Kizaru slowly withdrew his hand from his pants pocket. In the next moment, his body dissolved into countless shining photons and shot toward the sky, converging into a brilliant golden flash.
When the light faded, Kizaru reappeared in mid air. His arms were crossed over his chest, and two cross shaped beams of light shone from his hands.
Seeing this scene, Silvers Rayleigh frowned slightly. Having fought Kizaru before, he immediately recognized the attack.
"It is that guy again. His target seems to be here."
As Rayleigh spoke, waves of Haoshoku Haki spread from his body like invisible lightning. He drew the sword from his waist and fixed his gaze on Kizaru in the air.
At that moment, Kizaru spread his arms.
"Yasakani no Magatama."
A rain of shining light bullets suddenly poured down from the sky toward the Oro Jackson.
Rayleigh was just about to move when Gol D. Roger reached out and stopped him. In that brief moment of hesitation, another figure had already rushed forward.
Douglas Bullet had already activated his devil form and charged directly toward the descending storm of light.
A series of violent explosions echoed across the frozen sea.
Moments later, Bullet fell from the sky and crashed heavily onto the ice below.
His skin had turned pitch black from his Haki coating, but numerous golden light spots burned across it. Wisps of black smoke slowly rose from the damaged areas.
Seeing this, Kizaru transformed into photons again and scattered through the air before reforming directly in front of Bullet.
Bullet rolled his thick neck, producing a crisp cracking sound. He stared at Kizaru with a savage grin.
"You dare attack the Jackson? You've got some nerve, Navy."
Kizaru pursed his lips slightly.
"A monster has arrived, that is scary."
As he spoke, he casually raised his hand and traced a line through the air. Photons gathered instantly, forming a radiant light sword in his grip.
Bullet crouched slightly and placed both hands on the ice.
He activated the power of his Combine Devil Fruit. Massive chunks of ice were pulled into his palms. The frozen blocks twisted and compressed under his control, restructuring themselves into a pair of extremely dense ice crystal knuckles.
But he did not stop there.
Bullet immediately coated the ice knuckles with Haki.
Seeing this, the relaxed look on Kizaru's face faded slightly. The light sword in his hand grew more solid as photons condensed into a sharper blade.
In the next second, Bullet shot forward like a cannonball.
The ice beneath his feet shattered inch by inch as he advanced with terrifying momentum.
When Bullet appeared in front of Kizaru, he swung his fist down without hesitation.
Boom!
The light sword collided with the massive knuckles. The shockwave of Haki spread violently across the frozen battlefield. Golden beams scattered in every direction, triggering continuous explosions across the ice.
The next instant, both figures burst out from the explosion of light.
Kizaru and Bullet were already locked in close combat.
However, facing a pure physical monster like Bullet, this type of fight clearly placed Kizaru at a disadvantage. He could only fight while retreating, searching for an opportunity to create distance.
As long as he gained enough space, he could unleash his strongest techniques, light speed kicks or long range laser beams.
Unfortunately for him, Bullet clung to him like a parasite attached to bone marrow. Kizaru did not even have the time to use Yata no Kagami.
At that moment, Kizaru suddenly remembered something his teacher once said.
Zephyr had once warned him.
Do not rely too much on your Devil Fruit ability. Strengthen your physical combat and Haki.
This was the piece of advice Kizaru had always found the most annoying.
In his opinion, his physical combat skills and Haki were already strong. Yes, perhaps slightly weaker than Sakazuki.
As for Lloyd, well, that man was simply an outlier.
Aside from those two monsters, Kizaru was absolutely confident that he was several levels stronger than the other students of the same generation.
But now, facing a physical monster like Bullet, he was finally forced to admit the weakness in his combat style.
He silently made a decision.
After returning this time, he would definitely increase his training in close combat.
Of course, that thought would have to wait.
The battle continued.
After a fierce exchange, the two fighters had already clashed dozens of times.
Suddenly, Kizaru's movement slowed for a split second.
Bullet immediately seized the opening.
His massive fist slammed directly into Kizaru's abdomen.
The overwhelming force sent Kizaru flying backward across the battlefield.
Bullet was just about to chase him when the ice beneath his feet suddenly rumbled.
A moment later, a scorching pillar of magma erupted upward, tearing through the frozen sea and blocking Bullet's path.
In that brief moment, Kizaru had already regained his balance.
He performed a smooth mid air flip and landed lightly on the ice.
Raising his hand, he wiped the trace of blood from the corner of his mouth.
He glanced at the still erupting magma and spoke calmly.
"Sakazuki, you are very punctual."
Kizaru still clearly remembered something from the past. During the battle between the Navy and both the Whitebeard and Roger Pirates, when he had arrived late, Sakazuki had greeted him with those exact words in the exact same tone.
The magma pillar slowly subsided.
From within the heat and smoke, Sakazuki walked forward.
At Kizaru's words, the corner of his mouth moved slightly. The expression was subtle, and with his face still partially covered in molten magma, even Bullet standing nearby failed to notice it.
Of course, even if he had noticed, Bullet would not have cared.
He knew little about Sakazuki's personality. He did not know that the man before him was famous within the Navy for his cold expression, someone who rarely showed a genuine smile.
The only thing Bullet cared about was strength.
He stared at Sakazuki and grinned.
"I know you. Rayleigh speaks highly of your strength, and also that flashing monkey from earlier."
Sakazuki snorted coldly.
"To be recognized by pirates is my shame."
In the next instant, Kizaru flashed beside him and stood shoulder to shoulder with Sakazuki.
Behind his tea colored glasses, Kizaru's eyes narrowed slightly, releasing a dangerous aura.
"You are very impolite."
Bullet tilted his head and laughed wickedly.
"Do pirates need to be polite?"
Kizaru nodded lightly.
"That is also true."
The moment those words left his mouth, Sakazuki suddenly moved.
Without any warning, he launched a massive magma punch directly toward Bullet's face.
The attack came so suddenly that Bullet had no time to react.
His grin had not even faded before his face was swallowed by scorching magma.
If Bullet had not been in his devil form with Haki protecting his head, that single strike might have killed him instantly.
Although it did not prove fatal, the magma still burned his face badly.
Blisters instantly formed across his skin.
Then Bullet coated the damaged areas with Haki, turning the swollen burns into rough, blackish purple lumps that made his appearance even more terrifying.
Looking at Bullet's miserable condition, Kizaru blinked slowly.
For a brief moment, he thought he had seen Lloyd's style in Sakazuki.
That was exactly the same habit.
One second calmly talking, the next second launching a sudden lethal attack.
Sakazuki had clearly learned that particular combat instinct well.
However, Sakazuki himself seemed dissatisfied.
If he had used Hell Hound earlier, he could have blown Bullet's head apart without a doubt.
Unfortunately, the technique required a brief moment of preparation.
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