Zunesha's massive trunk swept across the battlefield like a towering pillar. Aramaki had yet to fully materialize his body when he was once again pulverized by the second strike.
Kuzan leaped into the air, unleashing Ice Age in an attempt to freeze the trunk. However, the cold that could freeze an ocean merely formed a thin layer of frost on the rough elephant skin before being shattered by Zunesha's violent movements.
"Ah la la, this is troublesome..."
Even as he spoke, Kuzan was struck by the trunk, shattering into countless ice shards that scattered in the air.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Borsalino unleashed a barrage of laser beams, scorching Zunesha's trunk with dark burn marks. However, given Zunesha's immense size, these marks appeared insignificant.
Kuma attempted to use his ability to relocate Zunesha, but the elephant was simply too massive—far beyond the limits of his power.
Akainu transformed his right arm into a massive magma hound that bit down on Zunesha's trunk. The searing heat caused a sizzling sound as smoke rose from the burnt skin.
The pain made Zunesha roar in agony, violently thrashing its head and flinging Akainu into the air.
Akainu remained composed, showing no trace of panic. He detached his solidified arm from the magma beast, which continued to latch onto Zunesha's trunk without dissipating.
Seizing the opportunity, Aramaki finally reconstituted his body. Cursing under his breath, he clapped his hands together. In an instant, massive vines erupted from the frozen ground, entangling one of Zunesha's legs while simultaneously draining its moisture.
Once again, the Mink Tribe and the Giants bore witness to the power of the Admirals—mere humans standing against the towering 35,000-meter colossus.
...
Loki slowly stood up, his expression cold as he stared at Akainu and the other Admirals in the distance. Golden flames surged around him, forming a brilliant golden spear in his grasp.
With the golden spear in hand, Loki charged toward Akainu and the others, his body enveloped in the burning solar flames.
Kuma noticed Loki's charge and immediately intercepted him, raising a paw to block the incoming spear.
Loki gritted his teeth, applying more force, but the spear was still unable to pierce through the Paw-Paw Fruit's defense. Instead, he was sent flying backward by a single slap from Kuma, looking utterly disheveled.
Regaining his footing, Loki found Kuma closing in again. With swift, fluid movements, Kuma unleashed a barrage of mini shockwave bubbles, each exploding upon impact. The force battered Loki's body, shifting his internal organs and forcing a mouthful of blood from his lips.
Throughout it all, Kuma remained expressionless. After the initial bombardment, he lightly tapped his own body, forming a crimson paw-shaped bubble. He then pushed it toward Loki's abdomen.
At first, Loki dismissed the red bubble, thinking it was no different from the others he had endured.
But the moment it merged with his body, an excruciating pain—one that reached deep into his bones—spread through him. His entire body felt as if it were being pricked by thousands of needles.
What tormented him even more was the unbearable humiliation.
He had cast aside his pride to reclaim power from Joy Boy, yet here he was, being toyed with by the Admirals. Now, Kuma had beaten him to this miserable state—his disgrace had reached its peak.
But given the current battlefield situation, the Marines had little interest in him as the so-called prince of the Giants. The Giants and the Mink Tribe were locked in a desperate struggle. In short, no one cared.
Even if he screamed in fury until his voice gave out, it wouldn't change the fact that Kuma was batting him around like a plaything.
...
Clang!
Pedro blocked Vice Admiral Momonga's descending sword with his jet-black claws. Kicking off from the ice, he transformed into a silver flash, appearing behind Momonga and swiping at his heart.
Momonga, a master of both swordsmanship and Haki, was not so easily bested. With a flick of his wrist, he swung his blade backward without even turning his head, aiming directly for Pedro's neck.
Despite being the second to strike, Momonga's sword was still faster than Pedro's claws. In the face of this dire situation, Pedro had no choice but to abort his attack and tilt his head. The jet-black blade grazed his scalp, slicing off a furry white beast ear in the process.
Pedro let out an enraged roar, flipping several times mid-air before landing at a distance.
Blood trickled down his cheek as he raised a hand to his wound, his expression dark and menacing.
Momonga twirled his sword in a graceful arc before turning to face Pedro with a calm, indifferent voice.
"I hear you're the king of the Mink Tribe. Is this really the best a king can do?"
In the original timeline, Momonga was already among the strongest veteran Vice Admirals. In this altered reality, he had fought in even more battles due to Carl's actions. As a result, his strength had grown significantly, making him more than capable of handling Pedro in his Sulong form.
To Pedro, Momonga's words were a harsh slap in the face. Gritting his teeth, electricity crackled across his body.
"A mere Vice Admiral dares look down on the Mink Tribe..."
Momonga smirked, brushing his hand across the blade.
"I'm only looking down on you. As for the Mink Tribe... I pity them for having a king like you."
"Bastard!!!"
Pedro snapped. He stomped the ice beneath him, shattering it as he charged toward Momonga with a burst of lightning.
Momonga, unfazed, disappeared using Soru at the last second. Pedro, blinded by rage, failed to predict his movements and slashed at empty air.
Enraged, Pedro frantically searched for Momonga, completely unaware of the danger above him.
From high above, Momonga descended with his sword gleaming in the frigid light, poised to pierce Pedro from head to toe.
At the critical moment, another silver figure flashed onto the scene—Shishilian, the leader of the Musketeer Squad.
With a furious roar, Shishilian crossed his dual swords in midair, intercepting Momonga's blade. However, the sheer force pushed him downward, causing him to crash onto Pedro, who was still unaware of the attack.
Momonga landed gracefully, only to be joined by another approaching figure—Vice Admiral Doberman.
With an apologetic smile, Dalmatian turned to Momonga. "My bad, this one's a bit too fast. I lost track of him..."
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+150 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg