"Hold him down, he'll struggle!"
Shirogai gazed indifferently at his companions restraining Montblanc Cricket's limbs.
Under their watchful eyes, his left hand shifted into a stream of black smoke, the Smoke Fruit's power flowing under his precise control.
Hiss… hiss… hiss…
The smoke slithered forward, seeping into Cricket's nostrils. Within it, oxygen flowed where Shirogai directed, delivering life back into the unconscious body.
Chopper's eyes lit up with relief.
"Shirogai! It's working!"
"Hoo…"
With the sudden influx of oxygen, Cricket's ragged breathing quickly stabilized.
"Next, it will hurt."
Shirogai's cold gaze sharpened. The smoke pierced deeper, invading Cricket's heart.
Cricket's body convulsed violently, eyelids twitching in the throes of awakening. His companions tightened their grips.
"Ah! He's waking up!" Chopper cried in panic, pressing down on the patient's legs.
"He won't wake." Shirogai's voice was calm, absolute.
From the smoke, he extracted gases laced with anesthetic properties and forced them into Cricket's lungs. The man's violent tremors softened, then faded into unconscious stillness.
It was a seamless fusion of medical mastery and Devil Fruit ability. With precision rivaling the Ope-Ope no Mi, Shirogai purged the air bubbles from Cricket's body, wrapping them in wisps of smoke before expelling them.
Cricket's breathing steadied.
But Shirogai's attention shifted. He lifted his right hand and whispered coldly:
"Freeze."
His Master-level Observation Haki foresaw the chaos before it came—Shoujou and Masira, charging inside in a storm of anger.
The ground beneath their feet iced over in an instant.
"What is this?!"
"It's freezing again!"
Frost crawled up their bodies, locking them in place. In moments, they stood as statues of ice, fear carved into their faces.
At the same time, Shirogai's left hand remained smoke. Two powers wielded at once.
The crew noticed.
"Whoa!" Luffy's eyes widened. "Shirogai, you can use two Devil Fruit abilities at once now?!"
"Yes." His tone was calm, unbothered.
Sanji's cigarette flared, his brows furrowing in disbelief. "With that kind of ability, you'd be unstoppable!"
"I have no interest in being invincible."
Zoro's lips curled in a grin of challenge. "So this is the confidence you had to fight two Admirals at once? We should cross swords sometime. I want to test how strong you've really become."
Shirogai let the smoke disperse, his hand reforming. His expression was detached.
"No. Back then, I couldn't wield two abilities at the same time."
The crew froze, stunned. He had clashed evenly with two Admirals without that advantage. Now… what kind of monster stood before them?
Usopp's jaw slackened. "So amazing! If only I had half of your skill…"
Shirogai's cold gaze fell on him, lips curling into an icy smile.
"Usopp, I'll help you grow."
A shiver raced down Usopp's spine. He stammered, backing away. "N-no need! I'm fine just like this. In fact, I think I suddenly caught an illness… the type that'll kill me if you train me…"
Shirogai's gaze swept across the crew.
"It's not just Usopp. All of you will grow stronger."
His chilling smile froze the room. The air itself seemed to drop in temperature. Even Zoro's fighting spirit dimmed, sensing the danger behind those words.
"Danger… the danger of death…" he muttered under his breath.
Only Luffy grinned.
"Hehehe! Alright!!"
…
Later, Cricket sat upright on the bed, a cigarette between his lips. His eyes softened as he looked at the Straw Hats.
"Did you save me? I owe you my thanks. At first, I thought you were just more scoundrels after gold."
"Gold?!" Nami's eyes lit up instantly.
"Calm down!" Usopp snapped. "Don't even think about it!"
Cricket chuckled, shaking his head. "Your crew… they're stronger than any pirates I've seen. Some of you possess strength I can't even imagine."
His gaze slid past them to the Ice Throne outside, where Shirogai sat in silent meditation.
"Tell me what you want to know. If I can answer, I will."
Luffy stepped forward eagerly. "Old man! We want to go to Sky Island! Can you tell us how?"
"Sky Island?" Cricket's hands trembled. Then, as if something burst inside him, he threw back his head and laughed.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Nami clenched her fists. "Is this funny to you?!"
Memories of Mock Town stung in her chest—their laughter, their scorn.
"Hahaha… you must have been mocked before." Cricket finally calmed, eyes shining with admiration. "Yet even after that, you still believe. That's what's truly amazing."
"Mockery doesn't matter!" Luffy's eyes burned with determination. "I just want to know—is it real? Is Sky Island real?!"
Cricket exhaled smoke, his tone heavy. "I don't know. But someone once believed. Unfortunately, he was branded a liar. His descendants… live under that shadow forever."
"Liar…" Luffy's gaze flickered to Usopp.
"Idiot!" Usopp snapped, flustered. "He's not talking about me!"
…
Outside, thawed and shivering, Shoujou and Masira whispered nervously.
"Shoujou… you weren't lying? That's him? The pirate who refused to become a Shichibukai?"
Shoujou swallowed hard, glancing at the silent figure on the Ice Throne.
"Ooh-chi-chi! That's what his crew said. If he fought Admiral Kizaru and survived… it has to be true."
Masira's eyes filled with awe. "A pirate who defied an Admiral and rejected the government's offer… We're witnessing a legend in the making."
_____
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