"Ring, ring~~coming through!"
Aokiji rang his bicycle bell and leisurely rode through the gaps in the fleet. After landing, he headed alone toward the island's center.
On the other side of the island.
A warship.
An officer put down the Den Den Mushi. "Reporting! Aokiji has landed on Punk Hazard and is heading toward the center of the island!"
"Understood."
Below the mast.
"Slurp~~"
Kizaru slurped his ramen and glanced at Akainu beside him. "Sakazuki, if we lose this fight, will our Navy be disbanded?"
"We'll win!"
Akainu answered coldly.
This duel was no longer a personal feud between him and Aokiji. They each carried everything belonging to their respective factions on their shoulders.
Only the death of one of them could end this duel.
Akainu strode forward and leaped off the ship.
Kizaru set down his bowl and chopsticks, silently watching Akainu's retreating back.
By now, he had long since understood that the Navy had no future under the World Government's rule. Sakazuki could not possibly have failed to realize this.
But they had also spent most of their lives fighting for the Navy. They could not bring themselves to betray it.
Aokiji's challenge was exactly what he wanted.
Let's settle this.
Above the island's center.
The World Economy News Paper's hot-air balloon airship hovered in the sky. To get firsthand exclusive news, Big News Morgans had brought the newspaper's entire headquarters over.
The earlier Egghead Island broadcast had made him realize that his newspaper's existence was under threat. So this time, even though it was extremely dangerous, he had to be on the front lines.
"They're here!"
"Aokiji and Akainu!"
On the land below, two figures walked toward each other. Behind one, thick smoke billowed; behind the other, frost covered the ground.
Before the fight had even begun,