"Don't move, Kuzan!"
As that voice rang out, it was as though time itself had frozen. The figure who had been turning back to throw a punch instantly became motionless locked in place mid-movement.
On the deck, countless Marine officers stared wide-eyed in horror at the sight of the monstrous Vice Admiral immobilized before the calm, uniformed young man.
What kind of strange power was this?
"No… it's not complete stasis Kuzan is still moving!"
Among the Marines, several masters of Observation Haki quickly noticed something subtle. Upon closer inspection, they saw a faint irregularity.
Then, a pair of hawk-like eyes was the first to truly pierce through the technique's nature.
Arms folded, Mihawk watched as Ozz performed this move for the second time, and at last, he discerned the truth behind it.
"He's constantly displacing the enemy's body to its previous state, moment by moment creating the illusion of stillness."
"Hey... you're not supposed to explain our moves to the enemy, Hawk-boy."
"Even if I didn't, they'd figure it out soon enough. The way to counter it is fairly simple…"
Whoosh~
A ferocious punch suddenly broke through the binding force, hurtling straight toward Ozz's face but was easily caught by sheer monstrous strength cloaked in Armament Haki.
"To break a Devil Fruit's power, all it takes is overwhelming Haki."
"But even if it can be broken… it still leaves an effect."
As they exchanged blows again, the sheer force of their Haki clashing sent a shockwave ripping across the deck. The wood groaned and splintered, the entire structure beginning to give way beneath them.
Mihawk leapt away with elegant ease, landing on the shoreline only to find Ozz already there, having materialized in an instant.
In the swirling haze of dust, a towering, shadowy figure loomed. Reflected in his sunglasses was a chilling flash of white light, and a cold voice laced with killing intent broke through the tension.
"Dotorre Ozz… under headquarters orders, I shouldn't lay a finger on you.
But if you want someone to blame… blame yourself for stepping foot on this island doomed for annihilation."
Ozz simply shrugged, a glimmer of disdain naturally playing in his gaze.
"I didn't come here to start a war. Really, I just dropped by to say hello.
Otherwise… do you really think any of your Marines would survive this so-called Buster Call?"
Kuzan felt as if he'd been slapped in the face.
It was uncanny Ozz seemed to have this innate gift: if he wanted to enrage someone, no matter how kind or laid-back they were, he could make them want to kill him.
"In that case… come on! I've spent the past two years training with one goal in mind killing you!!"
A biting cold swept outward from his body, frost and bloodlust combined. In his hand materialized an ice blade forged from Haki itself.
"To beat you… I've pushed myself to the brink training Haki relentlessly with Vice Admiral Garp!!"
Back then after that brutal three-on-one battle where he'd nearly lost a leg, Kuzan had spent months reflecting on how to defeat a monster like Ozz.
And it was Garp's single mighty punch at Marineford, the one that had forced Ozz to retreat, that gave him clarity.
Devil Fruit powers were mere support against Ozz, the real fight was decided by the strength of Haki.
"Surrender, Dotor Ozz!!"
Clang.
The ice blade shimmered, coated in dense Armament Haki. In the sea of snow and ice now enveloping the battlefield, Kuzan moved like a ghost.
In the next moment, he and Ozz collided in a whirlwind of movement. Their speed was monstrous each exceeding the other in bursts.
In pure Haki mastery, they were nearly neck and neck!
"You've really improved, Kuzan…"
Ozz could see it. Kuzan's Armament Haki had evolved far beyond what it was two years ago.
Even the way he fused it with his Devil Fruit was giving Ozz pause.
But… what felt troublesome now would've only been terrifying to the Ozz of two years past.
"If you're in such a good mood, then I suppose I'll enjoy this too…"
Ozz sighed but the next instant, a monstrous aura exploded from his body, stretching across half of Ohara. Black and crimson lightning writhed like living serpents, twisting skyward in chaos.
Seeing this, Mihawk's brow twitched, a rare bead of sweat sliding down his cheek.
"…He's going to use that technique?"
Meanwhile, the other Marine officers found themselves deeply regretting their situation.
Wasn't this supposed to be a clean sweep for the Buster Call?
How had it turned into a real demon-slaying battle?
Still, they were Marines headquarters elites. Even in the face of such a terrifying enemy, none of them retreated.
One by one, they channeled Armament Haki into their blades and fists, preparing to support Vice Admiral Kuzan however they could.
But the moment one of them stepped forward.
BOOM!
A dazzling emerald slash, hundreds of meters long, tore across the battlefield, carving a divide between them and the two combatants.
Through the haze strode a figure cold and regal.
Several cloaked Marine officers turned pale, beads of sweat trickling as they looked toward the newcomer.
And what eyes they were…
Predatory, like a hawk scanning from the highest sky. Cold and impassive. Standing before them was a blade personified drawn and deadly.
A gleaming black blade with gold-laced ridges rested at his side. The shimmering chill of the steel, paired with the aristocratic bearing of the man, created a paradoxical beauty.
Then came the voice aloof and imperious, as if it were simply nature's truth.
"Pitiful weaklings… if you wish to interfere, then first survive my blade."
…
"Can someone explain what the hell that massive green slash was on the coastline?!"
Out at sea, aboard one of the warships, Sakazuki stood grim-faced, staring toward the coastline where a plume of emerald light had just erupted into the sky.
He turned to his adjutant.
The officer, who had just picked up a Den Den Mushi transmission, suddenly went pale as he sprinted over in a panic.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, sir! We just received urgent intel from the frontlines the one who appeared on the coast is… is the Black Gun, Ozz!!!"
"…What did you say?!"
BOOM!!!
Before the officer could repeat himself, Sakazuki's expression went blank for a heartbeat then turned into something murderous.
At last, the chance had come.
Under the guise of a Buster Call… he could finally destroy this heinous pirate once and for all.
In an instant, his body erupted into molten fire. A volcanic inferno burst from his frame as he launched himself toward the coast like a meteor.
All that remained behind was a dumbfounded adjutant and an equally bewildered squad of soldiers.
At the same time, the shockwave from this revelation reached another party: the commander of the Buster Call operation, Spandine.
As the words settled in his mind, Spandine's eyes bulged.
"You said… who is fighting the Marines on the shore?!"
"It's the Black Gun, Ozz."
"N-Nani!?!?"
At the mention of that name, Spandine collapsed to the ground in shock mouth agape, his face a mask of horror and disbelief.
Of all present, he was the one who knew Ozz best tasked back then with gathering intel for the Five Elders themselves.
And because of that… he understood all too well what Ozz's appearance in this operation truly signified.
"This is bad… this is way beyond anything I can handle!!"
Forcing himself to stay calm, he fumbled for a small, meticulously maintained Den Den Mushi his most valuable line of communication.
Brrrrrrr ~ Brrrrrrr
Click.
The line connected. The image of a stern face appeared scarred brow, thick beard, exuding a domineering air of authority.
"What is it, Spandine?!" came the voice from above.
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