"N-na… what?!!"
"Low-class pirates?!"
Hades's sudden shout made Teach freeze for a split second.
Just that split second was enough.
A blade of ice hardened with Armament Haki carved another bloody gash across Teach's chest.
"Ow ow ow ow ow!!!"
Compared to Teach's stunned hesitation, Kuzan was far calmer. He had long since grown used to Ozz, or rather "Hades," never playing by the rules.
A razor-black ice knife flicked out in reverse, knocking one axe-blade aside. Kuzan's fist, wrapped in dense black Armament Haki, immediately shot toward Hades's face.
Of course, it was blocked by the other axe.
The battle raged wildly.
From within the forest, faint sounds of panic and argument could already be heard.
"Hey!!! Luffy, calm down!!!"
Chopper and Usopp were helping too.
"Wait, Luffy! Those guys look terrifyingly strong!!!"
But they clearly could not stop him.
"Move!!! Who's that axe freak calling a low-class pirate?!" Luffy's face twisted with fury.
"I'm the man who's gonna become King of the Pirates!!!"
Hades's mouth curled upward ever so slightly.
Pirate King characters were always easy to read.
"If I was scared of the Marines, I wouldn't have bet my life on setting sail in the first place!!!"
He planted his feet, dropping into a stance to gather power.
Luffy's eyes locked onto the violent clash ahead, a battle where every movement looked capable of cracking mountains. There was no fear on his face.
Only hunger.
A hunger for the title of a "high-class pirate."
Meanwhile, Zoro and Sanji saw the situation clearly. That Marine Admiral and that man with twin axes were both far beyond normal. Their strength was downright unreasonable.
As Teach fell to the ground clutching his wounds, the power of the Yami Yami no Mi faltered for a moment. The biting cold surged out instantly.
"Ice Age!"
Layer after layer of ice exploded outward. Waves solidified mid-swell, the land itself frosting over.
And as that freezing power crawled inland toward the island and the forest…
"Armament: Eighty Brick Fist!"
The burly man with the twin axes erupted with countless razor-sharp slashes from his weapons.
A ripping sound tore the air.
The earth split.
And the ocean, frozen for miles, was carved into countless shattered pieces.
"Eeeeeeek!"
Nami, Chopper, and Usopp nearly had their eyeballs pop ten centimeters out of their skulls.
"Luffy, wait! If you charge in now you'll get killed instantly!!!"
Chopper screamed with snot running down his nose.
Then he realized Luffy was already gone.
What came next was a roar.
"Gum-Gum…"
"Storm Spear!!!!"
Neither Hades nor Kuzan, both within the strike's reach, took it seriously.
Hades simply raised his twin axes in front of him.
Kuzan did not even bother. His body shattered into scattered ice, then reformed.
"Even if you're the old man's grandson, don't interfere with my fight with him."
Crack crack crack.
Frost climbed across Kuzan's cheek and body. In truth, Kuzan could tell what was happening.
Ozz was playing with Luffy.
Being targeted by a monster like that was far too much for Garp's grandson at his current level.
If Kuzan dealt with Luffy here, it would be a kind of protection in its own way.
That was what he told himself.
But his face stayed cold, white mist spilling from his mouth, ice clinging to him like armor.
He stood in front of Luffy.
The pressure was overwhelming.
"LUFFY!!!"
"Luffy?!"
The Straw Hats finally burst out of the forest. They could not sit back anymore.
"Aokiji…"
Robin trembled behind them, staring at the tall figure with curly hair.
Only then did Kuzan look as if he had truly noticed her.
"Ah… I know you."
"The World Government already confirmed your identity."
"You're Nico Robin, aren't you?"
"The survivor of the Ohara incident."
As he spoke, Kuzan's peripheral vision flicked to Hades, who was watching the whole thing like it was a show.
Years ago, the Government's intelligence agencies had already traced Nico Robin's background.
She was the "mysterious survivor" from the Buster Call on Ohara, Year 1500 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
As for how she escaped…
Their best guess was that she had slipped aboard Ozz's ship back then.
Robin appearing here made something in Kuzan's chest tighten.
He knew Ozz too well.
He understood that bastard's temperament so thoroughly it went back more than twenty years.
So this was it.
He comes back, and the first thing he does is set up another scheme?
That only strengthened Kuzan's desire to get Luffy and the others out of here alive.
"Straw Hat Luffy and his crew, total bounty over two hundred million…"
"I'll end you here."
Hades simply stood to the side, watching.
Teach clutched his wound, and the two of them observed what had become a one-sided slaughter.
"Zehahahaha… things are getting complicated."
"Looks like Straw Hat Luffy's journey ends early, right here."
Teach's face was slick with cold sweat, his mouth cursing bad luck.
The target he planned to hand over to the Marines was about to get snatched away by the Marines first.
"So, Captain, what do we do?"
Hades had not expected Kuzan to recognize him anyway.
And honestly, he did not want to stay here long. If Kuzan called out his real name, it would get awkward fast.
"Zehahahaha… there are plenty of monsters with bounties over a hundred million out on the sea."
"No point fighting a Marine Admiral here and now."
"Let's move, you bastards. We're leaving!!!"
A cloud of black fog spread out. Teach's frozen crew members slowly recovered, then hurried after their captain and vice-captain.
Under telekinetic control, their crude raft lifted, flying low as they escaped.
"Hey!!! Axe freak, wait!!!"
Luffy panicked the moment he saw the man who insulted him trying to leave.
Hades only smiled and waved.
"Relax."
"In the future, we'll definitely meet again."
"Low-class pirate."
He waved again, smiling.
"You bastard!!!"
Luffy's face flushed red with rage. He reached for a tree, about to sling himself forward, but Zoro and Sanji grabbed him.
"Stop, Luffy!!! There's still an enemy right here!!!"
As for Aokiji…
His face was hidden in drifting ice mist, impossible to read.
Because moments ago, a voice had brushed his ear, casual and teasing, like a knife.
"Long time no see, my dear Sea Ice."
"You wouldn't want me to lose my fun because you got embarrassed and let Garp's grandson die here, right?"
"So say nothing."
"If you do, it'll get boring."
"Isn't that true?"
That bastard…
Watching his old rival escape while he could do nothing, Kuzan's chest burned with fury.
Sometimes, he even thought…
If I wasn't a Marine…
Wouldn't I be able to act without restraint?
But then that would be betrayal.
Wouldn't it?
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