Black smoke still rose from Akainu's magma arm, and waves of heat beat against Zhao Hai's face.
An ordinary field officer facing this decisive, ruthless Marine Admiral would have long since snapped to attention and saluted in fright.
Not only did Zhao Hai show no panic, he leisurely swallowed the last piece of Sea King jerky in his mouth.
He brushed the grease from his palms and turned to look at Akainu.
"Admiral Sakazuki, do you really think I'm here to enjoy the scenery?"
Akainu's gaze remained cold and hard. He said nothing, but the killing intent around him did not diminish in the slightest.
Zhao Hai pointed toward the charging pirate formations on the ice below.
"If we'd blindly opened fire just now, the Moby Dick was surrounded by tough opponents like Marco the Phoenix and Diamond Jozu."
"You know better than I do how powerful their Devil Fruit defenses are."
"Shells hitting them would make some noise, but they wouldn't do any real damage."
Akainu looked in the direction Zhao Hai pointed. Sure enough, the division commanders at the front of the charge were each using their abilities to block a great deal of stray fire.
Zhao Hai strode to the front of the position and planted one foot on the base of a heavy cannon.
"I let them advance precisely because I was waiting for those subordinate pirate crews behind them to enter the firing blind spot!"
"These scum have been burning, killing, and plundering in the New World, relying on Whitebeard's name while hanging back to reap the benefits."
"Now that they're here, not one of them is getting out alive!"
Hearing these murderous words, the coldness on Akainu's face eased somewhat.
"Oh? So you're saying the time has come?"
Zhao Hai spun around and swept