'Bang!'
A vast stretch of ice suddenly surged upward, gathering, twisting, and merging together at incredible speed until the outline of a gigantic ice lion appeared. The construct quickly became solid, and with a shake of its magnificent mane, it knocked away the flying ice blades and sent them bouncing back.
Kuzan looked up at the enormous lion towering nearly a hundred meters tall. Surprise and confusion flashed across his face before his gaze shifted to the man standing atop its head.
"Is this... the power of the Float-Float Fruit?"
Looking down at him, Kojin nodded. The ice lion raised one massive paw and stomped down.
"That's right."
Kuzan's pupils shrank as his heart shook.
'Two Devil Fruit powers?!'
"Unbelievable. You actually managed to eat two Devil Fruits. No wonder those five old men think so highly of you."
His expression turned serious. Normally, a person could only eat one Devil Fruit; eating a second meant your body would explode, and you'd die. Even if he somehow obtained another powerful fruit himself, he wouldn't dare gamble his life on it.
"I'm not just strong because of my Devil Fruits!" As the words left his mouth, Kojin leaped from the lion's head.
Kuzan narrowed his eyes and jumped to meet him.
'Bang!'
Their fists collided again, and the shockwave blasted outward in every direction. Their eyes met. Neither needed to say it; this was simply two old friends unexpectedly running into each other, greeting one another the only way they knew how: by testing each other's strength.
'Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!'
Punch after punch crashed together as both men landed on the frozen sea. At that moment, they seemed to have completely abandoned their Devil Fruit abilities, focusing solely on trading blows in a pure Rokushiki showdown.
'Whoosh!'
Kojin flashed aside to dodge Kuzan's punch, then immediately countered with an uppercut that slammed into Kuzan's chin, launching him skyward. But almost instantly, Kuzan recovered. Twisting his waist in midair, he whipped out a spinning kick that smashed into Kojin's stomach.
Every move was decisive and razor-sharp; every exchange was fast, fierce, and exhilarating. The two old friends continued their "friendly greeting," and before long, blood was trickling from the corner of Kuzan's mouth.
"Your strength's ridiculous! You're a real monster! You were already that strong back then, and you've gotten even stronger!" Grinding his teeth, Kuzan threw a punch straight into Kojin's face.
Kojin laughed loudly and answered with a knee strike to Kuzan's abdomen, a blow that nearly made Kuzan throw up everything he'd eaten. He spun around and struck back immediately.
"Not as ridiculous as your Observation Haki! That's downright unfair! You predicted my prediction!"
Kojin burst into laughter. "The times really have changed. You've actually reached the point where you can fight me evenly."
Kuzan snorted. "No one's going to stay where they started."
"True enough," Kojin grinned. "But that just makes this more fun."
The two clashed again and again, whipping up spiraling gusts across the frozen sea.
Everyone aboard the 'Crocodile' simply stood and watched. Unlike Kojin's previous battle with Hawk Eyes, this Rokushiki duel was far more direct and explosive. Nothing was more satisfying than the sound of fists crashing into flesh.
"An Admiral-level battle..." Buggy muttered, his eyes gleaming as he watched. His own strength was no longer weak, and if he went all out, he could unleash devastating destructive power.
He had already decided what kind of fighter he wanted to be: just like Senior Kojin, powerful, straightforward, the kind who crushed enemies head-on. He loved the feeling of smashing his fist into someone's face and watching everything shatter.
Silently, Buggy clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination.
'Shanks... just wait until I plant my fist in your face!'
The battle didn't last very long. Their fists collided over and over, each impact echoing across the sea like rolling thunder. A while later, both men dropped onto the ice with a 'thump', sitting cross-legged side by side.
"Kojin... you're such an asshole," Kuzan cursed.
"Hahahahaha! Sorry about that. Looks like you'll never get your revenge for what happened back then," Kojin laughed.
"I'm not talking about that." Kuzan's expression suddenly turned serious as he slowly looked over at the man beside him. "You just happened to leave Impel Down at a time like this. You're after that position too, aren't you?"
Kojin blinked before realizing what he meant. "You mean Sengoku retiring as Fleet Admiral?"
Kuzan nodded. "Of course. It's no secret."
Kojin smiled faintly. "That lazy justice of yours isn't suited for being Fleet Admiral."
Kuzan froze for a moment, then quietly thought it over. After a while, he let out a long sigh. "I'm tired of sitting. I'm going to lie down for a bit." He leaned back and stretched out on the ice.
"A guy like you shouldn't be worrying about the whole world," Kojin shook his head with a smile. "You'd be happier just lying around."
Kuzan couldn't even be bothered to answer; he simply closed his eyes.
"If you're going to sleep, come do it on my ship," Kojin added. "I've got iced drinks, a feast waiting, and plenty of good liquor."
Kuzan suddenly opened his eyes, walked over to his bicycle, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and started walking. After a few steps, he looked back in confusion. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
Kojin couldn't help but laugh.
A short while later, Kuzan was sprawled lazily on a deck chair, enjoying the sea breeze with his eyes half-closed.
"Compared to riding a bicycle everywhere and wearing myself out... hitching a ride is way more comfortable."
He sighed in satisfaction, his tone making it obvious that he was in an excellent mood.
"Of course it is," Kojin chuckled. "But running into you out here on the sea... now that was unexpected."
"Not really. I'm out here on a mission," Kuzan answered lazily. "There's a nameless island not far ahead. A group of civilians got stranded there after a shipwreck."
"You're still pretty passionate about helping people," Kojin said with a hint of admiration.
Kuzan curled his lip and turned his head away. He had already removed the ice covering both the ship and the surrounding sea, allowing the battleship to sail forward without obstruction. Before long, soft snores could be heard from the deck chair.
Watching his old friend fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, Kojin couldn't help but smile and shake his head.
"After all these years, you've only gotten lazier." When they first met, Kuzan had been hot-blooded and full of drive. The man now was practically his complete opposite.
Kojin then turned toward Crocodile, who was holding a Den Den Mushi. After a moment, the busy signal ended, and the call connected.
"..."
Silence. Complete silence. The person on the other end clearly wasn't the type to start a conversation.
"Long time no see, Bullet," Crocodile greeted him with a faint smile.
"Crocodile?" The deep voice sounded slightly surprised, but it quickly turned cold again. "Aren't you busy enjoying your little pirate game? One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea... that's quite the title. So what made you think of calling me?" His tone was icy, laced with unmistakable sarcasm.
"I heard your temper's gotten worse. Scared off quite a few of the younger guys. Sounds like you've been carrying around a lot of pent-up anger," Crocodile teased.
"Those little brats... When I get the chance, I'm dragging every last one of them back! They actually dared to desert West Blue! Do they think Bullet is someone they can mess with?!"
The furious roar made Buggy, Rosinante, and the other younger members nearby shiver. Bullet's authority and how terrifying he was, ranked second only to Senior Kojin in their minds. As the Vice Base Commander of West Blue in charge of military affairs, he was anything but a gentle man.
"Enough nonsense," Bullet replied coldly. "Why did you suddenly call me? And let's get one thing straight, I have no interest in helping a pirate."
"Hearing that from you is pretty surprising," Crocodile laughed.
"Hmph," Bullet snorted. He naturally understood what Crocodile meant, but after so many years as a Marine, he'd completely accepted that identity and had even come to enjoy it.
"Let's skip the small talk, then. I only called for one reason." Crocodile's expression grew serious. He glanced across at Kojin before speaking.
"Go on," Bullet said.
"That man... has returned," Crocodile spoke slowly.
"That man? Who?" Bullet's voice sharpened.
"Who else could it be?" Crocodile smiled.
"Crocodile! I don't have time for your games!" Bullet roared.
Just then, another voice came through the Den Den Mushi. "Bullet. It's been a very, very long time." There was a hint of nostalgia in the voice, but it carried a familiarity Bullet would never mistake.
For an instant, the burly man's body froze as though he'd been struck by lightning. Only after a long silence did he speak again, his voice trembling. "...Kojin?!"
Kojin smiled. "Who else would it be?"
"You're alive! You're actually alive!" Bullet shouted. There wasn't a trace of anger in his voice, only excitement, joy, and disbelief. His booming voice was so loud that even the soldiers standing guard in the hallway jumped.
"Of course I'm alive," Kojin laughed. "Have you forgotten? I don't die."
"Good! Good! Good!" Three consecutive shouts of approval burst from Bullet as he vented the emotions that had built up over the years. Then, a fierce grin spread across his face. "Good. As long as you're alive. I can't wait to see whether you still have what it takes to lead us."
Hearing those familiar words, Kojin couldn't help but smile. "I won't disappoint you." Then his smile faded, and his eyes suddenly turned razor-sharp. "Interested in doing something big?"
Bullet fell silent. A moment later, his pupils contracted. He knew this man; if Kojin had suddenly resurfaced and called it "something big," then it definitely wasn't a small matter. Taking a deep breath, Bullet spoke. "Let's hear it."
Kojin grinned. "Come with me. Let's take down Whitebeard. What do you say?"
(End of Chapter)
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