Drake's mouth twitched violently.
Weren't you the one using that exact same "husband" lie to scheme against us the moment you set foot here?
She had effortlessly blindsided Ace and Luffy with that single phrase, and her subsequent beating was far from gentle. Who on earth would dare want a woman like her?
In Drake's memory, he had absolutely no recollection of ever being married. Where could a wife possibly have materialized from? After all, he had been trapped in a deep coma since childhood, only waking up two years ago.
This woman was undeniably fabricating a lie.
"You're claiming I'm your husband?" Drake gestured to each and every injury across his body, presenting them as evidence to Mitian. "Look at me! Is there a single patch of unbruised skin left on my body? Especially..."
As he spoke, Drake was on the absolute verge of tears. She had pummeled his face into this state, and now she thought she could just brush it all off with a single phrase?
"Save your breath. Let's finish this!"
Drake swept his arm forward. Instantly, a massive cluster of spatial fractures shattered the air right in front of Mitian.
Just as the devastating force of the spatial fractures was about to swallow her, Mitian suddenly spoke: "Don't you want to hear news about your second older brother, Sabo? His current situation is far from ideal, you know."
The spatial fractures, which had been hurtling straight toward Mitian, ground to a sudden halt. Drake gritted his teeth, demanding, "Speak. What happened to Sabo?"
This had been a persistent point of concern for Drake. After all, Sabo's strategic objective was the Celestial Dragons residing in the Holy Land Mariejois. Two Marine Admirals—Fujitora and Ryokugyu—were bound to be stationed there.
Sabo could very easily have been defeated. The parameters of that situation were likely grim.
A smug smile gradually played upon Mitian's face. The moment she mentioned his brother's plight, this guy could no longer maintain his detached composure.
Staring at her smirk, Drake felt completely helpless. He was being thoroughly and utterly manipulated by this woman.
Mitian didn't tease him further, slowly relaying the intelligence she possessed.
"Are... are you telling the truth?" Drake's eyes widened to the size of saucers as he stared at Mitian.
"Naturally," Mitian nodded.
"Sabo... has he actually become this powerful?..."
He couldn't help but be thoroughly shell-shocked; the intelligence Mitian had delivered was nothing short of earth-shattering.
Just a few days prior, Sabo had led the Revolutionary Army's Commanders into the Holy Land Mariejois, engaging two Marine Admirals in a ferocious battle. Not only did they evade defeat, but under those extreme constraints, they had successfully rescued the former Warlord, Bartholomew Kuma—codenamed "Tyrant" Kuma!
To top it off, Sabo had severely wounded a Celestial Dragon before cleanly executing his escape.
The incident had sent shockwaves through the entire World Government, throwing the Celestial Dragons into a thunderous rage.
This was the second time!
This was the second time their sacred bloodline had been targeted. This time it resulted in severe trauma; the previous incident had resulted in an outright fatality.
And the culprits behind these catastrophic events were invariably linked to the Legendary Four Brothers of this new era. What did this signify? It was a monumental, unbridled act of defiance against the Celestial Dragons and the World Government!
This matter had to be liquidated with absolute severity!
The ultimate absolute kill order targeting the Legendary Four Brothers had formally been issued.
Initially, Drake had no understanding of what this specific kill order entailed. But when he questioned her about it, Mitian's playful demeanor instantly vanished, replaced by an expression of supreme gravity.
"The Absolute Kill Order! It designates the ultimate archenemy of the World Government. From eight hundred years ago until this very day, the individuals placed on this roster can be counted on one hand—only two people have ever achieved it."
"The first was Roger, who became the Pirate King. The second is the current Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon!"
Hearing the explanation, Drake fell silent.
"In truth, the core reason Roger was placed under the Absolute Kill Order was because he reached Laugh Tale... the Final Island."
By this point, Drake fully understood. Anyone placed on this specific roster was viewed as an existential threat to the structural integrity of the World Government. Roger had been targeted because he unearthed a history he should never have known at the Final Island. Dragon was targeted because he actively positioned himself as the antithesis of the global regime.
This Absolute Kill Order carried a weight far beyond a standard bounty poster. Being marked by this order meant enduring the unceasing, absolute assassination protocols of the World Government. It was no longer a simple matter of a monetary reward.
Yet, upon receiving this cataclysmic intelligence, Drake remained entirely unfazed.
His reaction left Mitian deeply surprised. "What? Aren't you afraid?"
"Why should I be afraid?" Drake countered. "I've already executed a Celestial Dragon; my relationship with the World Government has long been completely irreconcilable. Even without this Absolute Kill Order, they would never let me walk away."
"Furthermore, Ace and Luffy are pirates, and Sabo is the linchpin of the Revolutionary Army. The four of us brothers were born to be the archenemies of the World Government. Now, that reality has simply been dragged completely into the light."
"You make a valid point," Mitian nodded.
However, she was secretly astonished. Being able to process such terrifying intelligence and immediately rationalize it at this strategic depth was a rare trait. For an ordinary individual, their primary cognitive response would be terror: The World Government! A global hegemony spanning the entire world—how can anyone possibly resist them?
It's a mathematical impossibility!
They would immediately collapse into deep, paralyzing fear.
But anyone capable of making the roster of the Absolute Kill Order was a powerhouse among powerhouses. Naturally, standard human metrics could not be used to evaluate them.
"Then, as a Marine, is it truly wise for you to disclose this level of classified intelligence to me?" Drake questioned.
To be honest, he had harbored a sliver of skepticism initially, but she had uttered a definitive title:
The Dragon King!
Over the last two years, Sabo had seamlessly fused his physical martial arts with his Devil Fruit, pioneering a specialized combat capability unique to himself. Even though he wielded the exact same fruit as Ace, his operational development of the capability was bound to diverge. Drake had recognized this truth from the very beginning.
Now that Sabo possessed the Flame-Flame Fruit, the structural depth to which he could refine its power over a two-year period would inevitably defy global expectations. His tactical path would be completely distinct from Ace's. Sabo possessed that precise breed of genius.
And two years was a substantial timeline—more than enough for him to forge his own legendary path.
Evidently, he had succeeded. Otherwise, faced with the simultaneous intervention of two Marine Admirals, it would have been impossible for Sabo and his Commanders to execute a clean retreat. Let alone liberate Kuma from the enemy's absolute containment.
Sabo's current combat prowess had likely ascended to the tier of a Yonko.
This realization permitted Drake to let out a massive sigh of relief. He had continuously harbored a deep concern regarding Sabo's safety, and he knew Ace and Luffy were plagued by the exact same anxiety.
"Within the ranks of the Navy, absolutely no one possesses the authority to move against me," Mitian stated with complete nonchalance. "Furthermore... the entity that authorized your Absolute Kill Order is the World Government. It has zero legal affiliation with the Marines."
A sharp light flashed within Drake's eyes. That was not a sentiment an ordinary soldier could voice. The underlying data packed into that statement was immense.
She was explicitly asserting that her institutional status within the Navy was exceptionally high—a claim that even an Admiral wouldn't casually utter.
Drake grew increasingly curious regarding her true identity. What manner of background could possibly birth such arrogant conviction?
"By the way, I still don't know your name or where you come from," Drake murmured, his eyes darting slightly as he attempted a casual probe.
"I am a Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, Mitian!" Mitian replied, casting a knowing smile at Drake as she caught his calculating gaze.
Mitian!
Drake's brow furrowed deeply. He had absolutely zero record of this name in his memory.