Chapter 430: Betrayal?

At this very moment—

Totto Land Kingdom.

On an unknown man-made island.

Three massive paw-shaped bubbles crashed down with a thunderous roar.

With a loud boom, exaggerated paw prints were left imprinted on the ground.

Gathered there were Fleet Admiral Steel Bone Kong, along with the new Commander and Vice Commander of the Holy Knight—three figures in total.

They glanced warily around at the empty surroundings.

Instantly, they sensed something was off.

Their expressions changed involuntarily.

"Damn it…"

"Where are we…?"

"That bastard Kaido…"

All three looked grim.

Because all around them—

One imposing figure after another stood in place, radiating powerful auras.

At the forefront were the three great disasters: Thunder Calamity Oka, Wind Calamity Eileen, and Flame Calamity Afar.

In addition, other formidable officers such as Demon Oz, Ant King Quinn, the Pegasus Swordsman Shimotsuki Gyumaru, and the rest of the Eight Vajra had also shown up, surrounding them from all sides.

Each one wore a cold smile, eyeing them like predators.

Seeing the situation, how could they not realize what had happened?

"Shhhk!"

Suddenly—

Not far away, a tall figure appeared out of nowhere.

If it wasn't Kaido, the rising star of the Navy, a vice admiral recognized as a candidate for admiral, then who could it be?

"Heh-heh-heh, not too many, not too few—just the right number!"

Gazing at the three men present, Kaido let out an eerie chuckle.

"Kaido, what is the meaning of this?"

Steel Bone Kong clenched his fists tightly, glaring at him. "What about Garp? Where have you sent him?"

He had never expected that Kaido—someone the Navy had poured so many resources into and even earmarked early on as an admiral candidate—had betrayed the World Government at some unknown point.

And now, taking advantage of this opportunity, he had teleported them all here.

This time around, the Five Elders had gone so far as to dispatch himself, Iron Fist Garp (Vice Admiral), and the Commander and Vice Commander of the Holy Knight to ensure they could capture the members of the Kulkan Family.

Yet they had been transported right into a trap laid out in Totto Land Kingdom—

And Garp was nowhere to be found.

"Damn it, has this guy really betrayed us?"

Looking furious, Saint Garling, who once ate an artificial Devil Fruit but was still promoted by the Five Elders to the rank of Commander of the Holy Knight due to his formidable strength, glared at Kaido, seething with anger.

Beside him, the Vice Commander Saint Rony also wore a grim expression.

"Hmm?"

Kaido scratched at his spiked club, sporting a playful grin.

With a sneer, he growled, "From the very start, I was planted in the Navy by El-sama!"

"What!?"

"How is that possible?"

Upon hearing this—

Steel Bone Kong, Saint Garling, and Saint Rony were all shocked, their faces ashen with disbelief and fury.

Kaido had joined the Navy before the age of ten; could it be that he had been secretly working for Fallen Angel El all along?

"Heh…"

"Just accept your fate!"

"Today, none of you are getting away!"

Thunder Calamity, Flame Calamity, Wind Calamity, and the others sneered in unison.

They had been waiting a long time for this day.

Finally, their planted piece—Kaido—was paying off.

So many powerful combatants had gathered, and on their own turf at that. If they still let these World Government types escape, they might as well call themselves incompetent.

"Damn it…"

Steel Bone Kong's face darkened.

He fixed his gaze on Kaido, gritting his teeth. "Where's Garp? Where did you teleport him?"

"Him? He's busy catching up with an old friend!"

Kaido let out a sinister laugh.

"It's Tsuru, isn't it?" Steel Bone Kong's heart sank.

If Garp were here, even with Fallen Angel El and the others absent for the moment, they might have a fighting chance.

But now, not only were they outnumbered, the individuals surrounding them were all top-tier warriors known far and wide. The difference in strength was overwhelming.

Their chances of survival looked grim.

"You should probably worry about yourselves rather than Garp…"

Thunder Calamity Oka zeroed in on Steel Bone Kong, Saint Garling, and the others. "Are you going to surrender quietly, or will we have to force you?"

"You really think you've already won?"

Saint Garling roared in fury and attacked first, his sword shimmering with black-red lightning as he targeted Kaido and the others.

"Adamantine Chariot!!"

Steel Bone Kong bellowed, likewise transforming into a human-beast hybrid form. His entire body crackled with electricity, and his colossal fists—coated with Conqueror's Haki—slammed forward without mercy.

"Tenfold Kinetic Burst! Crescent Slash!!"

Right beside him, the Holy Knight' Vice Commander, Saint Rony, also unleashed a fierce strike. His blade radiated a peculiar blue glow, brandishing a powerful slash infused with Haki.

"Stubborn fools—attack!!"

Almost at the same instant—

Kaido himself, along with the many powerful figures encircling them, raised their weapons in unison. Their combined auras surged, hearts beating in tandem.

They launched their assault.

"Hakai!!"

Boom, boom…

…

Intruders have appeared…

"Iron Fist Garp?"

"How could he suddenly show up here?"

"Everyone, be on alert!!"

"Don't let him escape…"

Meanwhile, on Cake Island in the center of Totto Land—

Garp, who had just been transported there, frowned as he surveyed the bustling city streets, the lively crowds, and the heavily armed Totto Land soldiers converging from all directions. Noticing that Steel Bone Kong and the others were nowhere in sight, his suspicions grew.

"…Stop!"

A commanding female voice echoed.

A tall, elegant woman with a refined, intellectual aura—someone who had grown even more beautiful with time—appeared and halted the soldiers who were about to attack. It was Tsuru.

She regarded her old friend with a calm smile. "Garp, long time no see…"

"Heh-hah-hah-hah! Tsuru, I half expected you'd be a washed-up loser by now, but you've only gotten more stunning!"

Garp showed no signs of panic. Glancing at his former comrade, he remarked with resignation, "So I guess Kaido really has been turned to your side, huh?"

"It's not that he was turned," Tsuru replied with a faint smile. "He's been our spy in the Navy from the start."

"I see…"

Garp's pupils constricted.

A moment later, realization dawned, and he sighed in amazement. "I should have known you'd always be one step ahead."

"It's been a while. Care to sit and have a cup of coffee?"

Tsuru gestured for the soldiers—still eyeing Garp warily—to stand down. She knew him too well: aside from their personal bond, this place was bustling with civilians, its city flourishing and peaceful. Garp wasn't one to create chaos in such conditions.

Although she suspected she might not be able to defeat him easily—she had awakened her Mythical Zoan-type "Okuchi no Makami" ability—but even then, she wasn't someone Garp could simply brush aside in three or two moves.

"Aren't you afraid I'll take you hostage, given that you're the Prime Minister of Totto Land Kingdom?"

Looking at the soldiers who were wary but obediently retreating, Garp asked bluntly, "Don't forget—I'm Navy. We're enemies."

"If it were Sengoku, maybe he would. But you wouldn't," Tsuru responded with a gentle laugh.

"Heh-hah-hah-hah—really now? That would break poor Sengoku's heart if he heard you say that."

Garp laughed until tears came to his eyes. Yet in the end, he made no move to attack.