Chapter 336: The Arrival

Chapter 336: Chapter 336: The Arrival

Chapter 336: The Arrival

Jonathan had already granted Drake the authority to make decisions on the spot if force became necessary during an arrest.

And in Drake’s judgment, that moment had arrived.

The instant he changed the order, the situation took on an entirely different meaning.

Whatever stood before them was no longer a ghost from some ridiculous rumor.

It was an intruder.

The fear in the Marines’ faces disappeared.

In its place came the seriousness of soldiers preparing for battle.

They were Marines of Navarone.

Most of them had experienced real combat before, and none intended to disgrace themselves by cowering from an enemy simply because they could not see him.

Drake raised his hand.

"Fire!"

The Marines pulled their triggers.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gunfire exploded through the room.

Dozens of bullets tore toward the table and the invisible presence beside it.

The rifles used by the G-8 Marines were not particularly destructive weapons. Their barrels were only around thirty to forty centimeters long, and their ammunition lacked the power to punch through heavy fortifications. At most, the rounds could bury themselves inside softer walls.

That was precisely why Drake had authorized the volley.

The intruder had already shown that bullets could be stopped.

His intention was not to kill.

It was to force the enemy to reveal himself.

Smoke filled the room.

The sharp smell of gunpowder spread through the cafeteria.

Drake ignored it.

His eyes remained fixed ahead.

The white walls behind the table had been riddled with holes, looking almost like a giant honeycomb.

But the table itself...

Was untouched.

Not a single plate had been damaged.

Even more absurdly, the food continued disappearing at the same unhurried pace as before.

Someone was still eating.

After being fired upon by nearly a hundred Marines, the intruder had not even bothered to stop his meal.

Drake’s expression hardened.

The message was obvious.

They were not being taken seriously.

Still, he did not allow anger to cloud his judgment.

He was about to organize the next attack when the commander of the Gale Force stepped forward.

Behind him, the unit had already formed ranks.

The men lowered their centers of gravity and advanced carefully.

Even at a glance, it was obvious why the Gale Force had earned its reputation.

Broad shoulders.

Thick chests.

Powerful arms.

Heavy, conditioned legs.

Every Marine in the unit had been trained extensively in close combat, whether boxing, swordsmanship, or hand-to-hand fighting.

If ordinary infantry could not force the intruder out, Drake was willing to let the Gale Force try.

He gestured for the riflemen to move aside and provide covering fire.

The elite unit advanced.

One step.

Then another.

Until a calm voice stopped them.

"Enough."

Everyone froze.

Drake turned.

"Commander."

Jonathan had arrived.

Drake gave only a brief salute.

He respected Jonathan, but he made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction at being interrupted.

The Gale Force Major, by contrast, immediately gave a proper military salute.

The nearby Marines shifted position at once, forming a protective perimeter around Jonathan.

It was almost ceremonial.

Everyone there knew the truth.

Jonathan held the rank of Vice Admiral.

If even he could not defeat the enemy, the surrounding Marines would hardly be able to protect him.

Still, they took position out of instinct and respect.

Jonathan waved them away.

"It’s fine."

The Marines hesitated, then stepped back.

Jonathan walked forward alone.

No weapon drawn.

No defensive stance.

He simply approached the table.

Drake’s expression changed.

"Commander!"

Jonathan kept walking.

"If that person is truly hostile, you’re entering his attack range!"

Jonathan lifted one hand without looking back.

Drake stopped.

Then Jonathan stood directly beside the table.

He looked at the disappearing food.

"What a shame."

His tone was almost conversational.

"Even excellent food becomes difficult to enjoy in this kind of atmosphere."

The food continued vanishing.

Jonathan smiled.

"Wouldn’t you agree, Rear Admiral Axel?"

Silence.

Then Jonathan corrected himself.

"Ah, that title no longer applies."

His eyes sharpened slightly.

"Former Rear Admiral."

"Now you’re a wanted criminal with a bounty of four hundred million Berries."

The room went still.

Then the Marines erupted in shock.

"Four hundred million?!"

"Former Rear Admiral?!"

"That’s Axel?!"

They knew the name.

Even if many had never seen his face, a four-hundred-million-Berry bounty was impossible for Marines to overlook.

And now that criminal had infiltrated G-8.

Worse, he had once been one of them.

The tension in the room immediately multiplied.

Hands tightened around rifles.

The Gale Force adjusted their footing.

Every Marine prepared for the possibility that a battle could erupt at any second.

This was no longer some strange incident in the cafeteria.

It was potentially the greatest crisis Navarone Fortress had ever faced.

The food stopped disappearing.

For the first time since Drake had arrived, the room became completely still.

Then the empty space beside the table distorted.

A figure appeared.

White hair fell in messy strands around his face.

Crimson eyes stared back at the gathered Marines.

His features were delicate enough to appear almost feminine, contrasting sharply with the unnerving color of his eyes.

Axel sat casually on the edge of the table.

One hand held a piece of food.

The other scratched the side of his head.

He looked toward Jonathan.

"How did you know?"

Jonathan smiled.

"The smell."

Axel paused.

Then gave him a strange look.

"What are you, a dog?"

He sniffed at himself.

"Or do I have some weird smell on me?"

Jonathan laughed.

"Just a joke."

He walked closer.

"My sense of smell is decent, but not that impressive."

"And we’ve never met before."

"So naturally, I couldn’t identify you by scent."

Axel stared at him.

"Then why say it?"

Jonathan’s smile remained.

"Fishing habit."

Axel raised an eyebrow.

Jonathan continued.

"Before a fish bites, it often circles the bait first."

"It tests."

"Tastes."

"Decides whether the hook is worth taking."

He looked directly at Axel.

"So I wondered whether you would bite."

Axel smiled.

"You’re comparing me to a fish waiting to be caught?"

Jonathan picked up a piece of meat from the table.

He took a bite.

Chewed slowly.

Then swallowed.

"Mm."

"Delicious."

Axel watched him.

Jonathan continued as though they were merely sharing lunch.

"But sometimes the fish isn’t really a fish."

He glanced toward Axel.

"Sometimes it turns out to be a Sea King."

Axel’s smile widened slightly.

Jonathan set the remaining food down.

"I know the forces stationed at this branch probably aren’t enough to restrain you."

Drake’s eyes shifted toward him.

Several Marines looked unsettled.

Jonathan spoke calmly.

"After all, I’m one of the few people here who knows what you’re truly capable of."

Axel said nothing.

Jonathan continued.

"But there’s still one question."

He rested a hand on the table.

"Is this really fine?"

Axel tilted his head.

"Your companions weren’t nearly as fortunate as you."

The room became quiet.

Jonathan smiled.

"They’re currently sitting in the detention cells."

Axel’s expression barely changed.

"So?"

Jonathan spread his hands.

"As their companion, shouldn’t you go join them?"

"Perhaps surrendering would be the considerate thing to do."

Axel looked at him for several seconds.

Then took another bite of food.

"Unfortunately, I don’t feel like being arrested."

Jonathan sighed lightly.

"And your companions?"

Axel swallowed.

"If they were caught..."

He hopped down from the table.

"Then I’ll just rescue them."

....

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