Kizaru watched the massive silver-white slash in rare silence.
The towering tsunami
Was split cleanly in half.
The cut was so precise that the upper portion of the wave seemed to freeze mid-motion.
The extreme cold radiating from Saint Roselith Seraphina's blade instantly froze large portions of the seawater.
What crashed back down
Was no longer a wave.
But a colossal wall of ice.
"…So scary "
Even Borsalino couldn't help but comment.
His leg transformed into light.
"Light Speed Kick."
In a flash
He vanished.
Reappearing directly beside the massive wound on the Sea King's back
And struck.
BOOM!!!
The impact exploded against the creature's flesh.
At that moment
An unspoken understanding formed between the three.
Defeat the Sea King first.
Everything else came later.
The creature's appearance was monstrous.
Its body resembled that of a massive fish
But its mouth
Was filled with chaotic rows of jagged teeth.
Uneven.
Overlapping.
Grotesque.
Its spine bristled with sharp protrusions.
Yellow-brown stripes ran across its enormous body.
Its tail lashed against the ocean like a living cannon.
After being struck repeatedly by Seraphina, Mihawk, and Kizaru
The Sea King lost all restraint.
Its instincts took over completely.
Its massive eyes turned blood-red.
It no longer thought.
It only wanted destruction.
"ROOOOAR!!!"
Its roar shook the entire sea.
The Sea King twisted violently.
Its massive body rolled through the ocean.
Crushing ice.
Churning water.
A death roll.
Seraphina and Mihawk reacted instantly
Leaping back onto a drifting ice floe.
Kizaru also withdrew.
The chaotic waves made close combat impossible.
His body of light reformed beside them.
For the first time
The three stood together.
Seraphina steadied her breathing.
Her voice was calm but urgent.
"The wound on its back is the only weak point."
"If we strike it together like before "
"…we might be able to kill it."
It was not a perfect plan.
But it was their only chance.
The Sea King stopped its spinning.
Dazed
But still conscious.
Its massive eyes rolled
Searching.
Then
It found them.
The three figures standing on the ice.
Its killing intent surged.
I will destroy you.
"Laser Beam."
Kizaru raised a finger.
A beam of light shot forward instantly
Piercing the creature's remaining eye.
A second scream erupted.
"ROOOOAR!!!"
Seraphina's expression changed.
"Admiral it's calling others."
Silence fell between them.
Then
Understanding.
They could not delay any longer.
"Ama no Murakumo."
Light condensed into a blade once more.
Mihawk stepped forward.
Yoru rose.
His Haki surged.
"Ittoryu…"
He did not name it loudly.
But the air itself trembled.
Seraphina raised Winter Solstice.
Her strength was nearly gone.
But her will remained.
"Cold Spring Severance."
Three forces gathered.
Light.
Black steel.
Frozen silver.
They struck.
The combined slash tore across the sea
And crashed directly into the Sea King's wounded back.
Silence.
The ocean went still.
For a moment
Everything stopped.
"…Is it over?"
Even Kizaru exhaled slightly.
"…That was tiring "
But
The sea moved again.
The Sea King's massive body surged upward.
Its wound bled heavily
But its eyes
Burned with intelligence.
It had endured.
It had waited.
It had pretended.
Its massive jaws opened
Right in front of them.
Seraphina's body trembled.
She had no strength left to move.
Kizaru remained in place.
His mission
Was to protect her.
He would not retreat.
Mihawk stood firm.
A swordsman
Does not run.
Then
A fist descended from the sky.
"Iron Fist."
BOOM!!!
The Sea King's jaws were slammed shut instantly.
A tall, broad-shouldered old man landed on the battlefield.
Wearing a dog-headed hat.
A grin on his face.
Eyes sharp as ever.
The Sea King froze.
For the first time
It felt fear.
Monkey D. Garp had arrived.
He moved again.
An uppercut
Launched the massive creature into the air.
Then
Punch after punch after punch.
Each strike shook the sky.
When it ended
The Sea King's body fell back into the ocean.
Like a lifeless mountain.
A massive splash rose.
Then
Silence.
It slowly sank into the depths.
"Vice Admiral Garp…"
"Old man…"
"…The Marine Hero…"
Even Dracule Mihawk observed him carefully.
Garp cracked his knuckles.
"That idiot Sengoku dragged me back to the East Blue."
"Said he didn't trust that unreliable brat."
He glanced at Kizaru.
"Isn't that right?"
Kizaru scratched his head lazily.
"…That thing was over ten thousand meters long "
"Very scary "
Garp snorted.
"That's why I keep telling you "
"Don't rely only on your Devil Fruit."
He flexed his fist.
Kizaru said nothing.
But he knew
Garp was right.
Garp turned.
His eyes landed on Seraphina.
"Saint Roselith Seraphina."
"You're strong."
"Come to Marineford."
She blinked.
"…Me?"
"Sengoku has plans for you."
Garp spoke casually.
But his tone carried weight.
"You don't plan to stay in the East Blue forever, do you?"
Seraphina paused.
Then nodded slowly.
"…Understood."
East Blue had nothing left for her.
Bruce could handle everything here.
It was time
To move forward.
Garp grinned.
"Good!"
Then
He turned to Mihawk.
"Hawkeye."
"Why not join the Marines?"
A ridiculous suggestion.
But coming from Garp
It sounded almost serious.