One Piece : Admiral Falcon is Pissed off again today!

Along the coastline of Sabaody Archipelago, Marine soldiers patrolled alongside CP9 agents.

Unlike the Marine's routine attitude, the CP9 agents were desperately searching for any trace of the Celestial Dragons.

After all, if they failed...

They were as good as dead.

Just then, a winged figure clutching a bundle staggered through the air towards the shore.

A sharp-eyed Marine immediately recognized him—it was Michael, recently promoted to Rear Admiral!

"It's Rear Admiral Michael!"

"Rear Admiral Michael seems injured!"

"Wait! The person appearing behind him is... Dark King Rayleigh!"

Under the witness of numerous Marines and CP9 agents, Dark King Rayleigh kicked Michael from midair to the shore.

However, upon seeing the gathered Marines, he frowned slightly before leaving.

"Rear Admiral Michael! Are you alright!"

The Marine soldiers immediately crowded around him.

As a veteran of Sabaody Archipelago, Michael held considerable prestige in their hearts, second only to Vice Admiral Gion.

Meanwhile, the CP9 agents gritted their teeth in frustration.

According to their intelligence, Michael was the mastermind behind the destruction of Sabaody's slave trade industry - a persistent thorn in the Celestial Dragons' side!

But when they clearly saw what Michael was holding in his arms, they immediately discarded that thought.

If there weren't so many Marines present, they would have rushed to kneel before Michael and kowtow loudly!

It was Saint Charloss, a Celestial Dragon!

Though only one Celestial Dragon had been saved, it was enough to turn their certain death sentence into a situation where they might escape with their lives.

The Marines were short-handed, but the CP organization was even more desperate for personnel.

The World Government would have to consider this factor.

"Rayleigh... Gaban... They killed all the Celestial Dragons."

"I gave everything... only managed to save this last one..."

After saying this, Michael fell unconscious.

His last thought before "losing consciousness" was.

Damn that Rayleigh!

That kick had been delivered with real force!

***

The news of Michael rescuing a Celestial Dragon quickly spread throughout Sabaody Archipelago.

Marines and CP9 agents all gathered at the scene, yet no one noticed that on the other side of the coastline, the massive ship belonging to the Celestial Dragons had slowly departed from the harbor, eventually disappearing into the vast sea.

***

Michael's "unconsciousness" lasted precisely three days.

On the third day, just as he awoke, he received an unexpected visitor.

'Akainu' Sakazuki.

At this moment, Michael was leaning against the bedside, wearing an expression of bitter resentment at being defeated by Rayleigh.

When putting on an act, one must commit fully.

In this regard, he was a fundamentalist.

Half-measures were an insult to professionalism!

Stella sat by the bed peeling apples for him, while Rosinante massaged his shoulders.

Meanwhile, Smoker was reporting how Hina - who usually scolded him for his smoking habit - had secretly started learning to smoke!

Shu and T-Bone could only smile wryly, one covering Smoker's big mouth while the other tried to restrain Hina from completely losing her temper.

"That's right! Hold me back, T-Bone!"

"Otherwise! I won't be able to stop myself from killing Smoker!"

This was exactly the scene that greeted Sakazuki when he pushed open the door.

It inexplicably sent a chill down his spine.

He couldn't shake the feeling that similar words would be spoken by some old man in the future.

And he would be the one in those words who needed to be killed.

Shaking his head to dispel this disturbing thought, he looked up at everyone present.

"Momousagi, I need to speak with Michael alone."

Gion raised an eyebrow, then gave a meaningful glance to the members of the SWORD.

The group who had been fooling around moments ago instantly dashed out the door, closing it behind them.

Michael twitched the corner of his mouth.

These disloyal bastards!

It's just Akainu!?

Couldn't you at least take him along?!

Not that he was afraid of Akainu.

He simply couldn't get along with someone whose ideals differed from his own.

"Michael, this time I'm here as a special investigator assigned by the World Government to look into the Celestial Dragon assassination incident."

"...Isn't that usually Kizaru's job?"

"Vegapunk recently visited the Ohara ruins and Kizaru went with him as a bodyguard."

Akainu sat down on the wooden chair by the bed, picked up the half-peeled apple Stella had been working on and continued peeling it.

Somehow, his knife skills were far better than Stella's.

"So, what have you found out?"

Michael looked at Akainu, whose expression was surprisingly calm.

"During the days you were unconscious, every notable figure in the world—Celestial Dragons, kings, high-ranking World Government officials, Marine Headquarters and major pirate organizations—received a recording."

"It showed the execution of Celestial Dragons by the Former Roger's Pirates, Rayleigh and Gaban, along with former Rocks Pirates member Gloriosa."

"They declared the formation of the Cross Guild and issued bounties in reverse—on Celestial Dragons, World Government officials and CP agents."

"Recently, information about the Cross Guild has been circulating across the seas. There are even rumors that cruel kings, monarchs and bloodthirsty pirates will also be targeted by the Cross Guild's bounties."

As he spoke, Sakazuki set down the peeled apple and the knife.

"For me?" Michael raised an eyebrow. "Since when were we this close?"

Sakazuki's outstretched hand paused mid-air before he abruptly withdrew it and took a fierce bite of the apple himself.

"Damn it, you visit a patient empty-handed and then eat their fruit? Sakazuki, are you that desperate?"

"Michael." Sakazuki's voice was low, cutting off the stream of insults Michael was about to unleash.

"You saved the only surviving Celestial Dragon, but... I still have to ask you something."

"Ask me what? How I snatched a Celestial Dragon brat from three powerful pirates? Or what role I played in all this?"

"You're not the kind of man who cares about the lives of Celestial Dragons."

Sakazuki stood up, looking down at Michael with an unexpected glint of... admiration?

"Just like me. Beyond the Marines, I don't care about anything—not civilians, the World Government, or even Celestial Dragons."

Having said that, Sakazuki stood there silently, waiting for Michael's response.

Michael looked up, squinting at the seemingly ruthless and merciless Sakazuki.

Suddenly, he laughed in realization.

Of course.

A true top-tier powerhouse like Sakazuki, especially one with such an extreme personality...

How could he ever be content serving as a dog for the World Government and the Celestial Dragons?

"...Sakazuki."

"In the future... do you want to become the Fleet Admiral?"

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