Chapter 597: Kuro, You're Too Arrogant
Chapter 597: Kuro, You're Too Arrogant
"Huang, Lucius Kro." Ai Entremble whispered, her eyes brimming with despair.
The sheer number of Navy officers led by Kuro was already overwhelming, but Lucius Kro's arrival with his massive fleet only deepened Ai En's sense of hopelessness.
"Old man remembers", Lucius Kro muttered.
Lucius Kro glanced at Ai En and smirked. "You're Ai En, right? The one who follows Teacher Zeff."
He extended his arm, and a massive hand loomed over Ai En's side.
Ai En stepped back, eyes instinctively shut in fear.
Snap!
That enormous hand pressed firmly onto her shoulder.
Lucius Kro chuckled, "So, please refrain from such foolish actions. The old man's subordinates have quite the temper. They've already reined in a lot, but provoking him further might lead to unpleasant consequences."
Ai En froze, her body rigid, unable to speak.
Meanwhile, the fleet had docked ashore. A flood of Navy troops disembarked, joining Lucius Kro in encircling Zeff from the beach while the Navy on the high ground formed a pincer movement.
"Borsalino, huh?"
Zeff clutched his chest, glancing toward Lucius Kro. "You came too."
"That's right, Teacher Zeff." Lucius Kro eyed the wound on Zeff's chest, his lips parting in mock surprise. "A blade wound? How terrifying."
"Hmph. Still as flippant as ever."
Zeff shook his head, gripping his mechanical arm. He sighed, staring at the chest wound. "Actually, this single slash helped me calm down quite a bit."
"Calm down?"
Kuro raised an eyebrow. "Old man, you're tasteless. Have you come to regret it now that death is at your doorstep? You're not that kind of person."
Zeff chuckled. "Who said the old man regrets it? At the very least, in these final moments, I've acted according to my own will, regardless of whether that decision was a sudden shift for me."
He turned his head, gazing at Ai En, Binz, and the Neonavy, then fell silent.
"Teacher Zeff, we—"
Ai En gritted her teeth, her resolve hardening as she rushed forward.
Boom!
Suddenly, a towering ice wall surged from the water's edge, encircling half the island and separating Ai En from Zeff.
"Teacher! Teacher!!"
Ai En's eyes widened in panic. She pounded the thick ice wall, instinctively preparing to activate her ability.
Her power could reverse objects by twelve years—twelve years ago, this wall would have been water.
"Ara, don't waste your energy. I won't let you do that."
A deep, resonant voice cut through the air.
Kuzan approached slowly. "Don't let matters consume your reason, Ai En."
"Kuzan!"
Ai En spun around, her face etched with anxiety. "Why?!"
Kuzan sighed, gazing at the ice wall. "This was Teacher Zeff's long-held wish. I'm merely helping him fulfill it. Kuro succeeded in calming Zeff, but he also brought back the 'Black Arm.'"
...
"Kuzan, that guy..."
Kuro glanced at the sudden ice wall, shook his head, and faced Zeff. "Old man, they've already chosen your grave site."
"Hmph, Kuzan. Meddling again. Oh well."
Zeff chuckled, scanning the Navy troops and officers surrounding him—faces he recognized, students he'd once taught.
He clenched his fists, his smile widening as he turned to Kuro, the closest among them. "Come to think of it, you were the shortest-lived student I ever had. So, let me give you a few extra lessons. There's one thing I must teach you: never underestimate an enemy, no matter what damage they've taken. If they haven't lost all combat power, especially when they have nothing left to lose!"
Boom!
The sand erupted in a massive wave. Before Kuro could react, Zeff's figure shot forward, grinning fiercely.
The cumbersome mechanical arm was gone. Now, Zeff moved faster than ever.
Kuro's pupils constricted. He stepped back, slashing his blade at lightning speed.
This strike was meant to block Zeff's fist. But suddenly, Zeff didn't move his hands at all. Instead, his head lunged forward, a layer of Haki flashing across his forehead as he headbutted Kuro.
Only then did Zeff extend his arm, Haki surging along it—not the swirling, wind-like Encasement style, but flowing like ink.
In an instant, Zeff seized Kuro's blade.
Boom!
The sand beneath their feet erupted in a violent gust.
As Zeff pulled the blade toward him, dragging Kuro forward, his mechanical arm shot out, landing a devastating punch to Kuro's abdomen.
Crack!
The impact left fresh gashes on Zeff's upper arm.
"Recoil force? You've truly developed your own Haki style", Zeff mused.
"You old man!"
Kuro gritted his teeth, his Haki surging from neck to face like armor.
He'd blocked the punch with Haki, even counter-damaging Zeff. But the force, even through the Haki, sent sharp pain through his body.
"This isn't over yet!"
Zeff grinned maliciously. His body surged forward, shoulder-first, delivering a unique soft force that sent Kuro reeling. Before Kuro could recover, Zeff's left hand—still holding Autumn Water—released the blade and struck with another punch. Startled, Kuro's body recoiled, launching him skyward.
"In combat, you must always keep your mind sharp and calm. Otherwise, your Observation Haki's strength will wane!"
Zeff's punching hand suddenly opened, exploding the air itself. A wave of Haki erupted from his palm, slamming into Kuro mid-ascent and sending him flying.
Kuro halted mid-air, lifting his head. Even with Haki covering his face, a thin trail of blood trickled from his lips.
"This old man..." He bared his teeth, eyes narrowing at Zeff's ink-like Haki flowing down his arm. "The 'Black Arm,' huh?"
Zeff grinned. "What do you think? The old man can still fight, right? Kuro, you may stay calm when enraged, but in relatively safe situations, you become lax. Your flaw is arrogance."
"Bullshit! I'm always cautious!" Kuro snapped.
"Hmph, cautious? Doesn't stop you from being arrogant."
Zeff chuckled, shaking his head. He stepped forward. "Come, let's continue class!"
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a yellow beam streaked toward them. Zeff didn't even look. His right arm blocked the laser, scattering delicate beams across the ground.
"Borsalino!" Zeff grinned maliciously. "Good! On the battlefield, there's no such thing as underhanded tactics! Sneak attacks count too!"
"Oh~"
Lucius Kro raised a finger in surprise. "Teacher Zeff, you blocked it?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
