The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

Samuel enunciated the last two words slowly and deliberately:

"Purpose."

The question, like a sharp sword, points directly to the core and most perplexing motive behind Kuzan's defection from the Navy and joining the Blackbeard Pirates.

Kuzan has always been tight-lipped about this, and Blackbeard doesn't seem to care much either, as long as he can utilize Kuzan's fighting power.

But at this moment, in this delicate and sensitive instant, being asked directly by Samuel, a former pirate with equally deep thoughts, carries a completely different meaning.

Faced with Samuel's almost interrogative scrutiny and the faint, eerie green mycelium that began to emanate from him, carrying the scent of spores and decay...

Kuzan's expression, however, remained unchanged.

He simply exhaled a long, cold breath.

A white, icy mist filled the space between the two, briefly separating their vision.

The corners of her mouth curved upwards slightly.

"You laughable mycelium..."

Kuzan spoke, his voice eerily calm, with an air of superior indifference.

"Put it away."

"you……"

You have no right to ask me.

"Or rather..."

"The entire Blackbeard Pirates..."

"None of them are qualified."

Chapter 667: Falling from the top of the food chain to the bottom!

Kuzan's words instantly twisted Samuel's face.

But Samuel merely let out a cold snort, pretending not to look at Kuzan again, turned around, and strode away.

Charge toward the heart of the battle between Blackbeard and Luffy

Since Kuzan, this "colleague," is unreliable and may even have ulterior motives, he must get to Blackbeard's side immediately!

However, after taking only two steps, a lazy voice with a distinctive accent rang out from around the corner ahead.

"Oh~ I never expected that this poor old man, who was forced out of his warm hospital bed to go on a mission, would run into an old acquaintance here!"

Samuel stopped abruptly, his pupils shrinking sharply!

A tall, slender figure wearing a naval admiral's cloak, a yellow striped suit, and brown sunglasses was seen.

With an extremely casual demeanor, he strolled out from behind the ruins, his long legs swaying leisurely.

"Admiral Kizaru?!"

"Has the navy intervened on the island?!"

Samuel's heart nearly skipped a beat the moment he saw Kizaru!

Without any hesitation, almost instinctively, he retreated rapidly, and in a few flashes, he was back not far from Kuzan's side.

“Kuzan, isn’t it true that colleagues have a lot to talk about and bicker with each other?” Samuel smiled amicably.

Kuzan: "......"

Kizaru stopped not far from Samuel and Kuzan, his hands in his pockets, his head tilted slightly.

The eyes hidden behind the sunglasses first swept over Samuel, who looked as if facing a formidable enemy.

Then, his gaze fell on Kuzan, who had just turned around and was looking in their direction.

"Long time no see, Kuzan~" Kizaru Borsalino's tone sounded very familiar, even a little teasing.

"Your appearance...tsk tsk, you look like a homeless person!"

After leaving the navy, can't you even find a decent set of clothes?

So, people still need to have jobs. Look at how many years you've been paying into the Navy's social security and housing fund programs.

So they just quit like that? Isn't that a waste?!

“Borsalino…” Kuzan’s voice was flat, revealing little emotion at the reunion with an old friend, “How did you end up here?”

"The Straw Hat Pirates, CP0 of the World Government, the Blackbeard Pirates, and now with your addition, they represent the Navy..."

Kuzan said slowly, "This little Egherd is actually... surprisingly lively."

"Hey, hey! Kuzan~"

"Don't ask me such complicated questions~"

Kizaru raised his hands, making a gesture of surrender that seemed to say, "Spare me."

He interrupted Kuzan's reflections, his face filled with the helplessness of being "forced to work overtime."

"I'm just a poor working man who can't take a sick leave in peace and is forcibly dragged out of bed by my domineering and ruthless boss."

This kind of question involves high-level strategic planning, so it's difficult for me to answer.

As he spoke, he wagged his finger, his tone shifting to a playful one:

"However... I'd be happy to answer another question for you~"

Kizaru raised his long, slender index finger, first pointing it casually at Samuel Kronos, who looked as if facing a formidable enemy.

"Tsk, 'Cursed Doctor' Samuel Kronos, captain of the 8th ship of the Blackbeard Pirates, bounty..."

Hmm, let me think about the latest wanted poster... 1.61 billion Berries! Right?

"Those old relics who escaped from Impel Down are quite resilient!"

Then, Kizaru's finger moved slowly, finally pointing precisely at Kuzan himself.

The smile on his face faded a little. "And then there's you... my former colleague."

Kuzan, 'former Marine Admiral,' current captain of the Blackbeard Pirates' 10th ship, the culprit behind Vice Admiral Garp's refusal to return home..."

Kizaru paused, then slowly announced the astonishing number:

"Bounty... 3.5 billion Berries!!"

"This price is quite 'respectful' of your abilities and the negative impact of your 'resignation,' Kuzan."

Three and a half billion!

This bounty amount is undoubtedly an official certification of Kuzan's strength and threat, and also highlights his "special status" of falling from the Navy's top combat force to a pirate.

Kuzan didn't react to Kizaru's "introduction" method; he just listened quietly.

After Kizaru finished speaking, he looked directly at the other person and asked a more crucial question.

"Has Gern... arrived?"

He knows Kizaru too well, and he also knows Gern's style of doing things.

Since Kizaru is here, and in a situation that seems "forced" but is actually definitely carrying a mission,

Therefore, the possibility that Marshal "Tianzhen," who is currently stirring up the world, will personally descend upon Egherd is extremely high.

Kizaru pursed his lips, just about to use his "the employee was unaware" excuse to brush it off.

Unfortunately, it was interrupted by a rude and impatient guy!

"Kizaru! What the hell are you babbling about with them?! Stop dawdling!"

"Divine punishment!!!"

A thick, azure pillar of lightning, purely formed from raging thunder, tore through the trees and shot out horizontally!

The target was none other than the area where Kizaru, Kuzan, and Samuel were located!

What's even more astonishing is that the lightning pillar's path passed directly through Kizaru, who was standing there.

It slammed into Kuzan, who was directly in front of him, and Samuel!

Boom!!!

As the smoke and dust cleared, a huge, charred channel appeared where Kuzan and Samuel had stood.

Kuzan and Samuel, one emanating a chilling aura (Kuzan), the other a writhing mycelial shield (Samuel).

Standing unharmed in place, they had clearly defended themselves against the divine punishment.

"Hey! Enel! I'm practically your mentor, aren't I?!"

Kizaru looked at the large hole left in his chest by the lightning pillar, clearly dissatisfied with Enel's reckless attack on Kuzan.

At that moment, Enel's Raid Drum was crackling with lightning, he held a golden cudgel in one hand and picked his ear with the other, saying, "Sorry, sorry!"

"However, when you're out in the world, please address me by my official title! Admiral Kizaru."

"You son of a bitch..." Kizaru said, annoyed.

“Enel…” Kuzan looked up. “Heh, it seems… Gern really has arrived.”

Besides Gern, there's probably no one else in the Navy who could command Enel, this proud and arrogant "Thor," and get him to cooperate with Kizaru.

“However…” Kuzan lowered his head, the ground beneath his feet moving in accordance with his will.

Silently, an even thicker layer of glistening, frigid frost spread out once more, its chilling aura biting.

Then he looked back at Enel high in the sky, his voice tinged with mockery.

"You little lightning brat who likes to call yourself 'god'... that's really rude of you to your senior!"

The moment the words fell, the chill around Kuzan suddenly surged!

He then raised one hand, fingers spread, and aimed it at Enel in mid-air.

Clearly, they were preparing to teach this arrogant "junior" a lesson.

But just a second before Kuzan was about to make his move!

"Speaking of impoliteness... Kuzan~~"

A slow, yet intimate voice suddenly rang out right in front of Kuzan!

A blinding golden light appeared before Kuzan without warning, as if teleporting, and was no more than half a meter away from him!

The golden light subsided, revealing Kizaru's face with a "kind" smile!

The Salted Fish King had already approached at the speed of light without anyone noticing!

"You seem to be... only a few years older than that kid Gern, right?" Kizaru tilted his head, his smile unchanged.

At the same time, that signature long leg had already been raised, the knee slightly bent, and a point of light so dazzling it could blind people gathered at the toe.

It's the starting stance for a light-speed kick!

“But you… you’ve never called me ‘Borsalino-senpai’ even once…”

"Kizaru?!"

Kuzan clearly didn't expect Kizaru to suddenly attack without warning, so he raised his hands and crossed them to protect himself.

"Kuzan, I saw Sentomaru when I arrived on the island!"

Kizaru's voice still carried that distinctive tone, but his speaking speed was a fraction faster!

"You bastard who likes to quit your job!!!"

"Bang!!!!!"

Kizaru's kick, fueled by light-speed kinetic energy, landed squarely and without any fancy moves, slamming into Kuzan's chest!

The terrifying kinetic energy brought by the speed of light, combined with Kizaru's own powerful physical skills and Haki, exploded in this kick!

"Uh……"

Kuzan was kicked away so hard that he flew backward into the depths of the ruins in the distance!

Kizaru maintained his kicking posture, slowly retracting his leg and patting off non-existent dust from his trousers.

He pushed up his sunglasses, gazing lazily in the direction Kuzan had disappeared, and muttered something under his breath.