Chapter 126

After the strike.

Luo En swung his blades wildly, as if in a frenzy, his arms moving so fast they were nearly invisible.

Each slash carried astonishing force, amplified by the razor-sharp aura of the Sword Saint and a formidable level of Armament Haki, making every strike devastatingly powerful.

Even Kizaru didn't want to take even one hit.

The slashing auras of Black Blade Shusui and Lei Qie overlapped and crisscrossed, lashing toward Kizaru before him—each slash potent enough to slice a pirate ship in two, and now dozens, even hundreds, were aimed directly at him.

Under such devastating, rainlike onslaught, even if he could activate his Logia element, he could not possibly evade them all.

But Kizaru was a Marine Admiral, one of the top combatants of the Navy, a supreme force upon this sea!

Facing the frenzied slashes closing in, Kizaru, his body covered in frost, raised his completely frozen right hand.

"Ice Lock."

For the first time, he unleashed Haki in his attack.

And it was Armament Haki far surpassing Luo En's level.

With the Haki's enhancement, the cold he generated became even more terrifying.

Every slash Luo En landed before him was caught by ice growing endlessly from his palm—ice that spread faster than Luo En's strikes could destroy it!

The ice sprouted like rapid-growing bamboo shoots, surging relentlessly toward Luo En as he swung his blades!

Meanwhile, ice also erupted from the frozen deck around Luo En, closing in from all sides; no matter how much he shattered it, the ice regrew even faster.

In the wide-eyed gaze of Luo Bin and Bonney on the deck.

Soon, the unkillable ice completely engulfed Luo En, forming a massive ice sphere on the frozen surface.

Inside the ice sphere, Luo En continued slashing, but his strikes still could not fully destroy the ice—the ice kept spreading inward toward him.

"Stop… stop…"

Luo Bin gripped the railing, trembling all over, her pupils violently shaking.

"Stop it!"

Accompanied by Luo Bin's piercing cry.

Kizaru, his back turned to them, exhaled a thin wisp of cold air.

He lowered his raised hand; the frozen portion of his body slowly returned to normal.

The outcome was decided.

On the shattered, ice-bound sea, as the thick white frost dissipated, a massive, crystal-clear ice sphere emerged.

The instant Bonney saw the ice sphere, her eyes widened, her expression frozen.

Luo Bin, pale as death, stared blankly at the black-haired boy inside the giant ice sphere—frozen like a tiny amber insect, dual blades in hand—as if all strength had been drained from her body in an instant. The world fell silent, leaving only the frantic pounding of her own heartbeat.

"It… it can't be…"

At that moment, the clouds above parted, and a beam of sunlight struck the mountain-sized, crystalline ice sphere, making it glitter brilliantly—the black-haired boy trapped inside now crystal-clear.

"I haven't been this serious in a long time. You keep surprising me, traveler, Luo En."

Kizaru, wearing only a tank top, removed his sunglasses and muttered to himself, gazing at the frozen Luo En inside the ice sphere:

"At fifteen, you've reached this power… You're truly a monster, just as Mr. Karp said."

"If you're given more time to grow, you'll soon reach my level."

"And yet, you'd risk everything for a girl you've known for less than a year—Nico Robin."

A complex expression flickered in Kizaru's eyes.

To label an eight-year-old girl who did nothing wrong as a criminal with a bounty of 79 million Berries—is that justice?

Ever since his close friend Sauro died, Kizaru had begun questioning the Navy's absolute justice…

This question still had no answer today.

But through this battle, Kizaru learned one thing.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the distant ship.

Nico Robin, you've finally found your true refuge.

Congratulations.

If it's this man, he should be able to carry your life properly…

115, Kizaru: I think we can leave him be for now.

Just as Kizaru raised his hand, preparing to dissolve the giant ice sphere—

Zzzt!

A flash of Jin Guang suddenly pierced the interior of the ice sphere, and a crack appeared on its smooth, hardened surface.

Kizaru blinked in surprise, staring closely.

There, inside the giant ice sphere, the black-haired boy, dual blades in hand, had golden lightning flickering across his right foot—a terrifying, destructive force surging forth, pulsing like a breath, striking the ice sphere repeatedly.

The cracks on the ice sphere multiplied, widened.

A few moments later—

It exploded before Kizaru's astonished eyes.

Countless shards of ice, glittering in the sunlight, looked like translucent gemstones swirling with rainbow hues.

Like a god breaking free from its cocoon, the black-haired boy emerged amid the falling, sparkling fragments, grinning at Kizaru:

"I knew you had no intent to kill. You're not a bad guy, Kizaru."

"Thanks for the fight—it helped me fully understand my own strength. Next time we meet, I'll buy you a drink."

With those words, Luo En's foot, crackling with golden lightning, struck the frozen sea—and vanished from before Kizaru in an instant.

With that single step, the destructive force surged downward hundreds of meters, instantly splitting the hundred-meter-thick ice into a vast hollow, from whose center seawater erupted violently.

Kizaru waved his hand casually—the seawater that had gushed dozens of meters high froze again.

He turned his head to look at the Traveler, its underbelly exposed with tracks, speeding away across the sea, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

"Indeed, a fascinating fellow…"

He put his sunglasses back on, mounted his bicycle, and rode off in the opposite direction of the ship.

I leave Nico Robin to you.

Let me see what your stubbornness will ultimately lead to…

…

On the deck of the Traveler.

Luo En lay on the ground, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath.

"Finally over. The Marine Admiral's power truly isn't something to be taken lightly."

Nico Robin, tear tracks still on her cheeks, slumped on the floor, staring blankly at him, still dazed.

Bonney gazed at him in utter shock.

"H-He actually escaped from that Marine Admiral…"

Her entire back was soaked with sweat; beyond the lingering fear, an unprecedented thrill and excitement surged from deep within her.

Just moments ago she'd said following Luo En would be dull and boring, yet now she'd encountered a Marine Admiral—and escaped from him! This, this… was beyond thrilling!

Could being a pirate be any more thrilling than this?!

Bonney, trembling with excitement, fixed her gaze on Luo En lying on the deck.

No matter what, I've got to cling to this leg!

This ship… I, Joye Bonney, am claiming it!

…

One week after Luo En and his group encountered Kuzan.

Kuzan returned to the Marine Headquarters in Marineford, the Grand Line.

"What?"

"You say you didn't find them?"

Admiral Sakazuki slammed his hands on the table and shouted at Kuzan: "What exactly happened?!"

Kuzan, one hand in his pocket, scratched his head, his demeanor as lazy and casual as ever: "My apologies."

Sakazuki was about to say more.

Monkey D. Garp, sitting nearby eating a donut, spoke up: "Come on, the South Blue's huge—if Luo En's running around, it's no surprise you couldn't find him. Don't pressure Kuzan, Sakazuki."

"Shut up, Garp."

Sakazuki glared at him fiercely: "If it weren't for your stupid suggestion back then, would we be dealing with this today?!"