As soon as the words fell, the warship gave another violent lurch, and then it began to spin and sway at high speed without any discernible pattern!
"Blergh—!"
A CP0 agent could no longer hold it back. He ripped off his mask and leaned heavily against the railing, vomiting until his entire world spun. The other man's face turned ashen as he gripped the gunwale tightly, forcing down the churning in his stomach while looking at Kane with suspicion and uncertainty.
This was definitely no ordinary wind and waves!
As top agents of the World Government, what kind of harsh sea conditions hadn't they seen? But the turbulence before them completely defied the laws of physics, as if an invisible giant hand was maliciously toying with the vessel.
Kane, however, remained as steady as Mount Tai, with not even a single slide from the coat draped over his shoulders. He shrugged with an innocent expression. Was the power of the Storm-Storm Fruit only meant for killing? Controlling the currents and air pressure around the warship with precision was simply too easy.
Kane enjoyed the pathetic sight of the two top agents with pleasure. Half an hour later, the warship finally docked at the port below the Red Line amidst a final violent jolt.
The two CP0 agents helped each other crawl off the ship. Their white suits, which represented supreme power, were stained with filth, and their arrogant aura was completely gone. In contrast, Kane was refreshed, his coat draped over his shoulders without a single wrinkle.
Boarding the bubble gondola, they pierced through the clouds and arrived at the top of the world—the Holy Land of Mary Geoise. Stepping onto this land hailed as the "Abode of the Gods," everything in sight was paved with white jade, and Pangaea Castle towered like a dream. Every flower in the garden bloomed perfectly, the air was thick with the scent of expensive spices, and even the sunlight seemed filtered to become soft and holy.
It was beautiful here. A beauty built upon the flesh and blood of commoners from all over the world.
On the paths, one could occasionally see a few arrogant Celestial Dragons dressed in bulky, astronaut-like outfits, riding on the backs of numb-eyed slaves wearing collars, taking a leisurely "stroll." Kane's gaze swept over the slaves used as mounts and the gold-crafted decorative pistols at the Celestial Dragons' waists meant purely for show. Only one thought remained in his mind.
'If I were to drop a maximum-power Raigo in a place like this...'
Those discipline points would probably crash the system directly, right?
Once this thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed. Kane's eyes instantly became burning hot. The two CP0 agents, who had just recovered, keenly noticed the change in his emotions. Thinking he was intimidated by the majesty of the Holy Land, they sneered inwardly.
'Country bumpkin, scared senseless already?'
They passed through a long corridor and stopped before a giant door carved with the symbol of the World Government.
"Go in. The Gorosei Lords are waiting for you inside. Remember our words."
Kane ignored their warning, merely adjusting his high collar one last time to perfectly conceal that inner fire. He pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside the Room of Authority.
The atmosphere here was a stark contrast to the bright sunshine outside. Heavy curtains blocked the daylight, and a few dim beams of light projected onto the carpet. The air felt frozen. The two CP0 agents leading the way knelt prostrate at the entrance, their foreheads pressed against the floor, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Kane walked alone to the center of the room. Five figures, either sitting or standing in various poses, all exuded a terrifying sense of pressure that belonged to those at the top of the food chain. Particularly the bald old man holding the First Generation Kitetsu; even through his glasses, Kane could feel a sharp gaze roaming over him.
"Kane."
The Warrior God of Legal Affairs, Saint Topman Warcury, sat in the center of the sofa, hands resting on his cane, his voice aged and majestic. "Why do you not kneel upon seeing us?"
Boom—!
The moment the words fell, an invisible Conqueror's Haki mixed with the pressure of long-held authority crashed down on Kane like a tsunami! The CP0 at the door trembled, burying their heads even lower. This was the Gorosei's show of strength! They wanted to break this young genius's pride first, then bestow a few favors to make him a submissive, good dog.
However. Kane, standing at the center of that terrifying pressure, suddenly blinked.
The next second.
Thud!
Kane knelt heavily on one knee on the mirror-smooth floor, his movements crisp and neat, carrying a sense of impatient devotion. He cupped his fists, and the fortitude and coldness belonging to the Marine hero instantly melted away. In its place was an excitement as if he were seeing a long-lost father, along with undisguised worldliness and flattery.
"Gorosei Lords!!!"
Kane's voice was loud and high-pitched, the end of his words trembling with excessive excitement. "This subordinate... this subordinate was just awestruck by the brilliance of the sun, moon, and stars emanating from your five Lordships! For a moment, I actually forgot the etiquette for meeting celestial beings. This subordinate... truly deserves death!"
Gorosei: "..."
CP0 kneeling at the door: "..."
The vast Room of Authority fell into a brief silence. The Warrior God of Agriculture, Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, frowned and gave a dry cough, attempting to pull the rhythm back:
"Ahem... Kane, we saw your speech at the commissioning ceremony. You said you wanted to be a torch? To be the only light? It's good for young people to have ambition, but this thing called justice..."
Before Saint Ju Peter could finish, he was interrupted by Kane's impassioned voice.
"That was a script! My Lords! That was written for that group of stupid grunts to hear!" Kane looked up, his face written with the word sincerity, his eyes shimmering with undisguised greed. "If I don't package myself as grand and righteous, if I don't shout a few hot-blooded slogans, how can I trick those peasants into dying on the front lines? How can I establish my prestige? As for justice..."
The corners of Kane's mouth curled into an extremely disdainful sneer. "Gorosei Lords, you all are sensible people. This justice thing, how much is it worth per pound?"
Gorosei: "..."
"I don't know how much justice is worth, and I don't want to know!" Kane became more excited as he spoke, as if he had finally found kindred spirits, and began a frantic ranting mode: "I work myself to death at Marineford, acting like a saint every day. For what? Isn't it just to get promoted and get rich?! Protecting commoners, the dignity of the Marines—that's all bullshit! Can those things be exchanged for Berries? Can they get me into the Holy Land?"
By the end, Kane's eyes were glowing as he stared intently at the Gorosei. His gaze was naked, as if he were looking at five mountains of gold.
"So, my Lords, don't bother with those empty tests. Be direct. Tell me, what dirty work do you need me to do? And then... how much can you give me? As long as the price is right, forget justice—even if you want me to go pull out Fleet Admiral Kong's hair right now to entertain you Lords, I won't hesitate!"
Inside the Room of Authority, the air completely froze.
The five Kings of the World, who had lived for untold ages and seen countless heroes and legends, were now collectively plunged into silence. They had imagined Kane being a tough nut like Garp, stubborn and unyielding. They had also imagined him being a deadhead like Zephyr, full of ideals. They had prepared countless follow-up methods.
Coercion, bribery, intimidation, division... they had even prepared a plan on how to use his death to pressure the Marines after killing him. Only... only they never thought... this guy was such a pure, low-level-interest-free... opportunist?!
How was this the soul of the Marines? This was simply a natural-born seed for a World Government lackey! This... this motherfucker... didn't even bother to act?!
[Ding! Detected that the host has publicly desecrated, belittled, and insulted the concept of Justice at the world's highest center of power, subverting the core values of the Marines!]
[Congratulations to the host! Obtained discipline points: 100,000 points!]
[Current discipline points balance: 397,700 points!]
Kane maintained that greedy and humble smile on his face, but inside he was roaring frantically: 'This wave of acting, I give myself full marks! Come on, old guys, hurry up and use your dirty money and power to corrupt me! I can't wait!'
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