"Young man... you may have truly angered me." Figarland Garling's expression turned completely cold, no longer flushed with anger but razor-sharp.
"I haven't been this furious since the days of God Valley..."
"Oh? Really?" Michael pretended to stroke his chin.
"Don't kid yourself, old man. What are you fantasizing about? Do you think you're back in your prime? Don't forget that at God Valley, you only barely survived with the help of Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp... Otherwise, you would have died on that filthy soil of God Valley, just like the commoners and slaves you despise so much."
As soon as Michael said this, not only the SWORD Classified Special Forces but even the God's Knights collectively gasped.
This guy...
Really knew how to hit where it hurt most.
He had precisely struck Figarland Garling's sorest spot...
For so many years, what haunted him most was the events at God Valley.
He prided himself as a "king," yet he had only managed to repel the Rocks Pirates with the help of pirates and Marines...
It was utterly humiliating!
He had grown stronger relentlessly, doing everything to preserve his combat prowess in old age, just to prove he wasn't some weakling riding on Roger and Garp's coattails.
But just as he had regained some sense of pride from facing Garp, he ran into this bizarre winged Marine...
Two pairs of wings? What kind of Devil Fruit ability was this?
But he had no time to ponder further.
With his sorest spot struck, only one thought remained in his mind...
Kill!
Michael naturally understood Figarland Garling's gaze—even the most oblivious person would sense the razor-sharp killing intent radiating from him.
In the next moment, Michael decisively drew "Morning Star," the straight sword flickering with embers of Judgement.
"You glared at me! How dare you glare at me! Not even my parents or the Fleet Admiral have glared at me like that!"
Without hesitation, he unleashed a pale blue Flying Slash.
Composed entirely of Judgement's flames, with threads of Armament Haki forming its sharpest edge.
So massive that it enveloped the entire God's Knights in its range...
Behind those sunglasses, Figarland Garling's eyes widened abruptly.
This sword strike seemed to make him perceive a certain reality...
This Marine officer in his prime was absolutely not inferior to him in strength.
In fact, if he didn't go all out against this current strike...
His subordinates would be in trouble.
Although he didn't care whether his subordinates lived or died, he needed to preserve the combat power of the God's Knights to the greatest extent possible.
Thus, Figarland Garling hesitated no longer.
Drawing his blade, Armament Haki instantly enveloped the sword as he unleashed a full-powered upward slash, blocking Michael's Flying Slash...
"Truly... getting a bit old."
Against any other opponent, Michael would have praised them after such a move.
But when facing Figarland Garling, Michael was exceptionally harsh.
Like the most nitpicking buyer imaginable, he seemed determined to find a million flaws in his opponent.
"Then try this one!"
As Michael spoke, he twisted "Morning Star" in his hand, sending out countless wind-like Flying Slashes wreathed in overwhelming white Holy Flame.
While attacking, he retreated toward the seaside.
Figarland Garling unhesitatingly blocked these slashes and pursued.
In their close-quarters exchange, dozens of strikes were traded in an instant.
Their power, speed, and total Haki reserves were perfectly matched.
This sensation instead made Figarland Garling feel something was off...
As if his opponent had deliberately controlled his strength to this level before engaging.
But... he couldn't be certain.
"Mad? Are you mad? How dare you attack a Marine officer with killing intent from the start!" Michael kept howling after this series of exchanges,
"Seems I must teach you a proper lesson!"
Then...
His Wings flashed with white and blue flames, before a third color gradually appeared...
Blood red.
"Milky white is Holy Flame. Blue is Judgement Flame."
"And blood red... is Wrath Flame."
"Figarland Garling, you boring old swine..." Michael chuckled softly.
"Feel your own rage."
With that, "Morning Star" wreathed in Wrath Flame charged at Figarland Garling once more.
But this time, it was Michael who found himself at a disadvantage.
And continuously so.
Figarland Garling seemed to have found his rhythm, striking blow after blow that forced Michael into steady retreat.
Yet Figarland Garling's instincts... grew increasingly certain this was intentional.
The more this happened... the angrier he became!
And now, his rage had completely spiraled out of control under Michael's deliberate provocation and the raging Wrath Flame...
Run wild.
...
"Hey! What the hell happened here!? Why is a World Government work ship destroyed inside Enies Lobby!?"
"Wait, that person attacking the work ship is... Figarland Garling!? What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know! Saint Garling suddenly started fighting with Marine Grand Inspector Vice Admiral Michael for no reason... Then even more inexplicably began destroying the World Government's work ships!"
"...Enough! The next target is the flagship at the center! That's the Five Elders' vessel! Even if Saint Garling's status equals the Five Elders, he can't do this!"
The coastal guards were completely dumbfounded.
When gods fight, what could they possibly do?
Moreover... those already destroyed work ships had many accompanying CP agents aboard!
Their lives vanished like smoke with the destruction of the ships.
"How utterly disgraceful, Figarland Garling."
At this moment, Michael approached Garling again from afar.
"To stop your madness, I have no choice but to act against you!"
Michael shook his head.
This time when he raised his sword, there was no white Holy Flame, no blue Judgement Fire, nor crimson Wrath Flames...
Only terrifying aura and black lightning streaking across the sky.
"Roger's Conqueror's Haki Coating is called 'Divine Departure,' Garp's is named 'Galaxy Impact'..."
"And mine, Michael's, is called..."
"Paradise Lost!"