At the port of the Baspa Kingdom in the South Blue, the calm sea surface was broken by a pirate ship sailing slowly in. Under the sunlight, the black Jolly Roger flapped loudly in the sea breeze, its skull emblem appearing particularly ferocious.
"Pirates! Pirates!" A young dockworker was the first to spot the uninvited guest, his terrified shout shattering the port's peace. The cargo in his hands clattered to the ground, his face instantly turning pale.
An elderly constable walked over unhurriedly and patted the young man's shoulder. "Don't make such a fuss. It's just a pirate ship," he said, squinting towards the sea, a hint of disdain in his tone.
"That's right. Our Baspa Kingdom has Mr. Kuzan, after all," a middle-aged merchant chimed in, adjusting his bow tie. "Last time three pirate ships attacked together, didn't he deal with them all by himself?"
"Exactly, exactly," a fishmonger chimed in, his gutting knife gleaming coldly in the sun. "Those pirates couldn't even get close to the port before they were turned into ice sculptures."
The young man finally calmed down a bit, sheepishly lowering his head to pick up the dropped cargo.
Seeing this, the constable turned to his subordinates. "Even so, we mustn't be careless. Evacuate the port immediately. Send someone to fetch Mr. Kuzan. Tell him some blind pirates have come to die again."
"Yes, sir!" Several guards quickly sprang into action. One ran swiftly towards the port's bell tower. Before long, the long, lingering toll of a bell echoed over the port.
The merchants and residents who heard the alarm didn't panic. Instead, they withdrew inland in an orderly fashion, clearly accustomed to such scenes.
Meanwhile, on the sea not far from the port, the pirate ship cut through the waves. The lookout on deck lowered his telescope and called towards the cabin. "Captain! The Baspa Kingdom seems to have spotted us!"
A burst of rough laughter came from the cabin, and a burly man with a full beard strode out. The golden badge on his chest gleamed in the sunlight, a scar over his left eye adding to his ferocity. "Hahaha! So what if they have?" He snatched the telescope. "Where can this dump run to? Helmsman, full speed ahead!"
"But Captain," a tall, thin man with a rapier at his waist stepped forward, his voice as cold as a snake's, "I've heard Baspa Kingdom has produced a formidable character these past two years. Several pirate crews have already taken a fall there."
"Bullshit!" The bearded captain slammed the telescope onto the deck. "I'm Fletcher, the 'Rampage Demon Bear' with a 76,000,000 Berry bounty! And you, the 'Bloody Swordsman' Fisher, have a 40,000,000 Berry bounty! Together we're over a hundred million! In the entire South Blue, aside from the Marines, who can stand against our Demon Bear Pirates?"
Hearing this, Fisher said no more, merely silently polishing his sword.
The pirates on deck, hearing their captain's bold words, raised their weapons and cheered, greed flickering in their eyes.
The pirate ship finally docked. The heavy anchor plunged into the water, sending up a huge spray. The pirates eagerly jumped onto the wharf, their filthy leather boots leaving muddy prints on the pristine stone slabs. Some were already licking their lips, fantasizing about the treasure soon to be theirs; others cracked their knuckles, anticipating bloody slaughter.
On the wharf, the last group of evacuating residents glanced back. Their eyes held not much fear, but rather a hint of pity. The sea wind swept up fallen leaves from the ground, as if foretelling the coming storm.
"Hahaha! Boys, follow me!" Fletcher led the way, shouting to the crew behind him.
"Kill!" Hearing this, the pirates brandished their weapons and charged towards the town.
"Ara ara ara. Pirates again? They really are endless. Looks like if I want to clean up the South Blue's pirates, I'll have to join the Marines after all!"
Just as the pirates excitedly charged towards the town, a young man about three meters tall walked out from within. He wore round-framed sunglasses, a loose white shirt, and dark trousers, his hands in his pockets, looking perfectly relaxed—as if he wasn't facing vicious pirates, but a flock of helpless sheep.
"Is that the so-called 'formidable character'?" Fletcher muttered, looking at the approaching youth. Then he shouted to his crew, "Boys! Whoever takes care of this guy gets to keep all the treasure we plunder from Baspa Kingdom today!"
"Kill!" As Fletcher's words fell, the pirates charged straight at Kuzan, weapons raised, eyes filled with avarice.
Kuzan stopped walking and slowly raised his right hand. "Pirates, don't get too cocky. Ice Time Capsule!"
A terrifying chill erupted from his palm, instantly sweeping across the entire wharf. The dozen or so pirates at the front, still frozen in their charging postures, were turned into crystalline ice sculptures.
The pirates behind them halted in horror, weapons falling from their trembling hands.
"Wh-what kind of ability is this?" one pirate stammered.
"M-monster!" Another pirate, seeing his frozen comrades, threw down his weapon in terror and tried to run back.
But before he could flee, Fletcher, his face livid, reached out and hoisted the would-be deserter into the air.
"C-Captain, spare me! Please!" the pirate begged, dangling in Fletcher's grip.
CRACK—!
Before he could finish, Fletcher ruthlessly snapped his neck. "Don't be scared! It's just a measly Devil Fruit user. I'm one too!"
"The Captain's right!" Fisher drew his rapier, its blade glinting coldly in the sun. "Just another ability user. Let me handle him!"
With that, Fisher charged at Kuzan. His speed was extreme, covering the dozens of meters in barely two seconds, bringing him right before Kuzan. "Extreme Way: Flash!"
A cold blade of light sliced directly through Kuzan's body, splitting him in two.
The Fisher who had just bisected his enemy showed no trace of joy. The feeling upon impact was wrong. As a swordsman, he could distinguish the feeling of cutting a person from cutting something else.
"Not bad. Quite alert. But it's over." At that moment, Kuzan's voice sounded right beside Fisher's ear. "Ice Time!"
And then Fisher became an ice sculpture.
"V-Vice Captain!" The pirates cried out in terror, seeing their first mate turned into an ice sculpture in a single encounter.
***
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