"Is it alright if we fight out there instead?" Kuzan asked, pointing toward the open sea as they arrived at the eastern coast of the island. If their duel took place on land, innocent people might get caught in the crossfire—and Zephyr-sensei would have his head for that. After all, his teacher was the kind of man who didn't even want to kill pirates, let alone hurt civilians.
"No problem," Roy replied casually. "It makes no difference to me. A sparring match is a sparring match."
Kuzan crouched near the shoreline, dipping one hand into the sea. Frost began to gather on his body as he exhaled a visible plume of cold air.
"Ice Time!"
The power of the Ice-Ice Fruit Fruit surged forth. In mere seconds, the sea surface froze into a solid battlefield stretching for kilometers. This wasn't yet his future ultimate move, Ice Age—the terrifying technique that could freeze entire oceans. What he used now was a toned-down version, proof that Kuzan hadn't yet reached his peak—the strength he'd one day have during Luffy's era.
There wasn't even a fishing boat in sight. Half of Kuzan's face crystallized into ice as he entered battle mode. "Let me ask one last question, kid. Why are you so insistent on fighting me? Is it just to test your strength against a Logia user?"
Roy tilted his head slightly, grinning. "No particular reason. I fight for fun. Purely for the joy of combat. Why would I need anything more than that?"
Kuzan exhaled again. "Man, you're such a twisted guy. You talk all holy and noble, but deep down you're just a battle junkie. Seriously, I really wanna punch you right now."
He raised a palm. Cold mist gathered and coiled into a thin beam of icy energy.
"Ice Time Capsule!"
Roy's grin widened. "Ice, huh? Freezing would be a problem… but it just makes this more fun." His eyes gleamed with a wild light. "Kuzan—may the Holy Light bless you."
A swirling golden hammer suddenly appeared in Roy's hand and rocketed forward, smashing against Kuzan's icy head and shattering half of it.
There was no blood—just shards of frozen crystal reforming rapidly as Kuzan reconstructed his body. Though unharmed, he was clearly startled. Where the hell did that hammer come from?!
More importantly, when the hammer flew toward him, it gave off an incredibly threatening aura. Kuzan had instinctively phased his head into elemental form to dodge—causing the impact to appear like it shattered his skull.
"Logia intangibility… Yeah, I figured you'd be flexible like that," Roy murmured as he surged forward. In less than a second, he was in Kuzan's face, Ashbringer raised high, its blade engulfed in radiant golden light.
"Crusader Strike!"
There was no Armament Haki. No signs of that signature blackened effect. Kuzan couldn't sense any Conqueror's Haki either. And yet—his instincts screamed that this strike was dangerous. Very dangerous.
Trusting his gut, Kuzan hastily conjured a thick ice shield above his head. But Roy's sword came crashing down with immense power, shattering the barrier completely. The next moment, Kuzan vanished with a Soru, barely evading a lethal blow.
But even as he leapt back, a sharp pain flared in his gut. He hit me?
He had already shifted into his elemental form. And yet, Roy's golden-glowing fist hadn't phased through—it had landed. Just like Armament Haki, this mysterious power pierced straight through Logia intangibility.
But if it wasn't Haki, then what was it? A Devil Fruit ability?
That was the only explanation Kuzan could settle on—Roy must be a Devil Fruit user too.
"Ice Block: Partisan!"
Kuzan crossed his arms in an X-shape. The surrounding air condensed into two enormous ice javelins, each three meters long, and launched them toward Roy.
"Oh? So we're playing ranged now?"
Roy's left hand shimmered. A radiant golden Barrier of Holy Light appeared before him. The two ice spears collided with the shield and exploded into steam and glittering shards.
Kuzan wasn't done. He kept launching spear after spear, confident in his superior stamina. Surely that golden shield couldn't hold out forever?
He was partially right. Roy's Holy Light Barrier did have a cooldown—but Holy Light Spear didn't. And when paired with Pure White Blade, they could chain into near-seamless counters.
As ice javelins hurtled his way, Roy shattered them one after another with radiant magic and sword beams. The piercing force of his holy attacks forced Kuzan to twist and bend his intangible body to avoid them. He didn't want to test what would happen if he got hit.
But even with all that, Roy wasn't invincible. He took several hits. Three ice lances pierced his body, one even skewering his heart. Blood splashed across the ice.
And yet—Roy didn't flinch.
He gripped Ashbringer in his right hand and casually yanked the spear from his chest with his left, tossing it aside as a column of golden light burst from the heavens, engulfing him.
Kuzan squinted.
What the hell—?
When he glanced back again, Roy had vanished.
When did he—?!
A chill ran down Kuzan's spine. His Observation Haki kicked in instinctively.
Behind me!
He spun, hastily forming an ice wall—but too late.
Roy appeared in a flash of gold, sword swinging. Kuzan dodged the blade, but Roy's left fist smashed into his face, knocking the tall Marine backward. His body skidded across the frozen sea for dozens of meters before he stopped.
"...That punch reminds me of Garp's 'Fist of Love,'" Kuzan muttered, rubbing his jaw and eyeing Roy warily.
It was a sparring match—so Roy had stopped his pursuit. But what Kuzan saw next made his eyes widen.
Two massive, glowing golden wings had sprouted from Roy's back, radiant and holy. His body shimmered with translucent brilliance, like an ethereal being descending from the heavens. The divine light was so blinding, so pure, that Kuzan felt an inexplicable urge to kneel in reverence.
He resisted it—but barely.
"...An angel?" he muttered. "Did he eat a Mythical Zoan Fruit? This is just like Sengoku's Buddha form!"
[Avenging Wrath: Host goes full beast mode. Power doubled!]
But this was no game mechanic. In real combat, strength meant speed, and speed meant momentum. Roy's power hadn't just doubled—it had skyrocketed, his performance boosted exponentially.
"Kuzan…" Roy's voice rang out, calm and resolute. "Warm-up's over. Now the real fight begins. Be careful."