"Kuzan?!" Zephyr stood stunned.

He hadn’t expected Kuzan to be involved in this. If it were true, then with the power of the Ice- Ice Fruit, he certainly possessed the ability to freeze the timers and render the Dyna Stones inert.

Beside him, Ain and Binz shared his disbelief. They hurriedly pulled out their pocket watches to check the time.

"How is this possible? The time... it’s already passed!"

As they stared at their watches, their shock deepened. The scheduled detonation time set by Z had passed minutes ago. Why was there no movement? Why was there no sound of an explosion?

"Damn it! Kuzan, you traitor!"

Seeing the reactions of Ain and Binz, Zephyr’s expression turned utterly grim. If Secon Island wasn’t destroyed and they were pinned down by the Chris Pirates, the delay would allow the Navy to swarm the area. The Neo Marines would have zero chance of victory; they would be annihilated between the hammer of the Navy and the anvil of the Chris Pirates.

"Heh heh heh... It couldn’t be helped. Even Kuzan couldn’t stand by and watch your plan unfold. It’s better if an old man like you stops causing trouble for the rest of the world," Aeridar sneered, his grin widening savagely. "Piriodo Island is a volcanic wasteland. Terrible feng shui. But Secon Island? A spring-like paradise of hot springs. I’d say I’ve picked a rather nice grave for you!"

"Hmph. Big words for a brat!" Zephyr snorted coldly. "In that case, I’ll just crush you filthy pirates in one go and reset the Dyna Stones myself!"

"Heh heh heh... The one talking big is you, Z!" Aeridar looked at Zephyr with mocking eyes. "You couldn’t protect your family! You couldn’t protect your students! You couldn’t even protect your own right arm! You’re nothing but a failure! A piece of trash discarded by the era!"

"..."

Each word was a blade piercing Zephyr’s heart. His face turned pale, and his body swayed. In that moment, he didn’t look like a monster-tier powerhouse; he looked like a fragile, broken old man.

"You call us filthy? You, the man once titled ’Black Arm’ for never killing? Now, the number of people you want to slaughter is far greater than the most heinous pirates in the world..."

Aeridar cast a contemptuous glance at Zephyr. "Heh... the ’Admiral who Never Kills’? What a joke. You’re just like Mother Carmel from decades ago. And your family? They died because of that ’holy’ title of yours. You think changing your name can erase the past? Zephyr, your entire life is nothing but a tragedy!"

The ruthlessly reopened wounds of his family and students left Zephyr speechless. He stood in silence, his silhouette looking desolate.

Seeing her teacher being broken down by words, Ain cried out in worry, "Z-sensei! Don’t listen to that man’s lies!"

Her voice reached Zephyr’s ears, jolting him back to his senses.

Hoo...

Zephyr exhaled a long breath of turbid air. His spirit returned, and his powerful aura began to coalesce once more.

"You’re right. My life is a tragedy," Zephyr said, his voice heavy as he stared at Aeridar. "And that is exactly why I must end the source of all tragedy in this world!"

"Die, you piece of filth!"

With a roar, Zephyr slammed his foot into the ground. His massive, muscular frame lunged forward, closing the distance instantly. The giant Battle Smasher swung down with crushing force.

"The one who’s dying is you, you relic! Armament Hardening: Bear Claw!"

Irritated that his psychological warfare had failed, Aeridar roared back. His right arm swelled in size, turning into a metallic pillar of obsidian as he threw a punch to meet the strike.

BOOM—! RUMBLE!

The giant mechanical fist and the smaller human fist collided. The air screamed as it was displaced, creating ripples of shockwaves. The resulting gale swept across the dunes for hundreds of meters. Beneath them, the sand buckled and shattered, hollowing out a crater over ten meters in diameter as the earth groaned under the pressure.

"External power is nothing to rely on!"

Aeridar grinned savagely, pointing at the deep fist-shaped dent he had left in Zephyr’s Battle Smasher.

Crr-crack!

A hairline fracture appeared on the Smasher, a weapon made of specialized alloys and Seastone. In the next heartbeat, before everyone’s eyes, the massive device let out a mechanical shriek. A burst of flame erupted from within, and the weapon fell apart, reduced to a heap of twisted scrap metal on the sand.

"The... the Smasher... it broke?! Impossible!"

Ain, Binz, and the Neo Marine elites stood agape. The sight of the legendary weapon lying in pieces was beyond their belief.

Zephyr looked at the wreckage for a moment, momentarily stunned. Then, he let out a carefree laugh. He flexed his mechanical prosthetic arm, the one beneath the Smasher, and said calmly, "It was just a weapon. Don’t forget, my fists aren’t for show either!"

He knew that against a true monster, a weapon like the Smasher couldn’t keep up forever. Its destruction was inevitable.

Seeing Zephyr’s arms turn obsidian-black and feeling the shift in his aura, Aeridar’s gaze grew solemn. "Black Arm Zephyr..."

On the Chris, Arlan narrowed his eyes. "Enough stalling. Wipe out the small fry. And remember: be careful of that female Marine’s ability. The Paramecia Return-Return Fruit. She can return anything she touches 12 years back in time. One touch, and you’re 12 years younger. Two touches, and you’re erased from existence!"

"Hiss...!" The pirates gasped. Being 12 years younger sounded nice at first, but the thought of being blinked out of existence was terrifying.

"All units, move out! Annihilate the Neo Marines!" Arlan commanded with a wave of his hand.

"KILL!"

"Wipe them out!"

The air was filled with deafening battle cries as thousands of pirates swarmed off the Chris, brandishing weapons and rushing the dunes like a black tide.

"Oh no! The Chris Pirates are making their move!" The Neo Marines panicked at the sudden total assault.

"Prepare for battle!"

"Order the ships to fire!"

"Watch out for their executives!"

Ain barked out orders with professional calm, steadying her troops to meet the onslaught.