At the same time…

Elsewhere in the rain-drenched streets surrounding the Japanese-style mansion, the battle had reached a fever pitch.

The sharp clashing of fists, feet, and blades rang out endlessly. Sparks burst through the darkness, briefly lighting up the pale, youthful faces caught in the chaos.

Bang!

Two jet-black fists collided with force, sending a wave through the rain.

The Rear Admiral stumbled back, his wooden clogs splashing ripples in the puddled street. A thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, quickly washed away by the downpour.

"Has the Marine Headquarters run out of capable men? Even trash like you gets promoted to Rear Admiral?"

The CP0 agent in a white suit sneered as he wiped the blood from his own lips, eyes fixed murderously on the scrawny, sly-looking figure before him.

"You're one to talk. Judging by your condition, you're not doing much better than me."

Tokikake spat out a mouthful of blood, full of disdain.

His brown cap had long since been destroyed, probably swept away by the storm. His tangled hair drooped wet and heavy over his face, clinging to his skull. Bloodshot eyes glared out from beneath the mess, and his thin frame looked even more fragile in the pouring rain.

CP0's gaze grew colder.

"You really think you can stop me?"

"Besides, someone of your rank should know very well what kind of power backs us... Interfering with a mission from the Government does you no good."

"Step aside. Pretend you didn’t see anything. Once the mission is over, I’ll report it to the higher-ups. You’ll get all the wealth and glory you want."

"Rear Admiral Tokikake, don’t you want women? Just move aside. Whatever kind you want—you can have them all."

"Rogers Daren is already a dead man. There’s no reason for you to be buried with him."

Tokikake seemed to consider it, nodding thoughtfully.

"I’ll admit, that’s a tempting offer."

"So you’re saying..."

"I refuse!"

He suddenly pointed and shouted,

"You think you represent the World Government!?"

"You’re not even one of the so-called strongest shields of the Celestial Dragons—just a CP0 lapdog. You think you're in a position to negotiate with me!?"

"Yeah, I’m greedy and lustful, but do you really think I’d sell out my comrades for something like that!?"

The CP0’s face twisted in fury. He held back his rage and said coldly,

"Whatever Rogers Daren offered you, the Government can pay double!"

"I still refuse."

Tokikake stared back with nothing but contempt.

"Then you’re asking to die!"

With a roar, the CP0 lunged again. His speed and strength suddenly surged—clearly using some kind of technique that burned through his life force.

Caught off guard, Tokikake took a full punch to the chest. His ribs caved in with a sickening crunch.

Blood gushed from his mouth as his body was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing into a nearby building. The impact was so fierce, the structure collapsed in an instant.

"You idiot. You think just because you trained under that washed-up Zephyr for a while, you’ve become strong?"

The CP0 marched toward the ruins, each step faster than the last.

"You have no idea how much hell we CP agents went through—how much blood, how much death—to reach this level of power!"

"...Is that so?"

A raspy, mocking voice echoed from the rubble.

CP0’s expression darkened. He instantly flickered forward, reappearing at the edge of the collapsed building.

"A cold and ruthless guy like Rogers Daren is just using you."

He smirked and raised his fist, ready to deliver the final blow to this stubborn Rear Admiral.

He swung—

Bang!

A thick, black-furred arm, beast-like and clawed, suddenly shot out from the rubble and locked onto his fist with a crushing grip.

CP0's pupils shrank into pinpoints.

The arm, muscular and covered in coarse hair, radiated an overwhelming force that froze him in place. He couldn’t move. His fist was completely immobilized!

"Yeah, Daren that bastard is insidious, cunning, and absolutely infuriating... Always stealing my spotlight—it pisses me off."

"But if you're saying he used me? That, I won’t accept."

Boom!

A massive, black figure exploded out of the rubble with a thunderous crash.

Tokikake's form had changed dramatically. His body now towered over three meters tall, covered in coarse, steel-hard black hair. His once-skinny limbs bulged with layers of explosive muscle.

Two sharp tusks jutted from his mouth, and a foul stench puffed from his nose and lips. His towering frame cast a looming shadow that completely enveloped the CP0 agent before him.

"A D-Devil Fruit user!?"

The CP0's face twisted in shock.

This Marine... was a Zoan user!?

And judging by that presence—it was no ordinary Zoan!

That suffocating, primal bloodlust… It had to be an extinct ancient beast!

But if this guy had a Devil Fruit power, why didn’t he use it from the start?

Why wait until he was half-dead!?

"Confused?"

Tokikake’s monstrous face, now grotesque and warped, growled hoarsely. His blood-red eyes were brimming with uncontrollable killing intent.

"I don’t usually like showing this form... Honestly, I think it looks way too ugly."

"But!"

The beast, like some hulking wild boar from the dark ages, looked down coldly at the CP0 agent.

"You got two things wrong."

"First, sure, you CP agents go through hellish training and endless killing. I’ll give you that."

"But let me say one thing—if hard work was all it took, why would we need geniuses?"

"I'm a genius of the Marine Headquarters... Tokikake!"

With a sudden jerk, the giant boar’s thick arm clamped down hard!

Crack!

CP0’s wrist shattered, the ulna piercing right through the skin, forcing out a bone-chilling scream.

"And the second thing..."

Tokikake leaned in closer, his brutish face nearly touching the CP0's, voice low and grating.

"I don’t know if Daren's been using me or not. But do you even realize the value of what he gave me?"

"W-What?"

The CP0 clenched his jaw, enduring the searing pain, and roared back,

"Whatever he gave you, the Government can offer even mor—"

Tokikake’s face suddenly turned deadly serious. Word by word, he cut him off:

"When I was at my lowest, starving and broke... he gave me an unlimited black card to the Pleasure District."

The CP0 froze like he’d been struck by lightning.

That... was the answer?

"—That was the happiest time of my entire life, as a goddamn genius!"

"You call that being used? That’s a bond forged through life and death!"

"And now, you want me to betray Daren and let you lay a finger on his wife and kid!?"

"What the hell do you think I am!?"

The towering beast roared in fury.

"Even a freeloader like me who never pays for a damn thing still has principles!"

"You've just insulted a top-tier VIP of Pleasure District... in the worst way possible!!"