The moment that sentence rang out, the Marine officer on the other end of the line froze.
His breath hitched, and after a few stunned seconds, blood vessels popped in his eyes as cold sweat broke out across his face. Grinding his teeth, he snapped:
"Hey! Marine, are you absolutely sure you saw what you think you saw?! This isn't something you can joke about!!!"
But before the Marine could finish relaying his report, the Den Den Mushi's expression suddenly shifted.
The previously anxious look disappeared without warning, replaced by a faint, sinister smile its eyes glowing red with a chilling gleam.
The transformation sent a jolt of terror up the officer's spine. His scalp tingled. Panic overtook him.
At that moment, atop a tall, undisturbed building unaffected by the chaos of gunfire and smoke, Ozz held the Den Den Mushi in his hand, watching it with a flicker of amusement.
Leaning lazily on the railing with one arm, his posture relaxed and casual, he looked down at the forces surrounding the building.
Despite his nonchalant demeanor, the Marines and CP agents below didn't dare to make a move.
For the Marines, their fear stemmed from the identity of the man before them the infamous "Black Gun" Ozz, the one who nearly razed half of Marineford, a monstrous force of destruction whom even the Navy's top powers couldn't bring down.
As for the CP agents directly under the World Government, their hesitation was for another reason: a chilling directive once passed down from the highest echelons of power.
"If during a mission you encounter Dotor Ozz, cease all operations immediately and await further instructions from central command."
Back across the line, the Marine officer was sweating bullets. His nerves were on edge.
As he hesitated unsure whether to hang up and rush to report this to his superiors a gentle voice suddenly came from the other end of the line.
"Moshi moshi~"
"Is this a Marine officer? Be a good fellow and connect me to Kuzan, will you? Tell him an old friend's looking for him~"
"And don't even think about hanging up. I've memorized your face."
The moment those words hit his ears, the officer's face turned an ugly shade of green.
Like swallowing a mouthful of bitter medicine, he grimaced.
Headquarters had made it painfully clear: without direct orders, engagement with Ozz was strictly forbidden.
If he did something stupid and triggered Ozz into taking hostile action, it wouldn't matter whether Ozz got punished or not the World Government and Marineford would definitely take it out on him.
Damn it!!!
Why the hell did it have to be me?!
With no other choice, he bolted. Sprinting at full speed toward the just-docked battleship in the distance, he clutched the smiling Den Den Mushi in both hands like a sacred relic.
Nearby officers stationed at the dock tried to stop him to ask what was going on.
But he didn't even glance their way just flew past them in a blur, racing up the gangplank.
Up on the deck, Kuzan had just disembarked.
He pOzzed when he saw a subordinate racing toward him.
What was this guy's name again…?
Dick, was it?
Kuzan raised an eyebrow. The man was cradling a Den Den Mushi in both hands?
Meanwhile, Colonel Dick felt like the unluckiest soul in the world.
Nothing in life stings quite like having your worst fears come true.
After the Black Gun Incident at Marineford, he'd recognized that handsome face in the news and realized the terrifying mistake he'd made:
He was the one who personally escorted Ozz into Marineford.
If the Fleet Admiral or the Admirals ever found out…
Forget a court-martial they'd execute him on the spot.
So, he'd buried the truth deep. Never told a soul. Even silenced every Marine who'd caught a glimpse of Ozz on the ship that day.
He thought that was the end of it.
He even came on this mission hoping to snag some merit and wash the stain away.
But fate had other plans.
And now, the devil himself had found him again.
All he wanted was to hand over the Den Den Mushi and get far, far away from these deadly figures.
But Heaven clearly had no mercy for the damned.
Just as he neared Kuzan and reached out to deliver the Den Den Mushi, two figures silently stepped out of thin air.
One of them, wearing a crooked grin, clapped him on the shoulder.
Seeing the man's face, Dick's eyes bulged like they were about to pop out of his skull.
"Thanks again, Colonel Dick. You really know how to pick the way forward for me."
Shrimp and pig heart!!! (A play on "虾仁猪心," slang for feigned innocence with malicious intent.)
Dick felt like his entire world cracked apart. All he could see was a bleak, inevitable future spiraling toward ruin.
Of course, Dick wasn't the only one stunned by Ozz's sudden appearance.
There he stood a towering figure clad in jet-black military uniform, twin blades at his back. His face had subtly changed, but that unmistakable black, shoulder-length hair and confident smirk made him instantly recognizable.
With a cheerful "Sashi buri dana~" ("Long time no see~" in Japanese), he greeted the deck like an old friend returning home.
Kuzan's jaw slackened. Then his entire body tensed. His fists clenched.
"Impossible…"
"The intel clearly stated that the 'Black Gun' had only just left Sabaody a few days ago! How the hell is he already in the West Blue?!"
Other Marine officers were slower to react but when they did, disbelief spread like wildfire.
Just days ago, they'd all sat in briefings meticulously analyzing Ozz's movements.
Now here he was, standing right in front of them.
All eyes were locked onto the young man with long black hair, who returned their stunned gazes with a calm, unshakable smile.
To most, that easygoing grin might've looked charming.
But to Kuzan, it stirred no warmth only a cold, seething hatred. Frost crept along his limbs, and an aura of sharp, bitter chill radiated from his form.
"Still so full of energy, eh, Kuzan?"
Ozz's tone was light, casual like they were old friends catching up over drinks. As if he hadn't once flipped the world on its head.
But the junior officers didn't find any of this casual.
Several Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals threw themselves at Kuzan, holding him back as a freezing wind erupted from his body.
"You can't, Vice Admiral Kuzan!"
"The World Government's order was clear no engagement with the 'Black Gun' without explicit command!!"
But Kuzan didn't even blink.
Frost began to gather on the lenses of his sunglasses.
Looking down at the comrades restraining him, he said flatly:
"No engagement without orders?"
"Then what is a Buster Call if not an order?"
"Dotor Ozz is on Ohara Island, isn't he?"
That left the officers stunned.
"I… uh…"
"So," Kuzan said quietly, "I'm simply executing my orders, gentlemen."
In that instant, an explosion of jagged ice bloomed beneath Ozz's feet.
Naturally, it hit nothing.
Ozz vanished the moment the attack erupted, reappearing somewhere unseen.
Mihawk, who hadn't teleported with him, deftly dodged using his Observation Haki and landed silently on another part of the deck.
"Hey, hey, Kuzan. Long time no see. Is this how you say hello now?"
Kuzan's voice roared back, brimming with cold fury:
"Don't you forget, Ozz what I have for you is nothing but killing intent!!!"
Ozz smiled.
Unseen by all, he'd appeared right behind Kuzan.
Of course, Kuzan sensed him instantly. He spun, dark Haki coalescing on his fists.
But then he heard it.
A whisper.
Soft and low, but carrying an indescribable force.
And in that moment, something impossible happened.
Kuzan's body froze. Not with ice but with a power that made movement itself impossible.
"Don't move, Kuzan."
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