22 He's your ... what? II

(Kuzan POV)

*...Bum???*

Not even the sound of Straw Hat Luffy's fist hitting my stomach knew whether it should even exist, that's how little I felt the hit. It was like a fly hitting the windshield of a freight truck. I used this chance to freeze his hand. I made sure though that it wouldn't happen too fast, otherwise, this would be useless. My training allowed me to freeze someone without Haki in the span of 1.e-10 seconds. A person who could use Haki, but wasn't that proficient took about 1.e-7, roughly. If a person could use Haki and was already using Haki, but wasn't an Emperor class, it took me about 1.e-4 maybe a bit more. For all those stronger than that, it varied greatly on the individual and the strength of the person and the circumstance. 

*SSHHHH*

Slowly the three of them, where I touched them or they were in contact with my body, began to freeze slowly. 

"So cold! WAAH!", Luffy exclaimed. 

"GUAAH!!"

*CRACK*

"OWAAHH!"

*CRACK*

"GYAAAAAH! He froze them!!", the Reindeer and Pinocchio screamed. All three of them were on the ground screaming because of the pain. They would be severely burnt even when the ice is gone. 

"He took down the three of them with one strike ...!", the orange-haired one, who dressed too revealing and was probably giving my Robin strange ideas, was shocked to her core. 

"This ... This is bad! We have to treat them immediately, or their hands and legs will never heal!", the Reindeer, probably the doctor of the crew exclaimed. 

I look at Robin who has a slight worry in her eyes. 

"You know what I told you."

"Yes.", she says but with determination in her eyes this time. 

"Then get ready.", I say and pull back my arm. My arm turns into ice and I then punch her.

"Robin!! Get away from him!"

"Robin!!"

She has already folded her arms and from the ground, a big hand rises and blocks my punch. The hand shatters immediately. My fist continues with the same momentum, not having lost any. But Robin has already moved back since she expected this outcome. 

I look at her and then move my head to the side and avoid a fist coming from behind. I then grab that arm that has elongated and use it like a slingshot. I smash it towards Robin. But she has already prepared for this. Many hands sprout from the ground and catch the rubber man's body. 

I block an attack by the Orange as she tries to hit me with a staff. I raise the staff in the air and she with it, as she doesn't let go. There is no skill involved in the way she uses that staff. I pull the staff away from her and smack her on the head with it.

"Stand aside, girl.", I say and she flies to the side. 

"Nami-san!!", the blonde says and begins to run toward me. The swordsman unsheathes one of his katanas when the Straw Hat shouts. 

"Wait, you two!!"

"Luffy!!"

"Don't fight him. I want to fight him alone!!", the boy says. I have to say, that this is something Garp would also do, but to think that he has survived up till now with this attitude ... 

"Let's settle this ... You and me, mano a mano!"

"It is time that someone teaches you how the world works, little man.", I say and don't even turn around. The other two are about to leave. I however don't have any intention of letting them leave. 

"Gomu Gomu no ... Pistol!", the Straw Hat screams and attacks me, but I don't move away and let it hit me. I don't feel the hit anyway. 

"Where do you think you're going?", I ask the rest of the crew who were about to run away. They don't stop though and try to reach their ship. They do stop, however, when they hear a loud bang. 

*BANG*

They look back and see their captain lying on the ground next to me. A light Haki punch to the head and he is out cold. This causes them to stop though and face me again. I can see that they have come to the Grand Line far too soon after starting their adventure. They don't know what to expect. It is unbelievable luck that they didn't encounter anyone strong yet. And I am still unsure how the Straw Hat defeated Crocodile.

"You all don't understand what it means to be pirates on the sea. You are not prepared yet. The only one who does know apparently didn't tell you ... no, she did tell you, but you didn't take it seriously. Foolish."

The swordsman slashes at me. I am nice and dodge his attack, to simulate a real fight. The blonde one attacks me with another kick, which I catch with my hand again. Before his leg can be frozen, a giant foot stomps down on me. I humour my daughter and hold my hand out to block the attack while forming an ice sword with my other hand and blocking another attack from the swordsman. 

I can feel their emotions. The Pinnochio especially is afraid. He needs to get that under control, otherwise he is useless on the Grand Line. The Orange tries to hit me with her staff again. To the surprise of them all, a hole opens in my chest and the staff doesn't hit anything. Right after that, the hole closes and traps the staff. 

The swordsman is still trying to push me but doesn't get any further. Robin meanwhile is using her head and sprouts multiple hands on my body and blocks my eyes and my nose and mouth. She is a clever one, my daughter. I feel more hands forming and also another giant leg that comes crashing down at me. 

*BOOM*

Dust rises and the group distances themselves, while the orange grabs Straw Hat and begins to run towards the Reindeer doctor. Before that can happen though, an ice wall rises from the ground and stops her from leaving. 

As the dust clears, they see me standing there without a scratch whatsoever. Then they jump into action once again. The green and yellow heads attack at the same time. I swing my sword at the swordsman and using some of my strength, I slash at him. He managed to block in time, but his body shoots backwards. 

Then I turn around and kick against the blonde's own leg. Our legs meet and I hear a crack, causing him to scream. 

"AARRHHH"

Many hands begin to appear and form a giant arm. Then the arm suddenly darkens and shoots towards me. A smile finds its way to my face. She has grown, good. 

But she will need much more than that to do any damage to me. I catch the giant fist and feel the strength. She has become proficient in using her devil fruit and Haki. But that won't be enough. 

"Gomu Gomu no ... Gattling!", I hear the Straw Hat has woken up again. It seems they don't understand their situation. So let's end this. 

I clench my hand, which is holding Robin's construct and it shatters. I can feel the strain it took for Robin. I tilt my head to the side again and catch the elongated arm. I pull it towards the incoming kick from the blonde. Then I block the sword swing from the other one and use my superior speed and experience to cut him cleanly across his chest. 

Then I punch the rubber man and kick the blonde in the head. I catch a projectile that comes from Pinnochio. So he finally decided to help. Commendable, but useless. I throw the projectile back and it hits him on the head, knocking him out. 

I am just about to knock them out completely when I am stopped.

"Enough! ... Dad ..."

I stop and look at Robin. 

"D... Dad?!!"

"Wait he ... he's ..."

"...YOUR FATHER?!!!"

"HUUUUHHH?!!"

"Yes ... he's my father. He saved me and ... I owe him everything. I understand what you did here. I understand that we're not the strongest crew and that we don't stand a chance against any of the Emperors and their crews yet ... I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but they're good people and I trust them, Dad.", she says to me and I can see she is serious. 

"Very well then, Robin. I never wanted to stand between you and your dream anyway. But if a crew takes you in, it should be strong enough to deal with the dangers of the world. Nevertheless ... if you trust them, then I'll do the same. But watch out ... your captain is a Monkey D. and they are the most reckless and headstrong people on the planet.", I say and see her smile at me. I am rather weak towards that smile. 

"I guess I didn't see the Straw Hat Pirates here. I better tell the HQ about that.", I say and then leave the area. It is time for me to get back right about now. Or ... I could go sightseeing. I haven't done that in a while. 

.

.

(3rd Person POV)

Kuzan left Long Ring Long Land and made his way to the New World. A while ago, he made contact with Vegapunk and told him that he knew what was going on between him, Bartholomew Kuma and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn. He told him what he wanted. He said that under no circumstances, should Vegapunk delete Kuma's knowledge. Kuma was his friend and he had met with him after years of separation. He told Vegapunk that he would destroy everything in Egghead, should he not do as he said. 

He made his way towards Sabaody as usual underwater. He didn't want to be called back before he 'found' the Straw Hat Pirates. He wanted to waste as much time as possible and therefore he did so underwater. He didn't stop in Sabaody at all and simply continued towards the New World. He wanted to go to Egghead since he heard the meeting between the Shichibukai in Mary Geoise should be over by now. 

On the way, Kuzan made some stops though and fought against some giant Sea Kings. He wanted to test his strength against the behemoths after all this time. Some of the Sea Kings were truly ginormous and it was still a challenge for Kuzan to fight them. He wouldn't die, but he couldn't always win against the biggest of their race, with pure strength alone. So training by fighting them was one of his favourite ways to train. 

.

He finally reached Egghead and walked in, just to hear his friend talk with the scientist with a far-too-long tongue. 

"This is unsettling.", I hear Kuma say. 

"You think so?", Vegapunk asks, "Their progression is as smoothly as your own modifications."

"Never mind that though, did you hear the news? Apparently, some rookies declared war on the World Government!", Kuma says. Kuzan didn't know that yet. 

"WHAT?!"

"A man with rubber powers standing up to the World Government. What a quirk of fate. He sounds just like my idol, Nika."

"Pe Pe Pe! That's true!"

"No one will turn you into anything you don't want anymore Kuma.", Kuzan says and reveals himself to the two. 

"Aokiji!!?"

"Kuzan ... what are you doing here?", Kuma asks in surprise, because he couldn't sense him.

"I came here to see you. Did you think about what I told you?"

"I did. And I will go through with the deal until the end."

"Because of Bonney?"

"Yes."

"Then don't worry about it. I will gladly take care of her and you disappear in the meantime. The piss ant Saturn can't do anything against you then."

"I made a deal and if I-"

"Stop! If Bonney knew, she would kill herself to stop you from going through with it. There is no way I will allow the apple-head here to take away your memories. If those are gone, you won't be you anymore ... you will die. And that won't happen. Not on my watch."