There was nowhere to escape.
Kizaru took a deep breath, looked at the group of powerful figures before him who were in no way inferior to himself, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and gathered dazzling golden light at his fingertips.
Since we can't escape, we have no choice but to fight.
At least before I get killed, I need to take someone down with me.
As Marine Admiral, he still has that much backbone.
" Yata Mirror--!"
Dozens of beams of light shot out from his fingertips, flying in all directions.
This is one of Kizaru's signature moves, attacking multiple targets simultaneously at the speed of light.
Wherever the beam of light passed, the air was instantly heated to thousands of degrees, emitting a piercing hissing sound.
But before those beams of light could touch anyone, they all crashed into a semi-transparent barrier.
Golden light exploded on the surface of the barrier, as dazzling as fireworks.
The barrier remained completely still, without even a crack.
As the rain of light dissipated, Kizaru saw Roy descending step by step from mid-air.
His Black Blade Shusui, was still hanging at his waist, unsheathed, but thick black smoke was already billowing from his right hand.
" Kizaru, your Glint-Glint Fruit is indeed very fast."
Roy spoke calmly, as if stating something common knowledge that everyone knows.
"But in my field, speed is useless."
Kizaru could feel the surrounding air becoming thicker.
It wasn't a physical viscosity, but rather a sense of mental oppression coming from all directions.
Each of his movements required several times more effort than usual, and the speed at which his Glint-Glint Fruit could transform into its elemental form was also noticeably slower.
Roy's Telekinesis Domain, combined with the mental suppression of the Soul-Soul Fruit, is simultaneously sealing off his abilities on two levels.
Kizaru gritted his teeth and forcefully activated the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit, his body transforming into an extremely dazzling golden light in an attempt to break through the domain.
He had never pushed himself to this speed before; the sense of time around him began to blur due to the extreme speed.
But just as he was about to break through the edge of the domain, Roy's figure appeared out of thin air in front of him.
" Dark-Dark Fruit - Sealed"
Roy's right hand, shrouded in thick black mist, grabbed Kizaru's shoulder.
The moment the black mist touched Kizaru's body, the golden light on his body abruptly went out.
Kizaru's body was forcibly reverted from its elemental state back to a physical form. He looked down at his hands, which were no longer glowing, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Black mist chains spread from Roy's palm, wrapping around Kizaru's shoulders, chest, and limbs, binding him completely.
The parts of the body bound by chains had their Pika Pika Glint-Glint Fruit ) abilities completely sealed.
Kizaru could feel the Devil Fruit power still within him, but it was like being trapped in an airtight iron box, unable to release it no matter what he did.
"My ability—" Kizaru's voice was hoarse, unlike his own.
Roy released his grip, but the black mist chains did not dissipate and continued to wrap around Kizaru.
Kizaru knelt on one knee, panting heavily.
After the Glint-Glint Fruit was sealed, his physical abilities were only slightly stronger than some Vice Admiral.
The internal injuries inflicted by Bullet were now causing intense pain, and the wound on his side inflicted by Hawk Eyes was also bleeding profusely.
Kaido, carrying the Hassaikai, walked over, looked down at the disheveled Marine Admiral, and spat:
"Should I give him a good whack?"
Knock them unconscious and take them back.
" The Glint-Glint Fruit is great. We'll take it back and have the professor extract its power; that would give us another top-tier Logia."
Bullet also reverted to human form, clenching his fists as he walked over:
"That old bastard just ambushed me with the Yata Mirror. If Roy's barrier hadn't blocked it, I would have been shot in the eye. I'll take him back and deal with him slowly."
Kizaru knelt on the ground, listening to their discussion about how to deal with him, and a smile that looked more like a grimace stretched across his face.
He knew he had failed today.
With Hachinosu and the Beasts Pirates, nine top-tier fighters besieging Egghead, let alone one of his Admiral, even if all Three Admirals were present, they might not be able to hold it.
But he didn't expect that he wouldn't even be able to escape.
The Dark-Dark Fruit —he had seen this ability in intelligence reports; it was Blackbeard's signature move, capable of causing any Devil Fruit User to lose their power the moment they come into contact with it.
"I didn't expect you to use Teach's abilities," Kizaru said hoarsely.
Roy looked down at him. "Things are unpredictable."
Kizaru remained silent.
He closed his eyes, waiting for what would happen next.
Whether they are taken back to Hachinosu as experimental subjects or executed on the spot, they are doomed to die anyway.
Roy beckoned to Bullet: "Tie him up and take him back."
Bullet grinned and was about to step forward when a voice came from the edge of the square.
" Captain Roy, please wait a moment."
Everyone turned their heads at the same time.
Vegapunk walked from the direction of the laboratory, his white lab coat fluttering slightly in the sea breeze.
He walked up to Roy, first glancing down at Kizaru kneeling on the ground, then turning to Roy and bowing deeply.
"PhD?"
" Captain Roy, I would like to ask you to let him go."
Roy looked into Vegapunk's eyes.
From those aged yet still bright eyes, Vegapunk's inner emotions were clearly perceived through his Observation Haki.
In Roy's view, a pure person like Vegapunk wasn't the type to easily ask for favors.
He was the world's number one scientist, with extremely high self-esteem and pride deep down.
The fact that he was willing to humble himself to plead for a Marine Admiral shows that their friendship was indeed extraordinary.
Roy quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.
Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit is indeed precious. If he were to trade his life for a top-tier Logia Devil Fruit, it would definitely be a worthwhile deal.
However, if trading Kizaru's life for a grudge in Vegapunk's heart, then this deal wouldn't be worthwhile.
Vegapunk's value far exceeds that of a single Glint-Glint Fruit.
He is the one who can replicate all Devil Fruit, the one who can analyze Ancient Weapon, and the one who can make Hachinosu's technological strength far surpass that of the World Government.
Giving up a piece of fruit for him is not a loss.
Furthermore, letting Kizaru go would make the Marine Headquarters owe Vegapunk a favor.
Whether or not this favor will be useful in the future, it will at least leave a mark on Vegapunk's mind.
"Alright," Roy said, "For the sake of the Doctor, let him go this time."
Although Kaido and Bullet looked unhappy, they didn't say anything more.
They knew that Roy never changed his mind once he made a decision, and Vegapunk's words just now were indeed difficult to refute.
Roy agreed to play Vegapunk, but his original intention was to extract Kizaru's genetic sample.
Just draw a few vials of blood, then go back and have Vegapunk separate the gene sequence of the Glint-Glint Fruit.
But before he could speak, Vegapunk, as if reading his mind, pulled a sealed cryogenic tube from his pocket, containing a vial of golden blood.
"I already had the genetic sample for the Glint-Glint Fruit."
Vegapunk adjusted his glasses.
" Borsalino would perform a routine medical check-up every time he came to check on the progress of the experiment."
I habitually preserved his blood sample—just a professional habit of a scientific researcher.
Roy paused for a moment, then laughed, "Doctor, you really are forward-thinking."
"Rigorousness is a fundamental quality of scientists."
Roy removed the black mist chains from Kizaru's body.
With the seal on the Dark-Dark Fruit broken, Kizaru stood up again, and a faint golden light slowly returned to his body.
He moved his wrist, which was numb from being constricted, and silently glanced at Vegapunk.
Those eyes, which were usually squinting, were now fully open.
Roy saw Kizaru's eyes clearly for the first time.
Those weren't sharp, murderous eyes, but rather the tired eyes of a middle-aged person, their edges worn smooth by time and helplessness.
"PhD."
Kizaru's voice was hoarse; he could only utter those two words before he could say no more.
Vegapunk waved his hand at him:
Let's go.
The next time we meet, we'll be enemies.
Kizaru closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Then he transformed into a golden ray of light and soared into the sky.
In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the horizon.