Zephyr-sensei...
Aokiji noticed his teacher's hollow, broken expression.
But he had no idea how to comfort him.
Tokikake had just been killed right in front of his eyes.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop Ian.
"Wait! Gion!!"
Aokiji suddenly remembered, panicked. "Gion's still in the water!"
At the very beginning, Vice Admiral Gion had taken a direct punch from Ian, smashing through the ice and falling into the sea—and she still hadn't surfaced.
"Yes! Gion!"
Zephyr, who had been in a daze, suddenly snapped back to his senses. "I'll go save her!"
Without any hesitation, he dove headfirst toward the sea below.
Aokiji let out a small breath of relief.
Zephyr-sensei's state just now had been terrifying—like someone who had completely given up on everything.
And now...
Aokiji turned his left arm into ice to numb the searing pain. Lowering his gaze, he looked toward the ship below.
What should he do with those guys?
Down on the ship's deck—
"What are you all standing around for? The show's over."
Redfield casually wrapped a bandage around his wound as he spoke slowly, "If you want to live, move now. Get all the hostages aboard the ship."
"You heard him! Get moving!"
Shiryu barked the order without hesitation, directing the pirates on the ship into action.
The ones they'd brought aboard were elite pirates from Impel Down's fourth and fifth levels.
Each had bounties of tens of millions, so naturally, they moved swiftly and efficiently, transferring the hostages onto the deck.
"So, what was that earlier? What were you doing?"
Crocodile, now reverted into a cloud of sand, floated back onto the deck. He exhaled and eyed Redfield with a puzzled look.
No longer insane?
"It's been a long time since I faced my old rivals. I just got a little itchy to fight, that's all."
Redfield replied calmly and flatly.
As for Ian's words about seeking something new to treasure—he didn't really care for that.
But through these two recent battles, Redfield had clearly come to understand the root of his problem.
It wasn't the aging of his body that truly held him back.
It was the fear and hesitation deep in his heart.
Only a resolute heart can truly possess strength!
Years of imprisonment made him forget such an important truth.
"Is that so."
Crocodile gave no clear response to Redfield's words.
The crisis wasn't over yet.
The Navy was still watching them like hawks.
If the Navy wanted, they could still easily wipe them out.
But would the Navy really want that?
Garp landed from the air, his face dark and grim.
He looked at the terrified people on the deck, trembling in fear.
"So? Navy hero," Crocodile sneered coldly, "What's your decision?"
"Damn it!"
Garp ground his teeth in anger.
Yet, knowing his personality, he could never ignore the lives of hundreds of civilians.
"Let them go."
Aokiji sighed deeply.
If they fought, the losses would be heavy.
He was severely injured, Zephyr's spirit was crushed, Tokikake had died, and Gion was on the verge of death.
Fighting this group and winning wouldn't be easy.
Not to mention there were hostages.
Crocodile's lips curled into a smile.
It was done.
At Navy Headquarters, G-5 Base.
Vice-Admiral Vergo was leading his soldiers in daily training at the plaza near the harbor.
Admiral Aokiji had already been deployed; who knew what would happen next.
But the matters with the Cross Guild didn't concern him. Without orders from Lord Ian, all he needed was to get stronger and be a good Navy officer.
Suddenly, a ship appeared in the distant harbor.
"Hm?"
Vergo stopped in his tracks, observing carefully.
It was a warship.
But it wasn't a ship from the G-5 base.
It belonged to former Admiral Zephyr, carrying his students.
Those young people had been sent here by Zephyr to stay temporarily.
However, they couldn't just sit still—they volunteered to patrol the area around the base by ship.
Such energetic young folks.
From Vergo's angle, he couldn't see it, but behind that warship, another vessel was quickly approaching.
It was a very small boat—more like a wooden raft—with only two people onboard: a burly man rowing desperately and an old lady standing at the bow, peering into the distance with binoculars.
She was cursing under her breath, "Damn Cross Guild! They actually wiped out the G-11 base! Made me take such a long detour!"
"But finally, we've arrived! G-5 base! Hehehe, cheer up, Weevil! You're about to become the new Shichibukai!"
"Oh!! Mom!!"
Her foolish son, Weevil, didn't understand what the Shichibukai was, but since his mom was happy, he was happy too.
As they got closer, the young people on the returning warship spotted them.
"Pirates!!"
A young navy man on the lookout post atop the mast shouted the alarm loudly, "It's Edward Weevil! The man who calls himself Whitebeard Jr.!!"
"What a reckless guy! Trying to attack G-5 base like the Cross Guild?"
The young navy soldiers on deck instantly grew restless.
"Immediately radio G-5 base!"
"Prepare to intercept at the same time!!"
The warship slowly turned, quickly positioning itself right in front of the small boat.
"Hm?"
Miss Buckin, Stussy's prototype, Buckingham Stussy, looked a bit confused.
Before she could say anything, the warship ahead thundered with cannon fire, shells raining down on their side like hail.
Miss Buckin broke into a cold sweat, shouting, "Weevil! Block it!"
"Okay! Mom!"
The foolish son immediately stood up, effortlessly swinging his massive naginata. With just one swing, the huge gust of wind blew away the falling cannonballs.
Miss Buckin only relaxed after seeing they were safe, but then she glared fiercely at the warship ahead.
"Damn bastards! It's one thing not to welcome me, but how dare they attack us! Good son! Let's go! Take them down!"
"Yes, Mom!"
Without hesitation, Weevil hoisted his mother onto his shoulder, then dove into the water like an arrow released from a bow, heading straight toward the warship.
He wasn't a Devil Fruit user.
Or rather, not yet.
The rookie Marines on the ship kept aiming and firing, but Weevil simply dived underwater with a powerful splash, causing them to lose their target.
Just as the Marines grew anxious, a huge splash suddenly erupted beside the ship's hull, and Weevil slammed heavily onto the deck.
His naginata swung fiercely.
"How dare you attack Mom!"
Weevil's tone was silly, and his expression was downright goofy.
"You're all going to die!"
But the only thing not foolish was his great blade.
A spray of blood flew as the nearby Marines were instantly bisected at the waist.
Upon receiving the rookie ship's communication, the G-5 base quickly responded. Vergo boarded a warship and swiftly approached the rookie ship with his comrades.
But as they neared and prepared to board, they were shocked to see—
The deck was soaked in blood, bodies mangled and strewn in pools of crimson.
A tall figure emerged from the cabin, dragging two corpses behind him.
"Still playing hide-and-seek with me?"
The bloodstained man chuckled, "Don't you know I'm the best at hide-and-seek?"
The old lady sitting on his shoulder noticed the approaching warships. She stood up, hands on her hips, and proudly shouted,
"Hey, Marines! Hurry up and notify the World Government! My precious son is about to become a Shichibukai!"
The base's Vice Admiral trembled with rage.
"Catch them!!"
**********
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