https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-187-The-Battlefield-Turns-Chaotic/13536215/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-189-Blades-Are-They-Truly-So-Inconvenient-/13536217/
Chapter 188: You've Got to Be Kidding Me…
Chapter 188 – You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me…
Kuro’s Haki-laced slash slashed downward in a flash toward Crocodile, but the latter still dodged by shifting into elemental form before the blade could make contact.
“Diamond Sand Blade!”
Crocodile didn’t even bother reassembling his body. His upper and lower halves remained split, standing apart as his upper body’s arms stretched forward, transforming into two colossal sand blades that hurtled toward Kuro.
“Slash Wave.”
Kuro swung his blade, releasing a thin crescent of energy that canceled the sand blades.
Crocodile then reformed his body and charged at Kuro again. A veteran Seven Warlords of the Sea member like him had made up his mind to block Kuro—this clash wouldn’t end quickly.
Besides, Kuro had no intention of targeting Whitebeard. He had no desire to interfere at all.
More importantly, he couldn’t steal Admiral Sakazuki’s opportunity. That man had already declared at the Mariejois summit that he would take the lead. A resolute figure like him spoke with ironclad authority—how could Kuro possibly steal another’s moment of glory?
Letting Whitebeard land a punch or take one—these were matters best left to the Admiral. If Kuro, just a commander, stepped in, the world would criticize him for overstepping his rank.
For now, being stalled by Crocodile wasn’t bad at all.
Meanwhile, near Whitebeard’s battlefield…
Among the ships trailing Whitebeard’s, one figure hadn’t disembarked—Izou.
After Lida’s sudden “kidney strike” and Essence Drain, he’d sustained injuries worse than Marco’s. While Marco’s regeneration far surpassed his, Izou had merely been dragged into the ship to recover.
But now, he’d finally replenished some physical strength.
Once mobile again, Izou emerged from the ship. The sight of the battlefield pierced his heart.
Gripping his twin pistols tightly, he watched Whitebeard locked in combat with Akainu.
Father and his comrades were fighting their hardest—how could he stand idle?
But…
Izou stared at his guns. “Just pistols won’t cut it. Everyone’s giving their all—I won’t hold back anymore.”
The officer who’d brought him aboard had been one of Whitebeard’s earliest allies. Due to Roger’s affairs, that officer had departed, leaving Izou behind. Over time, he’d come to call Whitebeard “Father.”
Later, he’d followed His Highness back to Wano Country, where he’d endured his deepest grief.
Since then, Izou had never drawn a blade in battle, yet he’d kept practicing swordsmanship.
Now, battle demanded its use once more.
The two people he revered most—one already fallen, the other now in mortal danger.
He couldn’t hesitate while Father and his comrades faced peril.
Hesitation meant defeat.
He’d learned that lesson too many times already.
“Your Highness, if you were here, you’d probably mock me for growing rigid over the years. But even if I’ve become stiff, I’ve remained loyal to you. Now, I must redirect that loyalty to another I deeply respect!”
Dropping his pistols, Izou returned to the cabin.
Back on the battlefield, Lida fought alongside Marines against pirates, her movements effortless.
Pirates struggled to land blows—long-range attacks were evaded with ease, while close-range ones…
“Energy Drain!”
Dodging a pirate’s slash, Lida pressed her palm to his chest. The man collapsed instantly, only to be kicked flying by her boot.
“Charge Whitebeard!”
Led by a Vice Admiral, Marines surged toward Whitebeard.
Lida retreated slightly. Kuro had warned her the battlefield—especially Whitebeard’s side—was too dangerous. Better to keep distance and avoid catastrophe.
Truthfully, even without Kuro’s warning, she’d never charge Whitebeard head-on.
The gap in power was glaring.
As Lida considered shifting directions to hunt more pirates, a sharp, razor-like aura prickled her skin, making her instinctively tense.
Instantly, her arms hardened with Armament Haki, crossing in a defensive block.
Hiss-hiss-hiss-hiss!
Several bladelike flashes danced like crescent moons, carving through Marines in a whirlwind strike.
Lida staggered backward, gasping. Even with Haki, shallow cuts had bitten into her arms—barely blocked.
Among the fallen Marines, a figure knelt—wearing an oddly styled kimono. With a single knee planted, he gripped a sword in both hands, holding it horizontally before him. Behind him, a Marine’s chest bore a faint slash wound, eyes rolled back as he fell.
Rising, the swordsman tightened his grip, roaring at the remaining Marines: “This moment demands our utmost loyalty! Former Kozuki retainer, now Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates’ Sixteenth Crew—[Flower Willow Style] Izou—has arrived!!”
Boom!
Whitebeard and Akainu’s clash shook the air. Whitebeard’s eyes widened slightly as he glanced toward Izou: “Izou’s wielding a blade?”
Bissta cut down a Marine, chuckling over her shoulder: “Oh? Izou’s using a sword now—haven’t seen that in ages.”
“Flower Willow Style…”
Across the battlefield, Dracule Mihawk’s brow lifted in faint surprise: “A ‘samurai’ from Wano Country still survives?”
“Hm?”
Kuro’s attention snapped to the sound. Spotting the cuts on Lida’s arms, his face darkened.
“Don’t get distracted while fighting me! Desert Great Sword!”
A swirling sandstorm erupted, condensing into a massive blade that lunged at Kuro.
Crack!
Kuro swung his blade, shattering the sand sword. He spat in annoyance at Crocodile: “You’re really a nuisance.”
“The real nuisance is coming—Navy!” Crocodile grinned savagely.
“Not my problem right now.”
Kuro crouched low, pressing his palm to the ground. With a sudden slash, he unleashed: “Slash Wave!”
A golden arc cleaved Crocodile’s body in half.
“These tricks won’t work on me!” Crocodile’s scattered sandified form began reforming when Kuro’s palm swept forward again.
“Play with rocks instead—Poison Snake!”
The ground erupted in a tidal wave of stone, crashing down onto Crocodile’s sand form. Kuro clenched his fist, and the rock surge twisted, compressing into a coiled pillar of stone mixed with sand.
Yet even as this skirmish unfolded, Izou had already turned his assault toward Lida.
Dancing like a performer, his blade defied logic—no predictable angle. A horizontal slash curved eerily upward or downward, forcing Lida’s hardened Haki arms to barely block.
With a sword, she couldn’t even touch Izou’s body.
Clang!
Clang! Clang!
After two desperate blocks, Lida stumbled backward, shaking her wounded arms with a grimace: “Damn it, that hurts, you bastard!”
Izou said nothing. Gripping his sword, he swept from lower left to overhead, then down to his lower right. His blade traced a complete circle around him, unbroken.
“Flower Willow Style – Dance!”
“Superspeed Shave!”
Suddenly, a shadow flashed behind Izou. Klah zipped into view, delivering a Fishman Karate strike to Izou’s back.
“You idiot, Klah—duck! You can’t get close to this technique!” Lida cried.
But it was too late.
Izou made no move to evade. Eyes closed, his blade completed the circle, slicing out the final words:
"White Moon."
In an instant, Klah felt his hair stand on end. Instinctively, he planted his feet, snapped his hands to his waist, and bellowed, "Iron Body!!!"
Hiss!
A geyser of blood erupted from Klah's chest as the strike's force lifted his heels half an inch off the ground. His body lifted mid-air, eyes rolling back, but he clenched his teeth, slammed his feet down with a thunderous thud, and launched a lightning-fast punch.
"Iron Body: Spear Punch!"
The blinding fist rocketed toward Izou's back, but Izou twisted sideways. The fist grazed his chest as he smirked, then slashed his blade downward.
Whoosh!
Two black shadows tore through the air, whistling like daggers, straight toward the combatants.
Izou's pupils contracted. His blade reversed direction mid-strike, carving a half-circle to intercept. Sparks flew as it deflected the twin short broadswords, sending them spiraling.
Before Izou could retract his blade, a third shadow appeared before him.
Clang!
Izou's body slid backward several meters, a trickle of blood escaping his lips. His trembling hands gripped the blade now chipped along its edge.
"Oh? Blocked my attack, huh? Your swordsmanship's impressive."
Kuro materialized beside Lida, Autumn Water gleaming as he taunted Izou, "You move like a dancer. Let me guess - you used to be a ballet instructor?"
"Thief!"
Izou spat, "You're not from Wano Country, are you? If you were, you'd know the Flower Willow Style is a traditional dance."
"Meh, that's neither here nor there."
Kuro scratched his head, glanced at Lida, then scolded, "Didn't I tell you not to run off recklessly?"
He turned to Klah, half-kneeling and gasping, "How are you?"
"Still... alive", Klah gritted out.
"Lida."
"Understood."
Lida approached, placing her hand on Klah. "Essence Feedback!"
A surge of energy surged into Klah. He slowly rose, testing his limbs. The pain dulled, bleeding stopped, though wounds remained - now just numb enough to move.
"Listen up! This battlefield is lethal if you're careless."
Kuro eyed Izou, "He's dangerous. His swordplay keeps enemies at bay like a sphere. Hard to close distance."
The blade-wielding Izou fought differently from the spear-wielder. Taking him down would require time.
"Hard to reach? Why don't you try, thief!"
Izou raised his sword overhead, declaring, "I will reclaim Autumn Water!"
Kuro chuckled, "I've gotten used to this blade. Returning it would be inconvenient."
"Flower Willow Style!"
Whoosh!
As Izou struck his pose, Sakujū and Kigō materialized mid-air, hurtling toward him.
"Snake Dance!"
Izou vanished. His blade sliced through space like a coiling serpent, dodging the swords while closing on Kuro's flank. The strike landed with a deafening clang! Kuro deflected the blow, blades vibrating against each other.
The locked blades made Kuro's brow furrow. His weapon felt adhered to the enemy's, like a snake constricting its prey.
"Sharp angles. Wano swordplay's got depth after all."
Kuro flicked his fingers. Sakujū and Kigō reversed course, attacking Izou from behind.
Boom!
A towering figure erupted forward, his body shimmering with light. He smashed the swords aside, charging toward Kuro.
Jozu!
"Sorry, Kuro!" Kuzan called from a distance, now engaged with several captains and commanders.
"Pay attention, damn it!" Kuro snarled, eyeing the charging Jozu. "Lida."
"On it!"
Lida pressed her hand against Kuro's back. "Energy Drain!"
Essence poured from Kuro into Lida. Her free hand aimed at the approaching Jozu.
With Kuro's brute strength, Lida's absorption would fuel a counterattack powerful enough to repel Jozu.
"Essence Surge!"
"Stop!!"
Lida's incantation was interrupted by a thunderous roar across the plaza. Her body jolted.
That voice carried overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, freezing minds, halting time itself.
As the oppressive force lifted, navy and pirate alike collapsed, including the soldiers about to execute Ace on the platform.
Sengoku glared at the running Luffy. "That's..."
When he'd ordered Ace's execution, this grandson of Garp had unleashed unimaginable pressure.
"Oh~ Scary", Lucius Kro murmured, glancing sideways.
"Come on..." Kuzan sweated.
Conqueror's Haki!
The plaza trembled beneath Luffy's will.
Before Lida could recover, Jozu struck. His diamond-armored fist, infused with Haki, smashed into her.
Spitting blood, Lida flew backward, crashing down.
"That force... combined with Jozu's strength..." Lida groaned.
"Kuro!!"
Kuro's eyes narrowed as he turned. Jozu seized the opening, charging forward.
Diamond-clad fist reared back, Haki crackling, aimed straight at Kuro's head.
This opponent was formidable. Eliminating him now was crucial.
Boom!!
Kuro's blade hand loosened. The punch sent him skidding backward, carving twin trenches in the ground as he retreated over ten meters, body arched but upright, feet rooted like ancient oaks.
"Kuro!!" Lida, still weak, shrieked.
"You bastards!"
Lida's pupils constricted. Her silver hair floated wildly behind her.
Suddenly, Kuro's still form stirred. His hand waved dismissively.
Slowly straightening, Kuro's right hand dropped from his face, revealing Armament Haki glinting beneath bloodied fingers. Blood still flowed from his palm, but hidden beneath his lowered head, his body trembled.
Screee!
Like steel unsheathing, his fingers parted to reveal eyes burning with crimson fury.
"You're really making me laugh..."
Kuro's voice rumbled, low and dangerous. He dropped his hand, revealing a blood-smeared face twisted in rage.
He fixed his gaze on Jozu and Izou, pupils deepening to blood-red. Each word dripped venom: "Well done. Exceptionally well done! Both of you... and that Conqueror's Haki!"
(End of Chapter)
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