Spandam's words sent a chill down Kaku's spine.
"Are you serious?" Kaku asked, his expression growing solemn as Spandam drew closer.
"Of course," Spandam replied with a sly grin. "Now, let's see just how loyal you truly are to the World Government."
Kaku had initially thought Spandam was testing him. But when he felt the killing intent radiating from Spandam, he realized that Spandam genuinely intended to kill him.
"Hahaha!" Enel laughed aloud. "This is quite entertaining! If I weren't cuffed, I'd give you two a round of applause."
"Why are you laughing when you can't even protect yourself?" Kaku frowned slightly, annoyed.
Spandam sneered, "I can never forgive traitors, Kaku. Don't try to deceive me—you came back here on purpose, didn't you?"
"No! I've never had any intention of betraying the World Government!"
"Do you think I'm a fool?" Spandam sneered. "In the end, you're just a pawn of the government. If you haven't betrayed us, then prove it by not resisting. If you fight back in any way, that means you've turned traitor!"
Kaku fell silent.
"So," Kaku asked with a dry laugh, "my only option to prove my loyalty is to die?"
"It's good that you've figured that out." Spandam drew his sword, aiming its tip at Kaku's heart. He grinned maliciously. "Drop all your weapons, and don't even think of trying anything clever. I know exactly what's going through your mind."
Kaku chuckled softly, tossing his two short blades to the ground. Calmly, he said, "Alright, if dying is the only way to prove myself, then so be it. But before you kill me, tell me—whose idea was this, yours or the World Government's?"
Spandam sneered, "Of course, it's the World Government's. You've already been labeled as one of Takumi's allies. Killing a Celestial Dragon is an unforgivable crime, and anyone connected to Takumi must die!"
Kaku's face darkened. "But I haven't been put on any wanted list. Didn't you negotiate that with the government on my behalf?"
Spandam burst into laughter. "Hahaha! How naive. I don't have time for that nonsense—"
"Cough, cough! Commander, you're saying too much," Fukurou interrupted with a cough, cutting Spandam off.
Spandam quickly shifted the conversation. "You'd better remember who brought you into CP9. Without the World Government, you'd be dead by now. The moment you joined CP9, your life no longer belonged to you."
After a moment of silence, Kaku wrestled with his thoughts. He knew he could easily escape this situation, but in the end, he chose to surrender. Spreading his hands out, he resigned himself to his fate. "You're right. From the start, my life wasn't mine to begin with. If the World Government wants me dead, then take it."
"You're insane," Enel muttered. "Just because someone tells you to die, you'll do it? Are you a puppet? You never listened to anyone like this before."
Kaku chuckled weakly. "You don't understand. This is a principle I've lived by my whole life. Even if you call me stupid, I'll accept that. If dying is what I have to do, then so be it."
"I've never seen anyone as stubborn as you." Enel scowled. "The World Government has already abandoned you, so why stick to this stupid principle? If I were you, I'd have turned against them ages ago."
Kaku shook his head. "If I can't stick to my principles, then what's the point of living? I owe the World Government. It's time to pay that debt."
"Enough with the chatter!" Spandam snapped. "You're about to die, so save your breath!"
"Enel," Kaku said, as Spandam, sword in hand, approached with lethal intent. "Sorry for dragging you into this."
"Hmph," Enel scoffed. "Do you think apologizing now will change anything? Apologies mean nothing to me."
"Hahaha!" Spandam laughed maniacally. "Once I kill you both, I'll be celebrated! CP9 will be more powerful than ever! Die now!" He lunged forward, aiming his sword directly at Kaku's chest, who had given up all hope.
Just as the sword was about to pierce Kaku's heart, the office window shattered. A figure shot through the broken glass, and in an instant, before anyone could react, the intruder delivered a powerful kick to Spandam, sending him flying.
"Arrgghh!" Spandam screamed as he tumbled several times, slamming into the wall behind his desk before collapsing to the floor in a heap.
Fukurou and Kumadori immediately moved to protect Enel, their eyes fixed warily on the person who had just burst in.
"Only now you show up? Were you waiting for this long-nosed idiot to apologize?" Enel asked, lazily glancing at the newcomer.
The person who had just entered was none other than Takumi.
In fact, Enel had already sensed Takumi's presence outside the office before he entered.
Though the Sea-Prism Stone handcuffs had suppressed Enel's Devil Fruit powers, his advanced Observation Haki was still intact. Even with Takumi hiding his presence, Enel could detect him.
Takumi ignored Enel's comment and turned his cold gaze toward Kaku.
Before Kaku could say anything, Takumi clenched his fist, coated it with Armament Haki, and punched Kaku, sending him flying.
With a loud crash, Kaku smashed through a nearby stone wall.
Kaku struggled to get up, coughing up blood. He could feel several of his ribs were broken.
"Serves you right," Enel scoffed, casting a disdainful glance at the now-battered Kaku. "That's what happens to traitors."
"Chapaa! I'll test your strength now!" Fukurou leaped into the air, retracting his limbs as he shot toward Takumi like a missile.
As Fukurou neared, Takumi swiftly unleashed a Night Guy kick, landing a brutal blow to Fukurou's stomach.
Fukurou's eyes bulged from their sockets as he let out a pained scream. In an instant, he flew backward, crashing through the wall near Kaku, creating a massive hole. Fukurou didn't stop there; he continued smashing through two more walls before finally collapsing in a pile of rubble, unconscious and with his eyes rolled back.
"You idiot!" Spandam roared, infuriated by Fukurou's defeat. "You wanted to test his strength at a time like this? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Seeing that Kaku was severely weakened, Spandam gritted his teeth and picked up his fallen sword. Without hesitating, he charged toward Kaku again, muttering to himself, "I'll kill at least one of them!"
Just as Spandam got within two meters of Kaku, Takumi used Shave to appear in front of him in the blink of an eye. With a swift chop to the neck, he slammed Spandam into the ground, pinning him underfoot.
His voice cold and commanding, Takumi said, "You don't have the right to kill my shipwright."
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