A thunderous roar echoed as the lightning dragons surged forward, their sheer scale dazzling like a brilliant galaxy, sweeping across the night sky above Mary Geoise.

Ultra-high voltage tore through the atmosphere, unleashing blinding sparks and shockwaves, the thunderclaps deafening.

Such a breathtaking and overwhelming display instantly drew everyone's attention.

"This kind of attack..."

"No, look at that direction..."

"He's aiming at Pangaea Castle!"

"Damn it! We've been tricked!!"

"..."

Saint Figarland Garling and the other members of the God's Knights paled, a chill running down their spines.

They had been desperately fending off the North Blue fleet's assault, focused on protecting the Celestial Dragons in the Land of the Gods. No one expected that Momonga's real target wasn't the Celestial Dragons—but the heart of the Holy Land itself: Pangaea Castle!

At this moment, they were scattered across the Land of the Gods. Even if they wanted to intervene, it was far too late.

All they could do was watch as nine enormous lightning dragons, each stretching tens of meters long, opened their gaping maws and howled as they barreled toward the ancient, weathered castle!

"Jamboule, Ninefold Strike!"

Momonga roared, his eyes blazing with battle spirit.

But in that instant—

He suddenly felt his heart jolt.

A suffocating aura of death—vast, deep, and terrifying—erupted from the deepest depths of Pangaea Castle, like an invisible hand of death closing tightly around his chest.

In a flash, Momonga staggered as if drained, the color draining from his face, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints.

Death...

He could feel death itself creeping in.

A look of utter disbelief flooded his eyes.

That presence—just the release of its killing intent—was enough to make him feel the threat of death from this distance?

His heart clenched tighter, as though it might explode at any moment. A flicker of despair crossed his eyes as his body began to blur unconsciously, showing signs of elementalization.

Suddenly—

Bang!

A massive figure burst through the wall of Pangaea Castle's main hall, leaping into the air.

"Momonga, you little brat... if you want to destroy Pangaea Castle, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"

A booming voice thundered.

A bronze-skinned figure cloaked in a billowing Fleet Admiral's cape roared in fury, his muscular, knotted arms crackling with black and red lightning.

Fleet Admiral Kong of the Marine Headquarters—"Steel Bone" Kong!

His fists slammed out like thunder, roaring like war drums.

Boom!!

Within seconds, the nine lightning dragons were shattered into a storm of electric plasma, raining down onto the land below, igniting the grass and forest in an instant.

His sure-kill strike had been intercepted by Kong, but Momonga wasn't the least bit discouraged.

To his surprise, the instant Fleet Admiral Kong intervened, the oppressive sense of death that had enveloped him vanished without a trace.

Gasping heavily, Momonga stared deeply at the figure standing in front of Pangaea Castle—an immovable wall of defense.

Their eyes met.

"You really are the Fleet Admiral."

Momonga smiled wryly and raised his hand in a military gesture.

"Fleet, hear my order—full retreat!"

As his voice fell, the floating fleet—arrayed in attack formation high above—let out a deep engine roar, swiftly adjusting their course under the coordinated command of the North Blue Marines.

Despite the retreat, the entire fleet maintained perfect formation—disciplined, orderly, and precise.

Seeing this, Kong frowned, though a heavy sigh escaped his heart.

The military discipline, combat strength, and terrifying firepower of the North Blue fleet far exceeded his understanding of what a "military force" on this sea should be.

That damn brat Daren... to have built such a formidable fleet in silence, taking advantage of the chaos and autonomy of the North Blue... his talent defied belief.

Not just in all Kong's decades of service—but perhaps across the entire history of the Marines and the World Government—there had never been a military genius to rival Rogers Daren!

And now, someone with such strength, genius, command ability, management, and strategy—top-tier in every aspect—had been forced to the opposite side of the government and the Marines by the arrogance and pride of the World Government's highest authorities.

As he looked over Mary Geoise—now engulfed in flames, transformed into a living hell—Kong's gaze darkened.

Was the decision of the Five Elders and the government... truly the right one?

This aerial assault by the North Blue fleet was just an appetizer.

This elusive, ghostlike air unit would haunt the skies of the seas like a massive, silent phantom—one that would never fade.

With Daren as the commander, and Momonga—a vice commander whose talent and strength were already showing the potential of an Admiral—as his deputy, the North Blue Fleet would undoubtedly become the most dangerous and fearsome enemy the World Government had ever faced.

As he thought of the Navy potentially clashing with such a force in the future, Kong felt his scalp go numb.

A lump rose in his throat, and a chill crept down his back.

"How do we fight?"

Kong suddenly let out a bitter laugh, pulling a cigar from his coat and lighting it as he bit down on the end.

In the sky above, the floating fleet ascended swiftly, one ship after another disappearing into the clouds.

Under a barrage of laser fire and cannon blasts, Fisher Tiger led the slaves in a charge into the inner sea, seizing ships and swiftly sailing into the river.

World Government ships and warships tried to pursue, but were sunk one after another by the airborne fleet. No one could stop their escape.

"Kong! Why aren't you mobilizing the army to stop their retreat!"

At that moment, Saint Figarland Garling appeared before Kong. His hair was disheveled, and he looked battered, but his gaze was sharp as he questioned him sternly.

Kong rolled his eyes and exhaled a ring of smoke.

"If I leave, who's going to guard Pangaea Castle?"

"Besides, Figarland Garling-sama, I'm about to be promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the World Government. I no longer take orders from the God's Knights."

The red-haired Celestial Dragon froze at those words.

He stared as the floating fleet vanished into the sea of clouds, then glanced at the ruined Holy Land before him. Suddenly, with a burst of fury, he slashed his sword.

Shhh!!

A fierce blade of energy ripped through the ground, cleaving straight through several collapsed buildings with clean, smooth cuts.

"Damn Daren! This isn't over!!"

After venting his rage, Saint Figarland Garling stood there gasping, his eyes bloodshot.

Kong shook his head and sighed with a knowing look.

"I'm afraid that's exactly what that brat Daren is thinking too..."

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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