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The sea had become a tomb of ice. Even the storm seemed to hold its breath as the torrential rain vanished, leaving only lightning to coil like serpents through the charcoal-black clouds.
"You aren't going anywhere."
Aokiji remained composed, his stride steady across the frozen expanse as he reached Zephyr's side to haul him up.
This was the man who had shaped a generation of Marines. But after the slaughter of his family years ago, and now this latest massacre of his disciples, the legendary "Black Arm's" resolve had finally fractured into a hollow, numb shell. Zephyr clutched the stump of his severed arm, his eyes vacant and glazed, his soul seemingly shattered beyond repair.
RUMBLE—!
The sky roared. A bolt of lightning tore through the gloom, illuminating a towering figure descending from the clouds. He walked as if the air itself were solid ground, stepping down from the sky with predatory grace.
At the sight of Arthur—the most notorious man on the high seas—the arrogant Miss Bakkin shriveled. She scurried behind Edward Weevil, who stood there blinking vacantly, clutching his naginata as if he hadn't the slightest clue what was happening.
Arthur touched down on the ice, completely ignoring the mother and son. His cold, indifferent gaze fixed solely on the broken man supported by Aokiji.
"A sorry sight, Zephyr... Then again, you've looked pathetic since the first day we met."
The grief of losing his family had initially stunted him, but Zephyr had at least clung to his faith in the Marines. However, the lack of respect shown to Garp after his death had cooled his heart, and now, watching his students slaughtered while he stood powerless... he was truly "Dead-Arm" Zephyr now. His spirit was ash.
"Hurling insults seems a bit beneath a man of your standing, wouldn't you say?" Aokiji's gaze sharpened behind his tinted lenses, a cold glint reflecting off the ice.
"Insults? Don't mistake me," Arthur shook his head dismissively.
To Arthur, verbal abuse was the refuge of the weak. Men could argue over their ideals—there was no fault in that—but victory was never decided by words. It was decided by force. Arthur didn't talk his way to the top—every step of his journey, whether in success or failure, had been carved out with his own two hands.
"If you have no further business, I'm taking the wounded and leaving," Aokiji said, supporting the mangled Zephyr while signaling Ain and Binz to follow. "If you intend to strike a man while he's down... well, you may be the 'World's Strongest,' but I won't go down without a fight."
"Reverse psychology isn't your forte, Kuzan, but I'll indulge you this once," Arthur said, a wild, unrestrained smile spreading across his face. "Go back and tell the World Government: very soon..."
"I'm going to ignite a war that will consume the entire world. Those without the resolve to adapt will be cruelly discarded by the era—and the World Government is no exception!"
"Is that so? How troublesome..." Aokiji replied tonelessly. "On behalf of the World Government, I look forward to your arrival."
They knew Arthur well. This was a man who couldn't stand boredom—once he ran out of amusement on the high seas, he would inevitably turn his sights toward the greatest concentration of power on the planet. The Thunder God Pirates had been consolidating their strength for years. Once the formal declaration of war was made, it would be a conflict that reshaped the world—just like the Great War eight hundred years ago.
Aokiji supported Zephyr, leading the weeping Ain and Binz across the ice until they vanished into the horizon.
..............
Only then did Arthur turn his attention to the diminutive Miss Bakkin. His murderous, clinical gaze made the old woman jump, and she ducked further behind Weevil's massive frame.
"You... Thunder Emperor!"
"So it was you," Arthur's aura suddenly surged like a tidal wave. "You're the one who ordered this idiot to kill one of my Division Captains?"
On the high seas, being killed because your strength was lacking was simply the way of things. Chinjao had followed Arthur for years, and he had trained relentlessly to erase the shame of his defeat by Garp. For him to still fall to Edward Weevil meant Arthur had no reason to make excuses for him. But that didn't mean he wouldn't collect the debt.
"You're the Thunder Emperor? I'm gonna take back the 'World's Strongest' title for my Daddy!" Weevil said, sniffing back snot with a vacant expression.
Miss Bakkin's face paled instantly. She yanked hard on Weevil's pant leg. "Idiot! Shut up! Revenge is out of style right now!"
She poked her head out from behind him, her voice trembling. "Thunder Emperor, are you here for revenge? My son is a genuine monster! And... and I was Whitebeard's only true love!"
"Hmph," Arthur sneered. "Using Whitebeard's name to pressure me? Not even in his prime was that enough. As for your 'stupid son'... I think I'll take him with me."
Arthur moved. He vanished into a blur, the air rippling like a broken mirror. A heartbeat later, he appeared beside Miss Bakkin and delivered a sharp kick that sent the old woman soaring into the sky.
"SHOO!!"
Miss Bakkin became a human cannonball, a streak of light vanishing into the distance at a speed the naked eye couldn't track. Only a trail of hysterical screaming remained in the air.
"MAMAAAAA! MAMAAAAA!!"
Weevil panicked, his massive feet bracing against the ice as he prepared to leap after her.
"Stupid thing. Your mother doesn't want you anymore."
Arthur slammed a hand onto Weevil's shoulder, pinning him to the spot with crushing force.
"Let go! I gotta find Mama!" Weevil roared, his voice thick with tears. He began to struggle, a terrifying strength erupting from his body as if he were a miniature Sea King.
"Impressive. They weren't lying about you having the strength of a young Whitebeard!"
Arthur wasn't angry—he was delighted. He increased his grip, anchoring the giant in place. The two began a pure contest of physical strength. Weevil strained with every fiber of his being, and to Arthur's surprise, he found that he couldn't completely suppress the man with just one hand. They were locked in a stalemate of raw power.
CRACK—!
The ice finally gave way under the sheer output of their pressure. A bottomless fissure spider-webbed across the frozen sea, and the ocean began to surge upward.
"Good! Excellent! Shiryu has been complaining about the lack of competition lately—I've finally found him a playmate. With this kind of strength, you'll make the perfect vanguard for my assault on the World Government!"
Given Weevil's IQ, Arthur was certain that with a little "calm conversation," he could manipulate the man into becoming his most lethal blade in a matter of sentences.
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