"What a scary little devil."
Kizaru narrowed his eyes, spat out a mouthful of blood, and smacked his lips. "But…"
Boom!
Just as he began to speak, his face suddenly twisted—Shano had appeared without warning, and his right fist, like a meteorite, crashed into Kizaru's cheek, warping his face and breaking his nose.
Kizaru instinctively raised the Ame-no-Murakumo sword to defend, but Shano batted it aside with his left hand, grabbed Kizaru's hair with his right, and drove his knee hard into Kizaru's face.
Crack!
Kizaru's nose broke completely, blood spurting as he was knocked back by the brutal strike.
Before he could regain his footing, Shano's figure once again appeared like a ghost.
He soared above Kizaru, raised his right leg high like a battle axe, surrounded by black and red lightning, and brought it down hard.
Boom!!!
The kick slammed into Kizaru's chest with terrifying force. The shockwave burst through his body, collapsing the ice field beneath them and sending spider-web cracks hundreds of meters outward.
Blood sprayed from Kizaru's mouth as he was embedded deep into the ice like a cannonball.
But just before he would have plunged into the sea, Kizaru's body turned into countless golden light particles and scattered.
Those particles wove through the cracks—so narrow even ants would struggle—and reformed atop the ice.
He looked more battered, his aura dimmer.
But that was all.
Expected.
Shano narrowed his eyes and snorted, unsurprised.
He didn't know how long he had been fighting Kizaru—it was nearly dark, so it had to have been at least six or seven hours.
In that time, he'd seen this regeneration trick over and over.
So hard to kill.
For someone using the Glint-Glint Fruit, with such a wiry build…
He really should be a fragile agility-type.
And yet?
Even if not as tanky as Kaido or Big Mom… he wasn't far behind.
Chicken, Dog, and Monkey—the three old Admirals—were all like this?
Even Kizaru, the one Zephyr criticized as "too reliant on his fruit," was absurdly strong in body and close-combat skills.
"You're really a pain, old monkey."
Shano laughed. "My hands are going numb from beating you, and I still can't take you down?"
This kind of endurance?
Kizaru took a deep breath. His nose was truly broken… though to be fair, it had been crooked for a while now.
If Shano's hands were going numb from hitting him...
Then what about him—being beaten down this whole time?
God knows how this kid pulled it off.
His physical strength was nothing like what it had been at Enies Lobby. It had grown stronger—many times stronger.
Combined with his brutal, resilient Haki, and that bizarre fighting style that seemed to boost his defense even more—
Most of Kizaru's long-range techniques—the ones he was best at—were like tickling. They barely made a dent.
He had to resort to the Ame-no-Murakumo sword and fight in close quarters. Occasionally, he could exploit speed advantages and land a hit…
But the problem was—
It didn't matter.
The damage he managed to inflict… was completely digested.
Yes—digested!
The wounds he opened would close up in moments as Shano's muscles squirmed like living things, completely healing.
…Like a beast lurking inside his body, eagerly devouring any foreign attack to feed its endless hunger.
That level of regeneration…
And even though Shano clearly had powerful swordsmanship, he rarely used it. He relied on his Haki and raw strength to grind his opponent down—crushing their will and stamina.
This fighting style…
It reminded him of someone.
A terrifying man he'd once fought.
"…Kaido…"
Kizaru's hoarse voice emerged. "You little brat… this is just like the Kaido I fought at Enies Lobby."
"Kaido?"
Shano was momentarily stunned, then grinned savagely as he clenched his fists.
"Don't compare that guy to me!"
Wind swirled beneath his feet, and he leapt off the ice, preparing to charge again.
But Kizaru suddenly canceled the form of his Ame-no-Murakumo sword, crossed his arms over his chest, and growled lowly:
"Yata no Kagami · Amaterasu!"
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Countless golden mirrors formed in the sky, stretching out across a kilometer radius. Each mirror emitted dazzling golden light toward Shano.
He instinctively shut his eyes.
Whoosh!
At that moment, the mirrors unleashed massive lasers—thick beams matching the mirrors' size—blasting toward Shano from every angle.
"Oh? Finally pulling out your trump card? Things are getting fun now!"
Shano raised an eyebrow. Though his eyes were closed, his Observation Haki clearly sensed everything.
Boom!
He roared with laughter and punched outward. The King's Haki exploded into a material torrent of black and red, crushing the initial wave of laser beams.
The shockwave swallowed many golden mirrors, shattering them in massive explosions.
But more mirrors remained.
And more beams came.
Swish!
A golden laser slipped through his defense, scorching his armpit.
Then his right leg and back were hit in rapid succession. Blood spurted from the wounds—Kizaru's ultimate technique was finally paying off.
"So, what's the price?"
Shano, covered in smoke, was still laughing, ignoring the injuries and making no effort to guard himself.
Instead, he raised his hand toward the back of his head.
The authentic sword he hadn't drawn since their first clash appeared in his hand again.
He slashed.
"Divine Departure—!!"
Red sword energy roared across the sky like a blood moon, ripping toward Kizaru hidden behind one of the golden mirrors.
"Got you!"
The cost of using this enhanced Amaterasu was complete immobility.
Kizaru's pupils shrank.
He hadn't expected Shano's Observation Haki to pinpoint his real body in this storm of light.
"Oh no…"
The red energy was too fast—it was in front of him in a blink.
But in that fleeting moment, Kizaru deactivated Amaterasu and flashed to the right, dodging in a burst of light.
He barely escaped.
Only someone with his speed could pull that off.
Cold sweat rolled down Kizaru's forehead as he let out a breath of relief—but something felt off.
Where was Shano?
No follow-up?
A feint?
The real strike was—
"Above!"
Shano's fierce laughter echoed overhead.
Before Kizaru could react, a knee strike wrapped in black and red lightning smashed into the back of his neck.
Crack!
His spine cracked, and he spat a mouthful of blood as he plummeted like a broken kite.
He was headed for the ice.
If nothing interfered, he'd fall, turn to light particles, and scatter between the cracks.
But not this time.
Shano had predicted the landing. He arrived first, muscles bulging, and grabbed the falling Kizaru like an iron vise.
Then—
An overwhelming flood of black and red Haki surged from his body, sealing off Kizaru completely.
The golden light particles Kizaru had already started to disperse were pushed back.
Damn it!
Kizaru finally realized Shano's plan—and his face changed drastically.
Boom!
Locked in Shano's grip, they plunged through the ice, swallowed by a hundred-meter-high water column into the sea.
…
At the same time—
In the moonlit southeast corner of the battlefield, a blast of blue lightning exploded on the ice and condensed into a figure.
Barely a human shape.
Enel knelt weakly, covered in wounds. His chest heaved, his golden trident was shattered, and his thunder drums were all destroyed.
He stared at the tall figure walking through the icy mist. For the first time—fear crept into his eyes.
"Damn Blue Sea people… damn them all!"
His voice was hoarse. "Do you know what you've done? This is blasphemy! Blasphemy!"
Where did the navy find this guy and make him a Shichibukai?
Kuma shook his head. "Stop with the nonsense. You don't have the strength to back up that arrogance."
"Shut up, mortal!"
Enel shouted, but as Kuma stepped forward, his body trembled and he scrambled back.
His eyes darted to the battlefield.
Kizaru and Shano were gone. The two sword-wielding women were still fighting. The rest of the navy, though more numerous, was losing.
They had to flee.
He wasn't one of them—no need to die for unrelated mortals.
He'd only come because Kizaru promised him a favor—help contacting the world's top shipwright.
So—
Enel shot into the sky as a lightning bolt.
Running?
Kuma looked up, frowning slightly.
So be it.
He didn't know this newly-appointed Shichibukai well. Since he retreated on his own—
Kuma turned and walked toward the main battlefield to lend his strength.
With him present, the retreating navy would collapse even faster.
Whoosh!
In the sky, Enel wiped blood from his mouth, his humiliation boiling like fire.
That guy… that brute… a god cannot be humiliated!
He noticed something to his lower right.
On the cliffs of Dressrosa, many people had gathered, watching the battle.
"Because of these ants…"
Why did they get to stand there and watch peacefully while he ran for his life?
He turned and floated above Dressrosa. Thunderclouds churned above him, lightning gathering wildly.
"Still watching me?"
"You filthy Blue Sea ants! You dare watch the suffering of a god?! Feel the wrath of the heavens!"
"Thunder Welcome · Heavenly Punishment!"
Boom!!!
A colossal lightning pillar descended—hundreds of meters wide—straight for Dressrosa.
But the moment it struck—
"Bonnie!"
Kuma's furious roar erupted. He appeared beneath the lightning, palms raised high.
A translucent bear-claw-shaped shockwave surged upward.
Boom!
The sky tore open. Lightning and shockwave collided into a massive energy storm. The thunderclouds split apart, revealing the moon once more.
The remaining shockwave slammed into Enel's chest.
Boom.
He went limp, his eyes rolled back, and he fell unconscious.
Snap.
Kuma caught him mid-air and grabbed his throat. His rage cooled to a cold, calm fury.
He had given Enel a chance.
This was the result.
The man had turned on innocent civilians—on Bonnie.
Unforgivable.
…
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the deep sea, Shano released Kizaru and pummeled him without pause.
Fist after fist, black and red lightning lighting up the dark waters.
The nearby fish—and even a few small Sea Kings—fled in terror.
They could escape.
But some people couldn't.
Kizaru, a Devil Fruit user, was powerless in the sea.
Like a broken sandbag, he was beaten mercilessly. Bones cracked. Blood spread through the water like crimson ink.
"Gurgle…"
The deeper they sank, the longer Kizaru stayed down, the more his strength left him.
He spat a string of bubbles. His eyes rolled white.
His consciousness faded...