"How about we pretend none of this happened and just walk away?" Kizaru said with a lazy smile.
Truth be told, he really didn't want to fight Oguro. Not because of fear — but because it was purely thankless. There was no overtime pay, and if he lost he might even get disciplined. Why suffer for nothing?
Oguro waved dismissively. "If you want to leave, go. No one's stopping you. But those two aren't going anywhere."
He pointed at the two World Nobles, his voice turning cold.
"They need to answer for what they've done."
Kizaru scratched his head, distressed. "Aiya… you're gonna make this very troublesome for me."
Make the World Nobles apologize? If he forced that, he would be thrown into Impel Down's Level 6 by tomorrow, never to see daylight again.
"Fine. Then I'll take a step back," Oguro said, rubbing his chin as if considering a compromise.
Kizaru's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"
"Simple. I want the Five Elders to announce that the World Nobles are forbidden from owning slaves. All existing slaves must be freed, and compensated."
Oguro realized something, his own reputation for carnage wasn't as powerful as an official concession from the World Government. That would shake the world.
Kizaru clicked his tongue. "That's no different from slapping the World Nobles across the face. Totally impossible."
The World Nobles were the symbol of the World Government. Granting them supreme privilege maintained the regime's authority. The Five Elders would never undermine their own foundation.
Oguro shrugged. "If we can't agree, then we fight."
Before the last word fell, Oguro vanished — heading straight for the World Nobles.
"Aiya… looks like we still gotta fight. Guess I'll have to ask Sengoku-san for overtime when I get back…"
Kizaru burst into golden light, appearing in front of Oguro instantly. As expected from the Glint-Glint human — the ultimate speed of this world.
"Kicked by light before?" he said, his right leg shining as he aimed for Oguro's temple.
But Oguro didn't even dodge.
Boom!
Golden light exploded. Furniture within the auction house shattered into dust under the shockwave.
A small silhouette stepped in front of Oguro, left hand catching Kizaru's shining leg with ease.
"Your opponent is me."
Soifon's eyes flashed cold. Her right hand drew Suzumebachi, slashing toward Kizaru's leg.
Kizaru froze. He clearly felt it — a thick layer of Armament Haki wrapped around the blade.
Whoosh!
He instantly burst into scattered light, reforming in front of the World Nobles. He glared at CP0.
"Well? Move!"
CP0 snapped out of it, smashed a wall open, and dragged the two World Nobles out.
"Heh… you think I'll let those pigs escape?"
Oguro blurred, about to flash toward them.
Kizaru crossed his hands, unleashing a swarm of golden spears of light.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
The barrage wasn't the strongest, but the wide coverage made it perfect for stalling. Oguro paused and stepped back to avoid it.
Boom boom boom!
The auction floor was torn apart again and again.
"You forgetting something? I'm still here!"
Soifon appeared behind Kizaru in an instant, Zanpakuto already released.
"Sting all enemies to death… Suzumebachi!"
The golden blade stabbed for Kizaru's back.
His Observation Haki didn't warn him — but he reacted anyway, elementizing instantly.
"Oh my, a transforming blade? Terrifying indeed…"
His taunting died when Suzumebachi's tip nearly took his face. He barely escaped with a partial elementization and widened the distance, cold sweat forming on his forehead.
"That speed… did this woman also eat some kind of super-speed Devil Fruit?" he wondered.
The Marines still had no idea what abilities Oguro's group actually had. For all they knew, each person looked like they'd eaten multiple Devil Fruits — which was impossible. But that uncertainty made Kizaru extremely cautious. Even as an admiral, he couldn't afford to make a single mistake.
Seeing Kizaru tangled with Soifon, Oguro again moved to pursue the two World Nobles.
Kizaru's Observation Haki immediately sensed him. He raised a hand.
"That won't do. You're staying too," he said with a lewd smile.
Biu!
A golden laser shot straight for Oguro's head.
Unlike the cheap knockoffs in the Pacifista, Kizaru's lasers were the real deal — capable of splitting mountains and carving canyons. It was fast, precise, lethal. Even Soifon couldn't react in time.
Oguro looked up at the blazing laser. It shone brilliantly — but something about it felt… weak.
"This laser… isn't that strong," he muttered.
To everyone's disbelief, he simply raised his arm.
"Looking down on me, are you?" Kizaru's facade cracked. He was an admiral. His attacks weren't something that could be blocked casually.
Then it happened.
Before the laser even touched Oguro's hand, it flickered — then shattered midair like a burst soap bubble.
"What?"
Kizaru's mind blanked. Dodged? Tanked? Nullified? He'd considered all those scenarios.
But dissolving mid-flight? That was new.
Meanwhile Oguro smiled knowingly.
"Oh right. Light is a type of electromagnetic wave."
A laser was just concentrated electromagnetic radiation. And electromagnetic waves… were under the complete control of his Magnet-Magnet Fruit.
He had simply severed the laser's wavelength mid-transmission. Without continuity, the beam collapsed.
"I can manipulate all electromagnetic waves. In that sense, I guess my Magnet-Magnet Fruit is kind of a superior version of your Glint-Glint Fruit."
Oguro grinned mischievously at the stunned admiral.
Realizing Oguro was about to catch the two "pig-swine," Kizaru finally snapped back.
Boom!
He shot through the ceiling as a streak of gold, emerging outside the auction house. His arms opened as he unleashed everything he had.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
This time, Kizaru didn't dare hold back. Countless light bullets rained down like a storm, blotting out the sky.
***
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