Chapter 109: Sol vs. Aokiji – The Final Clash & Aokiji's Judgment
"Thunder-Flame Dragon's Iron Strike!"
Sol's right fist was wrapped in pitch-black Armament Haki. Flames and lightning raged and intertwined at the knuckles, forming a devastating red-and-blue energy beam. The ground beneath his feet exploded as he launched forward like a cannonball toward Kuzan. Everywhere he passed, the air ionized from the extreme heat and crackled with blinding electric arcs!
"Ice Gauntlet."
Kuzan's right arm instantly elementalized; crystalline ice coated his entire limb, also layered with pitch-black Armament Haki. The two fists collided violently in mid-air—
BOOM!!!
Three completely different energies tore at each other in a frenzy: bone-chilling frost, scorching flames, and wild lightning! The resulting shockwave spread outward in a ring. Within a hundred-meter radius, the ground instantly collapsed; countless shattered stones were hurled skyward!
"Hold on to me!" Zoro grabbed Chopper just as he was about to be blown away. The entire Straw Hat crew had to crouch low to resist the gale-force wind.
Luffy pressed his straw hat down hard, his expression unusually serious for once: "So this… is what a real fight between top-tier powerhouses looks like?"
At the center of the storm, cracks spread across Kuzan's ice arm under the unbearable strain—but he still wore a relaxed smile: "When it comes to pure punching power, I'm not going to lose to you, Sol." His arm muscles suddenly tensed, slowly pushing Sol's fist back!
"Don't look down on me!" Lightning and flames surged violently in Sol's eyes. Crimson dragon-scale patterns suddenly appeared on his cheeks as his magic power and Haki exploded simultaneously: "You've only been training a dozen years longer than me!"
"RAAAAGH!!"
With a dragon-roar-like bellow, dazzling light erupted around Sol! Kuzan's pupils shrank—he felt an unstoppable force surging toward him.
Swish!
He decisively abandoned the contest of strength, using the recoil to instantly elementalize. His entire body turned into countless flying ice crystals and shot backward. Hundreds of meters away at the forest edge, a massive ice explosion erupted dozens of meters high, instantly freezing the entire grassland into a glittering glacier!
"Did… did we win?" Usopp and Chopper started to cheer and run forward—only to be sharply stopped by Sol: "Don't come closer!"
"Ice Age."
When the dust cleared, a wave of extreme cold instantly transformed the entire landscape into a frozen wasteland. Kuzan's figure slowly emerged from the icy mist.
As the creeping ice surface advanced toward the Straw Hats, a wall of roaring flames rose to block it.
"It's been a long time since I last saw you like this." Kuzan looked at Sol—covered in dragon scales and wreathed in fire—and a trace of nostalgia flickered in his eyes. "The title 'Fire Dragon' really isn't just for show."
Sol didn't reply. He could feel the dragon transformation deepening inside his body—he had to end this quickly!
Suddenly, a sly curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. He opened his jaws wide.
"Fire Dragon's Drool!"
Pfft pfft pfft! A barrage of saliva shot toward Kuzan!
"NANI?!" Kuzan's expression changed dramatically. He hurriedly dodged to the side. He had expected scorching dragon breath—instead he got this dirty trick! "You bastard! How old are you still pulling gross stunts like this?!"
"Thunder-Flame Dragon Claw!"
While Kuzan frantically wiped at his uniform, Sol lunged forward in a flash. A high whip kick wrapped in thunder and flame smashed brutally into Kuzan's chin!
Crack! Ice shards flew. Kuzan was launched skyward—but he instantly condensed an ice platform beneath his feet, flipped backward, and landed steadily.
"Damn it…" Kuzan looked down at the sticky drool stain on his pant leg, veins bulging on his forehead. "Who the hell taught you that move?!" He immediately elementalized, discarding the soiled portion of his left leg and regenerating a fresh ice one.
Sol grinned smugly: "If it works, it works."
"Fine, fine." Kuzan suddenly waved his hand with a look of disgust. "If we keep going, you'll probably start spitting snot next. I'm done playing."
Hearing this, the thunder-flame around Sol gradually dissipated; the dragon scales slowly receded.
He secretly let out a breath of relief—the fight had consumed far too much energy. Kuzan's cold had drastically slowed his magic recovery. Any longer and he really might not have held out.
(As expected… there's still that crucial final step between me and Admiral level…) he sighed inwardly.
At that moment Kuzan suddenly walked over, hooked an arm around Sol's neck, and roughly ruffled his hair: "Brat, you've gotten so sneaky after just a few years!"
"Ow ow ow! Let go, you jerk!" Flames burst from Sol's body with a whoosh, scalding Kuzan's hand and forcing him to pull back.
The two stared at each other for a moment—then burst into simultaneous laughter. Kuzan looked at Sol's now bird's-nest pink hair; Sol looked at Kuzan's reddened palm. They slung arms around each other's shoulders and laughed so hard they nearly fell over.
From a distance, the entire Straw Hat crew watched in stunned silence.
Nami's mouth twitched: "They were just fighting to the death a second ago… and now they're suddenly best buddies?"
"No idea! Sanji, I'm hungry! Let's have a party!" Luffy turned to Sanji with a suggestion.
After the fierce battle, the entire island was unrecognizable—shattered ground covered in thick ice. Everyone decided to return to the Merry to prepare dinner; the warm cabin became the best refuge at that moment.
In the ship's living area near the kitchen, orange lamplight illuminated every face. Kuzan leaned back in his chair, gaze sweeping over Robin—who kept hesitating to speak—and finally broke the silence: "You don't have to keep staring at me like that. If you have questions, just ask."
Robin's fingers unconsciously traced the rim of her teacup. After a long pause, she finally spoke: "Back then… why did the World Government issue the Buster Call? Why did they sink that refugee ship full of civilians? And…" Her voice trembled slightly. "…most importantly—why did you let me live?"
"Tch, throwing out so many questions at once." Kuzan scratched his fluffy curly hair; his gaze grew deeper. "Let's start with the Buster Call. Researching the Poneglyphs is a death penalty crime strictly forbidden by the World Government—your Ohara scholars should have known that very well."
"But Dr. Clover said history is a shared heritage created by all humanity," Robin unconsciously straightened her back, eyes shining with determination. "No matter how dark the past, we must face it bravely. Only by confronting history can humanity truly progress."
Kuzan's gaze suddenly sharpened: "Then have you ever considered the cost in human lives if the truth were revealed?" Seeing Robin fall silent, he waved a hand. "Let's leave that topic there."
"As for the refugee ship…" Kuzan's voice lowered; his knuckles unconsciously tapped the tabletop. "…that was Sakazuki's order. He insisted there might be scholars hiding on board. I didn't know anything about it at the time—afterward I had a huge fight with him."
"Then why…" Robin's nails dug deep into her palms. "…why was I the only one spared?"
"Because of Saul." Kuzan suddenly looked up, eyes blazing. "He was my most important friend."
Kuzan leaned back in his chair, gazing up at the Merry's wooden ceiling. His voice was low and slow: "Back then… Saul risked everything to save you from my hands. I chose to honor his will and let you go—but every day since, I've questioned whether that decision was right."
His gaze returned to Robin, carrying a mix of scrutiny and complex emotion: "So I've watched you from the shadows all these years—watched you join one organization after another, betray one after another, drifting through the underworld like a walking bomb. I couldn't help wondering… whether letting you live might actually put even more people in danger."
Robin lowered her eyes; her fingertips gently traced the wood grain on the table: "So that's why… you've been watching me all this time."
"But now," Kuzan's tone softened slightly—even carried a faint, almost imperceptible relief, "I'm glad you've finally found a real place to belong—not the fragile, mutually exploitative relationships of before."
His words stopped abruptly—because Sanji had just walked in carrying dishes that filled the air with irresistible fragrance.
"Sanji! I want meat!" Luffy immediately started shouting.
Sol looked at Kuzan: "Alright, let's eat first. Let you taste our ship's cook's skills—it's not something just anyone gets to enjoy."
Kuzan accepted the offered plate. The rich aroma of seafood hit him immediately. He looked down at the golden, mouthwatering pasta—tender shrimp and plump clams artfully arranged on top—and couldn't help but praise: "Oh? This looks quite delicious. Just the smell is already making my mouth water."
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