"Yeah…" Kizaru let his shoulder drop a few centimeters, his body still suspended in the air. "This is going to be troublesome."
"It certainly will." Merlin maintained her position inside the cube without altering her posture. "Now, if you could call your fellow admirals, I'd appreciate it."
Kizaru did not respond immediately. His body remained motionless, the light around him stabilized at a minimal level. No new beam formed. No technique was initiated. His gaze stayed fixed on the geometric structure before him.
Merlin did not move. The cube remained sealed, without visible variation. No face shifted. No reaction emerged from the prolonged silence.
"Hey, Admiral." Her voice crossed the space effortlessly. "Is fear keeping you from moving?"
"Why should I do anything?" Kizaru descended to the ground in a short displacement. "I can't hurt you, and so far, you haven't done anything to hurt me either."
He moved among the fallen bodies at controlled speed. Arms gathered sleeping Marines. Bodies were repositioned. Helmets were dragged by collars. Everything happened quickly, without hesitation, without exchanging words.
Merlin remained where she was. The cube did not follow his movements. No attempt at interference was made. She simply watched the withdrawal without changing posture.
I just need to delay any reinforcements heading to the Government. But I won't waste this opportunity.
If I destroy something large enough in front of him, the others won't sit still.
Kizaru finished moving the last Marine away from the immediate area. The space was cleared. No weapons remained within reach. Only he and Merlin occupied the outer sector of the base.
Merlin raised her right hand inside the cube.
The gesture was simple.
Runes aligned in the air before her, forming a compact circle.
She pointed toward the main building of New Marineford.
"Then let's settle this." Her tone remained unchanged. "If I break that right now, how many admirals do you think will show up?"
The rune circle rotated slightly.
Kizaru lifted his head instantly. His body tensed just enough to erase any trace of carelessness. The light around him reorganized into small particles ready to react.
"Working overtime?"
Aokiji was there. Coat loose. Steps slow. His arrival did not seek a vantage point or immediate attack angle.
"…Aokiji, what are you doing here?"
"Sengoku sent me." He scratched the back of his neck, the motion too lazy for the situation. "He wanted to know why the fastest among us was taking so long."
Merlin clapped inside the cube.
CLAP! CLAP!
CLAP!
The sound echoed short and dry, repeated only enough to mark presence. The cube remained intact, following the motion without vibration.
She tilted her head slightly toward the newcomer, a smile appearing for the first time since activating the runes.
"Perfect." Her palm was still raised as the gesture ended. "Two is better than one."
Aokiji shifted his gaze to her, measuring the geometric structure surrounding her without approaching.
"And who would you be?"
"My name is Merlin." She touched the inner face of the cube with two fingers, without pressing. "Direct servant of Master Riser."
Kizaru turned his face slightly, maintaining distance from the cube.
"Involved with Riser." The light around him stabilized into a defensive pattern. "That explains all this complication."
Kuzan stepped forward twice and stopped at a safe distance from the cube. His coat remained open, hands out of his pockets, body aligned to observe the structure fully.
"So this is what stalled you here?" He inclined his head toward the cube. "That thing doesn't give?"
"I've already tried, Kuzan." Kizaru kept his eyes on the geometric surface. "That cube seems indestructible."
"Maybe if we attack together, we can break it." Kuzan shifted his weight forward. "Ice and light at the same time."
Merlin raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
CLAC!
Space around the cube folded over itself in a sharp instant. Geometry rearranged without additional sound. When the adjustment ended, Kuzan and Kizaru were inside the structure, isolated from the exterior. Merlin remained outside, her palm still raised.
The cube stabilized. Its faces returned to perfect lines. No crack appeared. No vibration persisted.
Merlin lowered her hand and stepped forward, moving away from the cube toward the central building of the base.
"Well, why don't you try destroying it from the inside?" she walked at a steady pace, without haste. "Maybe you'll have better luck. And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to speak with your superior."
Kuzan struck the inner face of the cube.
"Great." He spoke loudly enough to cross the structure. "Sengoku's going to be furious."
Kizaru crossed his arms, light reduced to a minimum.
"This is going to be a headache." he replied. "And the scolding will fall on us."
Merlin rose in a straight line until she hovered level with the central building. Her body stabilized in the air without visible support. Her hands lifted, palms open, and fiery symbols began forming in layered patterns before her. Heat distorted the immediate space.
A circular matrix sealed.
She pushed the gesture forward.
The spell was released.
Flames descended as a concentrated impact, compressed mass expanding upon contact. The top of the building was engulfed first, followed by the lower floors in immediate succession.
BOOOOOOM!
The structure gave way from the inside out. Columns split. Walls were torn from their base. The building's core collapsed along a single descending axis, hurling debris in wide arcs. The ground trembled under the continuous impact, and a thick cloud of smoke and fragments swallowed the space where the building had stood seconds earlier.
Nothing remained upright.
Concrete blocks shifted. Twisted structures slid aside. Sengoku emerged from the rubble, his form reassembled in a firm stance.
"Who dares attack the Navy's base!"
Tsuru came out shortly after, adjusting her balance on unstable ground. Fujitora advanced through a lateral opening, sword resting against the floor. Garp rose last, shaking dust from his uniform.
"It's little old me." Merlin appeared in front of them, her body visible once more. "Did you enjoy the reception?"
Garp stretched his neck, looking at the destroyed scenery.
"Do you know what you've done?" he flexed his fingers. "I was eating a pack of crackers and it fell on the floor."
"Garp, you idiot, this isn't the time for that!" Sengoku stepped forward half a pace. "She destroyed the Navy's building!"
"Look over there." Tsuru pointed toward the intact cube. "Kizaru and Kuzan are trapped."
"This woman is dangerous." Fujitora said, blade tilted.
"But I still want my crackers." Garp replied, clenching his fist.
"I told you to forget those damn crackers!" Sengoku snapped. "And you two, what are you doing in there?"
"We can't get out." Kizaru answered from inside the cube.
"Damn it." Sengoku ground his teeth. "Garp, what are you waiting for? Arrest that woman!"
"Be careful, Garp." Kuzan spoke, hand resting against the inner face of the structure. "She's involved with Riser."
Garp stepped forward. His posture shifted. His axis aligned.
"You know anything about Luffy's whereabouts?"
Merlin placed a finger on her chin.
"Oh, the stretchy boy." she tilted her head. "He was with my master at the beginning. How about a deal? Defeat your fellow Marines and I'll tell you where he is."
"Garp, don't listen to her!" Sengoku shouted. "Take her down now!"
"Fine." Garp advanced. "After I arrest you, you'll tell me everything."
"I knew you wouldn't accept." Merlin smiled. "After all, you accepted the death of your other grandson. Didn't you, hero?"
Garp vanished.
His fist appeared in front of Merlin's face.
The punch tore through empty air.
She was no longer there.
"Where is she?" Garp turned sharply.
Above them, invisible, Merlin watched.
Riser-sama, the plan is proceeding very well. You may do what must be done. No one will interfere. Farewell.
Garp advanced two steps and activated Observation Haki. His body remained angled forward, fists clenched, feet firm among the rubble. His perception expanded in every direction, sweeping above, below, and around. No distortion answered. No presence was captured. The environment remained empty, as if nothing occupied that point in the world beyond what was already visible.
He adjusted his stance and repeated the process with greater reach. The result did not change. The space remained clear. No reaction occurred in the air. No feedback was felt.
"Be careful, Garp." Kizaru's voice came from inside the cube. "That woman has strange powers."
Fujitora slightly inclined his head, hand steady on his sword's hilt.
"It's impossible." he stated. "It's as if she ceased to exist."
Tsuru kept her eyes fixed on the intact geometric structure.
"No." She pointed precisely. "She's still here. That cube is proof."
The cube remained unchanged — perfect lines, no cracks or oscillation. No external reaction. No loss of integrity. Kizaru and Kuzan were still trapped, motionless inside.
Sengoku stepped forward, evaluating the fragmented field around them.
"You two." His voice was firm. "Did she say anything before this?"
Kizaru kept his arms crossed.
"She did." he replied. "She wanted all of us together."
Silence settled briefly.
Sengoku clenched his fist.
"So that was it." He stepped forward among the rubble, gaze fixed on the intact cube. "She wanted to distract us."
He lifted his head, assessing the ruined base, two admirals imprisoned, and no visible enemy to confront.
"While we're stuck here, someone is moving." His voice carried command weight. "Revolutionary Army… anyone could exploit this opening."
Sengoku took a deep breath and concluded without raising his tone.
"If Riser is involved, then this wasn't an attack." His jaw tightened. "It was an invitation to chaos."
Support here: patreon.com/22Mirko22
Thank you so much for reading - see you in the next chapter!