Though the searing pain in his thigh still lingered, Kizaru had at least momentarily escaped Whitebeard's direct threat.
He took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to steady himself.
The insane durability of a Marine Admiral was no joke; in just a few short moments, the bleeding from his wounds miraculously stopped, the wound already beginning to knit itself back together.
This sight, however, only seemed to displease Whitebeard.
He scowled, a flash of genuine irritation in his eyes.
"Borsalino, is that all the blood you've got?" he roared, gesturing to the massive barrel.
"You've barely covered the bottom of the bucket!"
Kizaru was stunned.
His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the barrel in Whitebeard's hand, his mind refusing to compute.
He was completely baffled.
Before he could even form a sarcastic reply, a cold glint of Haki flashed, and the Murakumogiri came slashing down again.
The razor-sharp blade carried a fierce, unstoppable momentum, aimed right for his face.
"Damn it! Yata no kagami!" Kizaru cursed internally, knowing he couldn't stick around.
His body exploded into a shower of countless light particles, desperately refracting and bouncing around to find an escape path.
But Whitebeard wasn't about to let him go so easily.
Ron's words echoed in his mind: Kizaru's reserves are depleted.
This was his chance to eliminate a massive threat for good.
"Gurararara! Kizaru, don't say I'm not giving you a chance," Whitebeard's voice rumbled with dark amusement.
"Fill this bucket for me, and I'll let you leave."
Kizaru glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes landing on the massive barrel.
A cold sweat immediately broke out on his back, and a deep, primal fear surged within him.
He was over fifty years old!
If he had to shed that much blood, he'd be drained into a mummy!
"Newgate, if you want my life, just say it!" Kizaru couldn't help but complain while fleeing.
"Stop messing with an old man and just say what you mean!"
He knew this was no time for posturing; it was time to run for his life.
With that, he poured everything he had into his speed, rocketing away.
Whitebeard just shook his head at the sight.
Gripping his naginata in one hand and the barrel in the other, he gave chase.
*****
Inside Jozu's Castle Ring...
Vice Admiral Momonga was utterly dumbfounded.
One touch from Jozu, and his world went black.
He felt like he was plummeting through a void, and when his vision returned, he was in... a room.
An ordinary room wouldn't have been so bad.
But this one was packed to the gills with the most wanted men in the world: the Whitebeard Pirates' top commanders.
"Phoenix" Marco. "Fire Fist" Ace. "Flower Sword" Vista.
And more.
So many more that his scalp prickled with dread.
Just where in the hell had he been taken?!
The two sides stared at each other, the silence thick enough to cut with a knife.
In the stillness, Momonga's heartbeat was a deafening drum in his ears.
"Ahem..." Momonga cleared his throat, trying to cut the suffocating tension.
He forced his voice to remain steady.
"Friends of the Whitebeard Pirates... uh... there's really no need for things to be so tense. Why don't we all just sit down and talk this over?"
The moment he finished speaking, the room erupted in laughter.
It was as if they hadn't even heard him.
Ace, in particular, couldn't contain his excitement.
His eyes blazed with a fierce battle lust as he cracked his knuckles and leaped forward.
"Nobody touch him! This one's mine!" he shouted.
Ever since mastering Armament Haki, he had been itching for a real test.
A Marine Vice Admiral was the perfect opponent.
Without another word, he launched a flaming punch straight at Momonga.
Momonga sighed.
He knew he was surrounded and stood no chance.
Fighting or not, he was getting captured.
So why waste the energy?
As Ace's fist closed in, Momonga reluctantly raised an arm to block.
"Wait! I really think we can talk—"
Ace was already lost in the thrill of the fight, completely ignoring him and pressing his assault relentlessly.
Momonga could only defend, sighing internally.
It seemed there was no escaping this.
He was a Marine Vice Admiral, after all.
He was calm by nature, but there's only so much a man can take.
As Ace's attacks grew fiercer, his patience finally snapped.
"ENOUGH!" Momonga roared, his eyes flashing with anger. "Fire Fist Ace, if you want a fight, then you'll get one!"
With that, he switched from defense to offense, charging at Ace with the overwhelming momentum of a seasoned warrior.
Hearing this, Ace didn't falter for a second.
Instead, he laughed heartily. "Hahaha! That's what I've been waiting for!"
His laugh was full of fighting spirit and genuine respect.
In the next moment, the two men unleashed their full power, clashing violently in the confined space.
Every blow seemed to rip the air apart as they aimed for each other's vital points, ruthless and unrelenting.
*****
Outside the Castle Ring...
Jozu was lost in the pure, unadulterated joy of plundering the Marine warships.
To capture Whitebeard, the Navy had dispatched forty ships, forming a massive blockade.
To Jozu, they were just forty abandoned treasure chests, each one filled with glorious spoils.
He zipped between the ships, and with each hold he emptied, an indescribable sense of accomplishment surged through him.
When he finally finished looting the fourth warship, he stood on the deck, savoring his victory.
It was then that he suddenly realized his Pops was missing.
"Huh? Where'd Pops go?" Jozu looked around, searching for that familiar, colossal figure.
But no matter where he looked, there was no sign of Whitebeard—or Kizaru.
He frowned, a bad feeling starting to creep into his gut.
He spotted a trembling Marine hiding behind a cannon and grabbed him by the collar.
"Hey, you," he demanded sharply. "Where did they go? I'm asking—"
Before he could finish, the Marine, who seemed to know what was coming, quickly raised a shaking hand and pointed off into the distance.
"Th-that way! They went that way!" he stammered.
"Are you sure?" Jozu's eyes widened, flashing with doubt and anger.
He stared intently at the Marine, trying to read his expression.
The Marine's legs shook uncontrollably under the commander's gaze, but he still insisted.
"Y-yes... Just now... Whitebeard and Admiral Kizaru... they were fighting their way in that direction... They went... that way..."
----------------------------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator