Kuzan

Under the scorching midday sun, a man of imposing height pedaled a surprisingly small bicycle for his size. His unbuttoned green coat fluttered in the sea breeze as Marco simply observed him from his spot.

With each turn of the wheel, the bicycle left a trail of ice in its wake, a reminder of the power that dwelled within him. "Creak... creak... creak..." The creaking of the metal chain mingled with the sound of waves crashing against the shore, creating a tense moment. Marco didn't seem to pay attention to the sound, his gaze fixed on the sea where a solitary figure grew closer and closer to his location.

"Admiral Ku... No, Officer of the Blackbeard Pirates, Kuzan," Marco said in a grave voice as Kuzan stopped a few meters away, observing him with an indecipherable expression under his glasses.

An uncomfortable silence settled between the two men. The sea seemed to hold its breath, expectant in the face of the meeting of these two forces. Marco stopped a few meters from Kuzan, his piercing eyes scrutinizing the former admiral's face.

Of all the people who could appear in his path, it just had to be a former Marine Admiral. Marco's mind filled with questions. Why had Kuzan joined Blackbeard? What was motivating him? Despite the doubts, one thing was true: Kuzan signified a catastrophic increase in the Blackbeard Pirates' combat power.

A shiver ran down Marco's spine as he recalled Garp's defeat at the hands of the former admiral. While age had weakened the legendary Marine, it didn't diminish Kuzan's merit. An opponent not to be underestimated.

"I had some complications while I was on my way... that won't have anything to do with you, will it?..." Kuzan said in a calm voice, breaking the uncomfortable silence. His words seemed to hide something, a truth he didn't want to reveal.

A few days ago while he was in Hachinosu, Teach told him it was time to capture Marco, as he was wounded and his strength was waning. But while he was heading here, he ran into trouble while arriving here, it was like a cataclysm, as if the sea and the sky were angry, although he had experienced many situations in the sea, this occasion was something unique and his instincts told him that it had everything to do with Marco.

"...But Marco... I need you to come with me." Kuzan's voice turned firm, finally revealing his purpose. His eyes, hidden behind dark glasses, shone with an unknown intensity.

Marco stared at him, saying nothing.

"Kuzan!! I don't know why you've joined Blackbeard! But you should know that Teach won't give you what you're looking for!" Narrowing his eyes, Marco shouted, his voice filled with anger and frustration. If he couldn't make him react, he would have no choice but to fight, even though he had only occupied this body a few hours ago. But thanks to Marco's memories and the system, he could fight like Marco himself, and even better.

With the same expressionless look as always, but adopting a battle stance, Kuzan spoke in a chilling voice: "Stop the nonsense and come with me." A sigh that froze the air around him escaped his lips. "If you continue to disobey... I'll simply have to take you by force."

*Fsw!*

Without further ado, Marco transformed. His arms turned into wings of blazing blue fire, and his legs transmuted into sharp eagle claws. In an instant, he lunged at Kuzan, leaving a trail of blue flames that illuminated the twilight sky.

Striking with the force of a Phoenix. His eagle legs, imbued with Haki, hit Kuzan full in the chest, who despite his quick reaction could only cross his arms to protect himself.

*Boom!*

A roar echoed through the air, like the clash of two asteroids. Kuzan, surprised by the force of the blow, went flying through the air and fell into the sea with a thunderous splash. The waves rose furiously, threatening to swallow him.

But Kuzan was not a man who would give up easily. With a quick and precise move, he used his famous "Ice Age". His hands touched the surface of the water, and in an instant, an extreme cold spread everywhere. The turbulent sea froze in the blink of an eye, becoming a work of ice that defied gravity. Even the huge waves that rushed towards the coast were petrified in place.

"So that's how it's going to be..." Kuzan muttered with a wry smile. "Fighting in the sea will only be a disadvantage for you." He let the wind blow his coat away, revealing a white shirt and a scarf around his neck.

Raising his head, he looked at Marco flying with his fiery wings. An extreme cold emanated from his body, freezing the air around him. In his opinion, fighting in the sea against someone like him was an absurd idea.

On hearing this, Marco descended from the sky, his eyes fixed on Kuzan. The sea's curse no longer affected him, but he wouldn't reveal it unless absolutely necessary. "Don't underestimate my strength," he growled.

With a swift movement, Marco redirected his body in the air and launched a blistering kick towards Kuzan. The former admiral, unfazed, concentrated his ice power on his right hand, coating it with Haki.

"Ice Glove!"

In an epic clash, his icy fist met Marco's flaming foot.

"Booooom!"The explosion of energy was such that the ice surrounding the two combatants cracked. A shower of icy fragments rained down on them, while a shockwave rippled across the frozen surface of the sea.

In the epicenter of the storm, a blue fiery foot and an ice fist stood momentarily stalemated, caught in this instant, between two opposing forces. Marco, thrilled by the intensity of the battle, focused so much on his attack that he neglected his opponent for a moment.

*Zing!*

That was the mistake Kuzan had been waiting for! "Ice Saber!" Taking advantage of Marco's distraction, he materialized a short ice saber in his hand and, with a quick and precise movement, stabbed him in the lower abdomen.

*Plunge!*

"Ugh!" Pain shot through Marco's body like an electric shock. The ice saber pierced deeply, leaving a bleeding wound on his skin. However, in a reflex action, the blue flames that enveloped his body intensified, melting Kuzan's saber, cauterizing the wound and healing it rapidly.

Kuzan, surprised by Marco's rapid regeneration, tried to retreat. But it was too late. The Phoenix's massive fiery wings had closed around him, trapping him in a sea of blazing flames.

"What are you doing, you maniac?!" Kuzan shouted, his face contorted in terror. At that moment, he had a idea of what Marco wanted to do!

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Author: If I see that you like it, I'll write a few more chapters for those who want to support me financially on Patreon.