Everyone present was stunned.
They stared at Lucas’s utterly serious expression.
Was he really saying something so absurd with a straight face?
A duel...
...needed paperwork first?
Who had ever heard of such a thing?
"Admiral Lucas," Chaton said with a smile that barely concealed his irritation, "are you looking down on me? Making jokes like this in front of everyone? Since when does a duel require going through procedures? You’re making it impossible for me to save face."
Anyone could hear the persistence—and anger—behind his words.
As Chaton strode toward Lucas, everyone tensed once more.
"Gion, hurry and stop Vice Admiral Chaton!" Tashigi called out anxiously.
"Chaton, don’t do this," Gion urged before turning to Lucas with a helpless smile.
"Admiral Lucas, if you truly don’t wish to accept his challenge, you can simply refuse. There’s no need to make up an excuse like this."
"An excuse?" Lucas took another sip of strong baijiu before shaking his head.
"No, Vice Admiral Gion. I’m completely serious."
"I was appointed directly to the position of Admiral. It’s only natural that many people aren’t convinced. Challenges are inevitable, and I’m perfectly willing to accept them."
"But accepting challenges is one thing."
"I can’t fight every person who comes knocking."
"If an Admiral is going to act as someone’s sparring partner, there ought to be something in it for me."
As he spoke, Lucas pulled out a neatly prepared stack of forms.
"So I made some application forms."
"If anyone wants to challenge me, fill one out first."
"Get all the required approvals."
"Have Grandpa Sengoku sign off on it."
"Then get me a raise."
"Some performance bonuses."
"And a proper bonus payment."
"Those are the minimum requirements."
"If enough people apply, we can even classify it as a special project."
"Being an Admiral serving as a sparring partner should count as a major project."
"You improve your strength, and I receive a percentage bonus."
"Seems fair to me."
"Oh, and one more thing."
"I don’t work before nine in the morning."
"I clock out at five in the afternoon."
"I have weekends off."
"Today happens to be one of my days off."
"So don’t waste your trip."
"If you want to find me..."
"Come during business hours."
As he finished speaking, Lucas handed the application form to Gion.
Looking over its meticulously detailed approval process...
...along with sections for salary adjustments, performance bonuses, and various benefits...
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Not once had they ever imagined something like this.
Salary increases.
Performance bonuses.
Cash rewards.
Project commissions.
Most of those present had served in the Marines for years.
Yet none of them had ever heard of soldiers receiving benefits like these.
Had they been serving in a fake Marine organization all this time?
Even Gion was at a loss for words.
Judging from the approval process printed on the form...
It would take at least seven or eight business days before the duel could even be scheduled.
Adding weekends into the calcUlti on...
They’d have to wait nearly half a month before they could fight.
By then, the whole matter would probably have blown over.
Chaton’s face darkened.
The application form crumpled in his tightly clenched fist as his hand trembled slightly.
Watching Lucas calmly sipping liquor while enjoying his roujiamo, he finally lost his patience.
"Very good... very good!"
"Admiral Lucas, are you playing with me?"
"A duel requires an application process?"
"This is the first time I’ve ever heard such nonsense!"
"Today..."
"I’m going to force you to fight."
"And we’ll see exactly what happens!"
ROAR!!
A beast-like roar thundered from Chaton’s throat.
Sharp fangs protruded from his mouth as his previously lean frame rapidly expanded.
His muscles bulged like solid granite.
In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a gigantic ape standing over four meters tall.
Golden fur covered his body.
His savage appearance radiated overwhelming ferocity.
"So that’s Vice Admiral Chaton’s Ancient Zoan..."
"The Kong Gorilla!"
Smoker instinctively bit down on the cigar in his mouth, his expression turning grave.
"If two people just below Admiral level really go all out..."
"The consequences are impossible to predict."
"Gion, find a way to stop Vice Admiral Chaton!" Tashigi urged again.
"I’ll contact Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately."
"I’m sure Fleet Admiral Sengoku won’t allow fighting among Marines."
Gion gave a bitter smile.
"If I interfere now, it’ll probably turn into a three-way battle."
"I’ve already sent someone to notify Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"All we can do now..."
"...is hope Admiral Lucas can hold out until they arrive."
"Hahaha!"
Chaton, now in his giant ape form, laughed loudly.
"Did you hear that, Admiral Lucas?"
"Nobody can stop me now."
"So stop wasting time and fight me with everything you’ve got!"
Lucas frowned slightly and adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses.
"The fury of a salaryman..."
"...comes from being forced to work overtime."
"What you’re doing now..."
"...is dancing on the edge of death."
"Are you sure you don’t want someone to stop you?"
"A salaryman’s fury?"
"Someone stop me?"
Chaton froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Admiral Lucas, are you trying to stall for time with ridiculous lines like that?"
"If this so-called salaryman’s fury really exists..."
"I’d love to see it."
"Come at me."
"No matter what kind of fury it is..."
"I’ll take it head-on!"
"Is that so?"
Lucas slowly raised his head.
"Then I’m sorry..."
"It’s officially overtime."
BOOM!!
An overwhelming aura erupted from within Lucas like a raging hurricane.
Brilliant golden light blossomed behind him.
Then—
Crimson energy rapidly spread across the radiant Kannon.
The once-compassionate Thousand-Armed Kannon transformed in an instant.
Its face became fierce.
Its three eyes snapped open.
Its killing intent surged like a tidal wave.
The violent aura exploded skyward, as though all of Lucas’s frustration at being forced to work overtime had finally broken free of its restraints.
Moments earlier, the Thousand-Armed Kannon had stood only three or four meters tall—roughly the same size as Chaton’s giant ape form.
Now...
The Wrathful Vajra towered like a mountain.
More than ten meters high.
Unlike the Thousand-Armed Kannon, whose countless arms had been clearly visible...
The Vajra’s thousand arms disappeared into the void itself.
Yet the pressure it emitted became even more terrifying.
It descended upon the entire plaza like Mount Tai collapsing from the heavens.
Everyone caught within its oppressive aura felt as though an invisible hand had seized their hearts.
Even breathing became unbearably difficult.
Faced with the towering phantom of the Wrathful Vajra...
Not a single person dared move so much as a finger.
Especially Chaton.
Locked onto by that overwhelming presence, standing beneath the gigantic Vajra made him feel unimaginably small.
Every cell in his body screamed in warning.
The invisible thousand arms lurking within the void gave him the terrifying illusion that countless unseen hands were already closing around him.
As though...
The very instant he moved—
An endless barrage of attacks would descend upon him from every direction.
And compared to the Thousand-Armed Kannon from before...
This pressure was incomparably more terrifying.
Every nerve in his body tightened to its limit.
His muscles became as rigid as iron.
Then—
An utterly absurd thought surfaced in his mind.
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