One Piece: Rayquaza of the Beasts Pirates

however.

boom!

Almost at the same instant the ice was frozen, a muffled thud came from inside the ice sculpture!

The solid ice surface suddenly burst open with countless spiderweb-like cracks, then shattered with a roar, turning into countless crystalline ice shards that fluttered down.

The icy mist dissipated, revealing Kane inside, completely unharmed.

The extreme freezing air from before didn't even leave a trace of frost on the crystalline armor covering his body.

Kuzan's heart sank.

As expected, elemental attacks were completely ineffective against Kane's armor.

Fortunately, the attack just now also proved that this form of his is not invincible; Kane can be repelled by physical impact.

Domineering aura and physical skills are the best solutions to deal with him.

Kuzan frowned, his mind racing as he analyzed the situation.

The only problem is this guy's physical strength...

The moment he struck Kane, he had a strange feeling that he was fighting Charlotte Linlin.

A powerful physique, coupled with a bizarre armor that can nullify Devil Fruit abilities, is definitely not just a simple "one plus one equals two" defensive combination.

The combination of these two factors makes Kane an unstoppable force on the battlefield.

The opposite is also true.

Even though he doesn't rely on his Devil Fruit powers as heavily as Borsalino, his combat strength is undoubtedly greatly weakened by the loss of his freezing abilities.

This is really troublesome.

On the other side, Kane had just regained his footing, before he could even catch his breath—

A new round of fierce and torrential blows has arrived!

Under Kuzan's command, the Seraphim displayed precise tactical coordination, launching attacks from different angles.

Flying slashes, fishman karate, steel-cutting threads, shadow bats...

The seraphim unleashed their strongest attacks without holding back.

Only Empress S, whose face still had an abnormal blush, was much gentler in her methods.

The emitted heart-shaped light waves had a noticeably erratic trajectory.

However, these rapid and fierce attacks can still instantly defeat an elite naval fleet.

However, these seraphim, who possessed the ability to rewrite the course of a local war, suffered a devastating Waterloo in their first high-intensity battle after their birth.

Kane didn't even make many dodging movements.

His eyes flashed red, and he dodged the numerous attacks with the ease of a leisurely stroll.

He dodged the wave-cutting attacks, the silk threads, and the shadow bats one by one. Only when S-Whitebeard Jr.'s heavy punch, amplified by the Light-Weight Fruit, came crashing down did Kane raise his arm to block with a slightly more serious attitude.

clang--!!!

The deafening clang of metal against metal shook the entire hall. The ground beneath Kane's feet cracked and sank, but his arm remained unmoved. Instead, S-Whitebeard II was pushed backward by the recoil.

"too slow."

He spoke calmly, and in the instant that S-Whitebeard II's old strength had been exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated, he grabbed his thick wrist.

Immediately, Kane twisted his waist, as if wielding a giant weapon, and swung the massive S-Whitebeard II up in a semi-circle, slamming him hard into S-Hawkeye and S-Hanafuda, who were about to charge forward!

boom!

Like bowling pins, the three seraphim collided and tumbled as they flew out, denting the distant wall.

If it weren't for the powerful defense and recovery provided by the Lunaria bloodline fused within them, this attack would probably have been enough to temporarily incapacitate them.

As for those ordinary pacifists, they had already been easily dismantled into pieces by Kane in the previous sporadic skirmishes.

Kane dusted off his hands, which were not actually dust, and glanced at the Seraphim who were struggling to get up again but were obviously badly injured. He then looked at Kuzan, who had a serious expression and was looking for an opportunity.

He lazily covered his mouth and yawned, as if he had just done a boring warm-up exercise. "Alright. My goal has been achieved, and it's time to end the playtime with the kids."

This is, after all, the first half of the New World, a sensitive area closest to the Red Line.

If the delay is too long, and the Five Elders and the Knights of God arrive after receiving the news, even Kane will find it troublesome.

If it were just them coming, it wouldn't be a problem, but Im's possession technique was enough to make him wary.

Kane didn't believe that the Five Elders hadn't received news of such an important research base being attacked.

As for taking down Kuzan on the spot?

Although the opponent's abilities are partially countered, it is not easy to completely subdue or even capture a highly experienced naval admiral in a short period of time if he is focused on avoiding battle and stalling for time.

but……

Another "trophy" might be worth trying.

Kane's gaze swept subtly over the S-Empress, who stood in the Seraphim line, her face still flushed, secretly glancing at him.

Although Project Seraph was released several years ahead of schedule, Vegapunk's underlying design logic does not seem to have changed due to the timeline shift.

These seraphim still retain the strong personality traits inherent in their original bloodline factors.

This might be the breakthrough.

"Little Hancock, do you want to come with me?"

Kane suddenly spoke up, extending a direct invitation.

Upon hearing this, Kake, who had just settled Gion and rushed back to provide support, almost laughed out of anger. He gave a mocking smirk:

"Hmph! Do you think you're buying vegetables at the market? You think you can lure away one of the Navy's most technologically advanced beings, the Seraphim, with just a few words? Wishful thinking! Their programming is based on absolute obedience..."

However, before he could finish speaking—

"Since you've invited me so sincerely..."

Empress S cupped her burning cheeks in her hands, wisps of white steam visibly rising from her head. Her star-shaped pupils were filled with intoxication and shyness, and her voice trembled sweetly.

"Then... I'll reluctantly agree!"

This must be a marriage proposal!

This must be a marriage proposal!

It was a destined encounter and confession!

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.

Kuzan, Gake, and even the other Seraphim all seemed to have been put on pause.

The seraphim's highly developed brains seemed to experience a brief period of logical confusion, and they stared blankly at their suddenly betrayed companions.

"You agreed?!?"

Jiaji's chin almost hit his feet, his eyes were wide open, and his tongue was sticking out exaggeratedly.

On what grounds?!

Just because that guy is a little taller, a little more handsome, and a little more abnormally strong?

What's the use of these superficial external conditions?!

Kane, that guy, he's obviously not as cultured as Jiaji!

"Tch... What a boring, infatuated act."

S-Hawkeye glanced at S-Empress speechlessly.

"Oh dear... this is really troublesome. Kane, the Seraph is an important asset of our Navy, we can't give it to you."

Kuzan sighed, knowing he couldn't stand by and watch any longer.

If Kane were simply allowed to cause a scene and then leave, given the actual difference in combat strength, he might be able to swallow his pride and accept it.

But what if you just watch a vital seraph be abducted right before your eyes?

This absolutely crossed his line.

"S-Empress".

Kuzan's voice regained the composure and authority of a naval admiral.

He stepped forward, his gaze stern as he looked at the small figure standing motionless, steam rising from his head: "I, with the authority of a Navy Admiral, order you: remain where you are and are forbidden from leaving with Kane. Repeat, this is an order."

The authority of a Navy Admiral is second only to the Five Elders and Fleet Admiral Sengoku in the Seraph's command hierarchy.

In theory, this command is sufficient to override any external interference and force the Seraphim to execute it.

As expected, Empress S stiffened noticeably upon receiving the order.

Her steps toward Kane came to an abrupt halt, as if she were instantly bound by invisible chains, frozen in place, with only her large eyes beginning to flash with a fierce struggle.

The emotional foundation etched deep within her bloodline genes, originating from Boa Hancock, clashed fiercely with the commands written into the core protocol layer from higher-level authorities, creating an unprecedented conflict within her intricate thought process!

To onlookers, Empress S simply stood motionless, her expression shifting between confusion and struggle.

But within her inner world, a breathtaking war rages on.

[General-level mandatory command detected! Protocol level: High!]

[Command Explanation: Stay where you are; do not follow Kane away.]

[Attempting to overwrite...]

[Warning! Overwrite failed!]

[Attempting to bypass...]

……

Under the intense emotional influence of Empress S, a completely new way of thinking is taking shape.

"Still not working?"

Kane narrowed his eyes and saw that Empress S had frozen in place, his expectation of "easily abducting" her was dashed.

Oh well, it'll just take a little more effort.