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The Strongest Frost Loli (104)
🕑 Added 2024-08-20 17:00:11 +0000 UTCChapter 104 - A Bouquet for the Future (Part 2)
The island was engulfed in a relentless rain of cannon fire.
On a stretch of sandy beach, illuminated by the raging flames, two figures stood facing each other. Kanata, observing the man illuminated by the inferno consuming the island, couldn’t help but click her tongue.
“Berg… Another troublesome opponent,” she muttered.
“It’s a surprise you know my name, considering this is our first encounter,” the man replied.
Kanata, concealed behind a gaudy golden skull mask, resembled Octavia, “Reverberation”.
Berg, like everyone else, mistook her for Octavia.
With Olivia on her back and Robin in her arms, it was a disadvantageous situation to fight Berg. However, he wasn’t someone she could easily escape either. Kanata couldn’t help but sigh.
Berg, tasked with stopping Saul, the rogue Marine, had encountered Kanata and was now pondering his next move.
He knew, based on information from Garp, that this woman was a formidable opponent. Her bounty of over 3.5 billion berries wasn’t just for show.
“What are you planning to do with them?” he asked, gesturing towards Olivia and Robin.
“They’re archaeologists. You intend to kill them, but I’m going to keep them alive.”
“Then you’re my enemy.”
Berg hadn’t joined the Marines to kill women and children. However, he believed that to prevent the revival of the Ancient Weapons, he had to swallow his pride and act.
It wasn’t difficult to imagine the tragedy that would unfold if the Ancient Weapons were revived. Such power would inevitably lead to chaos. Whether it fell into the hands of pirates or the World Government, the outcome would be the same – disaster.
Then, it was better to eliminate the possibility of revival from the start.
“I won’t say living is a crime. However, considering the potential for countless casualties if the Ancient Weapons are revived… I have to take your heads.”
“You blindly follow the World Government’s orders and kill whoever they deem necessary? You call that justice? Laughable.”
“At the very least, I know it shouldn’t fall into your hands.”
Kanata responded to Berg’s words, subtly adjusting her position. Berg, mirroring her movements, drew his sword.
“Hold on tight,” she told Olivia and Robin, then, in an instant, closed the distance between them.
Her Haki-clad leg swung with the force of a hurricane, colliding with Berg’s sword.
A sound, unlike anything produced by human contact, reverberated through the air, shaking the surrounding trees.
“You intend to fight me while protecting them?”
“I can handle you.”
“Don’t underestimate me.”
Berg reinforced his sword with Haki, aiming to cleave through Kanata, Olivia, and Robin.
He saw all three as enemies, but Kanata had to protect the two while fighting.
Olivia and Robin, unable to comprehend the rapid movements of the two clashing figures, were only aware that they were a burden.
They couldn't even speak properly amidst the intense battle.
After several clashes, they distanced themselves, dodging the indiscriminate cannon fire.
“Tch, troublesome.”
“Don’t think you can defeat me with one hand tied, and without using your ability.”
To make matters worse, Kanata could only dodge or block, unable to counterattack.
While Logia Devil Fruit users could move freely without fear of being harmed as long as their true bodies weren’t touched, Kanata couldn’t afford such reckless movements in this situation.
Even then, something felt off to Berg.
“This is quite different from the information I received. Even if your goal is the Ancient Weapons, there’s no need to protect both of them.”
“…What are you trying to say?”
“Are you truly “Reverberation”?”
His sharp gaze pierced through Kanata.
He had learned some information about Octavia from Garp and Sengoku. Garp was reluctant to speak of the past, but Berg understood that having information about a powerful enemy could sometimes be the deciding factor in a battle.
However, the information he had received didn’t match the woman before him.
“A bounty of over 3.5 billion berries. The Goro Goro no Mi, a Logia-type Devil Fruit that grants the user control over lightning – Your atrocities as a former member of the Rocks Pirates are countless. However, based on the information I’ve gathered, you’re not the type to protect others to this extent.”
He had heard stories of Octavia’s ruthlessness. They said the countries she attacked were left in ruins, the only sound remaining the echoes of thunder.
They said she manipulated royalty, embezzling most of a nation’s treasury without anyone noticing.
They said she–
Berg knew more, but the stories all shared a common theme – her disregard for human life. To revive the Ancient Weapons, only one archaeologist who could read the Road History Poneglyphs was needed. Octavia wasn’t the type to carry unnecessary baggage.
If she was truly Octavia, she would only need the archaeologist on her back. With one hand free, she could easily gain an advantage against him.
And above all, her reluctance to use her ability was the biggest mystery.
“You could use your ability, even with one hand tied. There’s a risk of electrocuting them, but I doubt someone with your strength would make such a mistake – Who are you?”
“….”
He was as perceptive as ever.
Ideally, Kanata wanted to put Olivia and Robin down and focus on fighting Berg, but… with cannon fire raining down, she couldn’t risk separating from them.
And since she wanted to make it seem like Octavia’s doing, she couldn’t use her own abilities. The situation was getting worse.
– Just then, the evacuation ship that had left the western coast exploded, engulfed in flames.
“What!? The evacuation ship?!”
“…It seems they were hit by cannon fire from the Marine warships.”
Berg was stunned. He looked towards the ship that had fired – Vice Admiral Sakazuki’s vessel.
“Sakazuki… That damned fool is acting on his own again.”
He couldn’t help but frown, but while he wasn’t pleased with Sakazuki’s decision to kill all the non-scholars, he could reprimand him later.
Right now, he had to focus on the opponent before him.
Meanwhile, Kanata, keeping her eyes on Berg, heard Robin’s warning.
“Saul! There’s red… something like lava heading towards him!”
“Lava… It’s Sakazuki. That man does as he pleases.”
Even among Vice Admirals, Berg and Sakazuki’s strength was in a league of their own. Saul wasn't weak, but he couldn't win against those two.
It was time to switch roles.
Kanata immediately turned and ran towards Saul. Berg, noticing her movement, unleashed a barrage of slashes, but she dodged them with her Observation Haki.
Saul, trying to avoid the massive lava fist hurtling towards him, received Olivia and Robin from Kanata.
“Saul, take care of them!”
“Whoa!? You’re back!?”
“There’s another Marine Vice Admiral who’s giving her trouble! He’s heading towards us…”
While Olivia explained the situation to Saul, Kanata kicked the lava fist in mid-air, deflecting it.
The molten rock would cause severe burns if touched directly, but with her Haki acting as armor, she could deflect it without making contact.
She landed on the wreckage of the ship Saul had sunk and borrowed a sword from one of the fallen Marines. While she wasn’t accustomed to using a sword, she wasn’t incapable of wielding it.
“–Berg! You came as well!”
“Vice Admiral Saul. You’ve chosen to side with them, I see.”
“Of course! After seeing what you did, can you still call yourselves righteous?!”
Berg couldn't retort to Saul, who was enraged by Sakazuki’s actions.
While he hadn’t intended for such a drastic outcome, his comrade had done it. Any words he spoke would ring hollow.
“However, as a Marine, I have a duty to fulfill. I can’t let you escape.”
“Damn… We have to run, Robin, Olivia! That guy is incredibly strong!!”
“I just said I won’t let you escape – My blade is complete.”
Berg gripped his sword with both hands, raising it above his head, focusing his aim.
An incredible amount of Haki concentrated, sending shivers down Saul’s spine. Even Olivia, with her limited combat experience, could sense the danger.
“I acknowledge your conviction. Therefore, I will cut you down with my full strength.”
“This is bad…! Olivia, take Robin and run!!”
“No! You won’t survive that attack, even you –Dragon Slayer.”
Berg swung his sword downwards, releasing a wave of Haki that cleaved through the island, heading straight for Saul.
Saul braced himself, accepting his fate – but in that instant, Kanata stepped in front of the attack.
She intercepted Berg’s slash with her borrowed sword, deflecting it towards the sea.
“…You deflected my attack so easily. You’re indeed formidable.”
“I haven't grown so weak that I would be defeated by a brute force attack.”
While the sword she held was an ordinary blade, reinforcing it with Haki significantly increased its durability. It was strong enough to withstand being trampled by a dinosaur.
Just as Berg was considering that facing her alone might be too difficult, another Marine landed beside him.
He was taller than Berg, wearing a Marine cap and a hood – Vice Admiral Sakazuki.
“Berg-san, you’re struggling? Who’s your opponent?”
“It seems to be Octavia, “Reverberation”. Even Garp-chūjō struggled against her. Don’t underestimate her.”
“Hmm…”
Molten magma erupted from Sakazuki’s body, generating clouds of steam as it touched the seawater.
He glared at Kanata, then shifted his gaze towards Saul behind her.
“Evil must be eradicated. You understand that, Vice Admiral Saul, don’t you…?”
“I don’t want to understand such twisted justice…! You’re committing mass murder!!”
“If we don’t do this thoroughly, all our sacrifices will be in vain! Allowing that is also evil!!”
Sakazuki’s anger intensified, the amount of magma erupting from his body increasing.
Kanata frowned at the sight of the molten rock that would cause severe burns with a single touch, then, keeping her eyes on the two Vice Admirals, spoke to Saul.
“Saul. Take Olivia and Robin and swim east.”
“But if we’re attacked from behind, we won’t be able to dodge!”
“I’ll cover your escape. I’ll hold back those two… and the other three Vice Admirals.”
A Buster Call involved five Vice Admirals and ten warships.
She had already sunk six warships, and two Vice Admirals were here. While she couldn’t use her ability due to her disguise, she was confident she could hold back all five Vice Admirals long enough to buy them time.
Saul looked at her with concern, but judging from how easily she had intercepted Berg’s attack, he trusted her strength.
She lifted Olivia and Robin onto his head, and they entered the sea.
“You think you can escape?!”
“Don’t underestimate me.”
Sakazuki, pursuing Saul, attempted to launch a magma fist, but Kanata’s kick landed on his side.
With a sickening crunch, Sakazuki was sent flying, crashing into a cliff and disappearing into the island’s interior.
“I just warned you not to be careless…”
“You have determination, but you lack the strength.”
She intercepted Berg’s descending sword, skillfully deflecting his attacks with her borrowed blade.
Her swordsmanship was improving rapidly. Berg was impressed.
“You’ve mastered an unfamiliar weapon to this extent in such a short time…!”
“There’s no better teacher than experience. I could do better with my spear–”
She narrowly dodged Berg’s slash and, seizing the opportunity, unleashed a slash towards a warship.
The attack sliced through the ship’s side, destroying the cannons aimed at Saul.
Just as she was thinking about the remaining three warships, the ground beneath them began to melt, emitting intense heat. Kanata and Berg quickly distanced themselves, dodging the erupting magma.
Everything was melting, transforming into a viscous liquid. The heat alone was enough to knock out an ordinary person.
“You… Don’t interfere, “Reverberation”!!”
“How noisy. Show me your strength if you want me to be silent.”
“You’re underestimating us by fighting us without using your ability!”
Waves of molten magma surged towards them. Kanata clashed with Berg in mid-air.
The rain of cannon fire continued, devastating attacks repeatedly shaking the island…
“Haa… Haa… We’ve swam quite far, but are we heading in the right direction?”
“Yes… East from Ohara. Just like she said.”
Saul, carrying Olivia and Robin on his head, had swam a considerable distance.
He had been bombarded by cannon fire while sinking the warship, and both his stamina and willpower were dwindling. But they couldn’t rest.
He had to reach a nearby island. As he pushed himself forward, a glimmer of hope appeared. He spotted an island, and a massive galleon anchored nearby.
“That’s…!”
He recognized the skull emblem on the sail.
He hadn’t questioned Olivia about it because he felt it wasn’t the right time, but… he was convinced now that the woman wearing the gaudy mask was the “Witch”.
He didn’t know their relationship, but they were clearly allies. If that was the case, then they were safe.
Just as he sighed in relief, his leg cramped.
“Oww! Oww! Oww! This is bad… My leg cramped!!”
“Here?! Saul, hang in there– Kya!?”
The accumulated fatigue from the battle and the swim had finally taken its toll. His leg spasmed, and he began to sink. As Olivia panicked – a figure leaped from the distant ship.
“Wait, wait! I’ll talk to her!”
George peeked out from the massive figure’s head, looking towards Olivia.
He hopped through the air and landed before her, scanning their surroundings. George and Olivia knew each other, so he had come to gather information.
“It’s been a while, Olivia. Where’s Kanata?”
“Kanata is… She’s holding back the Buster Call so we could escape…”
“I see. And the child and the giant?”
“This is my daughter. And this is Saul. He saved me when I was captured by the Marines.”
“I see,” George nodded.
He instructed Feiyun to take them to the ship, and she began walking towards the vessel, carrying Saul and the others on her palm.
“…It’s my first time being carried on someone’s palm.”
Even a giant like Saul couldn’t be carried by an ordinary person. Only someone like Feiyun, with the ability to grow to an immense size, could do it.
George, ignoring Saul, who was sprawled on Feiyun’s palm, exhausted, began pondering their next move.
They could wait for Kanata to return, but if their location was compromised, the Marines would pursue them. Contacting her through a Transponder Snail carried the risk of being eavesdropped on.
He decided to return to the ship and treat Saul and Olivia’s injuries. Robin was already asleep in one of the infirmary beds.
“Tell me what happened.”
He asked Olivia to explain the situation, and they began analyzing the information with the other executives – Scotch, Kuro, and the others.
Olivia explained how she had been captured by the Marines, how they had planned to gather all the Ohara archaeologists and obliterate the island with a Buster Call, how only she and Robin had escaped with Kanata’s help, and how Kanata had stayed behind to cover their escape.
“…Berg and Sakazuki, huh?”
“At least Garp and Tsuru aren’t there. We’re unlucky.”
Those two were among the strongest Vice Admirals. Facing them without her Devil Fruit ability would be difficult, even for Kanata.
They hadn't been pursued by the Marines, but considering their location was compromised, they assumed they were already on the move.
“Let’s move. It’ll be troublesome if the Marines find us.”
“We’ll pick up Kanata somewhere along the way. I doubt she’ll be defeated by a Buster Call.”
They were somewhat dismissive of Kanata, but Scotch and George were also treated casually by her, so it was their usual dynamic.
And Kanata could cross the sea without a ship. They weren’t concerned about her transportation.
They instructed the crew to set sail, and just as they began moving, the deck suddenly became noisy.
They wondered what was happening – and saw a battered, but otherwise unharmed, Kanata emerge.
“I’m back. Did Olivia and the others arrive safely?”
“Yeah, you were fast. We heard you fought against the Marines.”
“Yes. I flew through the air to avoid detection. I also damaged the warships’ rudders, so it’ll buy us some time.”
It seemed she had faced all five Vice Admirals and emerged victorious. Her fatigue was unusual, but she had only sustained minor cuts and bruises.
“Set sail. We’ll cross the Calm Belt, avoiding any unnecessary encounters.”
“Aye aye, Captain!”
She tossed aside the gaudy golden skull mask and sighed in relief, seeing that Olivia and Robin were safe.
She regretted leaving Clover and the others behind, but… they had chosen their path. She had to fulfill her promise and recover their research materials.
She had many things she wanted to discuss with Olivia, but right now, she wanted to rest.
For the sake of the scholars who had perished.
Incidentally, Octavia’s bounty was later increased, exceeding 3.8 billion berries.
…
Octavia: "My bounty has increased again for something I don't remember."
