In this sea filled with bloodshed, if the Shadow Garden could truly overthrow the World Government, perhaps life would be much better for the people of the sea.
Unlike Nami's joy, Ivan remained calm. "Got it, got it. Calm down, Nami. You're getting too excited!"
"I know, but Tanuki was so cool! He actually managed to escape from Admiral Kizaru!"
Tashigi nodded repeatedly in agreement, but she added, "But Major Ivan is the coolest!"
After saying this, Tashigi's pretty face flushed red as she stole a careful glance at Ivan's reaction.
Ivan pinched Tashigi's cheek and glanced at Nami. "Tashigi is still the good one!"
Nami pouted, showing her displeasure.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she asked, "Ivan, since you can fight the Seven Warlords of the Sea now, can you fight Fox and Tanuki?"
Tashigi also looked at Ivan curiously.
Faced with the girls' questions, Ivan couldn't help but laugh.
How could he possibly fight Fox and Tanuki? They were both himself!
So he smiled and said, "It's a fifty-fifty split!"
Nami stared at Ivan suspiciously. "I might believe you could go fifty-fifty with Fox, but you're definitely no match for Tanuki. You have to remember, he's a powerhouse who can trade blows with Admiral Kizaru!"
Even Tashigi, Ivan's loyal fan, was a bit skeptical. She comforted him, "It's okay. Even if Major Ivan might not be Tanuki's match right now, you'll definitely be able to defeat him in the future. Major Ivan is the strongest!"
"Tashigi, you trust Ivan too much. It's like you're his maid or something. You should have your own opinions."
"Ah, Major Ivan's maid? I want to become Major Ivan's maid!"
"Tashigi, you're hopeless!"
While the two girls were talking, Ivan was also drawn in by Nami's words.
Compared to his Shadow Garden alter ego, the influence of his main identity's alter ego was still too low.
Perhaps in the future, he could stage a show with his alter egos to boost his main identity's status and influence.
By then, he would be both a Four Emperor and a Marine Admiral. What could the World Government possibly use to fight him?
The weather on the Grand Line could change in an instant. One day, while Ivan was sunbathing as usual, he suddenly noticed the sky rapidly darkening.
Nami reacted instantly, throwing a coat over her swimsuit, her expression anxious. "Ivan, this is bad! It's going to hail soon!"
"Hail?" The hail on the Grand Line was different from ordinary hail; the largest pieces could be the size of a small mountain. "I understand. Gather the crew. Sail out of the hail's coverage area. I'll handle the hail falling from the sky during the process!"
"Understood!" Nami left reassured. With Ivan here, what was a little bad weather?
Ivan was just that kind of man who made people feel completely safe!
Under Nami's command, the Orange Ship rode the surface currents, sailing at high speed out of the hail's coverage area.
Throughout this process, the Orange Ship navigated through surface currents with minimal deviation, continuously accelerating its speed.
Such masterful sailing skills were likely unmatched by more than a handful across the entire Grand Line.
The marines had grown accustomed to this sight.
Everyone aboard the Orange Ship knew that Ivan was the ship's pillar and strongest combatant, while Nami was its soul—the guarantee of their safe voyage!
However, human capability had its limits. Even with Nami's extraordinary navigational skills, she couldn't steer the Orange Ship out of the hailstorm's range before the ice began to fall.
Perhaps luck was not on their side, as a mountain-sized hailstone appeared directly above the Orange Ship!
This sight filled some of the newly recruited marines with despair. Could humans truly survive such a terrifying natural disaster?
Patton patted the trembling newcomer on the back and smiled. "Don't worry, this is nothing!"
He looked up and pointed toward the top deck. Though it was obscured by orange trees, blocking the view, knowing that Rear Admiral Ivan was there filled everyone with a sense of security.
"Rest assured, Rear Admiral Ivan will act. He will protect us!"
The newcomer remained skeptical, but Patton offered no further explanation.
Witnessing what followed would make the newcomer understand Rear Admiral Ivan's greatness!
Ivan shot into the sky, hovering above the Orange Ship, using his body as an umbrella to shield the ship from the storm.
Faced with the mountain-sized hailstone, he showed no fear—instead, he was eager for the challenge.
Only a disaster of this scale was worthy of drawing his blade!
Snowfall unsheathed, gleaming with a dark red light, Ivan gathered his strength, searching for that fleeting moment of opportunity.
One second, two seconds, three seconds... Time ticked by as the mountainous hailstone in the sky grew larger, its oppressive presence intensifying.
Just as Ivan was about to give up and shatter the hailstone with multiple Black Cang strikes, he finally seized that fleeting moment!
Now!
Boom!
A deafening roar, louder than the hailstone crashing into the sea, erupted in everyone's ears. Countless tiny black currents intertwined in the air, forming several black lightning bolts that pierced the heavens!
The black lightning converged in Ivan's hands, intersecting precisely where Snowfall was about to strike!
In the next moment, Ivan unleashed his slash!
"One Sword Style: Crimson Flash: Heaven Splitter!"
A dark red Flying Slash shot forth from Snowfall, larger than the mountainous hailstone, as if God Himself wielded a blade to cleave the heavens and earth apart!
A piercing sound of tearing air drowned out all other noise. As the dark red slash passed through the hailstone, it split it in two, then crushed it into powder with tiny black currents!
The crisis was resolved, but the dark red Flying Slash did not stop—it continued upward!
Thus, the gloomy sky was torn open by the Flying Slash, allowing brilliant sunlight to stream through the fissure and illuminate Ivan, floating in the air!
At that moment, he seemed divine!
The dark clouds dispersed, and the sky cleared, but everyone fell silent.
They stared at Ivan in disbelief—even the veterans aboard the Orange Ship were no exception.
They knew Ivan was strong, but they never imagined he was this powerful!
To split the sky with a single sword—how terrifying!
On the top deck of the Orange Ship, Nami collapsed to the ground, looking at Ivan in disbelief.
At this moment, she was completely convinced that Ivan might truly be able to fight Tanuki to a draw—or even defeat him!
Meanwhile, Tashigi cheered excitedly beside her, as if the slash had come from her own hand!
Unnoticed by everyone, a tall figure was running across the distant water, dodging hailstones falling from the sky.
Just as the duck and the blue-haired, delicate girl riding it were beginning to despair, they suddenly saw the sky-splitting slash ahead!
At that moment, a light reignited in the blue-haired girl's dim eyes.
If it was him… if it was him, he could definitely help her!
Vivi thought to herself.
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