Bang—!
"You... what did you say?"
An uninhabited island on the shipping route in front of Carter Island.
The same town, the same tavern, the same people.
Cartles slammed his palm on the bar in front of him, his eyes wide open.
The bar shattered, and fragments twisted and floated in front of Cartles.
Outside the bar, Kurot was hunched over, cold sweat pouring down his back.
Although the pressure Cartles exerted on him was almost suffocating, he still had to speak.
"Your Highness, news from Carter Island says that Silver Hair and his group are about to depart, and their route is towards the Sky Road. They are said to be going to the Sky Island."
Boom—!
A strange wave instantly swept across the entire small island.
The previously bustling and noisy small town suddenly fell silent.
Crackling—!
Above the town, at some point, the sky, which had been bright and sunny, was suddenly streaked with countless purple-red lightning bolts.
Rumble!!
The sky... darkened, and it shattered.
A gust of cold wind, appearing from nowhere, brought with it a sky full of dark clouds, which instantly swept over the entire town.
And the people in the town, like puppets, all had their eyes flashing red, slowly turning their heads, their gazes fixed on the tavern, their mouths turned up in strange smiles.
Jingle bells!!!
Outside the tavern, the wind chimes hanging on both sides of the door rang incessantly.
The sound echoed on the island at this moment, so jarring.
Inside the tavern.
Kuzan, who had been lying on the lounge chair in front of the door, had stood up at some unknown time.
He stood at the door, staring at the outside with a solemn expression.
"What kind of devil fruit ability is this?!"
"It's too damn perverted!"
The town at this moment felt too dangerous to him. Although this level of danger couldn't make him afraid yet, if a Vice Admiral-level person were to intrude now.
It might be very difficult for this Vice Admiral to leave this town again.
"And this Conqueror's Haki, it's too damn strong!"
Kuzan turned his head, his gaze sweeping past Kurot and landing on Carlotes, and he couldn't help but be filled with vigilance.
Looking at the distorted space around Carlotes, he raised his head and looked through the roof that had completely disappeared, gazing at the continuously flashing purple-red lightning in the sky.
His eyes were full of amazement.
To combine Conqueror's Haki with a Devil Fruit ability, indirectly affecting the real sky.
He had only felt this level of Conqueror's Haki from one person.
That was the man known as the most imposing, one of the Four Emperors of the New World, "Red-Haired Shanks."
Although Cartles's Conqueror's Haki was not as powerful as the Red Hair he felt, it was comparable to other Four Emperors, and much stronger than most people with Conqueror's Haki he had seen.
In front of Kuzan.
The ground beneath Kurot was already completely soaked with sweat, and he was trembling uncontrollably. He felt that if Cartles had been a tiger before, then Cartles now was a grim reaper from hell.
At this moment, he felt the aura of death.
Cartles's killing intent towards him was not low.
"What should I do?"
"..."
He didn't know.
If it were an ordinary person, if it were the Navy, even if the opponent were an Admiral or Fleet Admiral, he would not be afraid even if he couldn't win.
But Cartles was his master, a Celestial Dragon!
If Cartles wanted to kill him, he wouldn't even have the chance to resist.
No...
He wouldn't resist at all.
Because people like them had been brainwashed by the World Government since childhood, to the point where the idea of resisting a Celestial Dragon simply didn't exist in their minds.
If the idea itself doesn't exist, how can there be resistance?
Cartles stared at Kurot in front of him, his eyes as cold as if they could freeze time.
For some reason, his aura gradually receded and then disappeared completely.
The sky outside also seemed to have lost something, the dark clouds gradually dispersed, and sunlight once again shone down on the small town.
As the sunlight swept away the darkness, the entire small town, in a distortion, slowly disappeared along with the darkness. The people in the town, with their mouths widened, let out a silent roar and a strange, mad laughter towards the direction of the disappearing tavern, then their figures slowly faded and vanished the moment the sunlight swept over.
"Hoo~"
Kurot let out a deep breath. Without the oppression of Cartles's aura and status, he felt a sense of relief.
Without delay, he asked Cartles in as calm a tone as possible, "Your Highness, now that Silver Hair and his group are going to the Sky Road, what shall we do?"
Cartles took out his pipe, took a deep puff, and then looked through the smoke rising from the top of the pipe towards the lush green lawn outside, and towards the distant sea.
The town had disappeared, and they were now standing in a grassy area.
He hadn't expected that they would miss their ambush twice.
He wondered if it was the favor of the goddess of fate that allowed Silver Hair and his group to avoid their ambushes at just the right time, twice.
He knew that this was not CP0's fault, but he had almost lost control of the restless emotions churning within him just now and revealed his true killing intent towards the person in front of him.
If it weren't for the sake of the World Government's reputation, he would have truly disregarded everything and directly stormed Carter Island, eradicating Silver Hair and his group along with the island.
But...
He glanced at Kuzan.
If he really did that, wouldn't this Marine Admiral be the first to object!
After all, Carter Island posed no threat to the World Government!
The justice of the Navy.
It was not bestowed by the Navy, but by the actions and ideals of those who joined the Navy.
It was precisely because of these righteous individuals that the Navy could claim to be a truly just faction.
Having lived for over 100 years, he was still the highest-ranking Celestial Dragon in this world, and not just any Celestial Dragon, but one of the rare Celestial Dragons with both strength and a clear mind, unlike those who only knew how to live in false vanity.
He understood the essence of this world better than anyone.
The essence of this world was the law of the jungle.
Only strength that surpassed everyone and every force was the key to ruling this world.
Whether it was justice or kindness.
Or evil or cruelty.
These were merely means of ruling the world.
Therefore, even though he was a Celestial Dragon, he could not push the true powerhouses within the Navy too far, unless it threatened the World Government.
Otherwise, with the strength of a Marine Admiral, he had the right to refuse him.
Cartles withdrew his gaze, removed the pipe from his mouth, and exhaled a puff of smoke.
He said calmly, "Since Silver Hair and his group want to go to the Sky Island, let them go!"
"As for us."
He swept his gaze over everyone, then lifted his foot and walked towards the shore. "Let's go to a nearby Marine base to rest, and then wait in Water Seven. We don't have a permanent Pointer, and if we go to Carter Island to get one now, Silver Hair and his group might have already reached the Sky Road."
"And there are so many Sky Islands in the sky, and no fixed routes. We can't chase them. Let's wait for them to come down from the Sky Island!"
"Let's go!"
Cartles raised his pipe, put it in his mouth, took a deep puff, and looked out at the sea.
"Interesting, very interesting."
He hadn't been idle during this time. He had read all the news about Kouta setting sail. He had to admit, this guy was a formidable opponent.
"Space-Space Fruit?"
"Heh heh!!"
The Space-Space Fruit wouldn't be very effective in his domain!
He was the user of the "Mythical Zoan, Neko Neko no Mi, Yamata no Orochi Model" Yamata no Orochi Fruit.
The Yamata no Orochi, a mythical celestial serpent.
It could enslave the souls of the dead and pull out scenes from his memory to create illusions.
And his fruit had long since awakened, so he could materialize illusions and affect real space.
In this space, he could do anything he wanted, including copying the abilities of anyone who entered his domain.
This was the reason why the World Government sent him.
In fact, his life was on a countdown.
It wasn't that he didn't want to live, but that human lifespan only went so far.
That's why two of the Five Elders reacted so strongly to sending him.
He could live for a few more years by staying in Mary Geoise, and during these years, he could guarantee the safety of Mary Geoise.
However, once he left Mary Geoise and used his power.
His life would rapidly dwindle with time.
Although his strength would not decrease due to the Yamata no Orochi Fruit.
But since his life had entered its final stage, he wanted to resolve Silver Hair and his group quickly, so that he could do other things for the World Government in his remaining time.
It seemed he had been too hasty.
Cartles held the pipe stem between his right index and middle fingers, took the pipe out of his mouth, and then gracefully suspended his right hand to the right, opening his mouth and exhaling a puff of smoke.
"I have to take it slow!"
He looked at the sea in front of him, his eyes completely calm again, so calm it was almost indifferent.
"Next time... next time, I definitely can't let Silver Hair and his group escape again."
...