"Yo, Rowen, what a coincidence, huh?" Kizaru accelerated, closing the gap with the streak of lightning ahead, and raised a hand in a casual greeting.
"Yeah, what a coincidence… You guys were chasing Poseidon, right?"
Through the Heavenly Network, Rowen had already sensed the Pluton and the familiar faces on its deck. But there were priorities. Compared to the Holy Land being suddenly attacked, Poseidon could wait. Since Akainu wasn't fighting with Zero and the others, Rowen knew his involvement, or lack thereof, wouldn't change much for the moment.
Kizaru nodded. "Yeah. The army of Sea Kings she summoned was overwhelmed by Pluton's cannon fire; she had no choice but to flee."
Then, with that usual lazy drawl of his, he added, "But you, huh? When did you get your hands on something that dangerous?"
Shua!
Rowen abruptly stopped mid-flight. Thunderlight scattered around him like fragments of stars, leaving colorful streaks as the lightning's inertia faded.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Rowen looked expressionlessly at the golden glow hovering a kilometer away. "Are you questioning me, Admiral Kizaru?"
Among the three former Admirals, Kizaru had always been the one most closely tied to the Holy Land's upper hierarchy, a fact Rowen had never forgotten. Now that the flames of war had reached the Holy Land, and with Orrick's methods guaranteeing disaster there, Rowen no longer needed to hold back. It was time to show his cards.
"Hey now, don't give me that scary look," Kizaru said lazily, shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm just… doing my job. You know, paid work."
He sighed theatrically.
"Think about it, after Dragon's betrayal, even Sengoku-san lost his composure. You really think the Five Elders just forgot about it overnight?"
"Having someone like me, a so-called double agent, around actually makes everyone sleep a little easier."
And that much was true. Dragon's betrayal had left a deep scar in Sengoku's heart and in the Marines as a whole, making the Five Elders utterly paranoid, terrified there'd be another like him. So when Kizaru accepted the Five Elders' "goodwill" and acted as their messenger, it reassured both sides: The Marines weren't plotting rebellion, and the Five Elders could breathe easier.
"…Then what about now?" Rowen's eyes narrowed, the pressure of his killing intent spreading like invisible thunder. "Whose side are you on?"
The suffocating aura made goosebumps rise along Kizaru's arm. After all, among all Devil Fruits, the Glint-Glint Fruit user's greatest natural rival was the Thunder-Thunder Fruit user. Their speeds matched perfectly, and both had the best chance of killing the other.
But Kizaru didn't flinch. His usual sleazy grin faded slightly, replaced by a rare look of seriousness.
"You already know my answer… Soryu (Azure Dragon)."
He would never pick a side.
Unlike others in the Marines, Kizaru lived only for himself. He hated trouble above all else, and choosing a side was nothing but trouble. Even if he did pick one, he'd just slack off anyway, his presence or absence made no difference.
Kizaru was the kind of man who only ever stood with the winner. It didn't matter who that was, or whether he'd gain anything from it. That was what made him dangerous… and free.
No grand ambition. No lofty ideals. No desire to change the world. He just wanted to live peacefully, clock in for work, collect his pay, and maybe enjoy a few privileges along the way.
Men like him existed all over the seas. But what set Kizaru apart was that, even with the power to shake the world itself, he still clung to that same small-man's mindset.
That was Kizaru.
Under Rowen's sharp gaze, the corners of his lips finally lifted. Kizaru exhaled, a visible sign of relief.
"The Holy Land's under full-scale attack. Besides the expected Kaido, even the Pacifista units have gone berserk and started massacring everyone. I'm guessing Orrick's already infiltrated too."
He shifted topics. "Vegapunk has likely defected. As the Supreme Commander of the Scientific Force, can you track him down and stop the assault?"
"Probably…" Kizaru chuckled softly, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Luckily, I always keep a few notes on where his research bases are located."
Hating trouble didn't mean he was careless. As head of the Scientific Force, it would've been idiotic to have a subordinate like Vegapunk, who could vanish at will, operating without any oversight. Over the years, drifting between Marine HQ and the Holy Land, Kizaru had quietly mapped out the locations of several of Vegapunk's hidden labs through supply-line records and transport logs.
"Then he's yours to handle… Good luck."
Rowen nodded in satisfaction. In the next instant, his form burst apart into a surge of blue lightning, vanishing into the clouds above, headed for the heart of the chaos.
Left alone, Kizaru's expression slowly melted back into his usual, lazy grin.
"Catching Vegapunk, huh…? Easy enough job."
Compared to the scheming and treachery unfolding at the Holy Land, this assignment was practically a vacation.
…
Holy Land, Mary Geoise, The Room of Flowers.
Moonlight streamed through the veiled windows, illuminating the lush greenhouse. The shadows cast upon the walls made the greenery seem strange, alive, whispering, almost malicious.
Pa-da… pa-da…
The sound of measured footsteps echoed through the empty hall. Orrick and Vic walked side by side, cautiously approaching the door to the inner chamber.
"To invite us in, yet not show yourself… Is this your idea of hospitality, Lord Imu?"
Orrick spoke casually, exchanging a glance with Vic. Then, without warning, both raised their fists,
BANG!!
The heavy double doors exploded into a cloud of splinters. The two figures shot forward through the smoke and debris, bursting into the chamber beyond.
But what greeted them was nothing.
The room was empty.
The only living being (?) in the room was a pink flamingo doll locked inside a birdcage. Its human-like wings gripped the bars as it looked at them with pleading eyes.
"Hey! You finally decided to go after him, huh? Let me out! I can help you!"
"Cut the crap, where is he?!"
Vic had a vague, gnawing dread. Half an hour ago, he'd received a message from Imu and came straight to the door. In that time, since his quarters were on the outer edge of the Room of Flowers, he hadn't actually seen Imu himself, and now, something was clearly very wrong.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him for three days," The flamingo replied, spreading its hands helplessly.
Hearing this, Vic's expression darkened.
"Impossible! I've been serving at his side every day!"
If the flamingo hadn't seen Imu for three days… then who had he been seeing?
At that moment, a familiar voice echoed from deep within the room. The door leading to the ancient ruins creaked open, and Im stepped out calmly.
"In truth, you're both right," he said. "In his eyes, I've been gone for three days. In your eyes, I've been here every day. As for why that is… you, of all people, should understand."
Following his gaze, Orrick's expression turned grim.
"No wonder something always felt off… so that's what it was?"
"What do you mean? What are you two talking about?" Vic frowned, his voice dangerously low.
Orrick shook his head, no need to speak. What was there to say… to a dead man?
"Enough with your tricks!"
Vic's face tightened, but once the arrow was drawn, it had to be loosed. He clenched his fist and leapt forward. Their coordination was instinctive, he trusted Orrick to know what to do. This was what the Nibelung Family had been preparing for… for decades.
"You're too weak to fight anyone now, Lord Imu! Now, pay for everything you've done!"
With a roar, Vic dove from above, slamming his fist down.
BOOM!!
The strike shattered the entire living chamber, a thunderous explosion of dust and debris.
But in the heart of it all, Vic's face twisted, shock and terror flooding his eyes.
"Impossible… this can't be happening!"
He turned, staring at his arm, his fist had passed straight through Imu's body, as though through a ghost.
"Have you lost your mind?!"
"Not me… him."
Orrick's expression hardened, looking at Vic as one would look at a corpse.
"You've already fallen under his Fruit ability. You just didn't realize it."
As if to confirm Orrick's words, Vic suddenly felt his entire body stiffen, his movements no longer his own.
Creak… creak…
His head, which had already turned to the side, made a sickening cracking sound. Without turning back, it continued rotating in the same direction, slowly… unnaturally.
"I… guh!"
Without any external force, his neck twisted in a grotesque, impossible motion. Blood streamed from his eyes and ears, his entire face contorted in horror and pain as he spat blood.
Creak! Crack!
With a final sharp snap, his head completed a full 360° rotation and returned to facing forward.
"Just as you said, I've grown too weak to fight others," Imu said calmly, his face wrinkled, skin shriveled and ancient, as if he might die any moment. "But tell me… how much strength does it take to crush an ant?"
His cold, ageless eyes gleamed with an eternal, unyielding light.
Weak or not… it all depends on who the opponent is.
(End of Chapter)
This novel is finished, and I have posted all the advanced chapters on my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395