After successfully slaying the mighty dragon, Gustave descended from the storm-torn sky, landing gracefully before the assembled Cassel Academy expedition. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, his faithful Belia mask—having endured the epic battle—finally succumbed to the accumulated stress. With a faint crackle, it shattered into pieces, scattering across the rain-soaked ground.
The mask had somehow held together through overwhelming force and thunderous impacts. Its destruction now revealed Gustave's naturally sunny and handsome face to the members of Cassel College for the first time.
Well, this is a bit awkward, Gustave thought, staring down at the broken fragments of his disguise.
"Actually," he announced, attempting a casual tone, "I should probably clarify that I'm not really Ultraman. My name is Gustave."
WE KNOW YOU'RE NOT THE REAL ULTRAMAN! was the collective thought screaming through the minds of every single person present.
Despite the sarcastic complaints raging in their hearts, they all maintained respectfully straight faces, pretending this was a groundbreaking revelation.
"Mr. Gustave," Principal Anjou finally said, breaking the surreal silence, "can you confirm that the second-generation specimen has been completely eliminated?"
"Don't worry, he's as dead as they come," Gustave replied matter-of-factly, gesturing with his thumb toward Ladon's massive corpse in the distance. "You can go collect the body for your research."
At this confirmation, Anjou signaled his personnel. The equipment department specialists surged forward with diagnostic instruments, verifying that all of Ladon's life functions had ceased. The moment they got the all-clear, the entire team swarmed the enormous carcass with the barely contained glee of scientists who had just won the lottery. A complete second-generation dragon corpse was perfect research material of incalculable value.
"Mr. Gustave, do you require medical assistance?" Anjou inquired with genuine concern, noting the various wounds covering Gustave's body.
"No need for that," Gustave replied with a dismissive wave. "But do you have any food? Preferably a lot of it."
He had a few broken ribs, but they would heal quickly enough once he had something to eat. More importantly, the brutal physical exchange had significantly honed his hand-to-hand combat skills. A few more dragons like Ladon to train against, and his martial arts would soon reach the level expected of a Marine Admiral.
Hearing Gustave's request, Anjou immediately had supplies brought forward: several large loaves of bread, a steak the size of a dinner plate, cartons of milk, and various snacks. However, Anjou had severely underestimated a post-battle appetite fueled by superhuman metabolism. Gustave consumed it all in a few enormous bites, barely seeming to chew.
Realizing their gross miscalculation, Anjou ordered more. As Gustave continued to eat, he simultaneously employed his Seimei Kikan technique. The surface wounds across his body began to knit themselves shut at a pace visible to the naked eye. The display of accelerated regeneration left Anjou and his colleagues utterly stunned.
After consuming a meal that could have satisfied thirty grown men, Gustave let out a contented burp, his body already restored to peak condition.
"Feel free to deduct the cost of the food from my payment," Gustave offered casually.
"It's merely some provisions, Mr. Gustave. Please don't concern yourself," Anjou replied graciously. He would never quibble over such a trivial expense. Ladon's corpse alone was worth a fortune. "As for your payment, how would you prefer to receive the six hundred million dollars? A bank transfer, or some other arrangement?"
After a moment's thought, Gustave replied, "No need for anything complicated. Just prepare two separate bank cards—one with three hundred million dollars, and the other with the remaining three hundred million converted into Euros."
Anjou was mystified by Gustave's complete trust. The satellite phone, the bank cards—all provided by Cassel. But Gustave's power was undeniable. Anjou suspected that even against a fully awakened Dragon King, this man could hold his own.
"We can provide the dollar-denominated card today, but the Euros conversion will require some processing time," Anjou explained.
"That's fine. I'll come back for it when it's ready," Gustave replied with easy confidence. His trust in Cassel was genuine, but he also knew they wouldn't dare to default on a debt to a man who could physically overpower a dragon.
"Since you've shown such faith in us, Mr. Gustave, we will have it prepared within two days," Anjou assured him.
"I appreciate your efficiency. How about I visit you at the college in three days?" Gustave suggested, giving them a buffer.
"That works perfectly."
"Then I'll be on my way. You can handle the remains however you see fit," Gustave declared. With a final nod, he transformed into a brilliant bolt of lightning and vanished.
"That contractor is absolutely incredible! So cool! A true role model for men everywhere!" Finger exclaimed, staring at the spot where Gustave had disappeared.
"If you had even a fraction of his strength, you could afford to act cool instead of begging for food at train stations," Chu Zihang observed, taking the rare initiative to speak to Finger, his words laced with poison.
"Junior, how could you!" Finger gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. He never expected the usually silent Chu Zihang could be so devastatingly sharp.
Chu Zihang simply ignored the theatrics and followed Anjou toward Ladon's corpse. Abandoned, Finger had no choice but to trail behind them.
Only when they stood before the body did they truly comprehend the overwhelming presence of a second-generation dragon. Even in death, Ladon's hundred-meter-long form radiated an intimidating power that instinctively oppressed anyone with a lower bloodline purity.
"Principal, our examination confirms Ladon is deceased. Most of his skeletal structure has been fractured," one of the specialists reported.
Hearing this, Finger started up again. "That contractor really is a powerhouse! If I had his level of fitness, I could do anything I wanted!"
Chu Zihang just rolled his eyes.
It was worth noting that such a massive battle should have triggered international alarm. However, the pyramid was located deep in the jungle of a small Central American nation. Cassel had locked down dozens of kilometers in every direction. As for spy satellites, the academy's supercomputer, Norma, would handle any inconvenient data. The only problem left for Anjou was figuring out how to transport a hundred-meter dragon carcass back to campus.
Three days later, Gustave arrived at Cassel College as scheduled. This time, he approached quietly. Norma detected his presence and alerted Anjou, who promptly presented him with the two bank cards.
After accepting them, Gustave had a thought. Being an undocumented resident was inconvenient. "Principal, would it be possible to use your supercomputer to create an official identity for me in this world?"
Anjou asked no questions. He simply directed Norma to create a new "Gustave" from scratch. In an instant, Gustave became a legal person, making things like bank withdrawals far more convenient. He would later recall visiting a bank to get cash for groceries, only to find both the attractive teller and the bank president eyeing him with such uncomfortable interest that he fled with his money.
On the very day Gustave returned to the One Piece world with his new fortune, a new guest arrived through the Gate of All Worlds aboard the Bamboo Staff.