The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

The target wasn't the plaza, but the small space that Kizaru was about to complete condensing!

"Huh?!" Kizaru's usually half-closed eyes suddenly opened a crack, a genuine look of surprise flashing across them.

His elemental transformation speed is almost unparalleled in the ocean; very few people can detect his light-speed movement and intercept him! Let alone such precise predictive strikes!

At the critical moment, Kizaru's figure suddenly transformed into a complete elemental form once again, turning into a dazzling golden light that flashed rapidly to the side!

"boom!!!"

The enormous bolt of lightning struck the spot where he was about to stand.

In an instant, rubble flew everywhere, lightning bolts darted about, and the blinding flashes of electricity even caused the surrounding marines to be temporarily blinded!

Kizaru staggered and steadied himself a dozen meters away, glancing down at the spot where he had almost been hit.

She raised her hand and scratched her curly hair, pouting into a strange shape: "How scary~"

I almost got hit by the lightning!

The way they greet people here... is really enthusiastic!

“However…” Kizaru raised his head, his gaze fixed on the direction from which the lightning bolt had struck, a mixture of curiosity and inquiry in his eyes.

"The person in the world who can stop the speed of light..." Before the words were finished, a piercing hissing sound of electricity rang out in the air ahead.

"Fuck!"

Countless azure arcs of lightning burst forth from nowhere, converged, and quickly outlined a human figure.

Enel's figure appeared in a dazzling flash of lightning, hovering half a foot above the ground.

With his arms crossed and the golden staff draped diagonally over his shoulder, his face was filled with undisguised arrogance and displeasure.

"Tsk." Enel spoke first, his tone extremely impatient. "Without permission, who gave you permission to enter the realm of the gods in such an arrogant manner?"

Kizaru stared at the guy who had suddenly appeared before him, crackling with electricity, and calling himself "God".

Especially when he sensed the opponent's pure and powerful lightning energy, the playful expression on his face froze for a moment.

Then, as if he had just realized something, he slowly nodded, and his signature lewd smile returned to his lips.

"Oh~ so it's you..." Kizaru drawled, his tone becoming relaxed and even slightly teasing.

"No wonder, I was wondering who was so powerful that they could even stop the light."

He looked Enel up and down, his gaze lingering particularly on the taiko drum and the golden staff behind Enel.

"You came from that sky island... 'God' Enel, right?" Kizaru tilted his head, his tone teasing. "It seems you were captured by Gern and brought back to the Marines!"

"Damn it! What do you mean by 'grab'?! I'm descending, don't you understand?!"

"You damn flashy guy... do you want to be punished by God?!" Enel roared, his body crackling with lightning, and his golden staff lashed out at Kizaru.

"Damn flashbang..." Enel's use of "flashbang" clearly startled Kizaru.

"Enel, didn't I tell you not to use your powers in front of the base building?"

Just then, a slightly helpless voice broke in.

With some bandages still wrapped around his body, Gren walked out of the base building with Libo, Tesoro, and the others.

"Long time no see, Gern." Kizaru greeted Gern upon seeing him.

When Gern saw Kizaru's arrival, he frowned. "Borsalino-senpai??"

........

Inside the Navy's G-10 office, Gern walked behind the desk and sat down, gesturing for Kizaru to sit as well.

Kizaru, on the other hand, was completely unceremonious, lazily slumping on the sofa opposite him, crossing his legs, his posture as casual as if this were his own office.

“Then…” Gern spoke first, breaking the brief silence. He leaned forward slightly and placed his hands crossed on the table.

"Our busy General Borsalino came all the way from headquarters to my G-10 base, which was just destroyed. Surely he didn't come just to tease my men?"

"That's quite direct, Gorn." Kizaru pouted, tilted his head, and said in his characteristically slow and leisurely tone.

"Actually, it's nothing serious. It's just that, Marshal Sengoku, I heard you clashed with that monster Whitebeard again."

The fighting was so fierce it was devastating, the island was almost sunk, and I was worried you might be short-handed, so I came to check if I could offer some 'support'.”

When he said the word "support," his tone was elusive and full of playfulness.

Upon hearing this, Gern gave a helpless smile and shook his head.

“Borsalino-senpai,” he said with a hint of mockery, “do I look like an idiot to you?”

If they were really here to provide support, why did they only arrive several days after the war ended? This support is far too "timely."

Moreover, given Kizaru's consistent "ambiguous justice" and his style of shirking responsibility and never putting in any effort, why would he take the initiative to come to the front line to provide support?

He probably doesn't even believe himself when he says such things.

"Hmm..." Kizaru, far from being embarrassed by Gern's blunt question, actually chuckled softly.

"Did they see through me? That's so hurtful~"

He then shifted into a more comfortable position, sprawling out, his tone still relaxed, but finally a little more serious: "Okay, actually..."

A very important batch of 'celestial gold' is about to return to Mary Geoise via the New World route.

According to the prescribed route, the supply detour will pass near the waters under the jurisdiction of your G-10 branch.

Kizaru shrugged, giving a "you know what I mean" look.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku probably feels that the New World is a bit too turbulent lately, especially since you just had a big fight with Whitebeard."

They feared that some lawless pirates might covet this batch of 'heavenly gold'.

So, let this hard-working person like me come and 'escort' you!

After hearing this, Gern's face showed a knowing expression, and the helpless smile on his lips deepened, carrying a hint of sarcasm.

"Escort?" he repeated softly, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

"I think... it's because Fleet Admiral Sengoku is worried that I'm still too angry after just fighting Whitebeard."

Or perhaps you were short of funds to rebuild your base and, in a moment of impulsiveness, simply seized or even robbed that batch of 'heavenly gold,' which is why you, my general, were specifically sent here to 'keep an eye on' me?"

After all, his "Skyquake" Gern's style of doing things is well-known to the World Government.

"It's not that exaggerated!"

Chapter 264 The True Intention

Gern leaned back in his large chair, looking at Kizaru across from him, who was slumped in the sofa, always looking lazy.

"So, after going through all this trouble..." Gern's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, striking the silent room.

"The unstable element that the Warring States Marshal was truly worried about, that he truly felt needed to be 'kept under control,' was not the pirates..."

It was me, wasn't it?

Kizaru smiled without saying a word, his expression still obscured by his brown sunglasses.

Seeing that Kizaru remained silent, Gern leaned forward, tapping his fingers lightly on the smooth tabletop.

It's like a countdown, or like a banging.

"He's worried about me, this 'problematic admiral' who just fought Whitebeard and whose murderous aura hasn't dissipated yet..." A low, mocking smile curled at the corner of Gern's mouth.

"Wouldn't they be tempted when they saw that batch of 'heavenly gold' that was worth more than a country?"

Suddenly, it seems the funding for rebuilding G-10 has been secured, or perhaps they simply want to cause trouble for the World Government, thereby doing some... lawless things.

There was a pause in his speech. "And then? We sent you here."

Rather than 'escorting' the heavenly gold, they're more like 'guarding' me.

To make sure I don't really go mad and sink that treasure ship filled with celestial gold, along with the face of the World Government, into the sea.

"Heh, am I right?" Gern sneered, uttering the last four words, "Senior Borsalino?"

Faced with these words that almost tore away all pretense and went straight to the heart of the matter, almost revealing the truth...

Kizaru neither admitted nor refuted, but simply reached out and picked up the exquisite teapot on the table, pouring himself a cup of hot tea.

He then picked up the cup, blew on it gently, took a sip, and let out a satisfied sigh.

"This is truly excellent tea. It's a spring tea specially supplied by Marineford. You can't find this flavor anywhere else."

After a short while, Kizaru finally lifted his eyelids and looked at Gern through the thin steam.

"Gern is still as straightforward as ever!"

But that's understandable, after all..." He paused slightly, seemingly considering his words, or perhaps just habitually drawing out his tone.

"Of our four admirals at Marine Headquarters, only you... can do so... um... 'as you please'."

They even disregarded the World Government's potential intentions, brazenly attacking a being like Whitebeard who reigned supreme over the seas, and in such a spectacular manner.

(At this time, the title "Four Emperors" was not yet popular in the seas.)

After saying that, Kizaru gently put down his teacup, crossed his hands on his lap, and leaned forward at a very slight angle, almost imperceptibly.

"So, Mr. Gern..." Although his face still wore that smile, a hint of seriousness crept into his tone.

"Can you let me finish this 'mission' quietly and smoothly?"

There was no obvious threat or command in Kizaru's words; it even sounded like a friendly discussion.

But Gern understood.

This represents the attitude, reminder, and... bottom line of the Navy Headquarters and even the World Government behind it.

After all, the Heavenly Gold is directly related to the interests of the "Celestial Dragons" in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.

Seeing Kizaru's seemingly lazy but actually calculated demeanor, the cold smile on Gern's lips became even more pronounced.

“What if…” he began softly, his voice low, “…I said I wouldn’t agree?”

The voice just fell.

The atmosphere in the office instantly plummeted to freezing point! It was as if even the air itself had stopped moving.

"No, you won't agree?" Kizaru's playful smile froze slightly.

Behind the sunglasses, the languid look deep in his eyes vanished instantly.

"Sigh!" He sighed softly, his tone becoming increasingly helpless, even showing signs of a headache.

"If that's the case... I'll be in a difficult position!"

“And to be honest…” he slowed his tone, each word crystal clear, “I really don’t want to fight you again.”

"Gern." He emphasized the last two words softly, with a hint of warning.

"Difficult to handle?" Gern scoffed. "Then let's not do it!"

"Is it really possible to do this?" Kizaru chuckled, drawing out the last syllable.

At that very moment

Kizaru's body showed an extremely subtle, almost illusion-like premonition.

The surrounding light seemed to begin to subtly distort, like a prelude to the leap of billions of photons in the next second!

But, in that split second...

"boom!!!!!!!!!"

The office door and the entire side wall shattered with a loud crash!

Wood chips, gravel, and dust blasted in like a torrential downpour!

Three figures, carrying overwhelming killing intent, broke through the air at a speed beyond visual perception, and in an instant, they perfectly blocked all possible directions of Kizaru's movement!

Directly in front, the Snake Queen Torituma stood proudly, her slender figure exuding a cold, murderous aura.

The longsword hissed as it was fully drawn, condensing a deep, dark Armament Haki. The tip of the blade flashed with a cold light, pointing precisely at Kizaru's brow, its killing intent solidified into a tangible form.

From the upper side, Enel was enveloped in rampaging azure lightning, and the highly compressed lightning ball at the tip of his golden staff burst forth with a blindingly bright white light, mercilessly locking onto Kizaru's temple.

But what's most breathtaking is what's behind Kizaru!

Douglas Barrett stood silently, his towering frame revealing a near-manic, battle-ready grin.