The New World of the Grand Line.
On the boundless sea, two forces were facing off with the same techniques.
"Teacher Zephyr, you should surrender without resistance! In your current state, you're no match for me at all."
Bang!
His Seastone prosthetic arm, coated in Armament Haki, smashed fiercely into the ice surface.
Massive chunks of ice heaved upward, and the hard sea surface immediately shattered.
"Great! Everyone, move! Teacher Zephyr broke through Kuzan's ice surface! Hurry and dive!"
Ain watched the shattered ice and the freed submarines.
As she directed the crew to retreat, she worriedly watched her teacher battling Aokiji on the distant sea.
"Kuzan, you damn brat! Don't underestimate this old man! You're still too green!"
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Seastone bullets continuously sprayed toward his former student.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The two moved like afterimages. After exchanging several clashes in midair, they passed each other.
Huff—
Cold air escaped Aokiji's mouth.
He looked complicatedly at his teacher, who had a cigar clenched between his teeth and had shed his usual gentleness for a bold, unruly air.
"Teacher Zephyr, have you truly betrayed the justice in your heart?"
He withdrew from his attacking stance.
Aokiji straightened up and asked the man he had once respected most.
"Betrayal?
That really is a good word, Kuzan.
Since you're my student, I can tell you this: I have never betrayed the justice in my heart.
You must have seen the policies the World Government and the Marines have introduced lately, right?
The Marines and the World Government have already rotted away.
All I've done is try to set justice back on its proper course."
He likewise lowered his guard.
His exceptional Observation Haki told Zephyr that his subordinates had already shaken off the Marines.
After saying a few words to the student he