After bidding farewell to his beloved disciple, Kizaru shifted his focus back to Dragon. Although he was known for his easygoing demeanor, even someone like Kizaru had limits to his patience.
Dragon's sudden intrusion had not only disrupted his day but also led to the loss of his friend and disciple. For the usually calm admiral, this was enough to spark genuine frustration.
Golden light flickered in Kizaru's palm as he prepared to act. Behind his sunglasses, his usually unreadable eyes hinted at a rare moment of intensity. With a casual movement, he formed a lightsaber, its radiance filling the room.
"Brother Dragon, you really know how to cause trouble," Kizaru remarked, his voice carrying a note of exasperation. "When I report back, I'll be in quite the predicament."
Dragon remained composed, calmly gathering the power of his Haki in his hands. Without turning to look at Vegapunk, he gave a simple command:
"You leave first. I'll follow shortly."
As Vegapunk nodded nervously, Dragon pushed his hands forward, unleashing a powerful gust of wind. The sudden tempest engulfed Kizaru, sweeping him off his feet and flinging him out of the room like a leaf in a storm.
Satisfied for the moment, Dragon glanced at Vegapunk, gave him a quick nod, and disappeared in pursuit of Kizaru.
"Borsalino…" Vegapunk muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of regret and resolve. However, he quickly shook off his hesitation and began working furiously at the control panel.
Meanwhile, Sentomaru stood silently nearby, his expression betraying his conflicted emotions. Sensing his unease, Vegapunk offered a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Sentomaru. This isn't goodbye forever. Once we're safely away, I'll design a special Den Den Mushi that can't be intercepted. You'll be able to talk to Kizaru every day if you want!"
Sentomaru wiped his eyes quickly, his pride not allowing him to fully admit his sadness.
"I-I'm not sad. Sometimes men have to part ways. As long as we're still on the same sea, we'll meet again someday!"
With newfound determination, Sentomaru joined Vegapunk in preparing the Punk Records for departure.
With a final press of a button, Vegapunk shouted, "It's ready!"
The Punk Records came to life, its thrusters igniting with a brilliant burst of flames. Slowly, the massive structure began to lift off the ground.
Vegapunk activated another mechanism, releasing layers of white, cloud-like material beneath the Punk Records. These artificial "island clouds," modeled after the technology of Sky Island, helped reduce the strain on the thrusters while camouflaging the structure as a drifting cloud.
As the Punk Records rose higher and higher, Vegapunk couldn't contain his emotions. He ran to the guardrail, gripping it tightly, and shouted:
"Goodbye, colleagues! Goodbye, Borsalino!"
Inspired by the doctor's enthusiasm, Sentomaru joined him, yelling at the top of his lungs:
"Uncle, take care of yourself! Next time there's a dangerous mission, let Admiral Kuzan or Admiral Sakazuki handle it instead!"
As the Punk Records vanished into the clouds, the researchers and Marines below could only watch in stunned silence. Most of them had no idea what had just transpired.
On the rooftop of one of the laboratories, Kizaru lay sprawled, staring up at the sky. Despite his usual carefree attitude, there was a rare glint of melancholy in his eyes.
Not far from him, Dragon stood silently, observing the scene.
"Does it have to be this way?" Dragon asked, his tone carrying a hint of regret. "Why not come with us, Borsalino?"
Kizaru didn't answer immediately. After a moment, he closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Shut up. If you're leaving, then leave already. Otherwise, I'll leave you here."
Dragon's lips curled into a small smile, but he didn't push further. Instead, he turned into a gust of wind and disappeared.
Kizaru raised his hand lazily, firing a laser into the empty air where Dragon had stood moments before. With his arm falling limply to his side, he muttered to himself, his voice heavy with rare vulnerability:
"Left behind again, huh? How cruel…"
Meanwhile, the Punk Records had not traveled far. Fearing that Dragon might lose track of them, Vegapunk had decided to keep the structure within range. It didn't take long for Dragon to catch up, his arrival marked by a soft breeze brushing past the guardrail.
Vegapunk, who was busy checking the condition of his "brain," paused his work to greet Dragon.
"Finally caught up, huh? I hope you're satisfied now," Vegapunk said, his tone half-joking, half-irritated.
Dragon smiled faintly. "You've done well, Doctor."
With a relieved sigh, Vegapunk put down his tools and approached Dragon. Despite his earlier nervousness, he managed to summon a stern expression.
"Listen, I'm fully aboard your pirate ship now. But don't think for a second that you're off the hook. If what you promised me turns out to be false, I don't care if we're friends—I'll beat you to a pulp!"
Dragon chuckled at the threat, nodding solemnly. "Understood, Doctor. I'll make sure to meet your expectations."
==============================================
Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
=============================================