"Nonsense!"
Looking at Law, who had shed his near-death state and regained his vitality, now moving around energetically again, Cero spoke lazily.
"Of course you're not dead. I never intended to kill you in the first place."
"..."
Law looked at Cero with a conflicted expression. He did not know what kind of face he should make when facing an Admiral whose actions were so absurd and whose position completely contradicted his own identity.
Although his body had been paralyzed earlier, Law's consciousness remained clear the entire time. He had heard and seen everything that happened.
Law stared directly at Cero with his dark-ringed eyes and spoke in a cold voice.
"Cero, who exactly are you? You openly defied the orders of the Celestial Dragons just to let me go, a pirate standing against the World Government. And now you're opposing the wishes of the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons themselves. Don't tell me you're after the Ope Ope no Mi..."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several bullets were fired toward Law, but they disappeared instantly before reaching him.
"..."
Law frowned and turned toward the source of the gunfire with visible disgust.
"As an Admiral, you actually failed to kill a pirate who illegally invaded this country."
Hiding behind the guards, Saint Charloss raised his gun and glared viciously at Cero.
"Cero, you're finished! I'll contact Marine Headquarters right now and have Akainu come here to execute you, you traitorous dog!"
"Go ahead and call Sakazuki."
The corner of Cero's mouth lifted into a mocking smile. His casual tone carried an icy chill.
"Let's see whether he kills me, or I kill him instead. And as for you..."
Cero glanced lazily at Law, who remained on guard.
"Do you really think that just because you possess a Devil Fruit capable of granting eternal life, everyone who approaches you wants immortality?"
Bang!
A bullet pierced through Cero's head, leaving a hollow hole visible from front to back.
Crackle... Crackle...
Silver lightning flickered around the wound.
The lightning rapidly spread and intertwined like living creatures.
In the blink of an eye, the hole completely repaired itself without leaving behind even a drop of blood.
"This is exactly why I hate idiots who can't read the situation and only know how to bark recklessly."
Cero rolled his eyes in irritation and muttered disdainfully.
"Beating up trash like this would only dirty my hands."
"How dare you ignore this Saint!"
Saint Charloss glared at Cero with his foolish and arrogant eyes, shouting without the slightest awareness of danger.
"Kneel before this Saint, you lowborn insect..."
Boom!!!
Before Saint Charloss could finish speaking...
Crackle!!!
A bolt of lightning as thick as a human wrist descended from the sky and struck him directly.
"Ugh..."
Foam spilled from Saint Charloss's mouth as his body twitched violently. Gray smoke rose from his scorched body before he collapsed.
"Lord Saint Charloss!"
The guards rushed forward in panic, completely helpless.
"When humans are talking, animals shouldn't interrupt."
Cero did not even spare Saint Charloss another glance. Instead, he looked at Law and spoke dismissively.
"Heh, Trafalgar D. Water Law, don't think too highly of yourself. Do you believe you're the only special person in this world? Every person is the protagonist of their own story. You're just a doctor with an interesting Devil Fruit."
"Tchh...!"
Shock appeared on Law's usually cold face.
The other man actually knew his true name.
"D? So the Surgeon of Death, Trafalgar Law, is actually a member of the D Clan."
The eyes of the den den mushi connected to Saint Figarland Garling widened instantly, murderous intent overflowing from his voice.
"Kill him! Cero, this is your last chance. Kill Trafalgar Law immediately, and I will pretend none of this ever happened."
"Oh? You're still connected?"
Cero sneered at the threat with complete disdain.
"Old man, nobody cares about your orders."
Crunch!
The den den mushi in Saint Garling's hand was crushed instantly.
"Damn commoner!"
Saint Garling stood up with his sword in hand, crescent-shaped beard trembling with rage as killing intent filled his eyes.
"Cero, I will personally travel to Egghead Island and deliver your judgment myself!"
"What happened..."
Suddenly, an emotionless voice echoed inside Saint Garling's mind like thunder.
"Garling."
Lord Imu!
The anger on Saint Garling's face vanished instantly, replaced by fear and reverence.
"Lord Imu..."
Saint Garling responded respectfully within his thoughts.
"I have confirmed that the newly appointed Admiral Cero has betrayed us. He appears to hold deep hostility toward the World Government and seems to be plotting something."
"Cero..."
Imu's cold voice echoed silently within his mind.
After a brief pause, Imu spoke again.
"Even I cannot clearly perceive his thoughts."
Saint Garling's pupils contracted violently.
Even Imu's Observation Haki could not see through Cero?
Imu's cold voice continued.
"That alone reveals his true identity. Stop investigating him. This matter is beyond your ability to handle."
"Understood."
Saint Garling suppressed the killing intent in his heart, though confusion filled his mind.
Why would Lord Imu be wary of a Marine Admiral?
Then suddenly...
A terrifying possibility appeared in Saint Garling's mind.
The silhouette of the World's Strongest Man slowly overlapped with the figure of Admiral Cero.
The pirate who disappeared a year ago.
The man known as the God King.
Shirogai Yamikuro.
The World Military Draft had also happened exactly one year ago.
And Cero joined the Marines during that exact period.
The timeline matched perfectly.
Saint Garling slowly exhaled, shock and vigilance filling his eyes.
"So it's actually God King Shirogai..."
Could it be that Shirogai had infiltrated the Marines a year ago?
The strongest pirate in history becoming a Marine Admiral overnight...
The thought itself sounded absurd.
If this information ever leaked out, the prestige of the World Government would suffer unimaginable damage.
Saint Garling's brows tightened deeply.
Shirogai, what exactly are you planning?
...
"What am I planning?"
Cero turned toward Law, who was reluctantly dragging the unconscious Saint Charloss away, and laughed freely.
"Simple. I'm going to destroy this rotten system and turn the entire world upside down. This world never needed so-called gods, descendants of gods, or Celestial Dragons."
Brilliant silver lightning danced across Cero's body as he spoke word by word.
"This world was built together by people of every race. It belongs to the people."
"In the end, the Marines, pirates, and Celestial Dragons are all parasites feeding on the masses."
"None of them deserve to rule this world."
"This world belongs to the people..."
Law subconsciously repeated those words.
Although he did not fully understand them...
Those unfamiliar words still created a violent storm inside his heart.
His blood began to boil.
Law felt a genuine sense of excitement rising within him.
===
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