"—I regret this parting must be like this."
Amid falling snow, Skura was bidding Kureha farewell.
They couldn't remain in this country. With their location exposed to the Marines, being searched was self-evident.
He wouldn't accept imposing on Kureha that much.
"Hihihi. You're somewhat more useful than before, but still a youngster. Don't neglect your training."
"Of course. Next time I visit this island, I want to be able to discuss things with you as an equal."
"Big words. I'll look forward to it."
Turning his back on the laughing Kureha, Skura with packed belongings headed toward the ship with Georges' group.
Though practically unable to serve as combat forces, Samuel remained as escort along the way. Judging that with Zen and Kanata, they could handle Zephyr and Sengoku.
But the situation wasn't that simple.
"Four warships are apparently surrounding us. Both Feiyun and Junshi have their hands full, Kanata and Zen are suppressing Zephyr and Sengoku... this is bad as is."
"I'll fight too!"
"Fighting head-on like an honest fool won't let you win against those monsters."
They needed planning.
Pure power alone might work if they could push through, but Zephyr and Sengoku's strength probably exceeded Kanata's.
Without outsmarting them with their heads, they had no chance of victory.
"Think. Just fighting won't let you survive. Time for staying stupid has passed, Samuel."
"...But thinking's not my strong suit."
"Even so. Do what you can do. Think what you can do. That's enough."
Even Samuel, who said he didn't understand difficult things, wasn't incapable of thinking at all. Just do what you can, Georges said.
Like Skura treating injuries as a doctor.
Like Kanata and Scotch crossing seas as navigators.
There were things only Samuel could do.
"This time I need thinking up plans... Kanata flew out first thing."
"She wouldn't stay put. I'm returning to the medical office immediately to begin treating injuries."
"Yeah, please do."
From the contact received, one Admiral and three Vice Admirals. Plus considerable numbers of Commanders and Lieutenant Commanders.
Two giant Vice Admirals suppressed by Feiyun, Kanata and Zen suppressing Zephyr and Sengoku—for now that should be fine. Even Headquarters Commanders were sufficiently strong, but considering the current situation with Ivankov, Dragon, and Junshi, they couldn't pose much threat. Even Georges' group had gained minimum strength.
They could even redirect Junshi to support Kanata's group.
"But how things are by the time Kanata's group arrives..."
Without clearly knowing who was safe and who was down, they couldn't even plan strategies.
If even one Admiral or Vice Admiral fell, they'd have a chance.
The sun still stood at zenith. Unable to flee under cover of night in the current situation—had to call it harsh.
☆
—A slash deflected by a fist, then released ice blades shattered.
In the dizzyingly changing offense and defense, countless ice weapons formed and shattered, disappearing.
Sengoku, whole body wrapped in Haki, bore no wounds, and Kanata, accurately deflecting Sengoku's attacks, also bore none.
(—This woman, still getting stronger—!)
Even while fighting, her Haki grew stronger.
Once landing attacks was easy, yet now even capturing her form was difficult. Moreover, even landing hits couldn't penetrate Haki defense.
That strength was too abnormal.
"Where did you gain such strength...!"
"Learned it, obviously. From fighting you and Zephyr."
If life remained, even losing meant next time existed. Retreat wasn't defeat.
The past near-death battle with Sengoku, the battle falling one step short against Zephyr—for Kanata, they'd become more than sufficient nourishment.
Honed and polished strength didn't even fall behind a Marine Admiral.
(...But it won't last long.)
Haki didn't well up infinitely. Properly trading blows with Sengoku by wrapping herself in Haki refined to the limit, but Haki consumption was also abnormally fast.
Prolonged battle would disadvantage Kanata.
Her limbs turned blue-purple from locally concentrated Haki, possessing power that might pulverize a small island.
Still unable to break Sengoku showed his ability's extent.
Fighting solo would allow forcing short battle tactics, but this time Zen fought nearby. Carelessly using big techniques risked involving him.
But—
"—Zen won't die."
Wrapping herself in cold air that would freeze ordinary lungs just breathing, engaging Sengoku in close combat.
Though unable to escape the influence, minimizing the range as much as possible limited effects on Zen.
It worked on Sengoku too, but still insufficient to penetrate solid Haki.
"How petty!"
"Mobilizing this much force to capture me alone, calling it petty is rich."
Ordinary pirates would be annihilated instantly. Even Golden Lion currently on this side couldn't escape unscathed from these forces.
Though with these forces directed at them yet still not fallen, perhaps calling Kanata's group abnormal was better.
Readying her spear, a flash at Sengoku.
Ice blades ran across the ice following the slash, attempting to slice Sengoku's feet.
"Fuu—!!"
One breath.
The swung-down fist smashed blade and ice ground together, hurling ice chunks at Kanata.
Taking it head-on, the shattered body immediately gathered and repaired itself, creating a giant ice hammer as payback, trying to crush from above.
The fist swung again shattered the giant hammer, scattering fragments everywhere.
"As expected, tricks don't work."
Amid ice fragments glittering and shimmering reflecting sunlight, Kanata formed a giant dragon's jaw, sandwiching Sengoku from above and below.
Sengoku restrained it with one hand and one foot, releasing shockwaves toward Kanata with the remaining hand.
The "Haki shockwaves" resonating like bell sounds—gooong—engulfed and blew Kanata away, but she deflected that impact using her own Haki.
And then—
"Shown it so many times, one understands."
"—!!?"
From the palm thrust into empty air, she released "Haki shockwaves" just like Sengoku.
Perhaps caught off guard—though guarding head-on with both arms, pushed back several meters sliding by that power.
"This too...! Not a technique used so easily!"
"Unless it's Devil Fruit ability, ultimately a technique humans can use, right?"
At minimum, the fact Kanata's ability had risen enough to easily imitate it was true.
Though a unique power—Animal Zoan Mythical type—Sengoku fought largely with Haki power.
Even within battle, the girl called Kanata grew stronger.
"You and Zephyr have taught me much."
Kanata stopped the swung-down fist with one hand.
Dyed blue-purple from inside by Haki reinforcement, the arm wrapped in Haki like armor received even Sengoku's attack without retreating a step.
"—I won't lose anymore."
Deflecting Sengoku's arm, Kanata leaped.
Immediately entering defensive stance, but taking intense slashes over that defense, fresh blood scattered—
☆
"They're going quite flashy over there too."
While fighting with both arms hardened with Armament, Zephyr occasionally turned his gaze toward Sengoku and Kanata.
Not that he had leisure to intervene, but was interested enough to glance.
Both Zen and Zephyr were probing while feinting with tricks, not reaching serious collision.
(With that much reinforcement, Haki consumption is fast too... aiming for quick battle?)
Naturally, experience gap between Sengoku and Kanata was too great. To bridge that gap required this much recklessness, apparently.
With that strength, even Zephyr wouldn't escape unscathed.
The cold air she wrapped affected even here, but ignoring that, Zen also steeled himself.
"She seems to be going seriously too. Shall I also go all out soon?"
"You seem quite strong too. Including that other spear user on the ship, good personnel gathered."
"Honored to be praised by a Marine Admiral. Various circumstances bring people under her."
Including Zen being a Mink.
Giant Feiyun, Fish-Man Tiger—normally not people who'd board the same ship.
Because it was her, thinking following was acceptable, they were aboard. Tiger being a guest made circumstances slightly different.
"I also owe her—can't lose here."
Stepping in—the instant Zephyr's arm blocked the horizontally swung spear.
"—!!?"
Lightning from the Mink-specific ability "Electro" struck Zephyr, momentarily stopping movement.
Immediately thrusting the spear filled with maximum output Haki, aiming for Zephyr's heart.
"Gu—with just this!"
Covering his whole body in Haki, Zephyr only avoided taking Zen's spear defenseless.
Though not reaching the heart, the spear breaking through Haki defense and stabbing emitted "Electro" again, the scent of burning flesh drifting from the electric shock.
The "Electro" Minks used wasn't Devil Fruit ability, so Haki alone couldn't completely defend against it.
No mercy or restraint whatsoever. However much an Admiral, taking this wouldn't escape unscathed.
—But not struggling if the opponent fell from this much.
"Ooh, oooooh—!!"
Roaring.
Sharp glaring eyes captured Zen, grabbed the spear stabbed into himself and pulled it out, pulling Zen's body and striking with hardened fist.
Creak creak—the arm made unpleasant sounds, slammed onto the ice as is, but enduring with clenched teeth.
Barely avoiding consecutively swung fists, leaping up to pick up the spear.
"Gu... as expected, won't fall easily...!"
"Naturally. Falling from this much, couldn't serve as Marine Admiral!"
Stepping in, another strike as if smashing ice again.
Even more powerful than before—somehow enduring it, body creaking even with Haki defense, whipping it to turn to counterattack.
"Not yet!"
Zephyr fluttered avoiding the continuous spear thrusts, the spear wrapped in maximum output "Electro" clashing with the hardened fist.
As if saying "can move if knowing it's coming," pushing back spear and Zen together, blowing away.
Though Observation Haki was disrupted by electric shock, he didn't fight relying only on that.
(Consumption is intense. This way, I can't talk about Kanata either...)
Either way, he'd known being reckless was necessary against superior opponents.
Not without trump cards, but the day was still high. Additionally, if prolonged combat disadvantaged them, impatience arose.
As long as neither he nor Kanata collapsed—glaring at Zephyr—but.
"—Over there seems settled."
Zen also turned his gaze where Zephyr looked.
There—Feiyun, who'd been facing two Vice Admirals, was falling.
***
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