The door to the principal's office opened, and five students emerged with vastly different expressions etched across their faces. After Anjou had revealed the impending assault on the King of Sky and Wind, he'd asked each of them a simple question: would they participate?
None had refused.
Of the group, Chu Zihang had spent the least time at Cassel College and possessed the most limited academic knowledge about dragons. He was essentially self-taught, having found his way to the academy through his own research and determination rather than through traditional recruitment channels. Yet even he understood perfectly what a complete Dragon King represented. The others—with their years of formal training and bloodline education—grasped the implications even more clearly.
Chu Zihang's immediate agreement likely stemmed from confidence in his own abilities. He was, after all, the strongest combatant among them under normal circumstances. Even Anjou would need to activate bloodrage multiple times to match Chu Zihang's current combat capability.
The others had agreed with equal conviction despite fully comprehending the complete Dragon King's power. They were exactly the kind of dragon slayers Anjou needed—individuals with unshakeable determination who wouldn't falter when facing impossible odds.
After leaving the principal's office, the group dispersed to their respective preparations. Chu Zihang returned to his dormitory, locked the door, and prepared to travel through the Gate to inform Gustave about the dragon-slaying operation.
The satellite phone rang before he could move.
Chu Zihang answered cautiously, lowering his voice to an unrecognizable rasp. "Hello?"
"Mr. Gustave?" Anjou's distinctive voice crackled through the connection.
"I'm not Gustave. He's away on business." Chu Zihang maintained the hoarse, disguised tone—feeling absurdly like a spy in some cheap thriller.
"I see. Then perhaps—"
"You can tell me whatever you need. I'll relay the message to Gustave."
"Very well. Please inform Mr. Gustave that the business arrangement we discussed previously has come to fruition. If he has time in the next few days, his presence would be appreciated."
"Where should he go?"
"Simply tell him that Anjou is looking for him. He'll know the location."
"Understood. I'll pass along the message."
Chu Zihang ended the call. On the other end, Anjou stared at his phone with furrowed brows. Something about that disguised voice had been oddly familiar—someone he knew, perhaps? But who?
He shook his head, dismissing the mystery. More important matters demanded his attention.
Chu Zihang stepped through the Gate of All Worlds and emerged onto the Bamboo Staff. The familiar warmth and comfort of the ship enveloped him immediately—the kind of atmosphere that made visitors want to extend their stays indefinitely.
From somewhere above deck, he heard Ace's exasperated voice berating Luffy. Gaming again, undoubtedly. Chu Zihang had witnessed enough of their sessions to recognize the pattern of Ace's scolding.
He descended to the main deck expecting to find Gustave in his usual spot—sprawled across a lounge chair, soaking in the sun. The chair was empty.
Chu Zihang activated his Observation Haki, extending his awareness across the ship and beyond. He found Gustave's distinctive presence... on the beach? Still on a lounge chair, but relocated from the deck to the shore.
Curious, Chu Zihang disembarked and approached the beach. Three lounge chairs sat arranged on the sand—one normal-sized where Gustave lay, another of equal size holding Tom, and a smaller one occupied by Jerry. All three were clearly napping in complete contentment.
"These three really know how to live," Chu Zihang muttered, equal parts amused and envious.
"Brother Zihang!" A sweet voice called out.
He turned to see Yang Chan running toward him, her face bright with excitement. "Chan'er! What are you doing out here?"
Chu Zihang crouched to her level as she reached him. "I'm playing hide and seek with Shin-chan and the others!"
"Is that so? Then you'd better hide quickly before they find you."
"Okay!" Chan'er nodded enthusiastically and scampered off to hide behind Makino's tavern. Chu Zihang waved after her before continuing toward the beach trio.
Gustave sensed the shadow falling across him and cracked one eye open. "Chu Zihang? What brings you here?"
His tone was supremely lazy, the voice of a man with zero concerns.
"Look at you." Chu Zihang shook his head. "Living the good life while the rest of us work."
"Life is meant to be enjoyed!" Gustave yawned expansively, stretching like a contented cat. "Why stress unnecessarily?"
"Right. Well, I won't disturb your relaxation too long." Chu Zihang kept his tone deliberately flat to hide his jealousy. "The principal sent word. He wants to meet with you face-to-face in the next couple days."
The transformation was instantaneous. Gustave's lazy contentment vanished, replaced by sharp alertness. He bolted upright in the lounge chair. "Really? Then I'll leave right now!"
When it came to making money, Gustave's attitude shifted from casual to laser-focused. No ambiguity, no delays.
Chu Zihang couldn't help but shake his head. Would he ever reach a point where he could enjoy life as freely as Gustave? Probably not. His personality wasn't built that way.
Gustave bounded back to the Bamboo Staff to change clothes and make himself presentable. Within minutes, he'd transformed from beach bum to professional contractor. He followed Chu Zihang through the Gate, emerging in Cassel College's familiar corridors.
Rather than walking to the administrative building like a normal person, Gustave converted his body to pure electricity and flashed through the campus at lightning speed. He materialized outside Anjou's office and knocked.
"Come in!" Anjou's voice called from within.
Gustave entered to find the principal standing by his window, gazing at the campus grounds below. The afternoon light cast long shadows across the cluttered office.
"Mr. Gustave." Anjou turned with obvious surprise. "That was remarkably fast. I finished the phone call barely minutes ago."
"Principal Anjou." Gustave settled into a chair without waiting for invitation, completely at ease. "I heard there's news about the Kunlun dragon?"
"Indeed. We've confirmed the dragon's identity." Anjou moved to his desk, his expression grave. "The target is the King of Sky and Wind. In complete form."
"The complete King of Sky and Wind?" Gustave's mind immediately began calculating power levels. A Dragon King of that caliber would at minimum match an Admiral's strength. The complete form might even exceed the three Admirals' capabilities. After all, aside from Xia Mi—the King of Earth and Mountain who was definitively the weakest of the four Dragon Kings—the others' power ceilings remained unknown.
"Is there a problem, Mr. Gustave?" Anjou watched him carefully.
"Problem? Of course not!" Gustave's confidence was absolute. He'd already reached the pinnacle of the One Piece world's power structure. Even if the King of Sky and Wind exceeded the three Admirals' strength by a full tier, what did that matter? He'd fought Kaido and won. A drunken Dragon King sleeping in a cave was practically a gift.
The real question was pricing. They'd previously agreed that the base rate for any of the four Dragon Kings started at five billion US dollars. A complete Dragon King—not diminished, not in human form—warranted a substantial markup.
"Principal Anjou, let's be direct. This is business, so I'll speak plainly." Gustave met the old man's eyes. "For this contract, my fee is twenty billion US dollars. Any objections?"
"Twenty billion dollars?" Anjou stroked his chin, considering.
The figure was enormous. But context mattered. If Gustave successfully killed the King of Sky and Wind, the Dragon King's corpse alone would generate over two hundred billion in profit from alchemical materials, genetic research, and auction sales—even after distributing shares to China and the coalition partners. Twenty billion was expensive, certainly. But it was also a bargain.
"No problem," Anjou said. "Twenty billion. We have a deal."
"Excellent." Gustave stood, already preparing to leave. "When does the operation begin?"
"Five days from now."
"Perfect. I'll see you in Kunlun in five days, Principal Anjou."
Before Anjou could respond, Gustave's body dissolved into crackling electricity and vanished, leaving only a faint ozone smell and the lingering sense of static charge in the air.