Kuzan grimaced as he crawled out of the hole in the ice, dazed by the scene unfolding before him.
Squads of Marines stormed past, charging toward the Oro Jackson with murderous intensity. Although they had previously surrounded Roger's ship, the cramped warships in the open sea had caused confusion and logistical chaos.
Marines in the front ranks were clambering up ropes in a desperate attempt to board the pirate ship, turning the battle into a brutal melee. But those in the back could do nothing but stand in line, helplessly watching the carnage unfold.
Now, things had changed.
The sea had frozen into solid ice—they finally had firm ground to fight on!
The Oro Jackson's hull was trapped in the frozen sea as well... There was no escape, even if they had wings!
"Rear Admiral Kuzan is amazing!"
"He really deserves to be considered on par with Vice Admiral Daren!"
"He actually figured out how to break the deadlock!"
As they charged past, the Marines gave Kuzan a thumbs-up, admiration written across their faces.
Kuzan blinked in surprise, then scratched his head and laughed sheepishly.
"Dahahaha, it's nothing!"
The freezing wind whipped across their faces, stinging the skin like blades.
Daren streaked across the sky like a red aurora, slicing through the air at high speed. The dark clouds receded behind him, and the sounds of battle from the distant battlefield slowly faded, then disappeared altogether.
"Jihahahaha! Marine brat, got the guts to run now?!"
"Weren't you full of swagger just a moment ago?!"
Shiki's savage, menacing laughter echoed behind him as he closed the distance.
"You built up this 'unprecedented storm' for me, and now you're fleeing like some mangy mutt—what a joke! Jihahaha!"
As he spoke, Shiki drew both blades and unleashed dozens of golden slashes that howled through the air toward the fleeing Vice Admiral.
Daren's pale face twisted slightly. A strange red light flickered deep in his eyes as the magnetic field surrounding him surged violently.
The air cracked with a sonic boom. His speed skyrocketed, and he barely escaped Shiki's barrage.
The sea within a thousand meters was torn into a horrifying web of gashes as massive columns of seawater erupted skyward.
Daren burst out of the watery veil in disarray and kept flying, fleeing at full speed.
But the corner of his lips curled into a mocking grin. He laughed fearlessly.
"In the end, you still lost, Shiki!"
"Your so-called 'invincible flying fleet'—I wiped it out. Twice."
"Your ridiculous dream of ruling the world? I shattered it!"
He glanced back, his expression openly taunting. Fresh chapters posted on novel★fire.net
"Your whole life is a failure!"
"Back in God Valley, your captain Rocks lost to Garp and Roger!"
"You couldn't beat Whitebeard, and you're nowhere near Roger's level!"
"All you can do now is pathetically chase after giant flying ships, or ancient weapons!"
"A piece of trash like you—how dare you think you're Roger's equal!?"
"Roger has no need for ancient weapons. That's the difference between you and him."
"You'll never surpass Roger! Your whole existence is a joke—just a backdrop for him. All you can do is watch as he walks further and further ahead!"
Daren's words stabbed into Shiki like a blade, piercing his soul and igniting a pain he'd never known.
A volcano of fury erupted from his chest, his bloodshot eyes burning with uncontained rage.
"You brat who doesn't know his place!!"
He roared at the top of his lungs.
"Roger is nothing but a foolish idiot! How dare you compare me to him?!"
"He has power, but no will to rule the world... He's not even a real pirate!"
Shiki exploded in fury, his blood-red eyes bulging as if Daren's words had struck his deepest nerve.
To him, Roger has always been a lifelong rival—but even so, he would never allow anyone to say he was beneath Roger.
In his eyes, Roger's wild, carefree life—his aimless adventures and lack of ambition—have nothing to do with what it means to be a true pirate.
"These are just the excuses of a loser!!"
Daren burst into a fierce, mocking laugh.
"In the end, you're nothing more than a failure, Shiki!!"
"If I'm not mistaken, you don't even dare to use your Conqueror's Haki right now, do you?"
"Because there's a ship's steering wheel stuck in your head!"
"You're scared that if you let your Haki erupt at full force, something irreversible might happen!"
Shiki's expression froze. He clenched his teeth, his face contorting with rage and malice.
Seeing his reaction, Daren laughed even louder.
"So what does that make you? Just a loser!"
"You've lost your Conqueror's Haki. What right do you have to rule the world!?"
Shiki roared furiously, the muscles on his face twisting as he erupted.
"I don't need Conqueror's Haki to cut down a little brat like you!!"
"Then bring it on!! Hahahaha!!"
Daren's hands transformed into pitch-black dragon claws. He slashed at the air, then without a backward glance, surged forward once more.
Two arcs of black claw energy shot out, streaking toward Shiki.
Shiki sliced them apart with his blades and charged forward again.
"Daren, you little punk! Think you're clever?"
"Think you've got it all figured out?"
"Did you ever expect that today would be the day you die by my blade?!"
"Once I kill you, no one will be left to stand in my way on these seas!"
"The clue to the ancient weapons is with Roger!"
"I'll get it out of him, sooner or later!!"
A frenzy of destruction and obsession clouded Shiki's mind.
All I have to do is kill this Marine brat.
Then find the ancient weapons... and the whole world will kneel at my feet!
But just then, the Vice Admiral's voice rang out again—calm, yet tinged with amusement.
"And who do you think leaked those ancient weapon clues in the first place?"
The words hit Shiki like a thunderbolt.
A single thought exploded in his mind like lightning cracking across a dry plain.
His pupils shrank, his expression changed drastically.
In a flash, countless questions flooded his mind.
This entire storm had been orchestrated by that brat Daren—but how had he known a clash between him and the Roger Pirates would happen?
The battle took place in the Edd War Sea...
Roger held the clue to the ancient weapons...
That information had come from the underworld...
Shiki suddenly looked up, eyes twisted with hate as he locked onto the back of the Marine Vice Admiral. He looked like he wanted to tear him apart.
It was all this brat's scheme...
He'd destroyed everything.
Shiki's frenzied roar, filled with pure killing intent, tore through the sky.
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