matter is settled, I'll make time to visit the Rip-Off Bar run by the former Empress of Amazon Lily, Shakky. As a well-informed individual, she might be of some help to me."
Once again, Orion deep knowledge of Shakky identity and background sent waves of shock through Rayleigh heart. After a brief moment of astonishment, Rayleigh suddenly shook his head and laughed.
"What a terrifying young man. Is this a warning to me?"
Rayleigh didn't leave.
Since he had already been discovered by Orion, he no longer hid in the shadows. He stepped into the sunlight and gazed at the figure standing on the warship's deck from afar, using his Observation Haki to send a message.
"I hope your journey goes smoothly, Fleet Admiral, Orion!"
On the deck, a faint smile appeared on Orion lips. He ceased his interaction with Rayleigh and decisively stepped forward.
As soon as Orion disembarked from the warship, the naval soldiers waiting on the shore, along with Vice Admirals Strawberry and Bastille, immediately saluted and shouted in unison.
"LOYALTY!"
At the same time, Gion also took off the famous sword Konpira from her waist, holding it in both hands, and stepped forward with a bow.
"Marshal."
"Huh?" Orion blinked, puzzled. "Gion, what are you doing?"
Gion maintained her bowing posture, her expression serious.
"Marshal, if you don't have a sword at your side, you'll lack some of that commanding presence." With that, Gion raised Konpira high above her head and offered it to Orion.
Seeing this, the three Admirals standing opposite Gion also lowered their heads, clearly hoping that Orion would carry the sword.
Orion didn't hesitate, casually taking Konpira and attaching it to his waist. With one hand resting on the hilt, he walked past Gion and the three Admirals.
As soon as Orion stepped forward, Gion immediately followed, with the three Admirals close behind.
Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr, who were the last to step off the deck, witnessed this scene and couldn't help but smile.
Especially Zephyr, whose eyes inexplicably welled up with moisture as he watched Orion, surrounded by the three Admirals and Gion, head toward the elevator leading to the Holy Land.
He never expected that what he had wanted to do but never dared to over the years would be accomplished so decisively by his student, Orion. He believed that under Orion leadership, the Navy would undergo a complete transformation, becoming a truly just force.
From a distance, Rayleigh was once again struck by the sight of Orion, who had taken the longsword from Gion and walked out with an air of confidence.
A Vice Admiral offering a sword, the three Admirals bowing their heads.
Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr standing behind.
A supernova unique to the Navy was rising.
At this moment, Rayleigh felt as if he was witnessing the dawn of a new era unfolding before his eyes.
...
Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
The staff who had learned through the elevator that Orion and his party had arrived at the port didn't dare to delay. They immediately headed to the entrance with several members of the God Knights.
When they arrived at the entrance, a familiar figure was already waiting there.
"Shamrock?" The staff member spoke in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
The man standing at the entrance was none other than Shamrock, the eldest son of Figarland Garling, the leader of the God Knights. Unlike the staff and other members of the God Knights, Shamrock, though also cloaked in black, wore a hooded cloak different from theirs.
If the strong figures of the Grand Line were to see the face beneath that hood, they would surely be shocked. Because Shamrock bore an uncanny resemblance to Shanks, who had just become one of the Four Emperors after conquering the New World.
Shamrock gaze remained fixed on the elevator opposite as he said calmly.
"I am also a member of the God Knights."
"You shouldn't be appearing at this time!" The staff member frowned, her voice grave.
"Accompanying Orion to the Holy Land are not just Gion, but also the three Admirals, Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr. If they see your face..."
"Do you think we still have many secrets left?" Before the staff member could finish, Shamrock suddenly interrupted.
"Even the existence of Im-sama is no longer a secret. How important is my identity to them?"
Hearing this, the staff member said no more, turning to stand beside Shamrock and looking toward the elevator. Watching the slowly operating elevator, Gunko suddenly felt a wave of tension, and her breathing became somewhat rapid.
Noticing Gunko unusual state, Shamrock slightly furrowed his brows and tilted his head, asking.
"Are you nervous?"
Gunko nodded somewhat awkwardly, her expression grave. "You should know what I fear the most!"
"They're almost here!" The long-haired woman standing beside Gunko suddenly looked up, her gaze fixed ahead as if facing a formidable enemy.
Soon, the elevator ascended and came to a steady stop at the entrance.
Immediately after, Gion and the three Admirals stepped out of the elevator ahead of Orion, then took their positions on either side.
Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr were about to follow when they caught a glimpse of Shamrock standing beside Gunko and froze in place.
"Sha... Shanks?"
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Garp was the first to snap out of it. In the next second, he clenched his fists and stormed out of the elevator, roaring at Shamrock.
"You bastard! Don't think I wouldn't recognize you just because you're wearing a hood! Corrupting my grandson is one thing, but you dare come to the Holy Land!"
"Garp!" As if anticipating Garp reaction, Sengoku quickly interjected.
"Don't act rashly. He's not Shanks!"
"??????"
Garp tilted his head, looking at Sengoku in confusion.
Sengoku didn't explain further. He had never seen Shamrock before, but his instincts told him that this man was not the captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, who had recently made his presence known in the New World.
Of course, whether this man was Shanks or not didn't matter. Because compared to the feud between Garp and Shanks, Sengoku was more interested in meeting Im, the one who had been pulling the strings behind the World Government for years.
The three Admirals and Gion also noticed Shamrock, and they too were surprised by his appearance. However, their surprise was limited. After all, with the World Government cloning technology, creating a replica of someone wasn't difficult.
At that moment, Orion also stepped out of the elevator. With a warm smile, he explained to Garp.
"Sengoku is right. This man isn't Shanks. He's Shanks' twin brother, Stinks."
"Stinks... Stinks?" Almost simultaneously, Gunko, Shamrock, and the long-haired woman beside them widened their eyes in shock.
Clearly, as Shamrock had suspected, Orion knew about Im existence and naturally about his identity.
But, but—
What the hell is Stinks?
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