As Kuzan's fleet slowly appeared on the coastline of Setcliff Island, Sakazuki, accompanied by dozens of like-minded individuals, was already standing on the pier.
Evidently, they had long been aware of the movements of Aokiji's fleet.
Sakazuki stood as straight as a spear, with the newly raised flag of the NEO Marines behind him.
The fleet halted on the sea, and Kuzan leisurely walked to the bow, then leaped down.
The moment his feet touched the sea, the entire surface of the water in front of him was frozen, and the two gazed at each other across the ice field.
"Sakazuki..."
Kuzan's voice held a hint of helplessness:
"The commotion you've caused this time is truly immense."
Sakazuki still maintained his serious expression, his voice like scorching magma:
"Even today, I cannot understand the Marine escorting pirates..."
"Kuzan, could you accept such an absurd order if it were given to you?"
Kuzan scratched his head:
"To be honest, I don't know, but I always feel there should be a better solution."
He had long been weary of such matters, yet he didn't know where to go.
In short, he was lost.
He could indeed understand Sakazuki's anger.
Just like the scene in Ohara back then, it still reappeared in his dreams.
That great fire not only burned down the homes of archaeologists but also incinerated certain beliefs in his heart.
Sakazuki's questioning continued:
"The Marine, who upholds justice, is supposed to protect a group of pirates who burn, kill, and plunder?"
"Kuzan, tell me, how can such justice be upheld!"
Kuzan remained silent, his confusion contrasting sharply with Sakazuki's anger.
Rationally, Kuzan believed Sakazuki's actions couldn't be called wrong, but he didn't quite approve.
He sighed:
"Forget it, I'm just following orders..."
With that, Kuzan's eyes became resolute, his confusion and laziness vanishing.
He raised his hand, about to order the fleet to fire, but then saw a slightly eerie smile appear on Sakazuki's serious face:
"Kuzan, I'll show you something good!"
At these words, Kuzan's eyes immediately widened; his Observation Haki, capable of foreseeing the future, had already seen what was about to happen.
Boom!
A burst of Conqueror's Haki, like a volcanic eruption, exploded from Sakazuki's body, dark red lightning tearing through the air, and an invisible pressure, like a tangible weight, pressed down on everyone's hearts.
The Marine soldiers on the warships had no resistance, falling to the ground one after another, lapsing into unconsciousness.
"Conqueror's Haki..."
Kuzan raised a hand to smooth his wind-blown hair, muttering:
"It seems you've truly found your path and gained incredible power..."
"This is going to be even more troublesome... Sakazuki..."
According to Kuzan's understanding, Conqueror's Haki was something one either had or didn't; some awakened it early, others late.
But what was going on with Sakazuki? He was over forty and still managed to awaken Haoshoku?
In reality, neither Sakazuki nor Kuzan, these top powerhouses, lacked the potential for Haoshoku.
However, the suppression from both the World Government and the Marine high command prevented them from awakening Haoshoku in their youth.
If Sakazuki were an elderly, extreme powerhouse like Zephyr, he wouldn't have awakened it so easily.
But he was only in his early forties, not yet in decline.
Coupled with his killing of a Celestial Dragon on the spot, which completely solidified his future path, he successfully awakened Conqueror's Haki.
However, Kuzan's mission would not be canceled because Sakazuki awakened Conqueror's Haki.
"I can't let you use this power against ordinary soldiers anymore!"
Before he finished speaking, Kuzan's eyes suddenly sharpened, and the chill around him began to condense into ice crystals.
A biting cold surged forth with his fist, freezing even the air in its path.
A giant bird made of ice flew directly towards Sakazuki.
"Ice Age: Pheasant Beak!"
"Great Eruption!"
Sakazuki, fearless, roared and raised his giant magma fist to meet it head-on.
Boom!
The collision of extreme cold and extreme heat triggered a violent explosion, with ice shards and magma splashing everywhere like a downpour.
The topography of the entire Setcliff Island began to be reshaped from this moment.
Among the soldiers Sakazuki had just recruited, there were no strong individuals, and the Marine still had some experts who had not been stunned by Conqueror's Haki; both sides simultaneously engaged in fierce combat.
But as their battle intensified, the two quickly separated, running to a distance to observe the fight.
Kuzan and Sakazuki fought from the coast into the inland, transforming the jungle into a mixture of charred remains and ice sculptures, then battling from the ground to the sky.
Magma and ice formed a bizarre red and white vortex above the battle.
"Ice Age!"
"Meteor Volcano!"
Boiling waves and spreading ice fields repeatedly vied for dominance, and steam and freezing fog enveloped the entire battlefield.
Over the next few days, half of the island became a burning purgatory, while the other half became eternal permafrost.
This battle was quite similar to their fight on Punk Hazard in the original work.
The biggest variable, surprisingly, was Sakazuki's newly awakened Conqueror's Haki.
Originally evenly matched, this slight change tilted the scales of victory.
Even though Sakazuki had not yet mastered the technique of Conquerors Haki Infusion, he could cause a slight delay in Kuzan through intimidation during the battle.
Moreover, the current situation was different from the great battle at Punk Hazard; Kuzan did not have an extreme desire for victory, and his confusion made his fighting will unsteady.
The two fought for three days, and when the first ray of dawn broke through the pervasive smoke and ice crystals, Kuzan's freezing breath and Sakazuki's Dark Hound had their ultimate clash!
For a moment, heaven and earth lost their color!
When everything settled, Kuzan knelt on the ice, his right hand covering his shoulder, a wound pierced by scorching Haki particularly conspicuous.
In contrast, Sakazuki, though covered in frost and breathing heavily, stood steadily in place.
"Admiral Aokiji!"
The Marines cried out in alarm, quickly jumping off the ship and rushing to Kuzan's side, looking warily at Sakazuki.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki!"
On the other side, members of the NEO Marines also rushed over, cheering their victory.
Sakazuki panted, his voice hoarse but filled with undeniable resolve:
"Kuzan... do you see clearly now? This is the justice I have chosen!"
With the help of the Marines, Kuzan slowly stood up, his gaze at Sakazuki complex.
He said nothing, allowing his subordinates to take him back to the warship.
Sakazuki did not stop them, silently watching everything unfold.
This battle was merely official business, not a personal vendetta, and the ideological conflict between them was not that severe.
However, it was foreseeable that with Sakazuki's victory, the NEO Marines would certainly enter a period of rapid development.
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