"Don't move, Kuzan!"
As those words dropped, like ice freezing over, the figure trying to spin around and throw a punch actually locked in place instantly.
On deck, the Marine officers watched their monster Vice Admiral completely unable to move before that gentle-faced youth in military uniform. Their eyes flooded with horror.
What the hell kind of freaky ability was this?
"Wait, it's not complete paralysis. Vice Admiral Kuzan is moving!"
Among the Marines were those skilled in Observation Haki. Under their careful watch, they spotted something weird.
A pair of hawk eyes was first to see through this technique's mechanics.
Mihawk crossed his arms. Watching Aus use this move for the second time, he finally figured it out:
"Continuously warping the enemy's body back to its previous moment's position, creating a near-static effect?"
"Hey... don't explain my techniques to the enemy, little hawk."
"Even if I stay quiet, they'll figure it out soon enough. The counter is simple..."
Whoosh—
A vicious fist broke through the restriction, shooting straight for Aus's face. Easily caught by equally Armament Haki-wrapped monster strength.
"Breaking Devil Fruit abilities just takes overwhelming Haki."
"But even when you can break it, there's still some interference."
The two clashed again. Powerful Haki collision stirred up shockwaves. The entire deck groaned under the pressure, starting to buckle and collapse.
Mihawk leaped gracefully onto shore. Aus's figure instantly materialized beside him.
Through the dust cloud, a terrifying shadow loomed. Sunglasses reflected bone-chilling white light as a cold, murderous voice rang out:
"Doctor Aus, originally I couldn't touch you per headquarters orders.
If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for showing up on this island marked for destruction..."
Aus just shrugged. His eyes carried that natural contempt.
"I had zero intention of starting shit. Really just came to say hi...
Otherwise, how many Marines you think would walk away from this so-called Buster Call?"
Hearing this, Kuzan felt like he was being spat on.
Aus seemed naturally gifted at this—
Anyone he wanted to piss off, no matter how chill their personality, couldn't help wanting murder.
"Then... let's fucking see! These past two years, I've trained every single day to kill you!"
Extreme cold and razor sharpness exploded from his body. A Haki-forged ice blade gripped tight.
"To handle you, I busted my ass training Haki with Mr. Garp!"
Long ago, after that nearly leg-breaking three-on-one beatdown, Kuzan had thought hard about how to defeat monsters like Aus.
Garp's punch that forced Aus to retreat at Marineford gave him the answer.
Devil Fruit powers against Aus were just support. Real fighting came down to pure Haki!
"Submit to arrest, Doctor Aus!"
Clang—
Insanely powerful Armament Haki coated the ice blade. In the ice and snow spreading across the battlefield, Kuzan moved like a ghost.
He instantly clashed with Aus, whose speed was equally sick—maybe even better.
Just in terms of Armament Haki mastery, they were dead even!
"You've really stepped your game up, Kuzan..."
He could see Kuzan's Haki level had jumped way beyond what it was two years ago.
Plus combining it with Devil Fruit abilities made him troublesome enough that even Aus had to respect it.
But this "troublesome" was only compared to teenage Aus from two years back.
"Since you're so eager, guess I'll get serious too..."
Aus shook his head with a sigh.
The next instant, terrifying aura blanketed half of Ohara Island. Black-red lightning crackled across his body, dancing wildly toward the sky!
Seeing this, cold sweat beaded on Mihawk's face. His expression went grave.
"...Is he using that technique?"
The other Marine officers, watching this tense standoff, were internally screaming.
How did their originally easy-mode Buster Call elimination plan turn into actual demon slaying?
But being Marine Headquarters officers, even facing such a monster, they had no plans to run.
Wrapping Armament Haki around weapons and fists, ready to back up Vice Admiral Kuzan however they could.
Just as someone prepared to charge—
Suddenly!
An absolutely ridiculous hundred-meter emerald sword slash instantly flew past them, cutting them off from the battlefield!
A cold, arrogant figure slowly emerged.
Several cape-wearing Marine officers went pale, cold sweat dripping as they turned to look.
What kind of eyes were those?
Like an apex predator soaring above, hawk-like pupils containing zero emotion—only icy sharpness.
Standing before him felt like facing a naked, freezing blade.
A gorgeous chaotic-edge heavy T-shaped black sword held horizontal. Cold steel gleam mixed with noble bearing without breaking the deadly beauty.
That arrogant tone sounded completely natural:
"Pathetic weaklings. Want to butt into this fight? Survive my blade first."
...
"Someone tell me what the fuck is that insane sword slash on shore!"
Out on the water, still aboard his warship, Sakazuki stared grimly at that emerald sword energy shooting skyward from the distant coast, demanding answers from his adjutant.
The adjutant by the Den Den Mushi looked like he'd just gotten word.
His face went white instantly. Drenched in cold sweat, he sprinted over to report:
"Report, Vice Admiral Sakazuki! Latest intel from the front—the one on shore is... 'Black Gun' Aus!"
"What the hell did you say?!"
BOOM!
Before the guy could repeat himself, just hearing Aus's name made Sakazuki react exactly like Kuzan.
After a moment of shock, he immediately realized—finally he could use the Buster Call as an excuse to completely wipe out this piece of shit pirate!
His entire body went elemental instantly, transforming into a volcanic projectile with terrifying explosive power, erupting toward shore.
Left behind: confused adjutants and confused soldiers.
Also receiving this earth-shaking news was the equally stunned Buster Call commander—Spandine.
After snapping back to reality, he immediately bulged his eyes, staring at the subordinate who'd just reported: "Who did you just say was fighting Marines on shore?"
"'Black Gun' Aus."
"Wha... WHAT?!"
Hearing that name, he pathetically collapsed to the ground. Mouth hanging open, eyes filled with unstoppable terror and disbelief.
As the guy originally tasked with collecting Aus intel for the Five Elders, he understood Aus's strength and the Five Elders' attitude better than anyone present.
Exactly because of this, he knew what kind of dangerous signal Aus's appearance in the Buster Call represented!
"Shit... shit, this is way beyond what I can handle!"
Fighting down panic, driven by survival instinct, he frantically pulled out the best-maintained, most precious Den Den Mushi from his jacket.
"Buru buru buru..."
"Click."
The Den Den Mushi connected. A stern image with scarred forehead and massive beard appeared, speaking with absolute authority:
"What the hell happened, Spandine!"
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