Above the sea, a cold wind blew fiercely.
Kuzan stood at the edge of the port, watching as the ice attack he'd released was easily neutralized, his brow unconsciously furrowing. "A lightning ability user..." he muttered to himself, a trace of gravity in his voice. "That is somewhat troublesome."
Despite saying this, the young Logia user's face showed no trace of panic. Ever since unexpectedly gaining the power of the Hie Hie no Mi years ago, he had never tasted defeat in battle. This confidence born of strength allowed him to remain composed in the face of any foe.
The sea breeze brushed through his hair, stirring his thin shirt, but it couldn't shake his upright posture.
On the distant pirate ship, Enel, who had just unleashed his strongest thunder attack, was panting lightly. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to the tall Kaido beside him. "Kaido big bro, is that guy a Logia user too?"
"Wororororo..." Kaido let out his signature laugh, his thick arms crossed over his chest, his gaze locked like a torch on the slender figure at the port. "That's right. An unexpected find."
A flash of curiosity appeared in Enel's eyes. "You know him?"
"Not yet," Kaido grinned, baring his white teeth, his voice brimming with confident certainty. "But soon he'll be a member of our Beasts Pirates! Wororororo!"
Their original target for this trip was to find the "Tyrant" Bartholomew Kuma. They hadn't expected to encounter this future top-tier combatant in the South Blue. What pleased Kaido even more was that the other man wasn't wearing a Marine uniform—this meant Kuzan had not yet joined the Marines. Since he was going to join some faction anyway, wouldn't joining the Beasts Pirates be better? It would save him decades of taking the wrong path.
Thinking this, Kaido patted Enel's shoulder and instructed in a gruff voice, "Listen, kid. In a bit, you go directly to the Baspa Royal Palace and bring me this country's king."
"Got it, Kaido big bro," Enel replied, immediately breaking into a mischievous grin, dangerous light glinting in his eyes.
While Kaido and Enel were plotting how to recruit Kuzan, Kuzan was speaking to the constable, Harris, beside him. "Harris, take your men and evacuate the civilians. This opponent isn't ordinary." His voice was calm yet brooked no argument, his gaze never leaving the distant pirate ship.
It's worth noting that after entering the South Blue, to have a bit of fun, Kaido had specifically ordered the Jolly Roger to be taken down. Otherwise, whether it was Marines, pirates, or merchant ships, spotting the flag of the Beasts Pirates from afar would make them flee like startled birds. While with Kaido's abilities, no one could escape if he wished it, that would be far too boring.
Sure enough, not long after taking down the flag, their ship encountered a pirate vessel, providing the young pirates on board with perfect live combat experience.
"Y-yes, sir, Mr. Kuzan. Be careful!" Harris responded nervously, then hurried off inland with his men.
He knew the battle to come was not something ordinary people like them could participate in.
After watching the constable leave, Kuzan walked slowly to the edge of the wharf. He took a deep breath and leaped down without hesitation. The moment his feet touched the seawater, a wondrous scene unfolded—the water began to freeze at a visible rate. White frost spread rapidly like a living thing, and within a few short breaths, the entire sea surface as far as the eye could see was covered in ice.
The pirate ship in the distance was forced to stop due to the freezing sea. The pirates on board stared dumbfounded at the spectacle.
"In...incredible..." Doflamingo said, somewhat awestruck, seeing this ability for the first time. Although Captain Kaido's transformation into a giant dragon had been shocking enough, this power to change an entire stretch of sea with a flick of the wrist still left him utterly astonished.
The other newcomers around him—Rosinante, Pica, Vergo, and the rest—were all similarly dumbstruck by the sight before them. Even Carue and Kyros were deeply shocked.
Only Homing, Urea, Sebastian, Inuarashi, and Nekomamushi remained relatively calm. Sebastian, Inuarashi, and Nekomamushi were already accustomed to their captain's power, and their pirate crew also had a Bullet who could similarly freeze a vast expanse of ocean.
As for Homing and Urea, being former Celestial Dragons, they may not have had much power themselves, but they were aware of abilities that could alter the climate with a mere gesture.
A fierce wind howled across the ice field. Kaido stood on the thick ice, a ferocious grin on his lips. He watched Kuzan approaching slowly from a distance, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. "Wororororo. I wonder if the current Kuzan can take a hit from my club," he muttered to himself. Then, with explosive force, he launched himself dozens of meters into the air like a cannonball.
With a tremendous BOOM, Kaido landed heavily a mere dozen meters in front of Kuzan. The powerful impact blasted across the ice surface, sending spiderweb cracks instantly spreading outwards. Ice shards flew, cold air billowed, and the entire ice field shuddered.
"I-it's you! Kaido of the Beasts!" Kuzan finally recognized the newcomer, his pupils contracting sharply. He instinctively tensed his body, his voice tinged with undeniable shock. "You, with an 850,000,000 Berry bounty... what are you doing in a place like the South Blue?"
Kaido grinned, baring his white teeth. "I came for you, of course, Kuzan!"
"For me?" Kuzan's brow furrowed deeply as he warily assessed the legendary great pirate before him. "I don't recall having any dealings with a figure of your stature."
"Wororororo..." Kaido's laughter echoed across the ice field. "Kuzan, our meeting is fate. Come, become my right-hand man!" He spread his arms wide, not attempt to hide his intention to recruit.
Hearing this, Kuzan's expression grew even graver. He straightened his back, his tone firm. "I don't know how you know of a nobody like me, but I'm going to join the Marines and become a Marine Admiral. I would never become a pirate."
Kaido's grin slowly faded, his eyes turning dangerous. "I knew this kind of invitation wasn't my style." He slowly drew the kanabo from his waist, his voice low and full of threat. "In that case, Kuzan, if you refuse, you're in for a world of hurt!"
The atmosphere on the ice field instantly plunged below freezing. The air between the two seemed to solidify. Kuzan felt the overwhelming pressure bearing down on him and instinctively shifted into a defensive stance. He knew a fierce battle was unavoidable. The cold wind howled. The standoff between Kaido and Kuzan was on the verge of exploding; a great clash was about to begin!
***
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