The next day, night quietly descended upon Marineford.

The town streets were brightly lit, with people either rushing about or strolling leisurely.

At the port, Gern, who had returned first due to his time in Impel Down, was summoned urgently by Kong before he could even go home.

“Magellan wouldn’t really stoop to tattling, would he?”

Gern pondered all the way, secretly calculating how to find an excuse to brush it off.

Just like that, he arrived at the main entrance in a short while, and so he took a deep breath.

“Fleet Admiral Kong, Bullet broke free on his own!

After all, his strength is quite formidable, and I later expended a great deal of effort to re-restrain him!

As for Magellan, you absolutely must not believe his one-sided story…” Halfway through his sentence, as Gern half-opened the door, he immediately felt a suffocating atmosphere.

Through the crack in the door, he saw Kong’s gaze, sharp as a hawk, fixed intently on him.

Seeing this, Gern’s heart tightened, and the smile that had been on his face instantly vanished without a trace, then he silently pushed the door open and entered.

“I knew calling me here late at night couldn’t just be for that trivial matter at Impel Down.”

Gern’s lips curved into his usual frivolous smile, but his gaze swept over Kong’s solemn expression, and he immediately sobered.

He walked straight to the sofa, plopped down, and spread his hands, “Alright, what is it?”

Kong sat behind his desk, his hands clasped under his chin.

“Gern, your promotion to Admiral has been rejected by the World Government.

Not only that, they also proposed that Kuzan and you…”

For a moment, only Kong’s voice and the ticking of the wall clock were clearly audible in the room.

Soon, Kong slowly explained the entire situation.

However, Gern, who had heard the entire process, did not react with the expected rage or questioning that Kong had anticipated; instead, he let out a light chuckle, his fingers gently tapping the armrest of the sofa.

“Is that all?” He looked up, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, “I thought it was some earth-shattering news!”

Kong frowned deeply: “You’re not angry?”

“Angry? Heh heh.” Gern scoffed, stood up, and walked to the window, the Moonlight casting a long shadow of him.

“If I were the World Government, I wouldn’t allow a ‘rebel’ who threatens the safety of the Celestial Dragons to sit in the position of Admiral.”

As he spoke, he turned around, a dangerous curve on his lips.

“After all, if something happened to them, during the process of me protecting them, there’s a hundred percent chance I’d… create an ‘accident’.”

Seeing Gern’s reaction, Kong’s pupils suddenly constricted.

Nothing else, because Gern’s reaction was too calm, even with an almost mocking composure.

Especially the slight tilt of his head, with a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips.

Coupled with those deep eyes that held no anger, no resentment, only a playful insight into everything…

As if everything was within his expectations!!

This attitude made Kong suddenly realize.

The man before him had perhaps long seen through the World Government’s intentions, and perhaps… had already prepared countermeasures.

“You knew this would happen?” Kong asked in a deep voice, with a hint of probing.

“Heh heh.” Gern chuckled softly, walked behind Kong’s chair, and gently tapped the backrest with his fingers, a slow rhythm.

At the same time, his tone was low, yet it carried an undeniable sharpness.

“Fleet Admiral Kong, power is never bestowed by others; it is… seized through strength and leverage.”

Saying that, Gern continued to move, sitting back down on the sofa.

“Besides…” He narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of mockery in his smile.

“Does it really make a difference whether I’m an Admiral or not right now?”

“So…” Kong lowered his gaze and frowned, staring intently at him: “You’re not planning to contend?”

“Contend? Of course I will contend!” Gern suddenly laughed, his voice low as he continued.

“After all, whether I win or not, Kuzan will definitely be promoted.”

Saying that, he stood up again and slowly walked to the window, the Moonlight illuminating his profile, outlining a stern silhouette.

“But if I don’t fight this battle…” Gern turned his head, his sharp gaze piercing Kong.

“Fleet Admiral Kong, you wouldn’t be able to reasonably explain it to the Marine, and even less… openly assign me power, right?”

Kong’s breathing hitched.

“You…”

“Fleet Admiral Kong, I know what you’re thinking.” Gern interrupted him, his tone suddenly sharp.

“You’re worried that after Admiral Sengoku takes over, the dove-like approach will allow the existing Marine power to be gradually eroded by the World Government.”

“After all…” Gern turned around, his hands in his pockets, his gaze like a torch.

“Teacher Zephyr, Vice Admiral Garp, Kuzan, Chief of Staff Tsuru, they are all doves.

And while Sakazuki has a group of hawks under him, his obedient nature means he will only question in the conference room.

In reality, what needs to be executed, he will still execute.”

At this point, Gern slowly approached, each step seemingly treading on Kong’s taut nerves.

“So, you need me.” He leaned in slightly, his voice low and dangerous.

“Because only I, ‘Calamity’ Gern Reginald Sigma,

can both preserve the Marine’s existing power and truly resist the World Government’s erosion.” After speaking, Gern straightened up, a cold sneer on his lips.

“Because reconciliation between me and the World Government is impossible.

And my achievements are already enough to grant me ‘qualification’.”

Saying that, Gern paused for a second, “But the problem is… you currently lack a reason, a reason to legitimately delegate power.”

Kong’s breathing quickened slightly.

Gern’s smile deepened, with an almost provocative hint: “So, you called me here tonight.

You want me to participate in this duel orchestrated by the World Government, right?”

Gern spread his hands, his tone light yet with an undeniable certainty: “Because you know, Kuzan will definitely be promoted.

And I…” His gaze suddenly sharpened, “can conveniently use the name of ‘failure’ to legitimately demand ‘compensation’.”

“For example…” Gern tilted his head slightly, “granting Gern Reginald Sigma… autonomous command over his subordinates!”

“Autonomous command over subordinates…” Hearing this, Kong suddenly looked up, “You want to be independent of Sengoku’s restrictions?!”

“No, no, no! I’m still very obedient, alright.

It’s just… sometimes orders are fatal, and when that time comes, some special privileges are needed, aren’t they?”

“Gern.” Looking into the man’s eyes, Kong felt for the first time that he didn’t understand him at all, or rather, he couldn’t see through him.

“Let’s make a deal, Fleet Admiral Kong.

After all, everything is for the Marine.”

…

After a long while, as Gern’s hand once again touched the office doorknob, Kong suddenly called out to him: “Gern, whose side are you really on?”

Gern didn’t turn around, only slightly tilted his head, the Moonlight casting a shadow on half of his face.

“I stand on the side of ‘Justice’, Your Excellency, Fleet Admiral.”

The moment the door closed, Kong recalled everything that had just happened, and the so-called “deal”.

He couldn’t help but look at the World Government’s Transponder Snail on the table, and in that instant, he suddenly realized…

This game of power, perhaps from the very beginning, had fallen into Gern’s rhythm.

And, this man was waiting for this moment!!!