Another escape?
Once again, in the face of overwhelming strength, retreating in a panic with a tail between his legs.
— Is this enough already?
Evan sighed lightly.
Kuzan’s white freezing aura coiled around him, spreading with each subtle breath, frost swirling in the air.
Sakazuki, on the other hand, was constantly shedding red-hot magma, which aggressively melted the ground beneath.
Borsalino stretched out his right hand, his long index finger shimmering with a golden light, blindingly bright, further dimming the already darkened sky.
As they all prepared to act, Evan, the target above, felt a chill and his instincts screamed in warning.
One is manageable, but facing three extremely powerful Logia-type Devil Fruit users is an insurmountable challenge. If they grow stronger, they represent the highest combat power of the Navy.
What to do?
Evan, suspended in mid-air, rapidly brainstormed his strategies.
“Does the Navy always resort to overwhelming numbers?” he taunted, disdainfully looking at them.
“As long as it is for justice, why not?” Sakazuki responded calmly, lifting his head to reveal his cold, stern eyes.
“Then…” Evan, with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, said, “Today, I, Evan, challenge the Navy Admiral ‘Akainu.’ Sakazuki, are you daring enough to face me alone?”
“Hmm?” Sakazuki stared at Evan, his gaze growing colder. The magma bubbling with intense heat made it clear that Evan’s challenge was not to be taken lightly. What could be his intention in challenging him?
“Sakazuki, don’t fall for his provocation. His abilities are strange and formidable. Let’s use our combined strength to subdue him, even if it means completing the mission,” Borsalino advised, seeing Sakazuki’s silence.
Kuzan didn’t speak, lowering his head slightly, his sunglasses reflecting light. He then glanced at Sakazuki, also curious about his colleague’s true strength, as Evan’s challenge might reveal something.
Seeing Sakazuki’s silence, Evan felt encouraged and taunted further, “Oh? Afraid, are you? Or is the title of the strongest Navy Admiral merely a name to intimidate? Akainu? I see you as nothing more than a…”
“Be quiet!!!”
Sakazuki’s deep voice cut through, his face as calm and unmoving as stone. His stern demeanor gave off an even more terrifying chill, like a dormant volcano ready to erupt.
“Sakazuki!” Borsalino urged urgently, trying to stop him.
“Enough; I know what I’m doing,” Sakazuki said, raising his hand to him and turning his attention to Evan in the sky. I accept your challenge.”
As Sakazuki’s words fell, Kuzan naturally withdrew his freezing aura and took a few steps to the side.
Borsalino, puzzled, glanced at Sakazuki, unable to understand why someone usually so composed would accept this seemingly pointless challenge. But he knew that once Sakazuki made a decision, no one could change it. Shrugging, he moved to join Kuzan, clearing an area for them.
“Seems interesting,” Karp had approached at some point, standing beside Kuzan. He hadn’t stopped Sakazuki’s action and now observed Evan and Sakazuki with narrowed eyes, showing great interest in the battle.
“Admiral Karp, why not stop this so-called challenge? If Sakazuki loses, what should we do? Just let Evan go?” Borsalino asked with a frown.
“Hahaha, you’re still too young,” Karp grinned. “As the leader of this mission, when did I promise to stop this? Sakazuki’s challenge is his own affair. Whether he wins or loses, Evan won’t escape. Otherwise, this trip would be in vain, and I’d be scolded by Sengoku.”
“Besides… do you think Sakazuki will lose? Evan is just a rookie, and Sakazuki wouldn’t hold the Admiral position without absolute strength.” Karp crossed his arms, speaking meaningfully.
“I see.” Borsalino, deep in thought, glanced at Karp, feeling utterly defeated by his logic.
Karp’s plan was quite clever, but what he didn’t know was that Evan had no intention of escaping his predicament through this challenge. He simply wanted to settle things with Sakazuki.
Farther away, on a small hill, Urouge, White Snow, Tyrone, and Jinbe hid their presence, closely observing the situation with Evan, concerned for his safety.
Facing the Navy’s forces alone was incredibly risky, but Evan made this decision on the spur of the moment. After using ROOM to scan and detect the Navy’s lead and the arriving forces, he knew immediately without needing to deliberate. A direct confrontation would be futile. The emerging organization, even if it had the power of the Seven Warlords, was no match for the powerful combination of the Navy.
Thus, Evan left White Snow and the others behind and approached to test their strength.
The challenge was not only a sudden whim but also a crucial gamble for their future.
If Evan could defeat Sakazuki head-on, it would demonstrate true Admiral-level strength, striking a blow to the Navy’s current assault and taking down one of their top Admirals. They would then have a better chance of fighting back, at least more so than before.
But all this depended on Evan’s ability to win.
Evan and Sakazuki stood facing each other, each with a deadly resolve to defeat the other.
“Demon Evan, accepting this challenge is to make up for a mistake from five years ago. I should have melted you into magma back on Ohara Island, so none of this would have happened…”
“Back then, I was still very weak. I don’t want to just keep running away. I’ve had enough. Do you remember the vow I made? To take your head when I saw you again. After years of painstaking training, I’ve been waiting for this day.”
“Justice cannot be stopped. Evil like you must be eradicated completely. All your schemes and plots will fail, and you will die here,” Sakazuki said, clenching his fists. The red-hot magma surged from his body, rapidly forming a magma-coated arm, radiating intense heat.
“Then let’s see,” Evan replied with a light smile, drawing Snowfall from his waist. The white, bright blade gleamed like a ribbon, and his left hand glowed with the distinctive milky white aura of ROOM.
“Today, I will test the strength of an Admiral!”
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