Uchiha's personal opinion

"Moonwalk!"

Kuzan also leaped into the air, dodging Shanks' attack.

But before Kuzan could find Shanks' blind spot, several more sword energies slashed through the air, interrupting Kuzan's next plan.

"Ice Cube - Tyrannosaurus Beak!"

Kuzan simply unleashed a burst of cold air, transforming it into an ice phoenix to block Shanks's sword aura, while simultaneously swooping down.

"Ice Block - Two-Spiked Spear!"

At the same time, two ice spears materialized beside Kuzan and shot towards Shanks from the left and right flanks respectively.

"Gods, beware!"

Without hesitation, Shanks unleashed the martial arts he inherited from Roger, unleashing his Conqueror's Haki in the form of a shockwave. The area covered and the power were so great that the entire sky darkened!

Ice Age!

Kuzan roared and unleashed his strongest attack, blasting all the cold air around him downwards to form a colossal iceberg that clashed with Shanks' Conqueror's Haki!

"BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!"

With a loud explosion, shards of ice crystals scattered in all directions covered almost the entire area, including the G1 branch!

"...This guy!"

With a gloomy expression, Sakazuki casually unleashed a stream of lava, using the high temperature to dispel the negative effects of the icy mist.

He also understood that since losing his arm, his strength had fallen far behind that of his arch-enemy, Kuzan.

In other words, Sengoku's long-standing plan to install Kuzan as the next Fleet Admiral of the Navy Headquarters was now progressing smoothly.

"...How awful!"

Sakazuki couldn't help but touch his empty left shoulder and mutter a curse under his breath.

To be honest, he was genuinely unwilling to accept it!

"Are you ever going to stop?!"

Just as Marco swooped down again to attack, Sakazuki suddenly flew into a rage, disregarding his injuries, and leaped into the air after transforming into his elemental form—

"A massive fireball!"

Caught off guard, Marco was struck squarely by the massive lava fist. Coupled with the difference in Devil Fruit rank, even though he had activated his Phoenix form, he was still scorched by the extremely hot lava and screamed in agony.

"Netherhound!"

Sakazuki, not one to let his advantage rest on his own, threw another heavy punch, stretched out his lava-like arm and grabbed Marco, who was struggling in mid-air trying to shake off the lava, and pulled him to the ground!

"Charge them!"

After slamming Marco, in his phoenix form, to the ground, Sakazuki immediately gave orders to his men and women.

A group of naval officers immediately swarmed forward, surrounding Marco and beating him up.

As for why he didn't do it himself... it's because Sakazuki simply didn't have the strength.

Moreover, Jhin, startled by the mutation, was preparing to carry out a rescue and was hovering in mid-air. Sakazuki stopped to scare this equally troublesome opponent.

"Your only fate is defeat and being hanged on the execution platform..."

Sengoku, still entangled in a struggle against Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, spoke slowly.

"so what!"

Kaido, in his Azure Dragon form, roared like thunder: "In my life, I have been defeated seven times!"

"He was arrested 18 times, tortured more than a thousand times, and sentenced to death a total of 40 times!"

"Even if hanged, the chains will break; even if taken to the guillotine, the blade will shatter; even if stabbed by a spear, the spear will break!"

"Even I can't kill myself!"

"As for you—Sengoku, besides your mind full of scheming and plotting, what else do you have to rely on!"

"You will be the loser!"

"—Overlord of the Sea!"

While exchanging verbal sparring, Kaido and Charlotte Linlin launched another joint attack, unleashing a massive shockwave that struck Sengoku's golden Buddha statue.

"Shockwave!"

Since the land behind him was the G1 branch, Sengoku did not dodge at all, nor could he dodge. He simply continued to urge the golden giant Buddha to launch shockwaves for a homomorphic attack.

"boom!"

The shockwave caused by the annihilation of the offensive even cracked space itself, shaking even Shanks and Kuzan who were fighting in the distance.

Both the navy and the Three Emperors' alliance were full of confidence in this battle, believing that even if they could not achieve a complete victory, they would at least be able to successfully defend or withdraw intact.

Therefore, both sides went all out without any restraint, causing the area to shake violently, with howling winds and tsunamis, creating a scene reminiscent of the end times.

……

Mary Geoise, among the flowers.

The mysterious Lord Im made a decision, raising his hand to the crystal ball displaying the battle situation of the G1 branch.

This also means that the 'secret weapon' in the hands of the World Government will launch indiscriminate attacks on the Navy, which is under the World Government's command, and the Three Emperors' pirate alliance that it is fighting against.

"Lord Im..."

Trembling with fear, the defensive war god Jaigolusia Satan asked, "May I ask... which weapon should we use?"

"Hmm... let's use Poseidon, the Sea King..."

Lord Im's voice echoed among the flowers: "After all... with so many Devil Fruit users gathered together for a chaotic battle, the scale of which was earth-shattering, it's only natural that it would attract a large number of giant sea monsters from the depths of the ocean... isn't it?"

"My lord is wise..."

The Five Elders made no attempt to dissuade them. After bowing and paying their respects once more, they slowly pushed out of Lord Im's temple in a kneeling position with their buttocks sticking out.

"Then I'll go to the Dragon Palace Kingdom..."

"Legal Martial God Topman Vochuli Saint spoke up."

"Then I'll have to trouble you..."

The other four all agreed.

Chapter 560 Both Sides Suffer Losses

Kuzan is subtly losing ground in his fight against Shanks.

This was a very difficult thing for him.

In the general understanding of the Navy, officers and officers with Devil Fruit abilities are often stronger than those with only Haki. After all, the speed at which one eats a Devil Fruit increases strength is much faster than the time required to hone Haki – especially the boost from Logia-type fruits, which is terrifyingly large.

However, this does not mean that Kuzan, as a Marine Admiral, is lacking in his mastery of Armament Haki and the Six Powers of the Navy.

In fact, even with a skill as easy to learn but difficult to master as the Six Styles of the Navy, Kuzan was second only to Vice Admiral Garp, whom he always admired.

However, Shanks' ability is far too effective at countering him!

The tricky and sharp sword energy always appeared from unexpected directions, easily piercing through Kuzan's Armament Haki defense like piercing through tattered leather, leaving wound after wound on his body.

If Shanks weren't a decent strongman who wouldn't poison a weapon, Kuzan would have been in deep trouble.

Therefore, after a brief close-quarters battle, Kuzan took the initiative to leap back and use the Ice-Ice Fruit's power to create solid ice barriers to slow down and trap Shanks, no longer launching an attack.

On the other hand, on land, at the G1 branch, after Sakazuki exhausted his last bit of energy to shoot down Marco, the land-air combat gradually entered garbage time. Even though Jin tried his best to rescue him, he was powerless against the dense and almost continuous barrage of bullets from the Navy's spearmen. He could only watch helplessly as Marco gradually weakened under the relentless attacks of countless Navy officers.

"What should we do..."

Even though he was extremely anxious, King still had no good solutions. He could only launch futile dives time and time again, only to be forced to pull up and dodge under the barrage of spearmen's bullets. This cycle repeated itself week after week.

"The Immortal Thistle!"

Surrounded on all sides, Marco was powerless to fight back and had no choice but to use the blue flames of his Devil Fruit to create a circular shield for defense.

However, Marco, with his extensive combat experience, also understood very well that in such a situation of being surrounded, if he could not fight his way out on his own, being captured would probably be the best outcome.

"...T. Penn!"

Sakazuki was extremely annoyed by the sight of these naval officers who were repeatedly defeated yet continued to launch attacks, so he summoned Rear Admiral T. Penn, who was organizing the mobilization of pikemen.

"Your Excellency, General..."

T. Penn, a knight of the kingdom, immediately exchanged a few words with his second-in-command, then trotted over to Sakazuki's side.

Is your knife still sharp?

"Sakazuki asked."

"Sharpening the knife every day, practicing the knife every day, never slacking off for a moment!"

T. Penn answered without hesitation.

"That's good……"

Sakazuki raised his hand with some difficulty, pointed at Marco in the battle group, and said, "Are you confident you can take him down?"

"I will do my best!"

T. Peng raised an eyebrow and immediately replied.

"Go!"

Sakazuki nodded. "Ignore that giant bat in the sky. I'll deal with it if necessary!"

"As ordered!"

T. Peng En immediately accepted the order, drew his weapon, the longsword 'Foot', and then used Moonwalk to join the battle.

Known as the "Ship-Slicing Hero," T-Pohn is a man who can slice a pirate ship like a steak. His swordsmanship is remarkable even among the many skilled naval officers. However, because T-Pohn adheres to the code of chivalry, like Vice Admiral Garp, he is unwilling to accept the Devil Fruit bestowed upon him, which prevents his strength from making a qualitative leap. Therefore, after being promoted to Rear Admiral, he has stagnated for many years.

But Sakazuki had no choice, because at this point, he only had this one rear admiral left to command.

"The Twin Emperors Within the Blade!"

The departure of the commanding officer immediately disrupted the rhythmic firing of the marines with their long spears, and King seized the opportunity, diving down without hesitation and firing a dense barrage of fire bullets at the ground from the flames behind him.

"A massive fireball!"