Chapter 216: Meeting Vergo Again
"Vice Admiral Vergo, this is Captain Axel, reporting for duty today."
The Marine soldier stood at attention as he spoke.
Although Axel was no longer the commanding officer of San Faldo Island, his rank had not been revoked. At the moment, he was still a Marine captain.
Because of that, the soldier could not help giving him a few extra glances.
Vergo sat behind his desk, a piece of meat stuck to his cheek from who knew when, making him look like a child who had never learned proper restraint.
Contrary to that absurd appearance, he was reviewing documents with great focus, his head lowered and his expression serious.
When he heard the soldier's report, his hand slowly stopped.
Then he raised his head and shifted his gaze over.
At the same time, he muttered in a voice only he could hear.
"So he finally came."
Axel's arrival could be considered both expected and unexpected.
Expected, because judging by this kid's unconventional behavior, since he had dared to take risks to protect a friend before, he would not suddenly change his style now.
Unexpected, because would an ordinary person really risk danger for a friend?
The answer was basically no.
"You may leave," Vergo said. "I have some things to discuss with him privately."
The Marine soldier assumed it was just Vice Admiral Vergo's routine questioning and immediately replied, "Yes, sir!"
Then he turned and left.
The door closed.
At the same time, the atmosphere in the entire room changed abruptly.
"Who are you?" Vergo asked.
"That depends on what you're asking," Axel said. "Are you asking who I am, or are you asking who I am?"
He used different tones for the two questions.
The first was casual, referring to his name.
The second carried emphasis, referring to what Vergo truly wanted to know.
Vergo did not answer.
Instead, he opened a file on his desk.
[Application Regarding Captain Axel's Assignment to the Unit]
He quietly flipped through it from beginning to end.
At the back of the file were approval stamps from Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Zephyr.
The fact that those two had approved it was already enough to prove that Axel was unusual.
And that unusualness was wrapped in mystery.
"Why hide it?" Vergo asked.
He was puzzled.
If this person knew his identity, why not expose him?
Even if Axel did expose him, with the protection of Zephyr, Sengoku, and, according to the documents, Garp as well, Vergo would not be able to threaten him even if he spoke directly.
Or rather, Vergo would have been forced to compromise.
Yet under those circumstances, Axel had chosen to conceal the truth.
What exactly was his intention?
Axel smiled.
He leaned forward, hopped lightly, and jumped onto the desk with ease.
Then he sat there, looking Vergo directly in the eyes.
"What if I said I was scared?" Axel asked. "Would you believe me?"
That had indeed been Axel's reason back then.
Even if he had revealed Vergo's identity, it would not have brought him any substantial benefit.
At most, it would have caused Doflamingo some trouble.
Could it stop him from becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
No.
It could not.
After all, the Seven Warlords were directly appointed by the World Government.
On the contrary, exposing Vergo would have thoroughly offended Doflamingo.
With Axel's strength at the time, retaliation from that side would have been far too easy.
So back then, hiding the truth had been the better choice.
At the very least, it created a veil of mystery, making the other party uncertain and hesitant to act.
Hearing that answer, Vergo was slightly taken aback.
Scared?
To be honest, he did not believe it.
If Axel had truly been scared, why had there been no sign of fear back then?
Vergo prided himself on being sensitive to changes in people's emotions, yet he had not detected anything abnormal at the time.
And if Axel was truly scared, why would he dare stand here now?
Why would he even jump onto the desk and chat with him so casually?
"I don't think..."
Before Vergo could finish speaking, his hand moved.
A Finger Pistol shot forward with lightning speed, aimed directly at Axel's face.
Vergo had mastered all six Rokushiki techniques and could use Armament Haki with great flexibility.
If this strike landed, it could pierce even a steel plate five centimeters thick.
Its power was comparable to a cannonball.
However, just before the Finger Pistol reached Axel's face, Vergo's hand was caught by a small hand.
The finger stopped there, unable to advance another inch.
"Has no girl ever told you?" Axel said. "Being this impatient isn't good."
"..."
Seeing his attack blocked, Vergo felt surprised.
Then, little by little, he relaxed his strength.
Sensing that, Axel also released his grip.
An intellect beyond the ordinary.
A demeanor that did not change in the face of danger.
Strength a child simply should not possess.
When all those things came together, they stirred a faint sense of fear in Vergo's heart.
It was the same feeling he only had when facing the Young Master.
Perhaps the only thing the kid before him lacked now was the domineering presence of a king.
"You really aren't an ordinary child."
"People say that often."
Axel accepted it directly.
His shameless manner did not make Vergo look down on him.
Instead, it made Vergo regard him even more highly.
Often, the most terrifying enemies were not those who followed the rules.
They were the ones who ignored them, broke the established order, and struck you down when you were most relaxed.
"But you attacked me just like that?" Axel asked. "Aren't you afraid that if this causes a commotion, you won't be able to escape?"
He looked at Vergo with interest.
"And are you really willing to abandon the facade you've spent more than ten years building?"
"Rather than entrust my hopes to your hands," Vergo said, "it's better to kill you first, then escape."
Axel hiding their secret, no matter the reason, was equivalent to a blade hanging over Vergo's neck.
How could he allow that?
Compared to a guillotine that might drop at an unknown moment, it was better to push everything aside and start over.
Moreover, if he took the initiative now, he could at least buy time to flee.
"Heh."
Axel let out a soft laugh.
"You don't need to be so tense. I didn't come here to fight you this time. Since I hid your identity before, there's no need to expose it now."
He smiled.
"Otherwise, wouldn't that be boring?"
"Boring?"
Vergo was completely baffled.
If this brat had actively applied to come here to rescue his friends, what did he mean by that?
"Yes," Axel said. "Boring."
"What exactly do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Life is too dull, so I'm looking for something to do."
"...And then?"
Vergo narrowed his eyes slightly.
"What are you planning? To seek amusement by opposing the Young Master?"
After that brief clash, Vergo understood something.
He did not think he would lose to Axel, but dealing with this kid quickly would not be easy.
So for now, his goal was to gather as much information as possible.
"No," Axel said. "On the contrary, I want to cooperate with him."
If Tesoro were present now, even with the best mental fortitude, he would probably curse Axel outright.
Cooperating with him on one side, then cooperating with Doflamingo, who was clearly an enemy, on the other.
"Cooperate?" Vergo said. "Do you think I would believe that?"
His voice grew colder.
"Why would a Marine with a bright future involve himself with pirates? Once something like that is exposed, it leads to complete ruin."
He stared at Axel.
"Why should I believe you?"
"Because I say so," Axel replied.
His tone was calm.
"And you will believe it."
.....
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