Hanging up the phone, Raynor's face was cold. He piloted the Ark Maxim, streaking across the sky like a bolt of lightning.
He knew Luo Feng meant well, but these Celestial Dragon dogs were about to lay hands on his father. How could he remain indifferent?
At this thought, Raynor released even more terrifying lightning. The Ark Maxim hummed loudly, flying toward the Kast Kingdom at an even greater speed.
...
"Your Majesty! It's bad! Two of our guard squads have been killed!!"
"The enemy is heading toward the main hall!"
A soldier rushed in from outside to report.
"What?? They came so fast!!"
Hearing this, Leyton's face darkened on the throne, and he stood up abruptly.
A royal guard squad consisted of 30 men. That meant 60 men had already died at the hands of the enemy.
"Those damned bastards! How many of them are there??"
Leyton asked furiously, clenching his fists.
"Your Majesty, there are only five of them."
"Only five people killed two guard squads??"
Behind Leyton, the Captain of the Guards, Luo Feng, who had been silent, spoke in a deep voice.
"They... they are agents of the World Government."
"So they really made a move?"
Hearing the words "World Government," Leyton instantly lost his strength and slumped back into his seat.
"Protect His Majesty. I'll go stop them!!"
Luo Feng stepped forward.
As the strongest expert in the Kast Kingdom, only he had a sliver of a chance against them.
Originally, he wanted to take Leyton and flee, but since the safety of the entire kingdom's populace was at stake, Leyton had sworn to live or die with Kast.
Watching Luo Feng's retreating back, Leyton sighed deeply, feeling a sense of desolation.
Although Luo Feng was strong, facing people from the World Government, he could only hold them off for a moment.
Walking out of the main hall, Luo Feng released his Observation Haki. He quickly detected five unusually powerful auras, as well as over a hundred guards lying in pools of blood.
In the short time the soldier had reported, they had killed dozens more.
"These damned bastards!!"
...
The corridor leading to the royal palace was littered with the bodies of soldiers.
"Cough, cough... You dogs of the World Government! You won't have a good end!!"
Covered in blood, a squad captain held his sword, leading his soldiers in a desperate attempt to block the CP0 agents' attacks.
"Hehehehe... truly laughable. You dare refuse what Saint Roswald has set his eyes on? You really don't know how to die."
"But the result will be the same. After we kill you all, Leyton will still obediently offer up his Queen!!"
In the bloody corridor, the World Government agents, dressed in suits and wearing masks, looked on with eyes full of undisguised mockery behind their masks.
Blood dripped continuously from their slightly reddened fingers.
"Pointless resistance!!"
As his voice fell, his figure suddenly vanished. In the squad captain's widening pupils, his body had already been pierced by the opponent's finger.
Shigan (Finger Pistol)!! One of the Marine Rokushiki.
The squad captain's body slowly collapsed. In the end, he was no match for CP0.
"Now it's your turn!!"
The CP0 agent scanned the other guards with bloodthirsty eyes. "Rankyaku (Tempest Kick)!!!"
With a sweep of his right leg, several air blades flew toward the guards, about to strike their bodies.
Clang! Clang! Clang!Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the nick of time, Luo Feng arrived, neutralizing all the attacks.
"Hmm??"
The CP0 agent narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them.
"Don't waste time. Lord Roswald is still waiting for us. Kill them, grab the Queen, and let's get out of here."
The impatient CP0 leader urged them on.
The remaining CP0 agents nodded in tacit agreement and launched a simultaneous attack on Luo Feng.
Although Luo Feng fought back with all his might, after a few rounds, not only did he gain no advantage, but several bloody holes appeared on his body.
His defense became increasingly strained.
And whenever a soldier tried to step in to help, they were instantly killed by the CP0 leader's Shigan.
Crack.
The long sword in Luo Feng's hand snapped. Kicked by the combined force of several agents, he was sent flying and landed in a pool of blood.
"A foolish endeavor. Allow me to send you on your final journey."
A red glow gathered at the CP0 agent's fingertip, aimed squarely at the head of the critically injured Luo Feng.
At that moment, Luo Feng closed his eyes in despair, awaiting death.
Bang—
"Who gave you the audacity to kill the people of my Kast Kingdom?!!"
With a thunderous crash, a deep pit was stomped into the hard ground.
A voice dripping with killing intent rang in everyone's ears.
The massive commotion drew everyone's attention. Even the CP0 agent paused, his finger still suspended in mid-air.
Everyone looked towards the source of the sound. As the dust settled, a black figure appeared in their line of sight.
Raynor had finally arrived.
"You're from the Kast Kingdom too?"
"Who cares who he is? Kill him, take the Queen, and let's report back!"
Seeing Raynor, the CP0 leader tensed up immediately.
He didn't know why, but upon seeing this man, he felt a bone-chilling sensation. He sensed a suffocating crisis radiating from Raynor.
Looking at the trail of soldier corpses along the path, Raynor's face was so gloomy it looked like water could drip from it.
"Young Master... you've finally returned."
Luo Feng struggled to raise his arm, but in the next second, he fainted.
"You all deserve to die!!!!"
As his cold voice fell, Raynor's figure abruptly vanished from his spot, the space around him emitting a cracking sound.
In the next instant, the pupils of the CP0 agent who tried to kill Luo Feng constricted violently. A bolt of lightning flashed, and his body exploded.
"The first one!!"
"Bastard!!!"
Boom—
"The second one!!!"
Before the others could react, Raynor struck again.
Two more CP0 agents were instantly killed.
"You... just who are you??"
The face of the sole remaining CP0 team leader changed drastically as he shouted.
Those who served by Saint Roswald's side were elites among agents, possessing immense strength. Yet, the man before him had effortlessly instantly killed four of them.
Was this a hidden master of the Kast Kingdom?
"You aren't qualified to know who I am!"
Raynor glanced at him indifferently, his voice cold.
"Arrogant fool!!!"
The CP0 leader's face twisted, veins bulging on his forehead.
Although the opponent was strong, instantly killing four subordinates was something he could do as well.
"Hehehehe... I originally planned to leave after completing the mission, but now I've changed my mind. After I kill you, I will wash Kast in blood! I won't leave a single one alive!"
Licking the blood from his finger, a dark glint flashed in the CP0 leader's eyes.
"Soru!!"
In the next second, his figure disappeared, and the ear-piercing sound of wind cut through the air.
"Rankyaku!!"
Several air blades flew out, slashing toward Raynor.
Facing the CP0 leader's menacing attack, Raynor shook his head in disappointment.
"With just this level of strength, you dare to run wild here? You're seeking death!!"
Rumble—
A bolt of lightning as thick as a bowl descended from the sky, striking the CP0 leader directly on the crown of his head. He clutched his forehead, letting out a pig-like squeal of agony.
Not long after, there was silence.
Through his call with Luo Feng, Raynor already knew the context of the situation and why World Government agents were here.
But knowing that only made him angrier.
"Saint Roswald, is it??"
Raynor narrowed his eyes, killing intent surging through his body.
If he remembered correctly, this guy was the father of that future lecher, Saint Charlos.
truly birds of a feather.
"Young Master, you're back!!"
The surviving guards knelt on one knee, weeping uncontrollably.
"Young Master, avenge our brothers!!!"
"Young Master!!"
Snapping back to reality, Raynor's eyes were complex, his anger subsiding slightly.
"Alright, get up."
"Clean this place up, then go rest. Leave the rest to me."
Raynor turned and walked toward the palace.
...
Inside the palace, an anxious Leyton paced back and forth.
He didn't know how long Luo Feng could hold out, nor when the enemy would break through.
The waiting was agonizing.
Tap, tap, tap—Tap, tap, tap—
Steady footsteps echoed. Leyton's breath hitched, and he swallowed subconsciously.
He stiffly turned his head toward the entrance of the hall.
"Father, it's me."
Raynor called out first.
Phew—
Seeing it was Raynor, Leyton let out a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
Although he was prepared to die, he didn't want to die if there was a chance to live.
But soon, Leyton reacted, speaking urgently:
"Why did you come back? Didn't I tell Luo Feng to tell you to leave immediately??"
"Run! Luo Feng can't hold them off for long. If they get in here, you won't be able to leave."
"I'll immediately..."
"Father, don't worry. The scum from the World Government are already dead. I've also sent someone to treat Luo Feng."
Seeing the panic on Leyton's face, Raynor comforted him softly.
"Dead? You killed the people from the World Government??"
"It's over... this is a disaster!"
Hearing this news, Leyton felt no joy of survival.
Once World Government agents were killed, there was truly no way out.
The entire population of the Kast Kingdom would be buried along with them.
"Father, calm down."
Raynor held the agitated Leyton by the shoulders.
"I came back this time not only to solve the crisis facing Kast but also to completely remove the hidden threat of Romanov."
"As for the World Government people, since they sought death themselves, I just killed them in passing."
Calming down, Leyton looked at Raynor, sensing the terrifying aura faintly radiating from him.
Having not seen him for so many years, Raynor seemed to have truly changed.
"Little Nuo, even if you are powerful now and don't take Flander seriously, this time it involves a Celestial Dragon."
"We cannot afford to offend the Celestial Dragons."
Leyton knew that Raynor had made a name for himself outside and recruited some powerful crew members over the years.
But the World Government was a behemoth; how could they hope to shake it?
"Father, rest assured. Leave this matter to me."
"Besides, I've already killed the World Government agents. We are already at odds with them until death. Since that's the case, what is there to fear??"
Leyton opened his mouth to speak, but eventually, it turned into a helpless sigh.
A moment later, Leyton patted Raynor's shoulder. "Good!!"
"You're right. We've already offended the World Government to the point of no return. We die if we fight, we die if we don't. Little Nuo, I leave this to you!!"
"I'm old now; I can't be of much help to you."
"Father, don't say that. You're still young."
"Since they've come knocking on our door, how can we not give them a return gift!!"
Leyton understood Raynor's implication and immediately ordered:
"I'll have the troops assembled immediately. From now on, they are at your command!!"
"No."
Raynor shook his head and refused. "These soldiers have no ability to resist against the World Government's forces. Going there would only increase unnecessary casualties."
"It will take some time for Flander and his lot to learn about the CP0 agents being killed. By that time, my crew should have arrived."
"I'll just take them with me."
"Your crew??"
"Hahahaha... I heard from Luo Feng that you recruited some very capable crew members!"
Relaxing slightly, Leyton asked.
"Indeed, they are quite good." Raynor nodded slightly.
"By the way, Father, was the news from Luo Feng true? Did you really discover the Tremor-Tremor Fruit??"
Suddenly remembering something, Raynor's voice became urgent.
"Yes, it is indeed the Tremor-Tremor Fruit."
"Sigh... if not for the news leaking, how would Kast have fallen into such a crisis?"
"The exploration team wasn't strong enough to retrieve it from the sheer cliff face."
Leyton sighed with frustration.
"If only the information is true."
Raynor's face showed a hint of joy. Before this, he had been thinking about finding the Tremor-Tremor Fruit or a Mythical Zoan fruit for Linlin.
He didn't expect news of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit to appear so soon after.
From the looks of it, Whitebeard hadn't obtained the Tremor-Tremor Fruit yet.
He wondered if this was the exact moment in history when Whitebeard acquired it.
But regardless, the priority right now was to deal with Flander and the Celestial Dragon.
Several hours later, news of the CP0 agents' deaths reached the Romanov Kingdom.
Inside the Main Hall.
King Flander and numerous ministers were kneeling respectfully, their foreheads covered in fine beads of cold sweat.
Everyone was silent as a cicada in winter, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Flander had thought things would go very smoothly. Having dealt with Leyton for decades, he knew exactly how much the man was worth.
With CP0 personally taking action, Leyton shouldn't have stood a chance.
But the result? The news that came back was that all CP0 agents sent to Kast had been killed.
The hall was deathly silent; one could hear a pin drop.
Tap, tap, tap—Tap, tap, tap—
Suddenly, a rhythmic tapping sound came from the throne.
Flander carefully raised his head and stole an imperceptible glance at the person sitting on the throne.
The one before him was a true World Noble.
A true ruler of the seas—a Celestial Dragon!!
"Lord Roswald, I don't know why things turned out this way. Kast Kingdom shouldn't have such powerful experts."
"Please forgive me, my Lord!!"
After all, he was the one who instigated this. If the Celestial Dragon decided to punish someone, he would be the first to die.
"However, my Lord, for these people to dare kill your guards... they clearly have no respect for you. This is a naked provocation and contempt towards you and the Celestial Dragons!"
"Lord Roswald, you absolutely cannot let them off lightly."
Flander quickly shifted the topic, adding fuel to the fire and diverting the blame onto the Kast Kingdom.
This was for the best. Since that fool Leyton had killed World Government agents, the entire Kast Kingdom would be buried with him.
"They were just a bunch of useless trash. If they died, they died."
"But this Kast Kingdom... are they truly as arrogant as you say? Do they really hold no regard for the great Celestial Dragons??"
On the throne, Saint Roswald frowned, his voice low.
"Absolutely! If not, how would they dare lay a hand on your guards??"
"It's just a woman. To receive your favor should be an honor anyone would rush to accept, yet Leyton refused time and time again!!"
"Moreover, my spy in Kast sent word that he personally heard Leyton speak ill of the Celestial Dragons! He called you 'Celestial Pigs,' 'Celestial Dogs,' and other treasonous things!!"