"Please give it some serious thought!"
"Not for sale."
Austin sighed inwardly. Did the One Piece World have something like an almanac too? Was today simply an unlucky day to go out?
How had he gotten pestered by a Famous Sword enthusiast just from going downstairs for breakfast?
He could not say that he was a Great Swordsman too, or he would only face even more questioning. But if he insisted it was merely a collectible, they would think he was wasting a treasure.
What a pain.
He should have known better than to come to Marineford. It would have been easier to teleport to Impel Down, change into a guard's uniform, and blend in.
"Ara ara, Gion, Tokikake, I finally found you. That Mr. Garp and Staff Officer Tsuru are..."
Just as Austin was growing thoroughly fed up, a familiar voice came from the other side of the street.
The instant he heard that voice, Austin looked up at the sky and sighed.
Sure enough, he should not have gone out today.
In such a huge Marineford, he had actually run into an enemy.
"Huh? It's Rear Admiral Kuzan. Please wait a moment, I'm..."
Gion and Kuzan were old acquaintances from the Marine Academy, so she was not surprised by his appearance and greeted him.
She had just been about to explain that she was busy when a sudden chill swept over her. The inch-by-inch spreading ice left her bewildered.
Was that really necessary?
Was he making such a fuss just because they were a little late for the meeting?
"Dotol Austin!!!"
Who would have thought that Kuzan did not seem to care about her at all? Instead, he looked past her with murderous intent, his expression terrifying.
It was the first time Gion had seen the usually lazy, easygoing Kuzan look so serious.
"What? Are you talking about me?" Austin still tried to bluff his way through it, wearing an utterly innocent expression.
"Huh? Do you think I wouldn't recognize you just because you changed clothes and put on sunglasses? What kind of joke is that, bastard?! My hatred for you has never diminished, not even once!!!"
After following Garp to hunt the Roger Pirates for years, Kuzan could be said to be the Marine who understood Austin best—and also the one Austin had tricked the most.
Later on, during pursuits, unless it was a boarding battle, Kuzan would never stand on the front of the deck. All because he was wary of that brat.
If anyone understood the true value of Future Sight combined with Armament Haki Seastone Bullets,
Kuzan would rank second.
No one would dare claim first.
Seeing the killing intent practically take physical form, Austin sighed.
He simply took off his sunglasses, revealing a calm, perfect smile.
"Sashiburidana, young Sea Ice."
The instant he removed his sunglasses, a frost-covered fist rapidly enlarged in his vision. That pitch-black fist of justice, inherited from Garp, shot straight for Austin's face.
Yet the faint smile on Austin's face did not vanish.
The punch landed.
Smoke instantly engulfed the area, but everyone present was skilled in Observation Haki and could clearly perceive the situation on the field.
Only then did Gion and Tokikake finally react.
That tall figure wearing sunglasses was actually a pirate!
"He vanished instantly?"
"That speed... was that Soru?"
Tokikake analyzed the situation calmly.
Gion, meanwhile, flushed with embarrassment and anger. To be toyed with by a pirate at Marine Headquarters made her furious, and she drew the Famous Sword at her waist to face the enemy.
"If it were only Soru, he couldn't escape Observation Haki tracking. It should be a Devil Fruit ability... Hey, you two, be careful. This guy isn't easy to deal with."
As he warned his two companions, ice rapidly spread outward from Kuzan's body.
"That guy was once a crew member of the Roger Pirates. I hate to admit it, but that bastard is strong enough to rival Roger in his youth.
A user of all three types of Haki, a Great Swordsman, possessing exceptionally powerful Observation Haki, and an unknown Devil Fruit ability.
A pirate with a bounty of one billion—Black Gun Austin!"
Kuzan's expression was grave. Though he despised and resented Austin's actions, he still had to admit it.
This guy was qualified to become his nemesis.
Just as Roger was to Vice Admiral Garp, he was someone Kuzan had sworn to capture.
The current Kuzan was not yet the slacker he would become after the Ohara incident. What he upheld was Burning Justice.
And Austin was rather helpless at encountering such a hot-blooded young Kuzan here. It seemed he could not keep up the act anymore.
I'll play around for a bit, then get out of here.
With that thought, Austin's figure appeared behind Gion at some unknown moment.
"Sorry, Miss Marine. Could you return my sword?"
No sooner said than done.
The moment her Observation Haki detected a figure behind her, she did not hesitate in the slightest.
Gion's slender waist suddenly exerted force, and a swift, precise, ruthless Sword Draw Slash shot forth like a frigid meteor.
Sharp sword energy slashed across the ground, leaving a fissure dozens of meters long.
Once she confirmed Austin was a pirate, the gentle female Marine who had been so approachable earlier had transformed into a blood-red rose on the battlefield. One careless move, and blood would be spilled on the spot.
"So young, yet already a swordsman? What a terrifying woman."
Whoosh—
At some unknown point, Austin's tall figure had appeared behind her again.
His spotless trench coat and relaxed expression both showed that the sharp slash from earlier had not even touched the corner of his clothes.
Instead, Austin merely grabbed the wrist holding her sword. With a slight exertion of force, he easily restrained Gion's sword arm.
As he applied a little of his terrifying strength, a faint sound of cracking bones rang out. Her delicate hand holding Dark Crow trembled and released the weapon, while an uncontrollable expression of pain appeared on Gion's face.
The Famous Sword had returned to its owner.
Well... not that he was truly its original owner.
"Damn pirate, don't touch Gion!!!"
The moment Austin appeared behind Gion, a furious roar sounded nearby, like a battle horn charging forth for love.
Tokikake came charging in head-on, his fist coated in a thick layer of Armament Haki.
He glared furiously at Gion, who was restrained by Austin, his eyes seeming ready to spit fire.
Seeing Tokikake step forward, the restrained Gion's eyes flashed with a trace of hope.
This guy's monstrous strength was too outrageous. As long as Tokikake could hold him back for even one second, she was confident she could immediately find a chance to escape.
"Die!!"
"Nice one, Tokikake!!"
"Sigh... I really don't understand what you people are so fired up about..."
Clang—
Almost instantly, a flowing layer of red Haki wrapped around Austin's leg, followed by an explosive whipping kick.
As if time had stopped, that black foot miraculously appeared before Tokikake's chest.
"...Wh... what!?"
Tokikake's instincts screamed that something was wrong, but he had no time to react.
Then,
with a sonic boom,
terrifying brute force intertwined with flowing Haki, continuously crashing into that fat-covered body.
His consciousness vanished almost instantly.
Tokikake's broad body flew into the distance at an unimaginable speed, even faster than when he had charged in, smashing through building after building.
Under Gion's despairing gaze,
he finally landed in the rubble with his eyes rolled back,
completely unconscious.
Before you continue