"Crocodile."
"Dracule Mihawk."
"Courting death!"
The roar of the Marines shook the icy deck. As Dracule Mihawk and Crocodile had calculated, the sudden assassination attempt sent shockwaves through the ranks. All eyes were on Rosen, creating the perfect blind spot for two Warlords to strike.
Especially Mihawk.
Every Marine equipped with Observation Haki gasped in unison. The world's strongest swordsman had vanished from their senses completely.
"High-level Observation Haki," Kizaru mused, his sunglasses reflecting the chaos. "No wonder he thought he could succeed."
While Crocodile seized a fleeting opportunity, summoning a massive blade of sand from the ice, Mihawk's attack was pure premeditation. He had mastered every prerequisite: supreme swordsmanship, Armament Haki coating his black blade Yoru, Conqueror's Haki infusion, and the stealth techniques to erase his presence until the killing blow was already in motion.
Rosen stood motionless. He looked frail, depleted from reviving hundreds of Marines. No Zanpakutō materialized. No Susanoo avatar manifested. No Blut Vene defense formed.
He seemed utterly defenseless.
"Hmph. Pirates always betray."
Borsalino slid his sunglasses back onto his face, a golden light flaring at his feet. Soru.
He appeared instantly behind Rosen's back, moving at the speed of light—just as he had at Impel Down. He was always Rosen's backup.
Simultaneously, a heavy shadow descended from the sky. Moonwalk.
Bartholomew Kuma dropped like a meteor, landing directly on the deck behind Rosen. He discarded his Bible and gloves, his massive paw intercepting the desert greatsword aimed at Rosen's spine. With his other arm, he thrust forward, Armament Haki hardening his flesh into an indestructible shield.
BOOM.
The collision was apocalyptic. Kuma's paw met Mihawk's Yoru. The shockwave shattered the frozen ice, sending a storm of wind and splinters tearing across the deck. Kuma's feet sank inches into the reinforced wood, but he didn't budge, his body a mountain shielding Rosen.
"Bartholomew Kuma."
Borsalino's eyes narrowed behind his lenses. Shock flickered across his usually lazy expression. One Warlord had attacked; another had defended.
Sakazuki and Kuzan, both preparing to intervene, froze in disbelief. A "collared" pirate—someone Rosen had forced into servitude—was protecting him.
"What is this?" a Marine officer shouted, confused. "The Tyrant is helping the Admiral?"
Crocodile's face twisted into a snarl. "Why, Kuma?! He enslaved you! This was our only chance to break free!"
Mihawk stood atop a broken mast, his hawk-like eyes piercing the distance. "You should know," he said, his voice cold, "that defying me comes at a cost."
Kuma didn't answer immediately. He unleashed a shockwave, pushing Mihawk's slash away from Rosen. It wasn't a deflection—it was a precise redirection. The force of the attack tore through the ocean behind them, parting the waves for miles.
"I was never interested in your rebellion," Kuma rumbled, his voice devoid of emotion yet heavy with intent. He stood like a wall, protecting the weakened Admiral.
"Then why?!" Crocodile roared, sand swirling around him in a frenzy. "Why wear the collar? Why submit to a Marine?"
"Because I chose to."
The silence that followed was absolute.
"I was never collared by force," Kuma stated, turning his gaze briefly to Rosen. "I joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea voluntarily. I wore this chain by my own will."
"You're lying!" Crocodile spat.
"Is it because of Rosen?" Mihawk asked, his sharp eyes analyzing every micro-expression. He sensed the truth.
"Yes."
Kuma confirmed it. The weight of his words silenced the battlefield.
"The reason I joined the Warlords," Kuma continued, his voice softer now, directed solely at the man behind him, "was to better protect this man. The Marines, the World Government... they are merely a shield. The Seven Warlords of the Sea? We are the dagger in the dark that no one expects."
Borsalino stroked his chin. "A pirate in name only... conducting naval warfare from the shadows. Quite the calculated move."
"I simply followed Mr. Rosen's logic," Kuma said. "If an enemy wants to strike him, they expect the Marines. They expect his guards. They would never expect the 'collared' Warlord—the one who supposedly hates him—to be the one shielding him."
He looked at Crocodile, his expression unreadable. "You asked why I submitted. It's simple. I looked at the Marines... and I looked at the World Government... and I found that Mr. Rosen is the only one who truly understands what needs to be done. He saved people I care about."
"Ginny..." Gion whispered, supporting Rosen's weight. She recognized the look in Kuma's eyes. It was the same look Gild Tesoro had.
"She sends her regards, Mr. Rosen," Kuma said to Rosen, bowing his head respectfully.
Rosen, his breathing ragged but his eyes sharp as ever, nodded slowly. "Is she safe? And the child?"
"They are both well. Thank you for your concern."
Kuma then offered a massive hand, not to attack, but to help. "Mr. Rosen. You have expended immense energy reviving the dead. Your Haki is depleted. Allow me to assist."
He looked at the wary Admirals and the surrounding Marines. "I can expel the fatigue and pain from your body. I am not here to threaten him. I am here to sustain him."
For a moment, the Marines hesitated. This was the Tyrant Bear—a fearsome pirate. Yet, he had just tanked the world's strongest slash to protect their Admiral.
Rosen looked at the massive pirate, seeing not a prisoner, but a loyal ally.
"Do it," Rosen commanded, his voice raspy but firm. "Admirals, stand down. He is under my protection."
Kuma stepped forward, his paw glowing with pink light, ready to drain the exhaustion from Rosen's body. The cold wind howled over the ice, the threat of assassination momentarily silenced by the presence of the true Guardian.
—-
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