Chapter 82: Ice and Snow Melt
[Marineford · Plaza Zenith · Extreme Battlefield of Fire and Ice]
The boiling magma rolled, and the extremely cold ice field spread rapidly. The two extreme natural forces collided violently in Marineford Square, erupting with a deafening roar!
Half of the sky was burning with crimson clouds, while the other half was shrouded in icy blue mist, as if the heaven and earth were split apart by this ultimate battle!
--boom!!!
Sakazuki attacked first, his right fist suddenly turned into molten lava, and the hot magma poured down like the flames of hell.
"Meteor Volcano!!!"
Giant fists of molten lava, accompanied by fiery sonic booms, crashed down like the collapse of heaven and earth, as if a group of volcanoes erupted at the same time!
"Heh... Sakazuki, you're just as impatient as ever."
Kuzan pressed the ground with one palm, and cold air rushed out.
"Ice Age!!!"
In an instant, the sea surface at the foot of the entire square froze into ice tens of meters thick, spreading upward at an incredible speed, freezing the falling giant fists of magma one by one!
——Bang, bang, bang!!
The huge magma fist was frozen in mid-air into a burning flame sculpture, but the next moment, the lava boiled, and the exploding fire stream broke through the ice and turned into a magma storm sweeping down!
Kuzan frowned slightly, turned his body, and transformed into a wisp of extremely cold ice mist that moved hundreds of meters horizontally, leaving behind an ice substitute that was instantly evaporated!
Sakazuki snorted coldly and stepped on the ground. The boiling magma burned the earth along the path he walked, and the black lava poured out like a stream of hellfire.
"Kuzan, how long can your lazy justice last?!"
"Justice must be enforced with blood and iron, not with words!"
Sakazuki threw out both fists, and the magma rose into a giant red dog-headed shadow, roaring and rushing towards Kuzan in mid-air!
"——Great Eruption: Double Hellhound!!!"
Two giant lava beasts, as fiery as hellhounds, roared and rushed towards Kuzan with a rage that could burn the sky and destroy the earth!
Kuzan's expression turned cold, and he brought his palms together, and the ice-blue aura transformed into a giant ice dragon that surrounded his body.
"Ice Dragon Breaking Tide!"
With the roar of the ice dragon, Kuzan leaped high with the help of Moonwalk. The entire sky was filled with frost and snow. The ice dragon, wrapped in tremendous coldness, confronted the two Hades dogs!
——Boom!!!
Ice and fire collided, the sky shook, one side of the sea was directly caused by the hot and steaming magma to explode violently, and the other side was frozen into an iceberg hundreds of meters high.
However, just as the two Ultimate powers were about to cancel each other out, Sakazuki's figure transformed into crimson lightning, forcefully passed through the center of the explosion, and appeared in front of Kuzan!
"Your justice is too weak!"
"Great Eruption!!!"
The fiery lava fist instantly expanded to the point where it almost blocked the view, containing astonishing high temperature and destructive power, and slammed head-on into Kuzan's chest!
Kuzan crossed his arms to the limit, covered with ice armor!
boom--!!!
The ice armor exploded instantly, and Kuzan was blown hundreds of meters away like a cannonball, and slammed heavily into the solid city wall at the end of the square!
"cough..."
Kuzan spat out a mouthful of blood, his face pale, and his frosty aura was obviously forcibly suppressed by Sakazuki.
"Damn it... This guy's Haki and magma... are even more powerful than two years ago!"
Sakazuki stood amidst the flames, his fist dripping with molten lava, looking coldly down at the fallen Kuzan.
"Kuzan, you are no longer qualified to talk about justice."
"Today, you only have two choices: death or abdication!"
The air was boiling again, and the murderous intent was pressing down like a substance. The battle was not over yet, but Sakazuki had already completely gained the upper hand!
"Ice Cube·Pheasant Mouth!"
Kuzan took the lead. The moment the ice bird spread its wings, the temperature of the entire square plummeted! The giant bird made of ice crystals tore through the air and flew straight to Sakazuki's face!
Sakazuki's right fist erupted into lava, and without dodging or avoiding, he punched out -
"Great Eruption!!"
"boom--!!!"
The moment the lava fist collided with the ice bird, a steam explosion swept across the entire venue!
The shock wave of ice and fire completely overturned the ground within a radius of 100 meters, and gravel fell like rain!
Kuzan's pupils shrank and he suddenly turned sideways, but Sakazuki had already rushed in front of him like a ghost!
"Dark Hound!"
The lava-like right fist was like a red fang, heading straight for Kuzan's chest!
"Puff!"
Amidst the sharp sound of burning flesh and blood, Kuzan's ice armor was instantly pierced through. The high heat of the lava burned through his left shoulder, and the blood evaporated before it even dripped!
"cough...!"
Kuzan stumbled back, ice quickly covering his wounds, but Sakazuki's attack didn't stop—
Before the steam dissipated, Sakazuki had already broken through the fog barrier, and his molten right leg chopped down like a battle axe!
"Dog bites Red Lotus!!"
The lava dog bit Kuzan's right arm, the ice armor shattered, and the flesh and blood burned!
"Ugh—!"
Kuzan was forced to kneel on one knee, and the ice melted rapidly in the high temperature.
Sakazuki looked down, lava dripping onto his military cap, burning black holes in it.
"Bang!!"
A lava uppercut hit Kuzan's chin, sending him flying and crashing through three layers of rubble!
Kuzan climbed up from the rubble, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth and his right eye half closed due to high temperature burns.
Sakazuki walked slowly, leaving scorch marks on the lava beneath his feet.
"Kuzan, there is only one reason for your defeat—"
"You're not 'absolute' enough!"
With the last punch, the lava condensed into a huge red and black fist, blasting out like a volcanic eruption -
"The End, Crimson Hell!!"
Kuzan used up his last bit of strength, and the ice sword condensed—
"Ice Blade Aurora Slash!!!"
But the lava instantly swallowed the ice blade and pierced his chest!
"boom--------!!!"
The flames of the explosion shot up into the sky, the square of Marineford was engulfed by lava, and the ice layer was completely vaporized!
The magma was flowing, and the ice and snow had been evaporated by the heat.
Sakazuki approached the wounded Kuzan lying on the ground step by step. His right arm transformed into a giant magma fist, and the blazing light dyed the sky red!
With this punch, Kuzan will definitely die!
At this moment——
"Sakazuki!!!"
Sengoku suddenly stood up, and his whole body burst out with a pressure like thunder. Golden light exploded all over his body, and he instantly turned into an extremely huge golden Buddha. He jumped directly out of the conference hall and stood between Sakazuki and Kuzan!
The golden light of the Buddha suppressed the heaven and earth, and with one palm, he blocked Sakazuki's magma punch!
Boom!!!
The hot magma flow exploded along the Buddha's palm, burning the ground into huge charred cracks!
Sengoku's face turned pale, and his roar shook the sky: "Do you really want to completely split Marine?! Sakazuki!!!"
Sakazuki's face was indifferent, his fist filled with magma stopped in front of Sengoku, and he looked back at Rogge who was standing at the end of the square.
Rogge stood with his hands behind his back, his face expressionless as he responded to Sengoku's roar: "If the carrion is not scraped away, the Marine will never be able to truly administer justice."
"If we don't settle the accounts today, we will be destroyed tomorrow!"
Veins throbbed on Sengoku's forehead, but a hint of complexity and powerlessness flashed in his eyes.
He could sense that Kuzan's vitality was rapidly declining. If Sakazuki's punch really landed... Aokiji would definitely die!
Sengoku took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and said in a low voice:
"Kuzan...abdicate and be judged thoroughly!"
His voice seemed to be squeezed out from his chest, and every word seemed to be cutting through the remnants of the old era.
Hearing Sengoku finally give in, Sakazuki snorted coldly, slowly retracted the hot magma, and looked coldly:
"For the sake of our long-standing friendship, I'll spare his life. But—"
"Sengoku, you better clean this up quick."
After he finished speaking, he walked straight towards the conference hall.
Walking to Rogge's side, Sakazuki paused slightly and said in a deep voice:
"We should have a meeting to discuss the Whitebeard matter."
Rogge nodded calmly: "The future of the Marine must be completely in the hands of 'justice', not those corrupt guys."
The two left side by side, followed by all the members of the Purification Faction, leaving Kuzan lying unconscious on the ground.
Sengoku's face was complicated. He quickly summoned the medical team to the scene and shouted anxiously, "Get help immediately! We can't let him die in Marineford!"
In a fuzzy state of mind, Kuzan watched the fiery red figure walking away.
There was a complicated look in his eyes, and the scene of him fighting side by side with Sakazuki when he was young emerged in his mind.
——"Sakazuki...Rogge...just how far have you come..."
Beneath the golden Buddha, the ice and snow melted quietly. A generation of Admiral was defeated in this battle of destiny.