Sakazuki and Michael chatted for a long time in the hospital room—so long that Gion and Stella began to wonder if there was something going on between them.
Just as Gion was growing impatient and about to eavesdrop on their conversation, the door suddenly swung open.
Sakazuki stepped out with his usual expression, a large cigar clenched in his mouth, and behind him came Michael's furious voice:
"You do realize I'm a patient, right?! Who the hell smokes inside a hospital room, you bastard?!"
Sakazuki didn't respond and walked out of the hospital on his own.
Gion gave a deep look at the back of Sakazuki, then stepped into the hospital room.
Michael was cursing under his breath while waving the smoke away with his hand.
"What did you two… talk about?"
"What did we talk about?" Michael looked up and smiled gently. "Just got a sense of each other's future career paths, I guess."
Before Gion could ask any more questions, Michael got down from the hospital bed.
"By the way, that Celestial Dragon I rescued—where is he?"
"He's in the top-floor intensive care ward… but what do you plan to do?" Gion frowned. "Don't you hate Celestial Dragons the most? You even…"
"Wish you could kill them on sight and be done with it"—that second half, Gion didn't say aloud.
After all, CP9 agents were all over the hospital now.
The first half might not get blown out of proportion—since no one besides the Celestial Dragons themselves actually liked them.
But the second half? That was outright heresy.
Even a Vice Admiral or Rear Admiral who said something like that would be in serious trouble.
"Just like I once said..."
"For the sake of my goals, even if I have to sit at the same table and toast with my enemies, I will not hesitate."
With that, Michael headed toward the intensive care ward at the top floor.
...
Along the way, CP9 agents constantly appeared to confirm his identity.
But given that he had rescued the only surviving Celestial Dragon right in front of everyone, he encountered very little resistance on the way up.
When he reached the top floor, he happened to run into a doctor walking out, sighing.
"How's the situation?"
"Sigh… absolutely no response at all." The doctor glanced at Michael and shook his head. "Doesn't respond to food, doesn't react to conversation, barely even blinks."
"But I did notice—when he heard your name, his ears twitched slightly."
Michael understood immediately.
He stepped past the doctor and pushed open the door to the intensive care ward.
Inside the room sat a chubby, childlike Celestial Dragon on the hospital bed.
He was wearing a tattered but comically astronaut-like outfit.
Nearby, several CP9 agents paced in frustration.
Just as they were about to scold Michael for barging in uninvited, one of the informed agents quickly stopped them.
He had been among those searching at the coast—he had personally witnessed Michael rescuing the Celestial Dragon and then being seriously injured by Rayleigh's kick.
So he wasn't surprised to see Michael here—if anything, he felt strangely relieved.
Even though this recently promoted Rear Admiral had a terrible reputation among the Celestial Dragons, the agent didn't care about that anymore.
He quickly stepped forward and bowed slightly to Michael.
"Rear Admiral Michael, thank you for your efforts."
"Mm. It's not about effort—it's just a hard life." Michael waved it off indifferently, then asked,
"How's he doing? Still no reaction?"
"Yeah… still the same."
The CP9 member sighed and looked back—only to be completely stunned by what he saw.
Apparently having heard Michael's voice, Charlos actually turned his head to look in their direction.
That slight movement nearly made the CP9 agents burst into tears.
The mission was finally saved!
"Looks like Charlos only responds to me, huh?"
Michael nodded at the CP9 agents and said:
"Why don't you all step out for now and let me take a look? Maybe there's still hope for Charlos."
"...Alright! Then we'll leave everything to you, Rear Admiral Michael!"
These agents weren't exactly known for their sense of duty—under the tyranny of the Celestial Dragons, preserving their own lives was the ultimate truth.
So after Michael spoke, no one objected—in fact, they all rushed out one after the other.
That was exactly why Michael disliked the CP organization.
This group of spies was destined to be someone else's subordinates, never to achieve anything themselves.
"Charlos… do you remember who I am?"
As Michael spoke, his Holy Light radiated onto Charlos.
The moment the Holy Light touched the Celestial Dragon, Charlos suddenly shuddered, and life slowly returned to his eyes.
After witnessing the massacre of the Celestial Dragons by three powerful figures, Charlos had fallen into a near-vegetative state.
But now, he finally snapped out of it.
The look he gave Michael gradually shifted—from confusion… to realization…
Then transformed into fanaticism and worship.
"You… are my God! You're the deity who commands the light!"
"Aren't you Celestial Dragons always claiming you're the gods of this world?" Michael smiled. "How could a noble Celestial Dragon call me a god?"
"No! They don't understand anything!"
Charlos squeezed out a hysterical cry from his throat.
At the same time, he stumbled and fell off the hospital bed.
He lifted his head, his eyes still burning with fanaticism, and then—
His bloated body collapsed to the floor in a kneeling posture.
"My God, please accept my loyalty."
"Everything I have, I shall offer to You!"
Michael was stunned.
He knew the previous scene had definitely left a psychological scar on this Celestial Dragon.
But he never imagined it would drive someone as arrogant and self-important as a Celestial Dragon to kneel before a mere Rear Admiral.
And not just kneel—he even kowtowed several times with loud "thuds" against the floor.
"Very well, Charlos. Since you think I'm your god, then from now on, my orders… you'll absolutely obey them, right?"
"My Lord, of course I will obey you!"
Charlos lifted his head. All the hatred and resentment in his eyes had completely vanished.
In his gaze, Michael's figure only grew taller and more divine.
"Good. Remember what you said today."
Michael nodded and grabbed Charlos off the ground, tossing him back onto the bed.
When he opened the door, the CP9 agents immediately rushed in, dragging the doctor with them to check on Charlos again.
Michael didn't linger.
With a smile on his face, he left the room.
"The nail has been planted…"
"Now let's see when it will bear fruit."
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