Flame Emperor!
The name sent a shiver down the spines of Smoker, Hina, and every sailor on the ship as they began to sweat uncontrollably. The voice emanating from the phone bug was unmistakable, infamous across the globe since the live broadcast of the Entei Incident.
This was the man who single-handedly orchestrated the Entei Incident, shaking the world to its core. He had demonstrated a combat power that not only rivaled but surpassed that of the Four Emperors. He was the one who defeated the Marine Headquarters and forced Sengoku, now the Naval Headquarters Inspector General, to resign as Marine Marshal.
Even the Five Elders, the highest authorities in the world, could not prevent this man from publicly executing three Celestial Dragons. He had boldly smashed the head of Jaygarcia Saturn, one of the Five Elders, in front of the entire world. His display of the sun's terrifying power against Kaido at the end of the Entei Incident was a testament to his formidable strength.
His tactics were as terrifying as his power, forcing the Five Elders to make unprecedented concessions, including the suspension of the Buster Call, the symbol of the world government's absolute justice. It was because of this man that Sengoku relinquished his position as Marshal, and Aokiji and Zephyr quit the Marines. The position of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, left vacant by the death of Crocodile at his hands, had to be filled, leading to the selection of Whitebeard II—directly causing Zephyr's departure from the Marines.
It was no exaggeration to say that this man was the source of the current chaos.
Facing the man who stands at the pinnacle of this era's ocean, even just a phone call brings tremendous pressure to everyone present. The sailors, elite marines from the Naval Headquarters, had experienced firsthand the overwhelming power of this man during the Entei Incident. It wasn't just a lesson learned; many had been rendered completely unconscious merely by the roar of his Conqueror's Haki.
In front of this man, even the 22nd Lieutenant of the Naval Headquarters or a general had no chance of staying awake. His Haki was superior to that of the Four Emperors—he was known as "the most Haki man in the world," Flame Emperor, Portgas D. Ace. The impact of his Conqueror's Haki alone could incapacitate everyone from Naval Headquarters Vice Admirals to ordinary soldiers. Under its terrifying influence, even high-ranking officers could only crawl.
Such a man, as long as he stomps his feet, causes huge waves across the entire sea. And now, this man had called Aokiji, the former Admiral of Headquarters and a former top combat force of the world government, issuing a captain's order. Was the sea going to riot again because of him?
Flame Emperor!
Smoker's eyes were blood-red as he stared at the phone bug in Kuzan's hand, his teeth clenched, and blood flowed from the corners of his mouth. He was unwilling to give in, not now, not ever. During the Entei Incident, he had gone to the battlefield of the Sabaody Archipelago with the determination to confront Portgas D. Ace. Smoker had wanted to understand why Tashigi, after being kidnapped by Ace in Logue Town, was so determined to join the Entei Pirates.
However, the cruel reality left Smoker, who was mentally strong, feeling a bit desperate. He wasn't even qualified to set foot on that battlefield. Ace, using the power of the Mera-Mera Fruit, had turned the entire battlefield into a hell of lava, with temperatures reaching tens of thousands of degrees. In such an environment, no Logia Devil Fruit user could fully utilize their abilities. His Smoke-Smoke Fruit couldn't even complete elementalization.
The Devil Fruit ability of Portgas D. Ace dominated the battlefield, rendering other abilities useless. Those lacking strength and willpower couldn't even stay conscious in the presence of Ace's Conqueror's Haki. His Devil Fruit ability seemed superior to all others, reigning as the king of Devil Fruits. Smoker, as a user of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit, keenly felt the overwhelming power of Ace's ability.
He realized he didn't have the strength to enter that battlefield. Forcing his way in wouldn't allow him to fight Ace; the terrifying heat alone would evaporate all the water in his body. In response, Marshal Sengoku had called upon the Haki masters of the Marines to form a vanguard, attempting to break through the hellish environment created by Ace.
Smoker's Haki wasn't strong enough to cover his entire body, leaving him unqualified to face Ace. When confronted by Ace's Conqueror's Haki, he instantly lost consciousness, just like that day in Logue Town. Clenching his fists tightly, his nails dug into the flesh of his palms. After his initial encounter with Ace's Haki, he returned to headquarters and underwent harsh training, becoming much stronger over the past year.
Yet, the gap between him and Ace hadn't narrowed; it had widened. The aftermath of Ace's Conqueror's Haki alone was enough to render him unconscious and unable to resist. Ace, standing above the Four Emperors, was the strongest man in the world, and just his name left Smoker breathless.
But he refused to give in. Why was Tashigi now so loyal to this man? After the Entei Incident, Smoker focused on Tashigi's report. She had become a user of the Transparent Fruit, an ability that allowed the Entei Pirates to bypass Marine defenses and launch a surprise attack on three Celestial Dragons in the Sabaody Archipelago. This ability disrupted all Naval Headquarters' plans, placing them at a severe disadvantage before the war even began.
Tashigi was now a member of the Entei Pirates' fleet, known as the 'Silent Swordsman,' with a bounty of 450 million beli—a great pirate and an enemy of justice. And now, his senior, Kuzan, whom he admired so much, had left the Marines and joined Ace. Smoker had an intuition that if Ace ordered it, Tashigi would swing her sword at him without hesitation, and Kuzan would use his Frozen Fruit ability to freeze him.
Smoker was desperate to understand what had driven Tashigi and Kuzan to abandon justice and the Marines to become pirates under Ace's command.
"This voice, Smoker, it's been a long time no see."
Ace's tone was light, almost as if he were chatting with an old friend.
"Are you kidding?! We are enemies, Flame Emperor!"
Smoker's eyes hardened, and he roared in anger.
"Enemies? Is there such a thing as an absolute and unchangeable enemy in this world? Your perspective is too narrow, Smoker."
Ace held the phone bug, leaning back slightly, his head resting on Robin's lap, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Smoker clenched his fists but couldn't retort. The weight of Ace's words left him speechless. His former comrade-in-arms had now pledged allegiance to this man. The very fabric of their alliances had undergone a seismic shift, leaving Smoker feeling disoriented and compelled to chase Kuzan.
"Captain, do you need me to get rid of them?"
Kuzan's voice was icy, and a cold breath escaped his lips. A hint of ultimate chill flashed through his eyes beneath his sunglasses. He had steeled himself to confront his former comrades the moment he decided to join the Entei Pirates. To reform the world and realize his dreams, bloodshed and sacrifice were inevitable. The naive notions of the past had long been discarded by Kuzan. Even in the face of old friends, he would show no mercy if Ace commanded it.
In the past, he had hesitated to kill due to lingering ties to his comrades. But now, with Ace's captain's order clearly heard by Smoker and Hina, any hesitation had to be set aside. Anything or anyone that stood in Ace's way would be frozen by Kuzan's chilling power.
"!!!"
The increasingly terrifying freezing air around Kuzan, coupled with the murderous intent in his words, sent shivers down Smoker and Hina's spines. They trembled in shock.
Kuzan truly intended to kill them if needed!
Zephyr, who stood beside Kuzan, stared at him in disbelief beneath his sunglasses. Kuzan had been his disciple ever since joining the Marines, and Zephyr knew the man well. Despite consuming the coldest fruit, Kuzan was, at heart, one of the warmest people. He cared for his subordinates, protected civilians, and carried out his own sense of justice. Even after the Ohara incident had caused Kuzan to doubt the World Government's justice, leading him to adopt a lazy form of justice, his concern for his subordinates and civilians remained steadfast.
But now, hearing Kuzan speak so casually about dealing with Smoker and the others, Zephyr was stunned. What kind of conviction had Kuzan found in Ace to reach this point? What vision of the future had Ace shown him?
"You still carry a strong aura. The person by your side should be the former Admiral of Headquarters, 'Black Arm' Zephyr?" Ace's voice broke through, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as his Observation Haki spread to encompass Zephyr through the phone. Though he had never seen Zephyr, the unfamiliar aura captured by his Haki was clear enough for a bit of "reasoning" to identify.
"Isn't it a bit weak?" Ace's words cut through the silence.
Zephyr's silence deepened. Though he had stepped back and aged, his Haki and martial prowess, combined with his mechanical arm "Crusher" equipped with seastone, still placed him above an Admiral candidate. Yet, from Ace's perspective, he was weak—a fair assessment from the man who stood at the pinnacle of this era.
"Yes, former Admiral of Headquarters, 'Black Arm' Zephyr, along with his students and subordinates who left the Marines. I wanted to talk to him, but do I need to get rid of him too?" Kuzan inquired.
"Don't be too arrogant!"
Ain, the possessor of the Regress-Regress Fruit, shouted angrily at Kuzan, her eyes blazing.
"You are indeed different, Kuzan. Now call me Z," Zephyr roared, his fists and robotic arm wrapped in powerful Armament Haki.
"Z? Then we'll call you that. Your plan is to use explosive rocks to blow up the New World, right?" Ace's lips curled into a smile.
Zephyr's pupils shrank in shock. How did Ace know his plan? He hadn't even shared it with Ain or the others yet—it was a recent thought, to use explosive rocks to trigger volcanic eruptions in the New World, destroying it and burying all the pirates there. The man once known as the No-Kill Admiral had devised this extreme method to end the era of great pirates after Weevil joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
"Explosive rocks? What a dangerous idea, Mr. Zephyr, or rather, Z," Kuzan remarked. His Observation Haki had already confirmed Ace's words by sensing the sudden spike of emotions in Zephyr.
"Bring them back in ice, otherwise, they will escape. Explosive rocks will also be a problem. And the person who spoke earlier, the one with the Regress-Regress Fruit—let's bring her back as well. It's a useful ability," Ace instructed, his tone light.
"Alright." Kuzan exhaled a breath of freezing air. The battle was about to commence.