Chapter 119: The Curtain Falls

Shanks, having already darted to Kuzan’s side, spoke with a defiant air: "How about this, Kuzan? Do me a favor and call it quits here. If we truly fight with everything we've got, you might be able to leave, but what about the soldiers on those warships in the distance? Given the power of that last strike, how many more hits do you think your navy ships can take?"

Kuzan’s face remained expressionless. Recalling the wavering thoughts he had felt earlier under the influence of the Inspiration-Inspiration Fruit, and glancing at his former friend Saul, he jumped off the Red Force and slowly walked toward where Issho was standing.

Seeing this, Kizaru looked at Betty, who was still glaring at him, and shook his head helplessly. "I'll go check on the warships," he said, before vanishing.

Kuzan approached Issho and asked solemnly, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku has extended an invitation for you to join the Navy. Are you willing to join us and protect justice together?"

Issho tapped his cane on the ground and replied with a stern expression, "Is the Navy's justice truly the justice in your heart?"

Kuzan seemed prepared for this question, having his response ready: "Justice is viewed differently by people in different positions, and it shifts with those positions, so I do not question the justice of others. However, when someone obstructs my own sense of justice, I will never let them off."

Hearing this, Issho nodded with a touch of relief. "In that case, I am willing to go back with you to meet that Fleet Admiral. As for whether I will join, we shall see when the time comes."

The two then walked one after the other toward Kuzan’s bicycle.

A moment later, Kuzan was seen pedaling his bicycle along the ice path he had created, moving at a leisurely pace. Issho followed close behind, sitting on a floating block of ice.

Watching their retreating figures, Yukikoma, who was standing on the ice, slowly walked toward Shanks.

Seeing the somewhat bedraggled swordswoman, Shanks set aside his previously defiant attitude and asked seriously, "Are you really going to keep pursuing this?"

"Yes. If you intend to block me, then draw your blade," Yukikoma replied with equal determination.

"Do me a favor—you're the only one left here. Even if I just stood by and watched, you wouldn't necessarily be a match for that guy, Buffon," Shanks said earnestly once more.

Pinned by the truth, Yukikoma said resolutely, "Either you strike, or you step aside!"

Hearing this, Shanks drew his famous blade, Gryphon, and spoke with his trademark defiance again: "Why persist? Even with the Senbonzakura in your hand, you are certainly no match for me!"

"I'll only know if I try!"

As the words left her lips, the sky began to fill with falling "cherry blossom petals" around her.

...

Meanwhile, Buffon had only just climbed out of the sea. The reason for his delay was that the force of his last charged strike had sent Laboon plummeting into the depths.

To prevent any accidents, he had to dive back down to find the whale.

Fortunately, Laboon was uninjured, though the group trapped inside the "stomach acid ocean" had endured a rough time.

Upon reaching the surface and seeing that three Admiral-level combatants had already left, with only Yukikoma still fighting Shanks, Buffon felt a sense of bewilderment.

"Tai-la-hi! Captain Buffon, was that last strike of yours the Elbaf Spear of our Giant race? I don't think even the two legends of our people could match that power!"

Among the current group, Saul was the one who had been with Buffon the longest, having watched him grow throughout their journey. Although he still couldn't fathom how Buffon possessed so many hidden trump cards, it didn't stop him from being fiercely loyal.

Buffon nodded and diverted the conversation: "Where are the other three?"

"Borsalino went to the warships, and Kuzan rode off on his bicycle with the blind man!"

After hearing Saul’s report, Buffon glanced at Yukikoma, who was locked in a fierce battle with Shanks, and sighed with a touch of helplessness: "I'll handle that swordswoman myself."

As he spoke, a pink-clad figure flew over from the sky, cradling a red-haired man in her arms.

"Vinsmoke Ichiji! It seems my raid suit has arrived!" Buffon thought, preparing to ask, but then he noticed the deep, bone-exposed wound on Ichiji's shoulder.

Buffon frowned, that familiar feeling of discomfort rising in his chest.

"Who did this?" he asked.

After landing and placing Ichiji on the ground, Reiju replied, "It was Kizaru’s Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, and then he was hit by my poison mist. I’ve neutralized the poison, but this wound..."

Before she could finish, Buffon knelt down. His sewing needles and thread flew from his hands, and with movements too fast for the naked eye to track, Ichiji’s wound was instantly restored to its original state.

Looking at the damaged raid suit, Buffon had a thought. "Take him back to the ship first. I’ll deal with that swordswoman, and then see if I can stitch this suit back together."

Ichiji, stunned beyond words by Buffon’s stitching technique, asked hesitantly, "You are Buffon?"

Buffon nodded. "Where is my raid suit?"

Ichiji was baffled by the non-sequitur. He looked at Reiju in confusion and asked, "Big sister! How can this guy..."

Before he could finish, he received a light punch from Reiju. "Show some respect. Where is the suit?"

*What is going on here?* Ichiji wondered. *Weren't they supposed to have had their emotions removed? And what is with my sister's attitude?*

However, lacking the capacity for complex emotional thought, Ichiji didn't dwell on it and pulled a black-and-white canister from his waist, handing it to Reiju.

Reiju didn't hand it to Buffon immediately; she examined it carefully. Unlike the numbers marked on their own canisters, Buffon's bore the exact emblem of the Juventus's pirate flag.

This, of course, was not designed by Judge; it was done under Reiju’s "request."

"Try it, Captain Buffon!" Reiju said with a satisfied smile, handing him the canister.

Buffon took it and pressed the hidden switch at the bottom. A puff of white smoke erupted, and he immediately felt something wrapping around his body.

*Why is it different from my memories?* Buffon wondered. In his memories, the transformation process of a Germa 66 suit was either neon-drenched or incredibly cool and flashy, so why did it turn into a cloud of "dry ice" for him?

Reiju didn't notice the subtle change in Buffon's expression, instead admiring the transformed Buffon.

A black suit paired with white combat boots and a belt, with the Juventus emblem printed on the black-and-white cape behind him.

She was quite pleased with her design, especially seeing it worn by Buffon.

Buffon felt no discomfort; it felt as if he had simply grown an extra layer of steel skin.

Activating his combat boots, Buffon took off into the sky, flying toward the two combatants.

Noticing the movement, the two looked up at the approaching Buffon and his brand-new suit, both filled with questions.

*A Germa 66 suit? What is this kid's relationship with the Vinsmoke family? Not only has he undergone Lineage Factor modification, but Princess Reiju follows him everywhere, and now he even has a raid suit. Could it be...*

Yukikoma's thoughts were interrupted by Shanks's voice: "Buffon, I'll leave this to you."

With that, Shanks sheathed his blade and stepped aside, thinking to himself: *What a truly incredible kid. With the Vinsmoke family as his backing, even a Buster Call combined with the three Admirals might not be enough to stop him!*

Buffon cranked the jet power of his boots to the maximum and, combined with his own strength, kicked out a black slash wave toward Yukikoma.

The volume of the slash was smaller than when they had first fought in Alabasta, which meant the power contained within it was far greater.

Yukikoma swung her blade, unleashing her ultimate technique, the "Ten-Thousand Flower Blade." The sky full of "cherry blossom petals" became razor-sharp blades under her control, sweeping toward Buffon without a single blind spot.

The moment the two powers collided, Yukikoma’s face changed dramatically. The power of this black slash was completely different from what she had encountered before. Previously, it was a clash of forces leading to mutual attrition, but this time, it was pure absorption!

She instantly recalled the awkward situations she had faced before and instinctively held her sword across her chest, unleashing countless cross-slashes toward the black, spherical wave.

*It seems the Shadow-Shadow Fruit has quite a few techniques to explore!* Buffon thought, hovering in the air and waiting for the outcome.

The slash wave showed no signs of slowing down. Yukikoma retreated and dodged, but no matter how she moved, she couldn't escape its pull.

At that moment, Shanks moved. Carrying Gryphon, he flashed behind Yukikoma, knocked her unconscious with the hilt of his sword, and effortlessly neutralized Buffon's attack.

On the surface, he looked calm and composed, but his inner shock was no less than anyone else's.

*This kid is hiding a lot. If that had landed, Konohanasakuya would likely have met a terrible end.*

Only he knew that this was only because the attack had already been drained of much of its power. Had it been at full force, he wouldn't have been able to handle it so easily; he most likely would have chosen to dodge.

"What do you plan to do with her?" Shanks asked with a wry smile, looking at the unconscious Yukikoma.

"Send her back to the Navy," Buffon said calmly.

Shanks nodded and carried Yukikoma onto his ship, the Red Force.