The sea roared violently.
Waves crashed one after another as howling winds swept across the dark ocean. Heavy storm clouds blanketed the vast sea, turning the horizon pitch black.
On the Marine warship, the sounds of battle filled the air.
Clashing weapons.
Blades piercing flesh.
Bones cracking under blade-arms.
Gunfire.
Shouting.
Screams.
The battlefield had beco a grinding machine of blood and steel, tearing apart both Marines and pirates alike.
Yet neither side showed any intention of stopping.
One side fought for justice, duty, and responsibility.
The other fought for sothing far simpler—
Survival.
A Marine soldier stabbed his blade through a pirate's body, but before he could even catch his breath, another pirate appeared and sliced his head clean off.
This was war.
Cruel and rciless.
Deck of the Warship
Tashigi struggled desperately against Mr. 1's relentless assault.
His attacks ca like a violent storm.
Hands.
Feet.
Head.
Every part of his body had beco a weapon.
Mr. 1 suddenly clasped his hands together in a stance resembling Rokushiki's Rokuogan.
"Sparkling Daisy Slash!"
The impact blasted Tashigi away.
She and her sword were thrown across the deck as blood sprayed from her wounds. Her body rolled several tis before slamming into the railing, barely stopping.
Mr. 1 slowly approached.
Tashigi stared at him, her heart burning with frustration.
"Is this… where it ends?"
"No…"
"I refuse."
She slowly forced herself to stand.
"I have to beco stronger…"
"I have to protect—"
CRACK!
The railing behind her shattered.
Mr. 1's hands turned into claws as he slashed across her chest, leaving ten deep gashes. Blood burst outward.
At that mont, Tashigi felt her consciousness fading, mories flashing before her eyes.
A second splash followed.
It was the sound of her body falling into the sea.
Mr. 1 calmly touched his chest.
There was a deep wound there—one that had pierced through his body earlier.
The throbbing pain reminded him of sothing important.
"So… there really are swordsn in this world who can cut steel."
He glanced at the sea surface briefly.
Then turned.
His body transford into a blade as he charged back into the Marines.
The battle was already decided.
In the Sky
Yellow sand and white smoke chased and collided with one another.
Smoker's heart grew heavier with every exchange.
At first, he had assud that the Seven Warlord Crocodile, who had been defeated by Straw Hat Luffy, must have been weak.
But now—
Even after being beaten by Luffy and weakened by seawater, Crocodile still dominated him from the very start.
If Smoker couldn't turn into smoke—
He might have already lost.
anwhile, Crocodile's presence was steadily growing stronger.
"Desert Spada!"
"White Snake!"
"Sandstorm!"
"White Out!"
The sandstorm completely devoured the smoke.
Within the golden desert of sand, only a small patch of white remained.
That was Smoker's final territory.
Crocodile was recovering.
Little by little, he was regaining the power that once made him a Seven Warlord of the Sea.
Then—
Smoker suddenly froze.
He glanced downward.
He saw Tashigi being blasted into the ocean by Mr. 1.
He saw Mr. 4 swinging his massive bat, slaughtering Marines one after another.
He saw explosive baseballs lighting up the battlefield.
He saw Mr. 1 cutting through Marines like they were nothing.
"Smoker…"
Crocodile's voice whispered beside his ear.
"Losing focus in battle… is fatal."
SPLAT!
Smoker's eyes widened.
A black hook had pierced straight through his chest.
"Why…?"
"Armant Haki…"
"Armant — Desert Spada!"
Crocodile pulled the hook free.
His right hand transford into a massive blade of sand.
The gigantic sand blade carried Smoker crashing down toward the warship.
The mont Smoker's body struck the deck—
The ship shook violently.
Gigantic waves rose dozens of ters into the sky.
The warship began to sink.
Smoker lay in a pool of blood, his body nearly torn apart.
Why…?
He had countless chances to finish earlier.
So why wait until now?
Crocodile sneered.
"You seem confused."
"You're right. I had plenty of chances to seriously wound you earlier."
"But that wasn't guaranteed."
"So I waited."
"I waited for the perfect opportunity to completely crush you."
"I learned that from Straw Hat Luffy."
"A man's arrogance can destroy everything."
"You actually believed you could match ?"
"What a joke."
"Smoker… I'm tired of playing cat and mouse."
Crocodile raised his golden hook.
I see…
How terrifying, Crocodile.
When soone far stronger than you still waits for the perfect chance to defeat you…
Yet you arrogantly believe you can win.
How foolish.
Smoker closed his eyes.
The price of that realization—
Was too great.
Around him, Marines were still fighting desperately until their final breaths.
I brought them here.
I led them to their deaths.
And yet…
I still haven't achieved… my justice.
The hook descended.
Then—
"Ara ara… Smoker."
"You look pretty miserable."
A tall figure appeared at the bow of the ship.
He held an unconscious Tashigi in one arm.
Crocodile's pupils shrank.
Why…?
My Observation Haki sensed nothing.
The man simply stood there—
Yet Crocodile's hook stopped less than a milliter from Smoker's neck, as if ti itself had frozen.
One of the Marine Headquarters' greatest military powers.
Admiral Kuzan — Aokiji.
Crocodile didn't hesitate.
He instantly transford into sand and fled.
He didn't even consider saving Mr. 1.
Running was the only thought in his mind.
Just a little farther…
Even if he's an Admiral—
"Ara ara…"
A calm voice echoed.
Crocodile's Observation Haki scread in warning.
But—
Too late.
A cold hand rested on his shoulder.
"Ice Ti."
Crocodile froze instantly.
A solid block of ice fell from the sky.
It landed on the ocean surface and floated there like a frozen statue.
Thus ended the battle.
Smoker vs. Crocodile
Crocodile had won the fight.
But he still couldn't escape his fate.
After the Battle
"Hey, Kuzan… why are you here?"
Smoker sat on a dical stretcher, completely bandaged and tied down by the ship's doctors. Two cigars hung from his mouth as he stared at the man lying lazily on a beach chair nearby.
"Oh, that?" Kuzan said casually.
"I was actually on vacation."
"But Fleet Admiral Sengoku called and asked to take a look."
He glanced at the frozen Crocodile sculpture nearby.
"Well… he is a Seven Warlord of the Sea, after all."
Smoker lowered his head silently.
"Kuzan… was I too arrogant?"
"Hm?"
"Not really," Kuzan said lazily.
"But you definitely rely too much on your Devil Fruit."
Smoker remained silent.
He rembered Zephyr's words.
"Smoker… you rely too much on your Devil Fruit.
If you don't train your Haki and physical combat, you'll suffer for it soday."
"But…"
Smoker clenched his fist.
"You Admirals are famous for your Devil Fruits!"
"I just haven't mastered mine yet!"
In Smoker's eyes, Haki and martial arts were relics of the old era.
Devil Fruits were the power of the new age.
After all, the three Admirals were legendary for their Logia abilities.
Kuzan suddenly stood and walked toward him.
"Smoker…"
"What do you think an Admiral is?"
"Soone who relies on a Devil Fruit to gain world-destroying power—"
"But becos useless without it?"
Kuzan sighed.
"You really are an idiot."
Smoker's eyes widened.
Not only because of Kuzan's words—
But because of the ocean sll coming from him.
Combined with Tashigi being soaked earlier, Smoker realized sothing terrifying.
His gaze froze.
"That's impossible…"
"How can monsters like you even exist?"
"Smoker," Kuzan said calmly.
"The world is huge."
"The ice will last about a week."
"That's enough ti for another warship to arrive and transport Crocodile to Impel Down."
"I'm heading out."
"I'm looking forward to seeing your transformation."
Kuzan rode away on his bicycle across the ocean.
The sea froze wherever he passed.
"Kuzan! Just you wait!" Smoker shouted angrily.
"Bye-bye."
Kuzan waved casually as he headed toward Alabasta.
Power Profile (Author Note)
Na: Kuzan (Admiral Aokiji)
Attribute
Level
Physique
89.9 (Top Tier)
Strength
88.9 (Top Tier)
Speed
88.9 (Top Tier)
Conqueror's Haki
Not awakened
Observation Haki
91.8 (Top Tier — Future Sight)
Armant Haki
92.6 (Top Tier — Internal Destruction / Emission)
Devil Fruit
Ice-Ice Fruit (Hie Hie no Mi) — Semi-Awakened
Combat Style
Garp's Iron Fist (Master Level)
Evaluation: Elite Admiral — Near Limit
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