"Admiral Kong, the Fleet Admiral, he..."
Following behind Kong, Buddha Sengoku tried once more to alert him, his tone filled with anxiety.
He desperately hoped that his superior hadn't abandoned justice as he imagined.
He hoped even more that Admiral Kong was also unaware of the changes in Fleet Admiral Kukulkan.
This mission to collect the Devil Fruits was fundamentally a trap.
Kong led Garp and Sengoku into Pangaea Castle, toward a Fleet Admiral Kukulkan whose aura felt somewhat unfamiliar, causing Garp's expression to instantly turn solemn.
The other Marines had been left back at the Bubble Lift.
Thinking of the intelligence regarding Imu in the newspapers, even the fearless Garp felt a flicker of unease in his eyes.
"Sengoku, obey your orders!"
Kong knew Sengoku was smart, but he hadn't expected him to notice the clues so quickly.
Nevertheless, he continued leading the two toward Fleet Admiral Kukulkan, who stood before a palace gate.
"Admiral Kong, my Great Buddha ability senses danger! Fleet Admiral Kukulkan might have been compromised!"
As they drew closer to the palace, Buddha Sengoku whispered another warning to Kong, and even Garp's muscles tensed up.
Kong fell silent for a moment, a trace of conflict appearing on his face, but in the end, he made his choice once again.
"Sengoku, this is our chance to attain supreme power!"
"We will also receive Immortality and Mythical Zoan fruits."
If Kong had chosen to give up power, he would have long ago informed his intelligent subordinates, Sengoku and Tsuru, of Fleet Admiral Kukulkan's anomaly.
He certainly wouldn't have brought Sengoku and Garp to the dangerous Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Once he chose to obey the order, none of this could be changed.
Kong's voice caused Sengoku's heart to go completely cold.
The Admiral Kong he respected most had actually abandoned Marine justice and a life of freedom for the sake of power and Immortality.
He was going to hand everything he was over to that King of the World.
"Do not resist, Sengoku, Garp!"
"The Fleet Admiral summoned you two instead of Admiral Se Gan or Admiral Hande because that person values your potential more."
"We will soon ascend to positions of supreme power."
"Please trust me just this once; we will surely be able to change this world!"
Kong's eyes were filled with longing; he might become one of the Gods Knights standing above the ordinary Celestial Dragons.
That was a position even higher than General Commander-in-Chief.
"Admiral Kong, you..."
Buddha Sengoku's pupils shrank, as if he were seeing his old superior in a completely new light.
Kong's obsession with power seemed to exceed his imagination.
"What's going on? Aren't we here to get Devil Fruits?"
Iron Fist Garp clenched his fists. Fleet Admiral Kukulkan's gaze, which seemed to look down on everything like a Celestial Dragon, made him feel extremely repulsed.
---
"Go in, the Devil Fruits are inside!"
Kukulkan stood outside the doors of the Empty Throne Hall and spoke indifferently to the three.
As the doors opened, the Four Elders, representing the world's supreme power, were already standing beneath the Empty Throne.
Kukulkan led the way in, and Kong, his gaze turning focused, followed behind him.
Buddha Sengoku instinctively resisted entering the Empty Throne Hall, while Garp's eyes were filled with even more vigilance and disgust.
"Come in!"
Kukulkan's cold voice reached the ears of Sengoku and Garp.
"What do we do, Sengoku!"
Garp was a bit panicked; he never expected this mission to escort Devil Fruits would turn into an audience with the world's supreme power.
Logically, if that King of the World truly existed, he should be controlling the Three Marine Admirals.
Why target 'small fries' like him and Sengoku, who had just become Marine Vice Admirals?
"Do you think we still have a chance to escape?"
Buddha Sengoku's tone was full of bitterness. Kong's betrayal chilled his heart even more than being targeted by the King of the World.
"Hmph! If anyone wants to control me, whether it's the King of the World or the supreme power, I'll blast them with a punch just the same!"
Garp's gaze sharpened, his mind no longer panicked, his aura growing more resolute.
"Let's go! Let's see this King of the World!"
"If things don't feel right in a moment, we'll turn and run. Even if it's the Holy Land, we'll fight our way out with our fists!"
Garp's tone was deadly serious; now, he only trusted his own fists.
The somewhat despairing Buddha Sengoku, sensing Garp's surging fighting spirit, was infected by his fearless aura, and a trace of determination appeared in his eyes as well.
Now that Fleet Admiral Kukulkan and Admiral Kong had fallen, he had to return safely for the sake of the Marines.
---
Inside the Empty Throne Hall
Kukulkan led Kong and the other two before the Four Elders.
On a table behind the Four Elders, two Devil Fruits were placed.
"As expected of a D, even after joining the Marines, your aura remains so arrogant and unyielding!"
Saint Nusjuro looked coldly at the powerful Garp.
If Lord Imu hadn't chosen Garp to be a servant, this member of the D Clan would have no right to step into the Empty Throne Hall.
"Greetings, Lords!"
Seeing the Four Elders, Kong immediately bowed his head in greeting, his face full of respect.
Sengoku watched as the tough-as-nails Admiral Kong acted like a fawning, spineless coward.
The filter through which he viewed Kong shattered into pieces.
Sengoku, who had just been promoted to Marine Vice Admiral, had not yet experienced the dark missions required to become an Admiral Candidate, nor had he witnessed the brutality of the Celestial Dragons.
At this moment, his heart still held onto his sense of justice.
Even Garp, who usually respected Kong, now showed a look of disdain.
He suddenly realized that Kong didn't even seem to compare to the Iron Hand Admiral!
"Kong! Are you willing to dedicate your everything!"
Kukulkan's expression was somewhat fanatical. Once he completed this task, he could obtain a higher-level abyss contract and become an immortal god.
He might even take over the position of Science Defense Martial God Saint Jaygarcia Saturn.
To become the first of the Gorosei, the world's supreme power, who was not a Celestial Dragon.
"I shall dedicate my everything to the World Government."
Kong spoke devoutly. Was this King of the World really scouting for candidates for the Gods Knights as the newspapers speculated?
"I'm not willing! This life of mine only fights for the Marines and Justice!"
"Admiral Kong, if you want to be a dog for the Celestial Dragons, don't bring us along!"
"Give us the Devil Fruits we're supposed to escort. If there's nothing else, Sengoku and I will take our leave!"
Iron Fist Garp was extremely displeased with Kong's weak display and simply threw caution to the wind, shouting at everyone.
Sengoku was instantly startled by Garp's recklessness, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
The atmosphere in the Empty Throne Hall suddenly froze.
The Four Elders narrowed their eyes, all of them radiating intense killing intent toward Iron Fist Garp.
This brute from the D Clan actually dared to be so arrogant in the Empty Throne Hall.
"Shut up, Garp!!"
Kong roared in anger, terrified that this brute Garp would interrupt his journey to godhood.
"Not bad! Truly a D chosen by Mu to deal with Rocks."
An ethereal voice echoed through the Empty Throne Hall.
Under the shocked gazes of Kong and the other two, the Four Elders and Kukulkan all knelt toward the figure on the Empty Throne...