The airflow high in the sky began to twist.
A thundercloud materialized above G-5 at an inconceivable speed.
Within three seconds, the clear sky was completely blotted out by a mass of pitch-black cumulonimbus clouds, plunging an area spanning several kilometers into shadowy darkness.
Lightning bolts frantically darted through the cloud layers.
Kane clenched his five fingers together and abruptly made a downward grasping motion.
Boom—!
From the very center of the thundercloud, a bolt of lightning tore through the clouds.
Dozens of lightning bolts compressed, twisted, and took shape, ultimately coalescing into a thunderous spear stretching a thousand meters long!
Its tip pointed directly downward at the still-shouting Miss Buckingham and Weevil below.
The light illuminated the entirety of Punk Hazard, with electric arcs continuously erupting along the spear's shaft. Each explosive crackle caused the ground beneath their feet to tremble.
All the Marines in the plaza were stunned.
The watching Pirates were utterly terrified; the most terrifying natural disaster they had ever witnessed in their lives was not even one-tenth as terrifying as this sight.
Miss Buckingham finally realized something.
Her face turned deathly pale as she desperately pulled Weevil backward: "W-wait! What are you doing! My son is Whitebeard's—"
Kane lowered his head and glanced at her indifferently.
"Whitebeard's son?"
"If he knew he had such a 'son,' he'd probably come personally to clean house."
"You... you madman!" Miss Buckingham completely broke down, shrieking hysterically, "Son! Cut him down! Quickly split this Navy man in half!"
"Don't be scared, Mom! I'll protect you!"
Though the dim-witted Weevil was also trembling all over and dripping with snot from the sheer terror of this heavenly might, under Miss Buckingham's command, he instinctively raised that enormous naginata.
Monstrous brute force erupted explosively! His legs kicked off the ground with tremendous force, and his massive body shot upward like a cannonball, roaring as he swung a downward slash at Kane's head!
"Die, you bad Navy man!"
A violent gust of wind rushed toward his face, the very air torn apart by the slash into a piercing sonic boom.
Yet, facing a slash capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, Kane didn't even bat an eyelid.
He merely parted his thin lips and uttered two words:
"Divine Punishment."
Boom—!!
The thousand-meter thunder spear plummeted down!
The moment it struck the ground, everything within a fifty-meter radius centered on Miss Buckingham and Weevil was completely vaporized.
A violent shockwave carrying scorching hot airwaves crazily expanded in all directions!
"Fall back! Everyone, fall back!"
Kuzan abruptly stepped forward, his arms transforming into ice walls to firmly block the front. Even so, the surrounding Marines and Pirates were still sent tumbling head over heels by this terrifying airwave!
A full five seconds later.
The blinding lightning finally faded away. Silence returned between heaven and earth, the dark clouds dispersed, and sunlight once again spilled onto the plaza.
Everyone trembled as they lifted their heads to look at the explosion's epicenter.
Gasps of shock rose one after another.
At the impact point, only a bottomless, charred black circular crater remained. The stones on the crater walls had been burned into a glassy state by the high temperature, their surfaces still flickering with lingering cold blue electric arcs.
As for Miss Buckingham and Edward Weevil?
Not even a speck of ash remained.
Instantly vaporized cleanly under the tens of thousands of degrees of the high-temperature lightning pillar!
Gulp...
Trebol was so frightened he fell onto his backside, the mucus all over his body freezing solid. Doflamingo's pupils contracted violently, cold sweat pouring from his temples.
Too strong!
This was simply not a power humans could contend with!
This was... the oppressive aura of a Navy Admiral!
And at the very moment the entire scene fell into dead silence, the mechanical prompt tone sounded punctually in Kane's mind!
[Ding!]
[Host detected to have completely erased an important nodal character of the original worldline, altering the future balance of the seas and the fate of Navy Admiral Zephyr's severed arm!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Violation Value: 300,000 points!]
Listening to the jumping numbers in his mind, though not many, Kane couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl upward.
He silently thought to himself: Teacher Zephyr, consider this a retirement gift from your student in advance.
He took out a cigar, lit it, and exhaled a puff of white smoke.
"Now that the 'freeloaders' have been cleaned up..."
Kane turned around, his deep eyes once again falling upon the three figures of Doflamingo, Moria, and Crocodile. The coldness on his face instantly transformed into a spring-like smile.
"Gentlemen, shall we return to discussing serious business?"
...
Five minutes later, the main building conference hall.
The doors were tightly shut.
At the dark wood table, only Kane remained, along with the three "newly appointed Seven Warlords of the Sea" who had just been thoroughly frightened.
Kane unhurriedly picked up a pot of tea from the table, poured himself a cup, leisurely blew on the steam, and took a small sip.
This leisurely action made Doflamingo's temple throb violently on the other side.
I just paid thirty billion Berry! And you don't even pour me a damn cup of hot tea?!
"First, congratulations to the three of you." Kane set down his teacup, interlacing his fingers and resting his chin on them. "From today onward, you are World Government-certified Seven Warlords of the Sea. Past bounties are wiped clean, and Legal Plundering Rights take effect immediately."
He paused.
"But."
Kane's tone shifted as he pulled out three thick documents from his desk drawer and pushed them toward the center of the table.
"This is your 'additional service agreement.' Sign it."
Moria picked up the document in confusion and looked down at it.
The header of the document was boldly printed with a line of large characters—"Seven Warlords of the Sea · G-5 Branch Strategic Cooperation Memorandum."
"What does this mean?"
Crocodile stopped smoking his cigar, his eyes sinisterly fixed on Kane. "We just finished signing the recruitment agreement, and the money's been paid. What is this now?"
"Literally what it says." Kane spread his hands. "The selection and supervision authority for the Seven Warlords of the Sea has been fully delegated to G-5 by the Five Elders. In other words, your direct superior isn't those old men in Mary Geoise. It's me."
"I know what you're thinking—paid thirty billion, got a legal identity, and from now on, the sky's the limit, do whatever you want."
Kane smiled.
That smile sent a simultaneous chill down the spines of the three future tyrants who would stir the world.
"Think again."
"Thirty billion is just the entry fee. What comes next is the real job."
Ignoring the three men's instantly grim expressions, Kane directly flipped to the first page of the agreement, his slender finger pointing at the clause.
"Article One: The Seven Warlords of the Sea, during the execution of legal plundering, must submit thirty percent of their acquired gains to the World Government as Annual Tribute. This is the official rule."
"Article Two: Before you submit the Annual Tribute, all plundering proceeds must first undergo a 'compliance audit' by my G-5 Branch. The audit fee is twenty percent of the total proceeds."
Moria's pen clattered onto the table.
Thirty percent to the government, twenty percent to G-5?
So if I go out and plunder a hundred, I only get to keep fifty?!
"Wait, wait, wait!" Moria slammed the table and stood up. "That can't be right! The newspapers said we only pay thirty percent tribute! What's the meaning of this extra twenty percent?!"
"Audit fee," Kane said with a matter-of-fact expression. "You pirates always keep messy accounts, which easily leads to suspicions of tax evasion. My G-5 Branch dispatches elite financial personnel to reconcile your books. Charging a bit for labor is only reasonable, right?"