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On the other hand—
South Blue.
The Kingdom of Philan.
After handing over the task of warning Spandine to Vinsmoke Judge, Iji put away his Den Den Mushi and surveyed the half-dead trio of Owl, Lion Atsu, and Gabura with an impassive expression.
"You should consider yourselves lucky that you hadn't yet reached Germa's ship. Otherwise, this wouldn't have ended so simply…"
Under the complex gazes of fear, awe, and resentment from Owl and the others, Iji stood up and walked toward the palace without looking back. "Count yourselves fortunate this time, but there won't be a next time."
He made no attempt to recruit them. These individuals, who had been indoctrinated by the World Government since childhood, would not easily abandon their beliefs unless they experienced true "despair."
Following Iji's earlier orders, the royal army kept its distance and even actively dispersed curious onlookers. This saved him the trouble of dealing with unnecessary interference.
Only after Iji's figure disappeared into the distance did the three men finally exhale in relief.
"Ah~~ That bastard sure knows how to hit hard..."
Lion Atsu winced as he tossed away the two broken halves of his staff. Stumbling forward, he helped Owl support the blood-soaked Gabura.
At that moment—
Bzzt bzzt…
The sound of a Den Den Mushi rang out from within Gabura's tattered, torn clothing.
"It must be that idiot Spandam!"
Gabura's voice was weak and slurred, several teeth knocked out during the fight. He could barely stand on his own, but his tone carried biting resentment.
If it weren't for that fool's reckless arrogance, they wouldn't have been beaten so brutally by the monster known as Vinsmoke Iji.
Fortunately, despite their severe injuries, they were still alive. With proper rest and treatment, recovery was possible.
But they needed medical attention soon. Otherwise, permanent disabilities might set in, which would complicate matters further.
Knowing Spandam's cowardly nature, if they became useless due to these injuries, he'd likely discard them like trash on the side of the road.
"Moshi moshi, is this Gabura?"
The Den Den Mushi displayed an ugly face—clearly nervous and panicked. "It's me, your esteemed leader, Spandam. You haven't started infiltrating Germa yet, right? Listen carefully: the mission is canceled. Return immediately. Understood?"
"What if something happens? Father wouldn't scare me for no reason!"
Spandam's words left Owl, Atsu, and Gabura exchanging bewildered glances, stunned into silence.
Their hearts brimmed with anger and frustration. Why hadn't he said this sooner? Because of him, they were now in this miserable state.
"Commander, you've really done us in, cha-ba-ba~"
"Eh? What happened?"
"Commander Spandam~~~"
Lion Atsu shook his head, his tone laced with reproach. "If you had told us earlier, we wouldn't have been beaten to a pulp by that monster Vinsmoke Iji!"
"...What!?"
The Den Den Mushi displayed shock and panic. "Aren't all of you superhuman warriors? How could a mere sixteen-year-old kid possibly be your match? Did you get ambushed by Germa's forces after being discovered?"
"The situation is complicated, cough cough… It's not easy to explain in just a few words. We'll report back later…" Gabura struggled to hold the receiver steady despite the excruciating pain. Clenching his teeth, he continued, "For now, please stop wasting time, Commander Spandam. Send someone to pick us up—and bring doctors. All three of us need urgent medical treatment…"
---
Meanwhile, in the capital, chaos still lingered.
Under the royal army's efforts to calm the public, the terrified citizens gradually returned home, shaken but safe. However, those whose homes had been destroyed by the battle stared at the wreckage, utterly distraught.
Such a sudden "incident" naturally dampened the spirits of King Angus IX and the nobles attending the banquet inside the palace.
Some "bold souls," protected by a large contingent of the royal army, gathered at the palace gates to peer curiously at the scene.
"Hey, hey, Iji, wasn't that a bit too much noise?"
Niji pointed toward the building that had been sliced in half by Iji's Rankyaku and had since collapsed entirely. His tone was exasperated, though his breath reeked of alcohol, his mind remained sharp.
He didn't seem malicious toward Iji but rather appeared gleeful about the still-pale, visibly shaken King Angus IX.
After receiving reports from the royal army's commander, Angus IX truly believed the attackers were assassins sent by rebel forces targeting him.
This time, a powerful fighter from Germa had intervened to save the day, but what about next time? Such terrifying battles would undoubtedly overwhelm his royal army alone, leaving him unable to rest easy.
"The enemy was no ordinary foe. There was nothing I could do…"
Shrugging slightly, Iji removed his gloves nonchalantly. "They were likely members of the Revolutionary Army."
"What!?"
"The Revolutionary Army?"
"No way…"
Not only King Angus IX but also the ministers and nobles turned pale, nearly collapsing in fear.
How could they not know of the Revolutionary Army, which preached dangerous ideas like "equality for all" and "democratic freedom," even openly aiming to overthrow the World Government?
Over the years, countless nobles and kings had been overthrown by the Revolutionary Army, publicly executed on gallows.
If these attackers were indeed part of the Revolutionary Army, would these failed regime-changers continue attempting to assassinate them?
"Let's call it a night for today's banquet. Thank you for your warm hospitality, everyone from Philan."
Iji showed no intention of comforting anyone. Having just disciplined Gabura and the others, he had no interest in continuing the festivities.
Glancing at the black cases carried by the soldiers of Germa 66, he directly asked the squad leader, "Has our payment been settled?"
"Your Highness, everything has been accounted for…"
The squad leader responded respectfully. "The amount is correct."
"Then let's head back…"