Somewhere in Nanohana, hidden among rows of ordinary houses, stood a plain-looking building.
From the outside, it looked completely unremarkable.
Low walls.
Closed windows.
Nothing special.
Even people walking past it every day would never imagine that this quiet little house was actually one of Baroque Works' hidden bases.
Inside, every curtain had been drawn shut.
Only a few dim oil lamps lit the room, casting long shadows across the walls.
At the center sat a long wooden table.
Ten chairs surrounded it.
But only seven were occupied.
Click.
A Den Den Mushi call ended.
The large bald man seated at the head of the table slowly lowered the receiver.
Mr. 1.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"There's news about Mr. 2."
The room instantly turned quiet.
"What happened to that idiot now?" Ms. Doublefinger frowned, crossing her long legs impatiently.
"He went looking for Kairos."
The room froze.
"What?!"
Ms. Doublefinger stood up so quickly her chair crashed backward onto the floor.
"Is he insane?!"
Mr. 3's face went pale.
"He challenged Kairos? Does he have a death wish?!"
Even the usually expressionless Mr. 4 looked shaken.
The name Kairos carried too much weight now.
A man who defeated Kuzan.
A man who fought Golden Lion Shiki head-on.
Against someone like that, even Baroque Works' officer agents felt pressure.
"What do we do?" Ms. Goldenweek asked quietly while nibbling on a cookie. "Should we go save him?"
Mr. 5 immediately sneered.
"Save him? You want to die?"
The room fell silent again.
No one refuted him.
Because everyone knew he was right.
Without Crocodile present, none of them wanted to face Kairos.
Not even together.
Finally, Mr. 3 looked toward the head of the table.
"Mr. 1… what do you think?"
Mr. 1 lowered his eyes slightly.
He opened his mouth—
Then a voice suddenly echoed through the room.
"Anyone here want to spar with me?"
The atmosphere stiffened instantly.
Mr. 4 blinked in confusion.
"Mr. 1… why are you talking about sparring?"
No one answered him.
Because everyone suddenly realized something strange.
Mr. 1's lips hadn't moved.
Cold sweat began sliding down his face.
"Mr. 1?"
Ms. Merry Christmas stared at him nervously.
"You look awful."
Mr. 1's body trembled faintly.
Then—
the voice sounded again.
"Anyone?"
This time, every single person in the room jumped to their feet.
That voice—
had not come from Mr. 1.
There was someone else here.
An eighth person.
No—
a ninth.
"Who's there?!"
Mr. 3 shouted sharply.
The room instantly exploded into tension.
Mr. 5's fingers twitched.
Ms. Doublefinger's body hardened slightly as her Devil Fruit ability activated.
Even Mr. 4 instinctively stepped back.
Only Mr. 1 remained seated.
Completely stiff.
As though he didn't even dare breathe too loudly.
"Mr. 1, what's going on?!" Mr. 5 barked.
Mr. 1 swallowed hard.
Then, slowly—
everyone followed his trembling gaze.
Behind him.
In the darkness cast by the oil lamps—
a pair of crimson eyes opened.
The shadows twisted.
A figure gradually emerged from the darkness itself.
Black trench coat.
Loose black hair.
Cold scarlet eyes.
Kairos.
The entire room felt its blood run cold.
Nobody had sensed him.
Nobody had noticed him enter.
It was as though he had been standing there the entire time.
Only now did they understand why Mr. 1 hadn't moved.
Sandai Kitetsu rested lightly against his throat.
The blade was coated in black Armament Haki.
One movement—
and his head would fall.
"K-Kairos?!"
Mr. 3's voice cracked instantly.
The moment he shouted—
something black shot toward Kairos at terrifying speed.
A booger.
Mr. 5 had attacked first.
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