The moment the CP0 agent opened the box, countless pirates surged out from the ground, the jungle, and the sky. They were pirates from the Immortal Pirates and the Beasts Pirates. In the shadows, a few members of the Big Mom Pirates covertly observed the situation, ready to contact their superiors via Den Den Mushi at any moment.
When Zephyr descended, Borsalino and Kuzan instantly shifted their attention to him, respectively condensing an ice sword and a light sword.
"Oh! Long time no see, Sensei. To target a Devil Fruit, are you planning to become the very thing you despise most, a Devil Fruit user?" Borsalino asked with his usual casual demeanor.
Zephyr's arms were covered in glowing black Armament Haki. "I cannot tolerate the Government's military power increasing any further, Borsalino, Kuzan. I will overthrow the Government one day, but first, I will straighten out you incompetent Marines!"
"Arara. I really want to run away." Although Kuzan spoke those words, he charged forward even faster than Borsalino. The ice blade in his hand collided with Zephyr's wrist, sparking briefly before being instantly consumed and extinguished by the cold air.
"Kuzan, you became an Admiral among the incompetent Marines!" Zephyr roared, forcing Kuzan's ice blade to snap with a surge of power.
"Double Ice Time Capsule!" Kuzan crossed his arms and released pillars of ice as he swung them. "This position was originally yours, and I've always wanted to be like you, Sensei! Such a cool man."
Zephyr blocked the attack, his steps temporarily frozen by Kuzan's ability. The corner of his mouth curved up. "The little brat from back then has become quite capable now!"
"Return-Return!" Ain suddenly appeared, shooting her pink flames toward Kuzan, attempting to rescue Zephyr.
Pew!
Suddenly, a flash of light dispersed the flames Ain released and caused an explosion hundreds of meters away on the ground.
Ain abruptly turned her head toward the source of the light, her expression stunned. She spoke each word deliberately: "Admiral Kizaru."
"Oh~ is it the young lady who betrayed the Marines to follow Sensei? How terrifying, ne~~"
In an instant, Borsalino appeared beside Ain in a flash, giving her no time to activate her ability. Borsalino's long leg, which was nearly the height of Ain's entire body, swung high as he grinned like a monkey. "Speed is weight. Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
Zephyr, blocking Kuzan's attack, narrowed his eyes. Blood-red patterns suddenly erupted on his body, shaking off Kuzan's chill, and he instantly charged between Ain and Borsalino.
Ain, who had unknowingly closed her eyes in fear, believing she was about to be kicked away, suddenly felt something block the attack beside her. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Zephyr had intercepted Borsalino's kick, but he was still forced back two steps, causing Ain's body to stumble and fall.
"Sensei!" Ain exclaimed in surprise.
"Fighting them is too soon for you. Go deal with the Beasts Pirates," Zephyr instructed, his back to Ain.
"R-Right. I apologize." Ain quickly apologized and relocated her target to the Beasts Pirates.
With Zephyr blocking Borsalino, and Kuzan momentarily softening toward his junior, Ain managed to escape while two Admirals were present.
"You're too kind, Kuzan." Borsalino put his hands in his pockets, slightly dissatisfied with Kuzan letting Ain go, though he himself wasn't much better.
"Arara, I was momentarily lost in thought when I saw a sexy young lady. My apologies, my apologies," Kuzan said, scratching the back of his head with an insincere apology.
…
At the same time…
"That Fruit is mine to eat!"
Elburn, the ace of the Beasts Pirates' Sabre-Tooth ship, charged toward the CP0 agent holding the steel box containing the Devil Fruit.
"Get lost! That's what I came for!" Fallon also entered his Zoan transformation state, his long hair stiffening like quills, as he was the user of the Hedgehog Fruit.
The two tangled in a few skirmishes on the way. Seeing that the other was a Zoan-type user, Elburn spoke after a kick. "Hey, our Captain is quite fond of Zoans. Why don't you switch sides and join us?"
"I might consider it if Kaido hands over the Captaincy..." Fallon retorted coldly, firing his hair, which was hard as iron, like a scattershot. Elburn evaded it using Observation Haki.
While exchanging blows, the two swiftly closed in on the CP0 agent. To their surprise, the agent threw the box away in the final moments.
Seeing the steel box tossed into the air, Fallon and Elburn leaped high, like athletes snatching a basketball, and reached for the box with their Armament Haki-coated hands.
"That's mine!"
"You're already a Devil Fruit user! Don't butt in!"
As the two shouted, the box was grabbed simultaneously by both Haki-covered hands. Two seconds later, the lid was forcibly ripped open from the box due to the excessive force of their struggle.
However, the box, from which a Devil Fruit should have dropped, was empty!
Hundreds of pirates, Marines, and Government agents present were all stunned by this sight.
The next second, they all looked at the CP0 agent who had received the box, only to find him also wearing a cold expression, not looking like he had hidden the Fruit.
"W-What's going on?" Elburn walked up to the ripped-open box, picked it up, and tore at it forcefully. There were no hidden compartments or anything of the sort inside.
Zephyr, Kuzan, and Borsalino, who were in the middle of fighting, also paused their attacks and looked over. Could it be... that bastard Tesoro never handed over the item, and everyone here had been fooled by him?
No, that couldn't be right. That would mean offending two Yonko at once.
"What you want is the Devil Fruit in Tesoro's hands, right? What if I told you I could help you acquire it easily?"
Fallon suddenly recalled the words Beckman had spoken before the operation. His face froze. Could it... could it be that guy...?