“Crash… crash…”

  Suddenly, the once-calm sea began to violently. Waves rose higher and higher, r with a deafening sound.

  “Crash… crash…”

  From afar, Whitebeard and Shiki, the Golden Lion, stood on the deck of their mighty pirate ship, ughing uproariously.

  “Buzz… buzz…”

  “This is…”

  “Wait, what’s going on?!”

  “A tsunami? No way!”

  “Damn it, we ’t dodge this!”

  Panic spread throughout the fleet as arms bred across the ships. Even the most seasoned officers—Steel Bone Kong, Admiral Bck Bear, Buddha Sengoku, and the Shichibukai like The Drill jao—were stunned. Eyes wide and mouths agape, they struggled to believe the sight before them, cold sweat dripping down their brows.

  “Crash… crash…”

  The waves grew monstrous, blog out the sunlight and casting a massive shadow over the fleet. Two colossal tsunamis, one from eak, surged forward with overwhelming force, threatening to swallow the entire fleet and drag it to the o’s depths. The se was utterly terrifying, leaving even the bravest trembling.

  “Ice Age!”

  Suddenly, a t figure shrouded in frost dashed forward. With both haing an icy chill, Zephyr pressed his frost-covered palms against the turbulent sea.

  “Crack… crack… crack…”

  Before everyone’s eyes, the sea began to freeze at an astonishing speed. Within moments, the massive tsunamis oher side solidified, transf into colossal ice mountains. The sight was breathtaking.

  “What?!”

  “The waves… they’re frozen?!”

  “It’s Zephyr! Zephyr, the Rear Admiral!”

  “We’re saved!”

  Across the fleet, tless marines cheered, wiping the cold sweat from their brows and breathing sighs of relief.

  “Phew…”

  Even jao, Naguri, and other Shichibukai exhaled deeply.

  “I thought we were doomed!”

  “So, that’s the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit?”

  The Red t, Redfield, stared sharply at the distant pirate ship, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

  “A massive tsunami caused by seismic shockwaves, huh?”

  Admiring the t ice mountains oher side, Admiral Bck Bear murmured iruly a terrifying power… No wohe navy has always been cautious about fronting these reckless pirates head-on!”

  “Haha! Well done, Zephyr!”

  Onboard the dog-headed warship, Garp roared with ughter, spping his knee. “You’re definitely more suited for the Ice-Ice Fruit than I would have been!”

  “Shut up!”

  With a powerful step, Zephyr leapt from the frozen surface, grabbing Garp by the colr. His fiery gaze locked on Garp as he gritted his teeth in frustration.

  “I haven’t eveled things with you yet! Fleet Admiral William told me you refused multiple times to bee an ability user and then dumped this responsibility onto me!”

  Though Zephyr had to admit the Ice-Ice Fruit owerful ability, he hadn’t been particurly eager to bee a Devil Fruit user. In his view, it was all Garp’s fault for avoiding the responsibility.

  “Hahaha, what does it matter?”

  Garp ughed heartily, tears nearly streaming down his face as he brushed off the accusation. “Let the ability user ha! You’re better suited for the job, anyway!”

  “You…!”

  Zephyr’s face darkened, his temper fring. If not for the immi battle, he might have frozen Garp into an ice sculpture and mounted him on the warship’s bow.

  Far off in the distance:

  “What?! How is this possible?”

  From their position in the air, Golden Lion Shiki’s pupils tracted. Disbelief was evident in his expression.

  “They actually froze the tsunami?!”

  Even Whitebeard, who stood beside him, squinted, a glint of seriousness in his eyes. “It seems the navy came prepared.”

  “Hahaha! If that’s the case, a real fight is about to begin!”

  Golden Lion grinned wickedly, exuding calm fidence. “Still, they should be careful—our side has more cards to py.”

  “Shall we withdraw for now?”

  Whitebeard let out his signature ugh, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, we’ll let them think they’ve won this round.”

  …

  Meanwhile, in Totto Land:

  Within the vast pace of Cake Isnd, Baka, a secretary of the Intelligence Division, stepped into El’s spacious office.

  “El-sama…”

  Baka’s tone was serious as she reported, “We’ve just received an urgent message from the Fish-man surveilnit monit the navy fleet. The Golden Lion and Whitebeard unched an atta the Castello Sea region.

  “Whitebeard used the Tremor-Tremor Fruit to gee massive tsunamis, attempting to sink the fleet entirely. However, Bck Arm Zephyr froze them using the Ice-Ice Fruit, f them to retreat.”

  “I see,” El responded calmly. He waved a hand toward Baka. “tinue keeping a close watch. Report any unusual developments immediately.”

  “Uood!”

  Baka nodded, her face slightly flushed, and promptly exited the office.

  “To master the Ice-Ice Fruit so quickly and freeze such massive tsunamis…”

  Sally, who had beeled agaiilted her head. “El-sama, this Bck Arm Zephyr is no ordinary figure.”

  “Indeed,” El nodded, gently patting Sally’s head. “If nothing ued happens, Zephyr will likely join Sengoku and Garp as one of the new geion of navy admiral didates. After all, the two civilian admirals recruited through world scription five years ago are already in their fifties or sixties. They might retire in another decade or so.

  “The navy’s geion of admirals will likely be Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr.”

  Sally nodded softly in agreement.

  “Perhaps,” El said with a faint smile, lifting her gently.

  Sally uood his i, ughed softly, and shifted closer, draping herself over him.

  “I heard Linlin is pnning to have another child soon,” she teased with a smirk.

  El sighed. “I’ve tried ving her to take a break and focus on solidatirength for the wo or three years. But she’s so insistent—she cims pregnancy doesn’t affect her and that she keep training.”

  El shook his head, clearly exasperated. “She’s too stubborn—pletely fixated on having more children to surpass Gerd, Tethys, and the others.”

  Bleam