"I know. Some time ago, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had sent a group of people to military court, supposedly the ones who reviewed your case back then."
"Too bad. It's already too late."
"No, it's not too late."
Borsalino swung his light sword down while opening his strange mouth. "If you wanted to join now, I'd be very happy to take you to Marine Headquarters."
"No thanks. I don't want to be a marine now."
Like old friends, the two fought fiercely yet continued to converse cheerfully.
"That's truly a shame!"
Borsalino seemed unsurprised at Ian's refusal; he shrugged and retreated to create some distance. "Then I'll personally bring you back to Marine Headquarters."
He compressed his light sword, transforming it into a mirror-like sheet of light.
"Yasakani Sacred Jewel!"
As Borsalino spoke, countless beams of light refracted and shot toward Ian, and Borsalino himself became a flash of light, appearing around Ian in an instant.
But facing such a terrifying attack, Ian remained calm, and he simply gripped his axe with his right hand.
Bathed in sunlight, his body looked as if it were clad in golden armor. No, even his axe radiated golden light.
His legs spread wide, his upper body contorting before instantly returning to normal.
"Particle Slash!"
With that, the combined force and inertia propelled his axe downward. A golden flying slash cut through the surrounding beams, annihilating them in the blink of an eye, with leftover force swinging toward Borsalino behind them.
Bang!
Startled by the sudden strike, Borsalino raised an eyebrow. His right foot became light and landed on Ian's axe.
Then he exclaimed loudly: "So scary! I almost got hit."
Compared to his previous teasing tone, his voice now faintly contained awe.
"So this is the Light-Light Fruit?"
…
On the other side.
"The development of your Devil Fruit ability is not bad."
Zephyr looked at Kuzan, who was exuding cold air in front of him.
As a teacher, facing his students, he was never stingy with praise, but he also never hid his criticism. "It's just that you're a bit too reliant on your Devil Fruit ability, Kuzan!"
After saying that, he cheerfully blasted open Kuzan's ice wall. "In this regard, you need to learn from that kid, Ian."
"Thank you for the guidance, I'll keep it in mind."
Hearing Zephyr's words, Kuzan wasn't angry. Still wearing his calm expression as frost covered the surroundings and cold air eroded Zephyr.
Then he also said in amazement: "But I have to say, that guy has really grown fast!"
It's only been two years, and he's already reached that level?
No wonder he doesn't panic even when facing the World Government's bounty.
Kuzan whistled. "Looks like before long, he really might be able to chop Sakazuki in half."
"Hahaha, don't say things like that in front of Sakazuki, or he will beat you up."
Zephyr's Armament Haki surged, instantly shattering the ice covering him.
"That kid is training very hard. Before dawn… No, just at daybreak he starts training, every day!"
"Ah? Is that so? But I heard that kid only gets up when the sun is high in the sky."
Kuzan didn't believe Zephyr at all.
"Ice Block: Partisan."
Cold air beside him instantly formed two ice spears that shot toward Zephyr.
"Also, you look like you're in a much better mood. Want to come back to Marine Headquarters with me?"
"No thanks, I don't want to go back to that lousy Marine Headquarters."
Zephyr smashed the ice spears with two punches and laughed loudly.
"I've already found a new goal in life, Kuzan."
"A new goal in life? Looks like you no longer want to destroy the New World?"
Kuzan blocked Zephyr's fist with an ice shield and said calmly, "Can you tell me what this new goal is?"
"I'm going back to take care of my grandson!"
Kuzan: "…?"
What?
Hearing that, Kuzan froze completely and stared blankly at Zephyr, and almost got punched by him.
"Hahaha, shocked?"
Seeing Kuzan dumbfounded made Zephyr very pleased, but he didn't hold back his blows; he continuously threw a punch toward Kuzan's face. "But spacing out in a fight can get you killed!"
"I really did space out. I'm curious, but now isn't the time for questions."
Kuzan's elementalized body quickly dodged. He looked at Zephyr again, then swept his eyes over the battlefield around them, frowned, put both hands back in his pockets, and said with a calm expression: "Looks like you really don't want to come back with me. In that case, I can only bring you back myself."
With Kuzan's words, a chilling cold instantly swept across the area.
"Zephyr-sensei, forgive me."
…
At this moment, Zephyr's fleet and Marine Headquarters' fleet had begun fighting.
Facing the elites from headquarters, Zephyr's newly gathered fleet was no match at all.
Fortunately, Kuma, Ace, and Enel were blocking the enemy. Otherwise, the losses would be even worse.
Even so, the battle between the two sides still drew everyone's attention.
Bang!
Ace punched a marine down, pressed his hat, looked up at the battle between the two sides, and sighed. "They are really strong! So that guy wasn't lying to me after all!"
The New World… Really does have many strong people!
"1,000,000 Volts: Discharge!"
After knocking out more than a dozen marines from afar, Enel also stopped, his deep gaze locked onto the two admirals.
Now he also understood that he was a Logia Devil Fruit user.
"They are indeed strong, but sooner or later, I'll become even stronger than them! I am..."
"The God of Thunder?"
Before Enel could finish, Ace blurted out the rest.
Boom!!!
Enel fired a bolt of lightning at Ace, scaring him into dodging quickly.
Ace immediately looked at him angrily.
"What are you doing?"
"An accident."
Enel said plainly, then ignored Ace, who was glaring angrily at him. His eyebrow twitched as if he sensed something.
Looking at Kuma beside him, he said calmly, "Time to retreat."
Hearing him, Kuma also stopped, pushed up his glasses, and said: "I understand. Don't worry, I'll definitely send everyone home!"
…
"Hahaha, let's stop here."
Zephyr, who had pulled away from Kuzan, laughed again. "I don't have time to teach you right now."
"That's truly a pity."
Kuzan whistled, then said expressionlessly: "Are you planning to surrender?"
"How could I possibly surrender?"
Zephyr waved his hand and smiled. Before Kuzan could speak, he continued: "Haven't you noticed yet?"