Chapter 265: The Moss-and-Swirl Fusion!
As Issho's voice fell, the faint sound of paddle strokes echoed from the distance. Jinbe instinctively looked up to see several small boats rapidly approaching.
Judging by the insignia, it was a patrol from the Garrison Corps. However, there were also figures in white medical coats aboard, clearly heading for him.
The efficiency of the Curtain Call Adventurers is truly astounding…
Jinbe got to his feet, wincing on his injured leg, and moved to meet them.
Back on the shore, Issho's attention shifted.
"As for you, sir," he said, turning towards Greenbull. His expression hardened. "I do not know how the Curtain Call Adventurers have offended you, but you have not only trespassed on our territory, you have grievously wounded an honored guest. Is this not a severe breach of etiquette?"
"Etiquette?"
Greenbull sneered, the face on the tree trunk twisting into a mask of pure hatred. "You've got a lot of nerve, pirate! You call this a 'severe breach'? My best damn friend was killed by you bastards on Sabaody! I came here today for one reason: to flatten this whole pirate den!"
Best friend? Sabaody?
Issho's brow furrowed. "From the sound of it, you are no pirate. And we, the Curtain Call Adventurers, would never target a civilian. Could there be some misunderstanding?"
"Cut the crap, fatso!" Greenbull roared impatiently. "I don't mind telling you now! Even if it is a misunderstanding, who cares! I'm a candidate for Marine Admiral! A Marine killing a pirate is the most natural thing in the world!"
"Starfall" Issho!
He couldn't believe an powerhouse of this caliber was left to guard their home base. He remembered the name clearly. On Sabaody, he displayed incredible power, holding back "Black Arm" Z all by himself.
But... so what?
He'd already taken a stroll through Marineford with his hands in his pockets. In his opinion, the only one in that entire fortress with a truly intimidating aura was Admiral Akainu. One look at him, and even Greenbull felt a chill, knowing not to provoke that man lightly. If the Marines were to get a new Fleet Admiral, the future should rest on that man's shoulders!
As for Z and Garp… they were just old relics from a bygone era that ought to be buried!
Holding back Z?
He could do that too! In fact, he could beat him! His strength was definitely greater than Z's!
"Come on! I'm not leaving this place until one of us is down for the count!"
Greenbull's massive tree trunk form whipped around, and a storm of razor-sharp splinters erupted from all sides, raining down on Issho and Nami! A Yonko commander with a two-billion-berry bounty, and... eh, some nobody he didn't recognize. The first one was more than enough.
He would make a perfect stepping stone for his promotion to Marine Admiral!
Meanwhile, on Whole Cake Island, the northwestern side of the glacial battlefield.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Hundreds of Biscuit Soldiers, formed into a tight phalanx, advanced with unnervingly synchronized steps. Each of these puppets, created by Cracker's ability, stood over six meters tall, clad in armor and wielding a massive sword. From a distance, they looked like a legion of medieval heavy infantry.
And in the center of that formation, the real Cracker hid inside one of the soldiers, using its eyes to gaze at the tall, solitary figure standing in the distance.
"Bishishishi, how pathetic you are, Kuma~"
A low laugh echoed out. "Your daughter was taken, and you can't even see her. You must be so anxious, so frustrated. And you had the bad luck to pick me as your opponent..."
What an idiot!
As a user of the Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit, Cracker excelled at wars of attrition! He could hide at the rear, never needing to lift a finger himself, and simply wear his enemies down to their deaths with his endless army. And because his own body could also turn into biscuit, his presence was indistinguishable from that of his soldiers.
Locking onto his real body with Observation Haki was impossible!
"Hey, hey, why aren't you saying anything?" Cracker's voice seemed to come from all directions at once, dripping with the playful cruelty of a cat toying with a mouse. "Are you having regrets? Or maybe you're just sca—"
Before he could finish, Kuma moved.
He slowly raised his right palm, the paw pad at its center glowing faintly. He aimed it directly at the legion of Biscuit Soldiers marching towards him.
"Pad Cannon."
His voice was calm.
VWOOM!
The air itself distorted. A visible, paw-shaped shockwave erupted, instantly piercing through six or seven Biscuit Soldiers and carving a hundred-meter-long trench into the ice.
"Oh! To think you can one-shot my Biscuit Soldiers, which are as hard as steel! You're pretty strong, I'll give you that. Worthy of the name 'Thunderfall'!"
Cracker was momentarily surprised, but he quickly shook it off, a wicked grin returning as he manipulated new soldiers to fill the gap. "But it's not enough! Not nearly enough! My army is endless! You can smash a few, but I can create more at any time!"
Kuma remained silent, simply raising his palm and repeating the action.
VWOOM! VWOOM! VWOOM!
A continuous barrage of Pad Cannons exploded. Biscuit Soldiers were shattered and reformed in an endless cycle. Soon, the surrounding glacier was littered with cracker crumbs.
What a waste, Kuma thought silently. If Bonney were here, her eyes would probably light up with delight at the sight of these soldiers. She might not even need him; she could probably gobble them all up by herself, then rub her full belly and complain to him about being too stuffed…
An involuntary smile touched the corners of Kuma's lips.
"A smile?!"
Cracker's voice shot up an octave, laced with indignant rage. "You bastard, you have the nerve to smile right now?!"
Kuma still didn't answer. He simply looked up in the direction of Whole Cake Chateau, his smile deepening.
"Damn you! Stop looking down on me!" Cracker snarled. It seemed his leisurely pace wasn't putting enough pressure on the man. That wouldn't do! He needed to launch an all-out assault first, then he could go back to slowly wearing him down!
KRAK KRAK KRAK!
Every Biscuit Soldier suddenly raised its greatsword. The blades shimmered with the black sheen of Armament Haki as they broke into a charge, swarming Kuma from all sides to cut him down!
They're all converging? Kuma noted with a flicker of surprise. This was… He slowly removed the glove from his other hand and tucked it into his pocket.
"Finally feeling the pressure?" Cracker sneered. "Let's see you block this—"
BOOM!!!
A brilliant light shone in Kuma's eyes as an unprecedentedly ferocious aura erupted from his body. The pressure wave was so intense that his large black coat whipped violently in the wind.
A deep voice rumbled—
"Pad Cannon: 108 Torments Phoenix!"
It was a new technique he had developed. He didn't understand the name himself; a new recruit on the ship had helped him come up with it.
In the next instant, dozens, even hundreds, of giant paw-shaped shockwaves bloomed simultaneously. Like the petals of an immense flower, they expanded in a 360-degree, omnidirectional wave of absolute destruction!
CRACK! CRUNCH!
The moment they made contact with the shockwave, every single Biscuit Soldier disintegrated, their fragments scattering like dust in the wind.
With nowhere left to hide, Cracker's real body was exposed. He was sent flying with a pained scream.
"How is that possible?!" he yelled in a panic, struggling to stabilize himself in mid-air as blood dripped from his lips. "An attack of that scale and intensity… how could your stamina possibly suppo—"
His words were cut short.
Kuma's figure had already appeared before him like a phantom.
He loomed over Cracker, his forehead beaded with sweat and his breathing heavy. It was just as Cracker had said; the move had taken a massive toll on him.
But...
"Why would it be impossible?" Kuma said in a low, heavy voice. "You… Don't you dare underestimate the resolve of a father."
As he spoke, his massive, open palm rested gently on Cracker's chest.
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion!
A brilliant red light illuminated half the sky.
"Dammit!" Roronoa Zoro gritted his teeth, crossing his two swords in a desperate block in front of his chest. But the fist of Charlotte Oven, glowing as hot as magma, still sent him staggering backward, sweat pouring down his face.
Hiss~
The ice beneath his feet melted on contact with the intense heat, sending up clouds of steam that only added to the chaos. If it weren't for the years of footwork Zeff had drilled into him, he would have already lost his footing and fallen into the boiling sea.
"If I remember correctly, you're one of this year's Supernovas, aren't you?" Oven sneered down at him, his body radiating a terrifying heat wave. "What incredible arrogance! Did joining the Curtain Call Adventurers give you this confidence? A mere rookie with a bounty of 100 million Berries dares to stand in my way!"
The Curtain Call Adventurers were strong, and that Shane was a monster the likes of which this generation had never seen… but that didn't mean anyone who joined his crew would instantly transform!
And he, Oven, was one of Katakuri's triplet brothers! He had even served on that man Rocks's ship with Mama back in the day! His bounty was only 300 million Berries… but that was because, as an older brother, he had passed up many chances for fame to his younger siblings. His Heat-Heat Fruit was just as powerful as Admiral Akainu's fruit! When it came to real strength, he was close to a Sweet Commander's level!
"Heat Gale Fist!"
BOOM!!!
This punch was even more powerful. Zoro could no longer hold his ground. He was blasted away, crashing through several icebergs before finally embedding himself deep within a frozen tart ship.
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his two swords clattering to the ground. He tried to reach for them, but his arms, seared by the continuous high temperatures, were numb with pain and completely unresponsive.
THUD!
Another loud crash. A figure, spitting blood, fell from the sky and landed right at his feet.
Zoro blinked and looked down.
The man looked up weakly.
"Mosshead?"
"Curly Brow?"
They stared at each other, the usual insults on the tips of their tongues, but in the next second, both fell silent.
"..."
Not far away, Charlotte Daifuku, Katakuri's other triplet brother, descended from the sky to stand beside Oven. A giant, muscular genie hovered behind him.
"Looks like the senpais are all having an easy time," Zoro managed a bitter smile. "Only you and I are getting beaten this badly. How embarrassing."
"Cough..." Sanji struggled to prop himself up. He somehow found a lighter, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. "Don't lump me in with you. At least I can still light a smoke. You look like you can't even hold your swords."
"?"
Zoro glanced down at Sanji's legs, which had been twisted into knots by the genie.
"You noticed?" Sanji gave a dry laugh and blew out a puff of smoke. "But this is no time for banter, Mosshead. Those brothers aren't going to give us a chance to breathe."
Zoro looked up. Sure enough, Oven and Daifuku were approaching, arms crossed, with the predatory amusement of cats cornering mice.
The gap in power was just too big! Once they finished these two brats, they'd go help their big brother Perospero. They had just seen from afar that Perospero was actually stuck in a back-and-forth battle with that little blue-haired girl who uses her fists. He was unable to finish her.
Hmph, what an embarrassment to Mama's firstborn son!
"Heh, I guess this is the only way," Zoro spat out a wad of blood. Forcing himself up using his knees, he hooked his two swords with his foot and kicked them over to Sanji.
Then, he hoisted the immobile Sanji onto his back.
"What are you—" Sanji was stunned.
"Hmph, isn't it obvious?" Zoro grinned. "In a situation like this, we have to become one to have any hope of winning this fight. From now on, I'll use kicks, and you use the two-sword style!"
"My first fusion, and it had to be with you of all people. I can't believe this…" Sanji burst out laughing. "But I have to hand it to you, Mosshead. To think you actually had a smart idea for once!"
He took a final drag from his cigarette and flicked it away. "Alright! Let's show these two what a real, hot-blooded combination looks like!"
Sanji gripped the two swords as Zoro charged forward. Their combined form was clumsy at first, wobbling unsteadily on the ice.
Seeing this, Oven and Daifuku exchanged a strange look.
"Are they performing a circus act?" Daifuku snorted. "Hey, hey, does a rookie like this really belong to the Curtain Call Adventurers? I think he'd be a better fit for that crew Katakuri captured a while back. What was their name again?"
"Forget it. The Circus Pirates or something," Oven shrugged, his arms once again glowing with intense heat. "Doesn't matter. This is just a desperate last stand. Let's finish them… Heat Gale Fist: Barrage!"
Daifuku also commanded his genie, which brought its massive fist crashing down. "Genie Smash!"
Facing the two-pronged assault, Zoro and Sanji acted with surprising synchronicity.
Zoro stomped hard on the ice, his foot igniting in roaring flames as he spun like a top. Sanji used the momentum to unsheathe the blades, unleashing a massive flying slash!
"Diable Jambe: Three Thousand Worlds!"
The blazing kick collided with Oven's Heat Gale Fist, creating a staggering shockwave. The sword slash struck the genie square in the chest, making it grunt and stumble back several steps.
Daifuku's face froze. "How is that possible?!" Their combined attack was somehow more than the sum of its parts. They had actually managed to block his and Oven's assault!
"We're not done yet!" Sanji shouted, using his arms to forcefully launch Zoro from his back. Soaring through the air, Zoro unleashed a flurry of tornado-like kicks.
"Prime Cut: Lion's Song!"
Oven raised his arms to block but was kicked back again and again. Sanji used the opening to dash forward, crossing his blades.
"Two-Sword Style: Lunch Meat!"
The blades flashed like lightning, aimed straight for Daifuku's throat. Daifuku hastily ordered his genie to defend while he dodged back, but he was a half-step too slow. The swords grazed his shoulder, drawing blood.
"Bastards!" Oven roared, seeing his brother injured. He clenched his fists, and his entire body began to glow. "You dare make us bleed?! You brats have thoroughly pissed me off!"
Time to get serious! If he raised the temperature another level, there was no way these two could withstand it! He slammed both fists into the ice, and a terrifying wave of heat exploded outwards, melting the glacier at a visible rate.
The ground beneath Zoro and Sanji vanished instantly. They leaped back, but they were already at the edge of the ice field. If the melting continued, they would have nowhere left to run.
But right at that moment—
BOOM!
A massive bolt of black and red lightning tore across the sky. Immediately after, a fat figure in a pink, polka-dotted dress soared high over their heads, crashing into the distant sea.
Oven and Daifuku instinctively looked up, their eyes widening in shock as they cried out in unison:
"MAMA!"
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