441-445

Chapter 441: Kizaru KO'd Right Off the Bat! 

"...But what we didn't expect," Luffy chimed in, probably with Zoro nodding beside him, "is that even though you're clearly no match for our Kazama-aniki, you still dare to run your mouth endlessly in front of him! So, let me ask you, are you a kuso yarou (shitty bastard), a real baka (idiot), or what?" 

"You're really pissing me off now, kisama!" 

Realizing he'd not only been taken down by Kazama but was now also getting an earful of insults from Luffy, Zoro, and the others, Aokiji’s rage boiled over even further. He was absolutely livid, practically shaking with fury! 

So, Aokiji tried to lunge, like a starving tiger pouncing on its prey, aiming straight for Kazama and his crew. 

But honestly, no matter how sugoi or powerful he was supposed to be, it was completely useless now. Muda da! 

Why? Because Kazama had frozen all his limbs solid. 

Even though he was burning with rage, his body couldn't move an inch. Ugokenai! 

At that moment, Aokiji was like an ant on a hot pan – frantic but utterly helpless. 

And just then, another Kaigun leader, one who kinda looked like an ape, made his appearance before Kazama and the others. 

Seeing this guy show up, Kazama couldn't help but feel a jolt of alarm. Masaka! 

He immediately, silently, recalled the man's name. 

Turns out, this was the most arrogant, show-off, and downright infuriating of all the Kaigun leaders – a man named Kizaru. 

This Kizaru was a notorious kuzu (scum), a real son of a bitch. 

Don't let the Kaigun uniform fool you; this guy routinely engaged in acts of arson, murder, robbery, and all sorts of heinous crimes. Hidoi. 

Honestly, this Kizaru was even more despicable, more like gomi (trash), than your average, run-of-the-mill kaizoku (pirate). 

Because of this, upon seeing Kizaru appear, Kazama felt an immediate, intense urge to be the one to personally grind this particular Kaigun into dust. 

And Kizaru? He wasn't exactly thrilled to see Kazama either. 

After all, the thing Kizaru hated most on a daily basis were these pirates. 

So, when Kizaru saw this "little punk" Kazama daring to freeze his colleague Aokiji to the ground, he was instantly furious. With a flick of his wrist… 

He unleashed his own signature waza (technique), the Yasakani no Magatama! 

In a flash, isshun de, Aokiji’s limbs were completely thawed out. 

Witnessing this, Luffy was stunned. This Kizaru guy was pretty sugoi! 

To think he could rescue the trapped Aokiji in a single instant! 

Luffy was genuinely shocked by this display. 

Kazama, however, showed no surprise at all. 

After all, Kazama already knew Kizaru's power level was indeed a notch above Aokiji's. 

But, if you were to compare Kizaru to Kazama himself? Yeah, Kizaru was still just trash. 

At that moment, Kizaru wasn't paying Kazama much mind either. 

Even though he knew Kazama was the one who'd taken Aokiji down. 

He still believed that while Kazama might have been able to defeat Aokiji, there was no way, zettai ni, he could beat him. 

So, Kizaru, with his trademark annoying smirk, drawled at Kazama, "You little gaki... do you have any idea you've just committed a capital offense, ne?" 

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! (Or maybe just one really good one!) 

Before Kizaru could even finish his sentence, Kazama whipped out a backhand (or a swift strike). 

Caught completely off guard, Kizaru was instantly sent sprawling to the ground. Nani?! 

This sudden turn of events wasn't just unexpected by Kizaru. 

Even the crowd watching from the sidelines was utterly dumbfounded. Shinjirarenai! 

They had all been thinking that with the Kaigun leader Kizaru making his move, he'd surely turn the tide of battle in a magnificent comeback. 

But they never, ever expected that Kizaru would fare even worse than Aokiji! 

Aokiji, at least, had managed to exchange a few blows with Kazama, a few rounds of back-and-forth. 

But this Kizaru? He didn't even last one round. He was KO'd by Kazama, just like that. 

Chapter 442: Burning Kizaru into a Monkey! 

This, naturally, left everyone utterly stunned. 

Now, that Kizaru, don't let his ape-like features fool you—or maybe it's that "Yellow Monkey" moniker people give him. The point is, Kizaru was a man who was notoriously obsessed with his own image and pride. 

The moment he saw Kazama dare to knock him flat without a second thought, how could he not be furious? 

So, Kizaru, with an imposing flip, sprang back to his feet and then, baring his fangs and claws, so to speak, lunged at Kazama once more. 

"You little brat! I wasn't planning on wiping you off the face of the earth, but I never figured you'd be this damn arrogant! Fine! If that's how you want it, then if I don't slaughter you right here and now, I'd be letting you off way too easy!" 

As Kizaru spoke, he immediately began to unleash his full power. 

Then, within a few exchanges, he unleashed his most devastating signature move: the Yasakani no Magatama! 

In that instant, an overwhelming barrage of light particles, the Yasakani no Magatama, shot towards Kazama. 

Now, Kazama knew that this Yasakani no Magatama was one of the legendary Three Sacred Treasures. It was incredibly powerful, truly formidable. 

If it were used against any ordinary person, they'd definitely be blown to bits, their bones ground to dust. 

But in front of Kazama, this Yasakani no Magatama was basically useless. 

Because Kazama didn't just possess a divine artifact; he possessed six of them! 

So, when Kazama saw this Kizaru, who clearly didn't know what was good for him, actually trying to show off with the Yasakani no Magatama in front of him, Kazama wasn't about to give him an easy time. 

Thus, with a faint smirk, Kazama directly summoned his Imperial Void Mirror of Ice – an artifact capable of reflecting any and all attacks in the world. 

Then, in a single flash, he sent all the incoming Yasakani no Magatama projectiles flying right back where they came from. 

When Kizaru saw this, his heart leaped into his throat in shock once again, and he hastily flew up to dodge. 

He barely managed to avoid his own Yasakani no Magatama attack. 

If he had been just a fraction of a second slower, he would have been severely injured by the Yasakani no Magatama that Kazama reflected. 

At this moment, Kizaru truly, truly hadn't anticipated this. His Yasakani no Magatama, which had always been invincible, ever-victorious, and swept away all before it, had actually been repelled right back at him by Kazama's Imperial Void Mirror of Ice. 

This was massively beyond Kizaru's expectations. 

Moreover, he had no idea what the origin of this Imperial Void Mirror of Ice in Kazama's hand was. 

Therefore, his face a mask of astonishment, he immediately questioned Kazama, "You little punk! What in the world—what kind of sorcery did you use?! How could you reflect my Yasakani no Magatama right back at me?!" 

"Heh, heh... Don't you worry about what method I used. All you need to know is that I used a perfectly legitimate, powerful method!" 

"Cut the crap with me!" 

Seeing Kazama gaining the upper hand and still daring to act smug in front of him, Kizaru became even more enraged. 

And so, Kizaru charged at Kazama once again. 

Now, Kazama had originally thought that since he’d already knocked Kizaru down, Kizaru definitely wouldn't dare to act all high and mighty in front of him anymore. 

But what Kazama didn't expect was that this Kizaru was still acting so damn cocky. 

Therefore, Kazama himself flew into a rage. 

Then, in an instant, he immediately unleashed his other divine artifacts, all of them, right onto Kizaru. 

"Kusanagi Sword!" 

At that moment, Kazama extended his hand, and the Kusanagi Sword instantly shot out, extending hundreds of meters. 

In a flash, it sliced off Kizaru's left arm. 

This made Kizaru grimace in pain, and he immediately tried to flee. 

But then, Kazama followed up with the Sword of Susanoo! 

It directly severed both of Kizaru's legs. 

And because the power of the Sword of Susanoo was so immense, it actually triggered a massive tidal wave! 

The wave completely drenched Kizaru, leaving him looking like a drowned rat. 

Although Kizaru was in a pathetic state, Kazama still didn't stop. 

He then unleashed the Sky-Scorching Bow. At that moment, boundless flames engulfed the sky, directly burning Kizaru into a hairless monkey. 

The pain made Kizaru bare his teeth and wail incessantly, hopping and screeching in the flames just like a monkey. 

This immediately sent Luffy, Zoro, and the others into fits of laughter. 

At this point, even the Marine father-son duo, Kizaru's own colleagues, were so amused by Kizaru's wretched appearance that they burst out laughing too, completely forgetting that Kizaru was one of their own. 

Chapter 443: Trapped on Fish-Man Island 

"You two ungrateful brats! I, Kizaru, am your comrade! I've come all this way, across vast distances, just to help you foolish father and son defeat these pirates, and yet, seeing my failure, you dare to sneer at me? This is simply intolerable!" 

"Well, about that..." 

At this moment, the father and son pair had indeed found Kizaru's defeat utterly hilarious. Because of this, they'd momentarily forgotten that Kizaru was there to help them. So, upon hearing Kizaru's angry rebuke, they felt incredibly awkward. 

However, Kizaru was genuinely a petty individual. Even seeing the father and son display contrite expressions, he still didn't forgive them. In a flash, Kizaru battered the two, leaving them bruised and swollen. 

Meanwhile, Kazama, seeing this infighting among the Marines, couldn't help but smirk. But what Kazama didn't expect was that the moment he let his guard down, Kizaru suddenly launched a belated attack. Kizaru once again unleashed the power of his Glint-Glint Fruit (Pika Pika no Mi), firing countless beams of light that shattered Kazama's crew's ship to pieces in an instant. 

Now, Kazama was truly invulnerable, possessing absolute defense. So, even if he took Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit attacks head-on with his body, he'd be completely unharmed. But his companions—Zoro, Sanji, Luffy, Usopp, and Nami—were a different story. In a single blow, Luffy and the others were sent flying by Kizaru's attack. 

Kazama knew that Luffy, having consumed a Devil Fruit, couldn't swim. So, Kazama quickly dove into the sea and rescued Luffy. However, what Kazama didn't anticipate was that after saving Luffy, his other companions—Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and Usopp—were nowhere to be found. This immediately sent a shock through Kazama's heart. 

At this point, though Kazama was anxious to find the missing Zoro and the others, he also knew that the immediate priority was to quickly heal Luffy. After all, Luffy had eaten a Devil Fruit, and being submerged in water put his life at risk. So, Kazama quickly used the Yang Fire power from his Yin-Yang Twin Flames on Luffy, extending his lifespan. 

Upon regaining consciousness, Luffy realized he had been ambushed by Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit. Enraged, Luffy immediately began to curse at the long-gone Kizaru. 

"Kizaru, you rotten bastard, you piece of garbage! You're nothing but a damn ape, a thousand-times-damned pile of stinking crap!" 

Hearing Luffy's furious rant, Kazama could only shake his head helplessly. Then, he spoke to Luffy again: "Luffy, instead of wasting your breath cursing Kizaru, you should hurry and find Zoro, Nami, and the others!" 

"What?! Kazama-nii, what do you mean? Are Zoro and the others missing?" 

Upon hearing Kazama's words, Luffy finally realized that their companions—Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and Usopp—had indeed vanished. This discovery utterly shocked Kazama, as Luffy truly valued his comrades above all else. 

Chapter 444: Gearing Up to School Kizaru! 

"What?! This is outrageous! You're making me furious!" 

That Aokiji was known for his notoriously short fuse. 

So, the moment he saw Kazama daring to insult his most prized Ice Style jutsus, he instantly flew into a volcanic rage, absolutely livid. 

And just like that, in a single flash, he lunged towards Kazama to strike. 

But what he totally didn't expect was that, just as he was about to hit Kazama, Kazama simply raised one hand, and a long spear, condensed from an ice shield, shot directly at Aokiji! 

This sudden twist wasn't just unexpected by Aokiji. 

Even Luffy and the others nearby, and that Marine father-son duo further back, were completely blindsided. 

They simply couldn't believe that in this whole world, besides Aokiji, someone else could actually use Ice Style jutsus! 

This completely shattered their worldview, leaving them utterly, utterly incredulous. 

But whether they believed it or not, the truth was right there before their eyes. 

Because Kazama indeed had the ability to unleash this even more incredible, even more powerful Ice Style. 

At this moment, Aokiji's face was also a mask of sheer astonishment. 

He never, ever would have guessed that this kid before him, who he'd dismissed as trash, could actually use the exact same Ice Style as him! 

This, naturally, sent shockwaves through Aokiji's mind. 

And while Aokiji was still reeling from the shock, Kazama, in a blink of an eye, unleashed his Ice Style again, attacking Aokiji once more. 

This time, Aokiji was caught off guard, and Kazama instantly froze both his arms and legs solid! 

Unable to move, Aokiji fell hard onto the sea surface, which had already been frozen solid. 

Just then, Kazama strolled up to Aokiji with a cold smirk. 

"Well, well, Aokiji? Aren't you supposed to be so damn amazing, so incredibly strong? How come you're not acting so tough in front of me now, huh?" 

"You're really grinding my gears!" 

Now, Aokiji had already been looking down on Kazama because he thought Kazama was just a pirate. 

And in his eyes, pirates were nothing but worthless scum. 

Moreover, seeing Kazama so young, yet possessing strength greater than his own, Aokiji was instantly filled with all sorts of envy, jealousy, and hatred. 

Now, seeing that Kazama had not only beaten him black and blue but also dared to relentlessly taunt him, Aokiji was overcome with shame and flew into a furious rage. 

And so, seething with anger, Aokiji immediately started yelling at Kazama again. 

"Let me tell you, Kazama, you little punk! If you've got the damn guts, then kill me right now! If you don't have the balls, then let me go immediately, kowtow to me ten thousand times, and maybe, just maybe, I'll leave you with an intact corpse!" 

"Heh, heh... That's the funniest joke I've heard all day! I say, you Marine leader called Aokiji, did a donkey kick you in the head or something?" 

At this moment, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, and the others, seeing how Kazama had made short work of this Aokiji, who was touted as the most awesome and powerful figure in the Marines, immediately burst out laughing. They gathered around Aokiji, who was sprawled on the ground, unable to move, and started hurling insults. 

"Let us tell you, Aokiji! Even though we're pirates, we've never done any of that pillaging, burning, or looting crap!" 

"That's right! And we're pirates who fight for justice! But you, you son of a bitch, you attacked us without even trying to understand!" 

"Normally, by the rules of this pirate world, anyone who attacks us, we'd tear them into a million pieces and grind their bones to dust! But seeing as you're a Marine, and supposedly a man of justice, we didn't want to bother too much with you!" 

Chapter 445: Nami's Betrayal 

You know, that Fish-Man, Arlong, he had a seriously nasty attitude towards humans. 

So, this guy Kazama, he figured out that Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, and the others had somehow ended up stranded on this island crawling with Fish-Men – likely Arlong's turf. If that was the case, Kazama knew, chances were sky-high—like, nine out of ten—that they’d all get wiped out by Arlong. 

"If that's what's going down," Kazama thought, his fists clenching, "I gotta move, and fast! There's no way I'm gonna let my nakama get taken out by some low-life Fish-Man like Arlong!" 

With that fire in his belly, Kazama, quick as a flash, grabbed Luffy, and the two of them made a beeline for the island. 

Just as Kazama and Luffy set foot on that Fish-Man-infested island, who should they see sprinting towards them, looking like he’d seen a ghost? None other than Usopp! 

Now, Usopp had been legging it for dear life. But the second he spotted Kazama and Luffy, his face lit up like a Christmas tree! He practically dived, thump, right at their feet, bowing his head over and over, and yelled, "Luffy! Kazama-san! You guys, it's a total disaster! Nami... Nami actually betrayed us! She's… she's gone and joined up with that Fish-Man, Arlong!" 

"WHAAAT?!" Luffy's jaw dropped. "No way! That can't be true!" He started shaking his head like there was no tomorrow. 

Kazama was just as floored. "Nami? Our Nami?" he muttered. "But… why would she just up and join a guy like Arlong for no reason at all?" 

"I-I don't really get it either!" Usopp stammered, tears welling up. "But it's true! Nami actually helped that Fish-Man Arlong capture Zoro-aniki and Sanji-aniki! I only managed to get away ‘cause I played dead! It was my only shot!" 

"WHAAAAAT?!" Luffy roared, his face turning red. "That makes me SO MAD!" 

You know Luffy – he’s got the shortest fuse of anyone. So, hearing that his two best buddies, his brothers in arms, had been caught by that creep Arlong? How could he not blow his top? 

Without even waiting for a word from Kazama, Luffy reared back and bellowed, "Gomu Gomu no Rocket!" WHOOSH! In an instant, he blasted straight into Arlong's main territory. 

Luffy, bless his heart, was probably thinking, "Hey, I'm a Devil Fruit user! I ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi! I can take this Arlong chump down in one hit!" 

But what Luffy totally, totally didn't see coming was that this Arlong guy was on a whole other level – seriously strong, like, a total badass. And it wasn't just Arlong himself! Even his top three officers, his big guns, were crazy tough, absolute powerhouses. 

So, before Luffy could even land a decent punch or make a dent, Arlong's three goons just swarmed him and slammed him to the ground. OOF! 

Luffy was completely stunned. He lay there, totally shocked, and for that moment, he couldn't figure out what to do. 

And right then, Arlong, who’d been watching Luffy get taken down so easily by his men, strolled over to Nami, who was standing nearby. A nasty grin spread across his face. "Well now, Nami," he sneered, "you're really proving to be quite the capable little helper, aren't you? I never thought you'd manage to lure these pathetic human runts here, one after another, just for me to slaughter for my own amusement. I really must thank you, my dear!" 

"Heh... of course!" Nami replied, forcing a little laugh and a nod. 

But even though she was smiling and nodding on the outside, trying to play the part, deep down inside, she was in absolute agony. 

See, the truth was, Nami hadn't really betrayed Kazama, Luffy, and the others. Not for real. 

It turned out that the small town that this so-called "Fish-Man's Paradise"—Arlong's domain—had taken over... well, that was Cocoyasi Village. That was Nami's home. 

The real reason Nami had become a thief who specialized in ripping off pirates, the reason she was so obsessed with treasure… it was because she was desperately trying to steal enough gold, silver, and jewels. She needed to save up a hundred million Berries. 

One hundred million Berries to buy her village, her home, back from the clutches of that monster, the Fish-Man Arlong.