A cannonball, glowing with Armament Haki, hurtled toward Rolan.
Feeling the sharp Haki embedded within, he instinctively retracted his right foot, eyes narrowing.
Hahaha!
"Rolan Boy, this old man will not let you slaughter an Admiral so easily."
---
Kizaru and Kuro's Battlefield
Kizaru's eyes widened as he assessed his opponent.
"Incredible! A Mythical Zoan… truly formidable."
His expression turned solemn as he measured the slick-haired figure before him.
He had thought the Rolan Pirates were only a fledgling crew. Less than a year at sea, and yet they had already gathered dangerous allies.
But Kuro standing before him shattered all assumptions. From Kuro, Kizaru sensed a terrifyingly potent Haki, and combined with the speed and deadly precision of his Roc wings, victory seemed a slim prospect.
Adjusting his glasses, Kuro's white light flashed across them. He hadn't unleashed his full strength in a long time, and now, exhilaration surged through him.
He didn't speak, transforming directly into his human-beast form. Slightly flapping his wings, he summoned a hurricane that tore through the battlefield like a blade.
The razor wind slashed at Kizaru, carving a massive fracture tens of meters long into the ice, water gushing up from the ruptured surface.
Kizaru's lower body was cut cleanly in half, shimmering with golden light, yet as expected, his Logia Devil Fruit allowed him to reconstitute instantly.
Kuro studied him calmly, satisfied. Without Haki, a mortal slash would have been meaningless against a Logia.
Kizaru's body reformed, light particles converging at his waist, restoring him entirely. He focused on Kuro.
"Unbelievable! A display like this—respect the elders, cherish the young! You startled me greatly!"
He extended his index finger, firing a beam of light at Kuro.
Reacting instinctively, Kuro flapped his wings, vanishing in an afterimage. The beam of light passed harmlessly through the space he had occupied.
"That was close," Kuro said nonchalantly, patting his chest.
Kizaru, shocked his attack failed, leaped tens of meters into the air.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Countless light particles, bullets of concentrated energy, shot toward Kuro at near-lightspeed.
Kuro's wings spread wide, a black shield against the barrage. Dust and smoke erupted as all light collided with his feathers, shrouding him completely.
When the storm of light faded, Kizaru's gaze fell on Kuro. A gust of wind revealed the black-winged figure unscathed.
"How can this be?" Kizaru whispered, disbelief cracking his voice.
Kuro shook his wings, smirked, and said,
"You've been attacking long enough. My turn now."
He flapped, leaving a ghostly afterimage, and appeared above Kizaru. His right leg transformed into a Roc's claw, gleaming with Armament Haki.
"Divine Roc: Stomp!"
The strike descended with astonishing speed. Kizaru barely crossed his arms to block, the force driving him to his knees.
Cracks spread across the ice beneath him, radiating outward.
Reacting quickly, he rolled to the side. The Roc's claw slammed into the frozen surface, leaving a massive twenty-meter crater.
Kizaru stared, mouth agape.
"Incredible… that kick is terrifying!"
Kuro vanished in a blur, materializing before him once more.
---
Crocodile and Enel's Battlefield
Aokiji observed the two combatants warily.
"Crocodile… God of Thunder."
Enel's grin widened.
"Yeh hahahaha, stinky sand Crocodile, this one's mine. You handle the soldiers."
Crocodile's sand tornado coiled in his hand.
"Lightning Exhibitionist, do not underestimate your opponent. Let me handle this."
Aokiji interjected.
"Hey, can you two at least ask my opinion?"
Enel ignored him, transforming into lightning and appearing above Aokiji's head.
"Speed is power. Ever been kicked by lightning?"
His right foot transformed into a blinding bolt and struck at Aokiji's left temple.
Aokiji raised his arm, turning it into ice to deflect.
Bang!
The collision sent Aokiji sliding aside. He stomped hard to regain footing.
"Desert Spada!"
Crocodile swung his massive golden sand sabre, cleaving toward Aokiji's midsection. Ice fragments scattered, and blood trickled from the corner of Aokiji's mouth.
"Haki… your strength is formidable," he muttered.
Enel, refusing to yield, positioned himself in front of Crocodile with his pitch-black trident.
He slashed at Aokiji's neck. Aokiji blocked with an ice sabre, sparks flying as Haki reinforced both weapons.
Clang!
A stalemate. Aokiji trembled as force reverberated through him; Enel was pushed back, unable to overpower him.
Before Aokiji could recover, Crocodile struck again.
"Dyed Ink Steel Hook!"
The pitch-black, Haki-coated hook tore into Aokiji's chest, leaving a massive gash.
Crocodile frowned.
"Observation Haki… early activation? He's truly top-tier."
Aokiji stepped back tens of meters, facing the two powerful opponents.
He had arrived in a relaxed mood, but now, dread settled deep in his chest.
____
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