"Remember now?" Kaito crouched down with a faint smile.
Karnos was silent for a long while. Regret washed over him. Why did I ever provoke this man? Had he minded his own business, none of this would have happened.
"What do you want?" he asked quietly.
"You're here because of the Celestial Dragons' deaths, aren't you?" Kaito asked, tilting his head.
"That's right! We were ordered to arrest that woman and hand her over to the nobles of Mariejois!" Karnos barked.
Kaito chuckled. "What a coincidence. You've offended me… so I'll cut off your heads and send them back to Mariejois myself."
At those words, Karnos didn't even flinch. There was no fear in his eyes—only a dull calmness, as if he had already accepted death.
"You have a grudge against the Holy Land? Why do this to us? Just because we attacked without reason?"
"No," Kaito said, shaking his head slowly. Then he grinned, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "Because that woman is my wife."
Karnos's eyes widened slightly in surprise—then the light faded from them completely.
After the battle ended, Kaito created two Shadow Clones. They carried the five CP0 corpses and threw them at the nearest Marine branch. Without another word, he turned toward where Kaguya was waiting. Even though he knew she was invincible, he still felt uneasy after the chaos she'd caused.
Marine Division – Temporary Command Office, Sabaody Archipelago
Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat stiffly at his desk, pulling out a special Den Den Mushi. He took a steadying breath before dialing.
"Hey! It's me, Sengoku," he said.
"Marshal Kong here," came a tired, gravelly voice from the other end. "What's going on, Sengoku? Did you settle the Akainu situation yet?"
Marshal Kong—once the Marine's Supreme Commander, now retired but still a powerful figure within the World Government.
"Marshal Kong, you must already be aware of the Celestial Dragon incident," Sengoku said, his tone heavy.
"I heard. Why didn't the Marines send an Admiral immediately?" Kong asked, suspicion in his voice.
Sengoku hesitated, feeling an odd shame rise in his chest. "We did…"
"Then what happened?" Kong pressed, his voice deepening.
"I sent Admiral Aokiji to apprehend the killer," Sengoku admitted. "But… she wasn't his match. Aokiji was captured alive. She called me just now—demanding ten billion Berries."
Kong's voice sharpened instantly. "Another ten billion?! Wasn't that the same ransom from the last incident with Kaito? No—wait, I thought the killer this time was a woman? Kaito's a man, isn't he?"
"Yes," Sengoku sighed. "The one who killed the Celestial Dragons was the woman, but she's also Kaito's wife."
Kong exploded. "You Marines just can't stop poking the hornet's nest, can you?! You finally cleared one mess and now you've gone and angered him again! If you can't handle it, send every Admiral and crush them! Stop causing so much trouble!"
Sengoku clenched his jaw, his beard trembling with frustration. "We didn't provoke them this time. We were ordered to clean up after the Celestial Dragons. This wasn't our call."
Kong paused, his voice suddenly grim. "Wait. You said that woman captured Aokiji?"
"Yes," Sengoku replied.
"Not good. The World Government already dispatched CP0 to arrest her. If she can take down an Admiral, those agents are walking to their deaths."
"I understand," Sengoku said, but before he could speak again, the Den Den Mushi clicked—Kong had already hung up.
At that moment, a Marine officer burst through the door. It was Weasel, looking pale.
"Marshal Sengoku! There's been an incident!"
"What is it?" Sengoku snapped. His patience was long gone.
"Someone just threw five corpses into the front yard of our branch!"
"Five corpses?" Sengoku froze, then his eyes went wide. "Take me there, now!"
Moments later, Sengoku stood before five bodies laid neatly in a row. His face darkened.
"It really is them…" he muttered.
He recognized the masks and uniforms instantly—elite members of CP0. As Fleet Admiral, he was well aware of every secret unit under the World Government, and he'd seen photos of these exact men.
"Handle the bodies carefully," Sengoku ordered coldly. After a moment, he added, "Do you know who threw them here?"
"It was Kaito," Weasel said immediately.
"I see."
Sengoku's eyes burned with fury, but his face remained stone-cold. Without another word, he turned and walked back toward his office.
When he arrived, Kong was already waiting.
"Sengoku! What the hell happened?!" Kong demanded. "Why did you rush off just now?"
"Someone dumped five corpses at our branch," Sengoku replied, his tone heavy. "And yes, they were CP0. You already know what that means."
Kong's face twisted in rage. "Do you know who's responsible?"
"Kaito," Sengoku said simply.
Kong slammed his fist on the table hard enough to splinter it. "Kaito again! Every time it's him! I'm giving you a direct order, Sengoku—capture Kaito at all costs! I don't care if you have to pay or bleed, he must not remain free! His existence is a stain on Marine honor!"
Sengoku straightened, his eyes firm. "I agree. I've already recalled Garp, and when Akainu recovers, Kizaru will return as well. When the time comes, we'll strike together."
Kong gave a short nod, though his expression remained grim.
"But before that," Sengoku continued awkwardly, "we'll need to… redeem Aokiji first."
Kong exhaled heavily. "Fine. I'll inform the Five Elders. Ten billion Berries will be delivered within three days."
"When Aokiji is returned," he added coldly, "I expect Kaito captured immediately."
"Understood, Marshal Kong."
Three days passed like flowing water.
Sabaody Archipelago – Marine Division Headquarters
Inside the main hall, Sengoku stood surrounded by his highest-ranking officers—Kizaru, Akainu, Garp, Momousagi, and other elite generals. The air was thick with tension.
This was the most powerful assembly of Marines in recent history. Sengoku's eyes swept across them, his face solemn.
"You all know why I've gathered you," he said. "I believe you've already guessed."
He paused, letting the silence sink in before continuing. "We are going to arrest Ayanami Kaito and bring him to justice!"
Murmurs spread through the hall. Sengoku raised his hand, cutting them off.
"First Akainu, and now Aokiji! This man has humiliated the Marines twice! Such defiance cannot be tolerated."
Akainu clenched his fists, his body radiating...
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