Above the ruins, cold air from the Vice Admiral and scorching heat from the fires twisted together, creating a distorted white mist. Kuzan sank into a fighting stance as a thick layer of frost spread across the ground around him. His eyes, which would one day be known for their laziness, were now as sharp as ice picks, locked onto Kyle.
"Kyle!" Kuzan's voice was low, each word seeming to be squeezed from between his teeth with bone-chilling coldness. "I've been training hard ever since we last met at Marineford! Let me show you what I've learned!"
"Oh, if it isn't Kuzan," Kyle said, finally looking away from the Den Den Mushi and casually tossing it back to the terrified Marine Captain. A casual smile was fixed on his face as he waved, as if he were greeting an old friend. "Still so hot-headed after all this time. You really should learn to control that temper, young man."
His words were like oil poured on a fire. A vein throbbed on Kuzan's forehead.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came from all directions. Hearing the commotion, more Marine officers carrying out the cleanup mission rushed over, quickly forming a circle around the three pirates. When they got a clear look at who they had surrounded, they all gasped.
Fear was contagious, especially when the source was the man who had single-handedly turned Marineford upside down.
"It's... it's the 'Wave Guiding King,' Kyle!"
"And 'Hawkeye' Mihawk and Moriah the 'Shadowman'!"
"Why are they here?!"
Panic spread, but this time, no one backed down. Kyle's rampage at Marineford had left a deep psychological scar on many of them, and that humiliation had become the fuel for their relentless training. They would not allow themselves to be so pathetic again.
"All units, on alert! No retreat!" a Rear Admiral shouted, drawing his sword to suppress the cold sweat in his palms. "There are only three of them! We have numbers on our side, and Vice Admiral Kuzan is here! There's nothing to fear!"
Another Colonel quietly slipped to the back of the crowd, using a different Den Den Mushi to make an urgent call to the flagship. "Reporting to Vice Admiral Sakazuki! We've made contact with a major enemy force in the West Port ruins! 'Wave Guiding King' Kyle, 'Hawkeye' Mihawk, and 'Shadowman' Moriah are all confirmed to be present! I repeat, it's Kyle and his crew!"
Out on the sea, Vice Admiral Sakazuki had been coldly watching Ohara burn. Hearing the report, the stone-hard expression on his face changed drastically for the first time.
"Kyle?" Sakazuki's voice was as deep as magma rumbling underground.
"Yes! It's confirmed!"
A powerful aura, more violent than the warship he stood on, erupted from Sakazuki's body. The surrounding soldiers were nearly forced to their knees by the pressure. Perfect! This Buster Call is the perfect chance to eliminate that utterly evil man and his accomplices!
"All hands, listen!" Sakazuki gave his final order into the Den Den Mushi. "Continue the bombardment! Erase this 'Devil Island' from the map!" Then, without another word, he exploded.
Boom—!
He transformed into a projectile of rolling magma, launching from the flagship with a long tail of fire. He streaked across the sky, heading straight for the ruins of Ohara's West Port.
Back on the island, the Marines, spurred on by their officers, roared and charged toward the three pirates like a tidal wave. Facing the charging mob, Kyle didn't even twitch an eyebrow.
Suddenly, a brilliant green slash shot into the sky, flashing before everyone's eyes.
Clang—!
When they came to their senses, a terrifyingly deep gash had been carved into the ground between them and the pirates. Faint wisps of sharp sword energy still lingered in the air. Mihawk now held his Black Blade, Yoru. He slowly sheathed it, his hawk-like eyes sweeping coldly over the frozen Marines. "Pathetic weaklings," he said, his voice flat. "Let's see if you can even get past my blade."
On the other side, Moriah faced the Marines encircling him from the opposite direction and let out his signature laugh. "Kishishishishi!" He spread his arms wide, and the shadows at his feet boiled like black water. Countless grotesque shadow bats and soldiers surged from the darkness, forming a monstrous torrent that rushed toward the enemy. Moriah stood in the middle of it all, like a demon king returned from hell.
Mihawk and Moriah had each blocked one side of the Marine advance, their absolute power splitting the battlefield into three distinct parts. With the annoying flies cleared away, the central stage was left for the two main actors.
"Now, no one will disturb us," Kyle said, tilting his head. His gentle smile only made Kuzan angrier. The Vice Admiral didn't reply. He simply condensed Haki into his fist. The next instant, both men vanished.
Boom!!!
Two fists, both wrapped in pitch-black Armament Haki, collided violently in the center of the ruins. The muffled bang was followed by a terrifying shockwave that exploded outwards, turning the remaining flagstones to dust and leveling the nearby burning walls.
The two figures separated on contact, only to clash again in the blink of an eye.
Bang! Bang! Boom—!
Within the ruins, two blurry shadows weaved and collided at incredible speeds. Each impact was met with a deafening roar and a violent tremor that shook the very ground. Kyle's punches and kicks were wide and sweeping, looking almost casual, yet they perfectly blocked every one of Kuzan's heavy, relentless attacks.
"Ice Block: Partisan!"
Kuzan found an opening, instantly creating several ice spears and launching them at Kyle from tricky angles. Kyle didn't dodge. Instead, his body vibrated slightly, and he projected a wall of compressed shockwaves in front of him. The ice spears shattered against the invisible barrier, turning into a shower of ice shards.
Now!
Kuzan appeared like a ghost behind Kyle. His right fist, prepared for this moment and glowing with an unprecedented amount of black Haki and chilling cold, slammed toward Kyle's back. This single punch contained years of Kuzan's sweat and effort.
But Kyle seemed to have anticipated it, crossing his arms in front of his chest just before the fist landed.
Dong—!!!
The impact sounded like a giant bell being struck. Kyle was blasted high into the air like a cannonball, but he quickly stabilized himself. His arms felt slightly numb, and a thin layer of frost was already spreading up his sleeves.
"Oh?" Kyle shook his hands, easily dispelling the cold. A look of surprised admiration appeared on his face. "Not bad, Kuzan! You've gotten pretty strong!"
This comment, sounding like an elder praising a junior, only made Kuzan's face darken further. He didn't waste the advantage he had created. Pushing off the ground, he shot into the sky after Kyle, drawing an ice-blue arc through the air.
The two left the port ruins behind, their battle moving out over Ohara's west coast. Below them was the turbulent sea, and in the distance, the Buster Call fleet continued its fiery bombardment.
"Hoo—" Kuzan, suspended in mid-air, let out a long breath of visible white air.
Crack… crackle…
A chilling, creaking sound rose from the sea below, spreading wildly in all directions at a terrifying speed. In just a few moments, a several-thousand-meter stretch of the raging ocean beneath them was instantly frozen solid, creating a giant, mirror-smooth ice field.
Having created his arena, Kuzan began to descend. Kyle stopped his retreat and fell toward the brand-new battlefield as well.
Thud! Thud!
The two landed on the solid ice almost at the same time. The ice layer beneath their feet was as hard as steel, not even cracking under the impact. There were no more words, no more standoffs. The moment their feet touched the ice, they once again became blurs, clashing with ferocious intensity.
This was a battle between men. Fist to flesh, blood boiling. Each time their fists met, visible white shockwaves rippled across the vast ice field, making the very air around them groan under the immense pressure.
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