Chapter 15: Choice

Garling took his nephew surprisingly seriously. As an elite member of the Celestial Dragons, he had sharp eyes and a keen sense of judgment, quickly pinpointing Carl's location.

For six years, the two never lost contact. When Carl was about to overthrow the king, Garling sent him a letter with a single sentence:

"Choose your own path. Remember, behind you stands the Figarland family."

Garling's status within the family was unquestionable. Even the eldest son, Darian, could not sway his decisions.

He had once criticized Darian's actions, but he had never expected that his experiment would be so dangerous, leading directly to Carl's death. By the time Garling learned of it, it was already too late.

Now that he had a chance to make amends, he would not let it slip away.

At first, Garling had wanted Carl to return to the family, but Carl refused.

The Figarland family revered strength. Carl had to become stronger—strong enough to suppress the entire family with absolute power and personally kill the father who was worse than a beast!

...

That evening, Ivankov, who had been out all day, returned to the church. The moment he stepped inside, he noticed an unusual atmosphere. Carl and the others sat on the sofa in silence, their expressions unreadable.

Sensing the tension, Ivankov hesitated, then asked weakly, "Is everyone waiting for me? What happened?"

Ginny jumped off the sofa, placed one hand on her waist, and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Brother Ivankov, where have you been wandering again? You came back so late!"

Ivankov widened his eyes and gestured animatedly. "Don't you know? The whole city is in chaos! The king has disappeared!"

However, even after revealing such "explosive" news, Carl and the others remained unfazed. Ginny merely sighed, looking at him with exasperation.

Carl shook the Bible in his hand and said with a smile, "I've sent him to the arms of God."

"Nani!?"

Ivankov, who was well aware of Carl's abilities, instantly understood what had happened. He swallowed hard and made a throat-slitting gesture. "So the king was drawn to you...?"

"Yes."

After a brief silence, Ivankov suddenly raised his hands and spun in circles. "I've hated that bastard king for a long time! As expected of you, Carl-chan! Haha!"

He twirled his way toward Carl, leaned back, and gave him a playful wink.

A large vein popped on Ginny's forehead before she kicked Ivankov squarely on the rear, sending him spinning and rolling away.

Carl maintained his polite smile, though a bead of cold sweat slid down his forehead. He habitually flipped through two pages of his Bible.

Over the years, aside from training, Carl spent his free time reading the books stored in the church to refine his temperament.

Six years ago, he had awakened the power of the Mink Tribe within him, but it had also caused him to lose control of his emotions, nearly leading him to harm Kuma and the others.

In truth, the Mink Tribe's genes alone wouldn't have caused such instability. The real reason was that other powerful racial genes coexisted in Carl's body. When activated, they easily pushed him into a violent state, making him indiscriminate in battle.

That was why he read—to keep his emotions in check, maintain inner peace, and better control his power.

With a snap, Carl closed the Bible, his expression turning serious. "The news of the king's disappearance has spread. The World Government will act soon. They'll send the Marines to investigate."

Kuma rubbed his palms together and asked, "Brother, does that mean we're going to war with the Marines?"

Ginny pulled out a gold-plated pistol from her chest, a birthday gift Carl had stolen from the palace just for her. She cherished it, rarely parting from it except during baths.

And Ginny didn't just keep the gun for decoration.

Due to her looks and figure, some nobles had targeted her in the past, with a few even resorting to force.

They had mistaken her for a fragile flower, but they were wrong.

While other girls her age were still clinging to their parents, Ginny had already traversed the Valley of the Gods.

She had seen the world's darkness early on, and having been with Carl for so long, she understood the importance of strength.

So, for years, she never slacked in her training. Now, she was a deadly sharpshooter.

As for Ivankov, his Okama Kenpo had also reached an impressive level.

Seeing the eagerness in their eyes, Carl chuckled. "No need to be so tense. I'm not asking you to fight to the death with the Marines. I just want to ask—do you want to join the Marines with me?"

His words stunned the three.

After a moment, Ginny spoke up, concern evident in her voice. "I don't care! I'll go wherever you go, Brother Carl! But... we were all slaves. If they find out, won't we be..."

Carl tapped her forehead gently. "Why do you always forget that I'm a Celestial Dragon? As long as I'm here, no one will dare touch you."

Ginny nodded obediently, grasping Carl's hand with determination. "Brother Carl, I'll follow you. I said six years ago that we should never be separated!"

Kuma also raised his hand, signaling his willingness to follow Carl.

Only Ivankov remained silent, his head lowered.

Carl didn't pressure him and simply waited.

Ginny, however, lost patience. She grabbed Ivankov's ear and yelled, "Brother Ivankov! What are you thinking about? Don't you want to come with us?"

Ivankov remained quiet for a moment before slowly raising his head, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I'm suited to be a Marine. I love freedom and the sea."

Ginny's expression darkened, and she was about to argue, but Carl raised a hand to stop her.

He didn't feel any resentment toward Ivankov's decision. Everyone had their own aspirations, and he wouldn't force anyone.

He had already expected this outcome. Though he felt a tinge of regret, he respected Ivankov's choice.

He would not distance himself from Ivankov because of it. He still remembered their escape from the Valley of the Gods and every moment of the past six years.

Seeing Ivankov's guilty expression, Carl gave him a warm smile. He patted Ivankov on the shoulder and said softly, "It's okay. We will always be friends. One day, we'll meet again on the sea."

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