"Spandam! I told you to get me out of this hellhole—why did you bring me back here?"
Saint Charlos turned around in terror.
He stared at the island—once intact—now reduced to rubble.
His face went ghostly pale as he muttered in horror:
"I knew it… I knew that lunatic would be here. If I hadn't run fast enough, I'd be flying through the air again. I refuse to be the laughingstock of Mary Geoise a second time!"
He trembled with rage, remembering what happened at the Gates of Justice.
He'd expected that after such an outrage, the first thing he'd hear back in Mary Geoise would be that the new Admiral, Glutton Luo Yu, had been dismissed.
But day after day passed—and nothing.
Now, he'd nearly been launched again.
Looking back, his escape had been humiliating.
But Charlos still felt lucky.
Lucky to be so clever.
If he'd stayed behind like a fool, he'd have ended up like the auction house—flattened.
"That bastard… that damned bastard! How dare he treat a great Celestial Dragon like this? He deserves to die!"
Aramaki roared with fury.
He stormed up to Charlos, dropped to one knee, and declared:
"Lord Charlos, I am Aramaki, your loyal protector. That arrogant dog dared to harm you—I swear I'll kill him for you!"
As he spoke, a vine sprouted from his body and pierced into Charlos's chest.
Spandam's face twisted in panic.
He'd already caused enough disasters lately.
If something happened to Charlos right in front of him, he was as good as dead.
"Relax, CP0," Aramaki sneered.
"I'm not like those filthy lowlifes. I'd never harm a Celestial Dragon. Just watch."
A soft green glow spread across Charlos's body.
His bloodied, battered form began to heal—visibly, rapidly.
Spandam stared in shock.
Now he understood why the Five Elders had chosen Aramaki to deal with the new Admiral.
With healing powers like that, Aramaki already had the upper hand.
But then he remembered how every mission lately had spiraled out of control.
His face darkened.
"Heh… CP0, cat got your tongue?"
Aramaki retracted his vine and grinned.
"They say CP0 is the strongest intelligence force in the world government. I expected more."
"You can't even protect a Celestial Dragon. After this, I'll be recommending a leadership change to the Five Elders."
"Now, take Lord Charlos and sit with Fujitora. Watch how I deal with that arrogant Admiral."
"So… what do you think my chances are?"
Spandam blinked.
He looked at Aramaki's twisted grin, then at Fujitora calmly sipping sake nearby.
He was stunned.
He never imagined the Five Elders would deploy two Admiral-level forces just to deal with one man.
With both of them here, even a fool could guess the outcome.
"O-One hundred percent?"
Spandam answered hesitantly.
But as he glanced at Fujitora, still quietly drinking, unease crept in.
Ever since he'd met Luo Yu, he hadn't shaken the feeling of being a walking disaster magnet.
Even now, with Fujitora here, something felt… off.
"One hundred percent?"
Aramaki blinked, then grinned wider.
"Heh. The people always see the truth. Just a rookie, huh? I'll show you what it means to be unstoppable."
Spandam led Charlos to Fujitora's side.
Then he looked up—and saw a figure approaching, slow and steady, gourd in hand.
Luo Yu.
The man who haunted his nightmares.
Spandam's heart pounded harder.
He glanced around, suddenly paralyzed.
"So… you're the new Marine Admiral?"
Aramaki's voice turned cold.
"The one who dares defy the Celestial Dragons?"
"You filthy lowlife. Laying hands on a Celestial Dragon is an insult to the entire world."
"I'll give you a choice: do I drag you over in chains, or will you tie yourself up and come quietly?"
Luo Yu took a sip of his drink, amused.
"A choice? That's a first."
He hadn't expected Aramaki to show up here.
Raising his gourd, he smiled:
"Sorry, I don't usually let others give me options."
"As for the Celestial Dragon—of course I care. He's worth ten million Berries."
"So let me give you two choices instead."
"One: hand over the Celestial Dragon so I can report back to Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"Two: I take you and the Celestial Dragon back together."
"I'm off duty in three minutes. I'd like your answer now."
BOOM!
The ground trembled.
Massive tree roots burst from behind Aramaki, writhing in the air like tentacles.
His face twisted with rage.
The teacup in his hand shattered.
"You arrogant worm!"
"I was going to let you walk away with some dignity. But clearly, you don't understand the greatness of the Celestial Dragons."
"If you insist on being a lowlife—then don't blame me for what happens next."
"As long as I'm here, no one touches Lord Charlos!"
His roar was laced with fanatical devotion.
In that moment, Aramaki embodied the ultimate Celestial Dragon zealot.
But before he could say more, a trembling voice cut in:
"…Um, I'm a Celestial Dragon. Can I… run away again?"