It was at this moment.
Kizaru finally understood one thing.
No wonder...
No wonder back on Judicial Island, I clearly saw this kid losing all vitality, sinking to the seabed, yet somehow managed to escape unscathed in the end.
Turns out he can breathe underwater...
"What exactly are you?"
He forced himself to speak, straining in the deep sea where even a hand could not be seen, his voice growing weak and dry:
"Fishman Race? You don't look like it. Could it be some forbidden lineage of a dead race, or perhaps... some experiment subject even I am unaware of?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Shano grinned viciously, his black hair dancing wildly in the deep sea, his fist entwined with Supreme King slammed through the water pressure once more, smashing fiercely!
"What this race or that race, all nonsense, I damn well am... of course, a human!!!"
Bang!
This punch, wrapped in black and red lightning, heavily struck Kizaru's abdomen!
Crack!
Amid the brittle crunch of breaking ribs, Kizaru's body flew backwards like a cannonball, smashing countless rocks along the way, finally, with a loud bang, deeply embedded into the trench wall!
Shano coldly watched the opponent.
The aura weakened slightly but still could move.
Far from reaching the limit.
What a hassle!
These Navy Grand Admirals are like monsters, obviously powerless in the deep sea, just a sandbag, yet so resilient to beating!
If ordinary tactics cannot finalize them then...
"Then try this move, old monkey!"
Shano's feet stirred up layers of air waves, his figure shot like an arrow off the string, instantly tearing through the water pressure, rushing to face Kizaru!
Slap!
His left hand clamped onto Kizaru's throat like an iron vice, pressing him harshly back into the rock wall, while his right hand slowly raised—
Buzz!
Black and red lightning suddenly entwined his palm, pushing all usable Supreme King Haki at that moment to frantically gather, compress, rotate, finally forming a crimson disc!
Divine Split!
The fierce killing intent rushed forward, causing Kizaru's complexion to change drastically; he finally raised his head, looking at the crimson disc almost within reach, a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.
Indeed... still failed to wait for that old man.
Well, at this point, can only use that move...
"Yata no Kagami!"
Buzz!
A golden light path suddenly pierced from above, lighting up this area of the deep sea, and quickly focused entirely on Kizaru.
In just an instant.
Kizaru turned into a figure like the Divine Country Great Buddha, glowing all over with golden light, dazzling and blinding.
Making Shano instinctively close his eyes, yet his hand action did not halt, directly throwing out "Divine Split"!
Sss—!!!
The crimson disc swept across like a scythe of death!
Blood splattered!
An arm flew high, Shano sensed this scene with Observation and frowned slightly.
Off target?
Couldn't be, at such a close distance.
But, it doesn't matter.
Kizaru is still under my control, though this hit emptied most of his Haki reserves, what's left should be enough for another strike.
As the light dimmed, Shano reopened his eyes.
Hmm?
Shano paused slightly, tilting his head, observing Kizaru held in his right hand, looking left and right, feeling something was off.
A switch for new?
The Kizaru before him, in an immaculate white Cloak of Justice and striped suit, with an aura extremely strong, like back at the very beginning of the battle.
"I see..."
Shano grinned, suddenly recalling the information that only he knew about this world.
That Kizaru possesses the ability to have avatars, a replica with all his abilities, even mimicking aura perfectly, making it hard for Observation to discern true from false.
However, the actual battle power in various aspects is merely low-tier.
It's a duplicate!
One punch blasted this "Kizaru," then looked upward, bursting air currents underfoot, rushing towards the sea surface!
...
Simultaneously, on the ice above.
Kizaru appeared where the clone originally was, fell heavily from the air, knees striking the ice surface, making a dull impact.
Half-kneeling on the ground, his left hand tightly grasped the hilt of Ama no Murakumo, its tip deeply embedded in the ice, barely supporting his shaky body.
—Frail.
An unprecedented frailty.
The striped suit long tattered, revealing the blood-soaked undershirt, his complexion as pale as paper, lips showing abnormal purplish-blue like a dying patient dragged from a hospital's intensive care unit.
And the most shocking...
Undoubtedly.
Was the empty right shoulder.
Where the arm was supposed to connect, only a ghastly stump remained, blood smeared across the cut surface visible.
Blood kept flowing endlessly, dripping down the tattered suit onto the ice, quickly congealing into dark red ice crystals.
"Cough cough..."
He coughed violently, every breath accompanied by stabbing pain in the chest, or more precisely, there wasn't a part of his body that didn't hurt.
Those eyes, usually carrying a lazy smile, now bloodshot, pupils trembling slightly.
Navy Grand Admiral's dignity?
Calm and composed demeanor?
All gone without a trace now.
Instead, there was something even he felt unfamiliar with—
Fear.
Fear of having walked to the brink of the Ghost Gate, nearly experiencing real death!
"Cough..."
I was careless.
Kizaru struggled to stand up; he knew the details of Sengoku's strategy and was aware that unless they fought for days or nights, he couldn't defeat Shano.
Conversely, the other side couldn't defeat him within days either.
All he had to do was follow Marshal Sengoku's original plan, hold off Shano, and wait for Gion to make a move.
Even if Gion failed, there was still the ultimate backup known as Garp.
But in the end...
I overestimated myself!
I completely underestimated the opponent's mastery of Supreme King Entanglement to such an extent that it could completely block the pathways of my Elementalization in a short time.
Causing me to be forcibly dragged into the sea, suffering severe injuries!
If he hadn't prepared a clone in the warship for stability beforehand.
Today...
I might have really died in that Deep Sea!
After all, in the Deep Sea, his true form couldn't use the Devil Fruit abilities.
So, this time, his clone had to take action.
This technique called "Amaterasu Replacement" required light to touch his true form, acting as a carrier to connect with the clone.
Then, the true form and the clone could swap positions imperceptibly, regardless of distance.
It was his ultimate life-saving skill, rarely used.
Because the cost is enormous too...
This move would drain most of his stamina, and needle-like pain would strike every part of his body.
However, compared to what Shano had left for him... or taken, it seemed insignificant.
He finally stood up straight, looking grimly at his empty right shoulder.
Right arm severed, excessive blood loss, along with the side effects of "Amaterasu Replacement," his condition had hit rock bottom.
No longer eligible to fight Shano head-on, he could only retreat!
Retreat?
He could leave anytime naturally, even with his current poor condition, but he could still become laser, something Shano couldn't stop...
Yet... there's still so many comrades, subordinates, he couldn't just abandon them!
Kizaru clenched Ama no Murakumo sword, eyeing the navy still battling on the icy plains.
Momousagi and Kuina's swordsmanship duel continued with no clear victor for now, but all other battlefields had essentially settled the outcomes.
Doberman and Dalmatia teaming up against Jack were still outmatched, lying on the ground, constantly coughing blood, consciousness blurred;
Other officers were scattered around, their lives uncertain;
As for the Seven Warlords of the Sea he brought, Enel...
He suddenly froze, looking in shock at the lifeless body with a twisted neck, discarded nearby.
Enel... was already dead?
How could it be!
This guy was an annoying braggart indeed, but with the thunderous abilities even I envied, he could surely escape regardless...
Kizaru squinted, looking at the emotionless, towering figure walking steadily towards him.
Tyrant, Bartholomew Kuma.
This fellow was undoubtedly a monster too, showing far more strength than the bounty evaluation from the headquarters.
Boom!
A sudden cracking sound resounded behind, with an overwhelming ominous aura locking onto his back; Kizaru didn't need to turn to know.
It's Shano from the Deep Sea chasing after...
Front and back.
Am I surrounded?
It seems irrelevant now.
—— Despite this battle being a mess, the defeat is certain.
Yet even so, he couldn't flee alone!
No hope of taking everyone, but must secure a retreat for those able to fight!
"That's why... compared to moving alone, I hate dragging a load of dead weights around..."
Kizaru murmured, steadied himself, prepared to fight on, suddenly——
Boom!!!
A violent shockwave crashed down from the sky, shattering the icy plains, the seawater surged upwards!
This commotion is...
Shano's pupils shrank, eyes lifted abruptly.
Up on the firmament, a robust figure descended like a meteor crash!
Speckled short hair, rugged visage, muscular arms wrapped in ominous black-red lightning—
Navy Hero, Monkey D. Garp!
"Hey, brat! Long time no see, but save the catching up for later, I won't stand by watching you obliterate the Navy's backbone here!"
Garp laughed wantonly, the black-red glow on his right fist blindingly bright, nearly illuminating the entire night sky!
"Galaxy—Impact!!!"
A furious roar echoed through the clouds, the terrifying pressure cracked the ice layer, a kilometer radius fragmented under the Supreme King Entangled Iron Fist even before landing!
Crack!
The air twisted and collapsed, black-red lightning whirled like turbulent dragons, massive ring-shaped shockwaves grew constantly, illuminating the sea as if the apocalypse arrived!
"Garp?!"
Shano's eyes sparkled, battling spirit erupting like a volcanic explosion, blood instantly boiling throughout!
Right fist clenched fiercely, the remaining Supreme King Haki fully mobilized, compressed, and gathered upon the fist bone!
Black-red lightning imbued the arm, forming a cross-shaped blinding red light at the fist's edge too!
"This move, I can do it too, old man!"
Laughing wildly, he shattered the ice and shot upward like a cannonball!
"Galaxy—Impact!!!"