While this was happening, the tide of battle had shifted heavily in Whitebeard's favor. My keeping the three Admirals occupied seed to be a major factor. Moreover, the Warlords were being pushed back by Ivankov, Jinbe, Ace, Luffy, and the Whitebeard Pirates' division commanders. The prisoners brought from Impel Down were also more nurous than in the original, so the Whitebeard side held their own in both quantity and quality.
Additionally, while in the original Crocodile targeted Whitebeard, here — aside from a few exchanges — he didn't go after his head and instead helped us. Whether because the situation heavily favored Whitebeard, because his conversation with Whitebeard went well, or because I was present — I couldn't say.
'It's a relief Hancock isn't here.'
Sakazuki, glancing at the battlefield, spoke to the other Admirals. "We don't have ti. The battle is turning against us. We need to go all out."
Kuzan replied, "I doubt we can stop Taejin easily even if we do go all out."
"Stop with the weak talk! Is it because he's your friend?"
"That's already been settled. I'm loyal to the Navy until I retire."
Zephyr frowned and scolded them both. "You two! The enemy is right in front of you, and you're bickering among yourselves? For Admirals, is this what your training amounts to!?"
At Zephyr's words, the two glared at each other briefly, then prepared to fight again. Watching Sakazuki and Kuzan, it seed they had their own circumstances.
This ti, the Admirals attacked first.
"Ice Wave!!!"
Kuzan stomped the ground, and from that point, the ground rapidly froze all the way to where I was standing. Ice spikes rose from the frozen surface and attacked. I jumped to evade, and the volcanic bombs created by Sakazuki ca flying.
"Volcanic Bomb!!!"
I coated my arms with [Infinity] and Ryuo, deflecting all the volcanic bombs. But during that, Zephyr exploited an opening, closed in, and attacked using Rokushiki. Uniquely, Zephyr didn't use finger pistols — he coated his entire arm with Armant Haki and thrust it like a finger pistol. True to his epithet, he deserved the na 'Black Arm Zephyr'.
Rokushiki manifests differently for those who have trained it to the limit. Garp's 'Fist Bone' series and Rob Lucci's 'Six King Gun' are good examples. Zephyr had also trained Rokushiki to suit himself.
Tap! Pak! Thud!
The Admirals had extensive combat experience. Whenever I left even a slight opening while fighting Zephyr hand‑to‑hand, lava and ice attacks would co flying from all directions. With Zephyr as the main attacker and Sakazuki and Kuzan supporting from the sides, despite their bickering, their attacks were remarkably well‑coordinated.
"Ice Lance!!!"
"Rock Fist!!!"
Clang! Pak!
I decided to take down Zephyr first. While deflecting Sakazuki and Kuzan's attacks with both hands, I used the [Infinity] technique 'Soar' to instantly close the distance to Zephyr. I coated my leg with Conqueror's Haki and aid a powerful kick at his abdon. But Zephyr's Observation Haki was also formidable — he predicted it, crossed his arms in an X shape coated with Armant Haki, and blocked.
PUK!!!!
"Grrr!!!"
But my attack wasn't over. As Zephyr was pushed back, I thrust my fist and unleashed an Ultimate Void Fist imbued with Conqueror's Haki.
"Hah!!!"
SHWOOOOOOM—!!!
The invisible force distorted the space around it as it lunged for Zephyr. Kuzan, predicting it with Observation Haki, instantly created a massive ice wall to block the attack.
"Ice Wall!!!"
CRRRRRACK—!!! BOOM!!!!
But it wasn't enough to fully block it. My attack ground through the ice wall with a trendous roar and struck Zephyr.
"Gyaaah!!!"
"Zephyr-sensei!!!"
Zephyr — as if a typhoon had raked his entire body — knelt, bleeding from several torn wounds. I had intended to take him out with that attack, but Kuzan's ice wall had dulled the damage.
Kuzan rushed to Zephyr and supported him. But Sakazuki ignored that and focused only on attacking.
"Great Erupting Dog Bite!!!"
I simply split the dog‑headed magma attack in half with the Rokushiki technique 'Storm Kick'.
"Damn it!!! Kuzan!! What are you doing!!! Don't rest — attack!!!"
Zephyr also urgently said to Kuzan, "Cough... help Sakazuki. I've had enough babysitting from an old man!"
"Sensei, but..."
"Now!!!"
At Zephyr's words, Kuzan sighed and resud attacking. I could clearly see the difference in their dispositions here. Logically, Sakazuki was right. But if both had gone to check on Zephyr, I would have paused my attack as well. Kuzan, knowing that — since we'd been friends for nearly a decade — acted accordingly.
"Ice Block: Pheasant Peck!!!"
Kuzan created a massive bird‑shaped ice block and hurled it at . But such a large, obvious attack couldn't possibly work on .
I jumped to evade — and suddenly saw a sphere of intense cold flying right toward . That had been Kuzan's real aim.
As always, I moved to deflect it with [Infinity] and Ryuo coated on my arm — but suddenly Sakazuki transford his fist into a massive magma lump and hurled it at with perfect timing.
"Great Eruption!!!"
I quickly used Ultimate Void Fist with Armant Haki on one hand to shatter Sakazuki's attack, while blocking Kuzan's attack with [Infinity] and Ryuo on the other. But Kuzan's attack was unusual — as soon as it t resistance, it drastically lowered the surrounding temperature and instantly turned into an ice sphere, trapping .
CLANG!!!
I fell to the ground as an ice sphere.
THUD!!!
But thanks to [Infinity] and Ryuo, I was simply encased in a round ice ball — my body wasn't frozen at all. Still, staying at such low temperatures wasn't good, so I used the [Infinity] technique 'Soar' to compress and tear away the ice blocking , escaping imdiately.
CRACK—!!!
Clatter!
Kuzan looked troubled. "Ara ara... that was my finishing move..."
Just then, an attack I hadn't even anticipated ca. Zephyr suddenly appeared behind , coated his arms with maximum Armant Haki, wrapped them tightly around my body, and held on. This was partly because there were many people around and I was focused on the other two, but also because Zephyr had approached with complete silence, staking everything on it.
"I'm not really into being hugged from behind by another man... Stop the strange behavior and let go."
Zephyr smirked. "This is all I can do now! You'll die here with !"
Zephyr shouted to the other Admirals. "Kuzan!!! Sakazuki!!! Now!!!"
The two imdiately prepared to unleash their strongest techniques on . What was interesting was how starkly different their expressions were. Sakazuki attacked with a look of joy — as if saying "Got you now." Kuzan, frowning, reluctantly unleashed his technique.
"Volcanic Explosion!!!"
"Ice Block: Sledge Hamr!!!"
Sakazuki turned both fists into magma and tried to smash down on and Zephyr. Kuzan similarly created a giant hamr to strike down.
KABOOOOOM!!!!!
The impact shook the ground as if an earthquake had struck. But Zephyr and I were no longer there.
"What is this..."
"When did you..."
I had already moved behind them, carrying Zephyr. Sakazuki and Kuzan were too shocked to speak. Zephyr, who had been holding from behind, was also baffled.
"Do you know how I defeated Kizaru? It's because I'm faster than Kizaru. And you can't restrain with this level of strength."
I flexed both arms.
CREAK—!!
"Grrrr!"
Zephyr's arms slowly loosened. He struggled to hold on, but it was too late. Seizing the opening, I grabbed his arms, lifted him, and slamd him hard into the ground.
THUD!!!
"Guhk!!!"
Zephyr didn't get up again. He was definitively out of the fight.
Suddenly, a loud sound ca from afar.
"Galaxy Divide!!!"
KABOOOOM!!!!
I glanced to the side. Garp and Whitebeard were fighting. It seed Garp had stepped in personally — the situation must have beco too dire. This wasn't the hesitant Garp of the original, who had held back because Ace was on the execution platform.
"Garp!!! You idiot!!! Are you trying to sink Navy Headquarters into the sea!!!"
Sengoku shouted angrily. His frustration was understandable — Garp's attack had blown away a third of the right outer wall that defended Navy Headquarters. It was truly a brute‑force attack.
"Wow~ what formidable Haki. As expected of Garp."
While I was admiring that, Sakazuki quickly closed in and attacked. "Gawking at the enemy while we're right here! Are you looking down on us!?"
I deflected his attack and replied, "I heard an explosion nearby and glanced over."
Kuzan, in the anti, had thrown Zephyr over his shoulder, moved quickly to a safe place, and seed to be returning. Sakazuki still ignored such things. His persistence might be due to his disposition, but Kizaru's death likely played a part. I hadn't read his mories, so I couldn't be sure, but from the original, Kizaru seed to be the only one he was sowhat close to.
"Damn it! Hellhound!!! Rock Blow!!!"
Sakazuki, now visibly tiring, attacked with labored breathing. Seizing the opening, I coated my leg with Armant Haki and landed a powerful low kick.
PAK!!!
"Grrr!!!"
His thigh struck hard, Sakazuki faltered, unable to attack for a mont. I then spun and kicked him in the abdon.
PUK!!!
"Guhk!!"
I drew back my fist to finish him — but Kuzan suddenly appeared in front, protecting his arms with Armant Haki and ice to block my attack.
THUD!!
"Taejin, enough. We've lost. After Zephyr-sensei went down, we had no chance."
To be honest, I had been considering taking one of Sakazuki's arms or legs. But with Kuzan asking like this, I hesitated. Hina, Kuzan, Garp, and Smoker were the Navy personnel I'd co to like in the One Piece world.
"Sigh... fine. But pull back from the front lines."
"Alright. I'll catch hell for this later, but it can't be helped."
Suddenly, Sakazuki shoved Kuzan aside, stepped forward, transford his right arm into magma, and attacked .
"Who decided that!! I haven't given up yet!! If you won't fight, get out of the way!!!"
"Wait—"
PUK!!!
Before Kuzan could stop him, I coated my fist with Conqueror's Haki and t Sakazuki's punch head‑on — blowing his right arm clean off. No, 'vaporizing' would be more accurate. He wouldn't be making donuts for a while.
"GYAAAAH!!!!"
"I gave you a chance out of consideration for a friend. You're the one who ignored it."
It wasn't intentional, but whether it was his conviction or his thirst for revenge, this was the result. Kuzan sighed deeply, instantly froze Sakazuki's wound to stop the bleeding, and helped him back toward Navy Headquarters.
With the fight against the Admirals concluded, I looked around. The front had temporarily cald down — because Whitebeard and Garp were still locked in fierce combat. Their battle shook the surroundings with massive explosions, and ordinary soldiers dared not even approach.
CRASH!!! BOOM!!! CLANG!!!
"Buahahaha!!! This brings back mories — I feel young again!!!"
"Gurararara!!! Hearing you say that makes realize just how old I've gotten!!!"
The two of them were enjoying their duel like old friends eting again.
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