The fist rapidly enlarged in Buggy's pupils. His expression changed drastically as he tried to split apart to evade it, but they were too close. It was already too late.
Thud!
With a dull impact, Buggy let out a scream. His body flew high through the air like a kite with its string cut, plowing a trench dozens of meters long across the ice before his eyes rolled back, foam spilled from his mouth, and he passed out on the spot.
Everyone nearby who witnessed this, Marines and pirates alike, stood dumbfounded, their minds completely blank.
"H-how could this be..."
"A Shichibukai was actually one-shot by a crewmate who isn't even a division commander?!"
"So strong!"
A Marine Headquarters commodore locked in a bitter battle with several pirates shrank his pupils and gritted his teeth. "Damn it... Is this the foundation of the world's strongest pirate crew, the Whitebeard Pirates' main force..."
Strong my ass!
Blackbeard looked at the unconscious Buggy with tears practically welling up in his eyes. Once he came back to his senses, he nearly started cursing aloud.
He had never planned on risking his life in this war. He had only intended to hang back and slack off for a while; if things went wrong, he would quietly slip away at once.
But this guy had not only come charging at him himself, he was actually this weak?
He couldn't even withstand one punch from him. How the hell had such a fraud become a Shichibukai?!!
"Teach..."
The Sixteenth Division Commander, Izou, happened to be nearby. He turned back and gave Blackbeard a meaningful look. "Who would have thought? You've been hiding your strength so deeply all this time..."
"Commander Izou, let me explain..."
Blackbeard hurriedly raised a hand, but before he could say more, Izou