The Grand Line, the Ice Sea.
Belonging to the Arcano family, hunters by trade.
Their leader is Don Arcano, a user of the Mera Mera no Mi.
He can freely adjust his body temperature from one degree to ten thousand degrees, swimming at will in lava.
Even objects he touches are instantly melted.
He is an incredibly powerful devil fruit user.
Carole put down the Den Den Mushi and looked towards the icy island.
Due to the power of his Mera Mera no Mi, Don Arcano preferred to stay in places covered in ice and snow.
His Observation Haki swept out, instantly locking onto Arcano.
*Swish—*
He appeared before the sleeping Don Arcano.
His hand touched Arcano's skin.
Arcano's eyes snapped open, his skin starting to turn red:
"Wh—"
*Swish—*
The two vanished from the castle.
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"Who—!!!"
Before Arcano could finish his sentence, the two were already on some unknown deserted island.
The moment they appeared, Carole let go of his hand and dodged to the side.
He was burned in an instant.
Arcano's body was visibly reddening.
Like a blazing fireball.
A tall, dark shadow covered Arcano's vision.
Arcano looked up, his heart chilling, and a deep voice echoed:
"Marine Headquarters Admiral, Akainu."
His face was grim as he frantically tried to recall if he had recently clashed with the Marines.
But he had only been hunting pirates and had not offended the Marines...
Sakazuki said indifferently:
"Don't bother, you haven't offended the Marines."
"It's just that your ability is too dangerous."
Arcano's reddened body illuminated the darkness of the night.
The temperature that would be unbearable for normal people had no effect on Sakazuki.
Looking at Sakazuki's indifferent face, a bad premonition struck Arcano's nerves. He said in a low voice:
"That reason isn't enough."
He instinctively took a few steps back, assuming an offensive stance.
After all, one's reputation precedes them...
Sakazuki said indifferently:
"Not enough?"
Arcano's face darkened:
"Is it enough?"
*Voom—*
Two blazing red orbs of heat instantly appeared on Arcano's hands.
They were filled with compressed superheated steam.
Their power could instantly evaporate everything within their effective range.
But he didn't throw them at Sakazuki.
Instead, he suddenly threw them at the ground in front of him, creating a burst of steam, white mist, and dust, and then disappeared into it.
His entire body was propelled by the hot steam, reaching the edge of the island with incredible speed and shooting into the sky.
"Damn it! Damn it!!!"
"Quick!! Quick!!!"
His Devil Fruit ability unleashed immense heat, propelling Arcano away like a rocket.
Sakazuki's right arm transformed into magma, emitting thick black smoke as he indifferently watched Arcano fly away.
Carole walked over and placed his hand on Sakazuki's shoulder.
*Swish—*
The two vanished.
--------
The island below had become a tiny black speck. Only then did Arcano, high in the sky, dare to look back:
"He didn't chase after me..."
But the moment he turned his head, Sakazuki and Carole appeared in the sky before him.
Sakazuki's devilish, indifferent voice echoed in Arcano's ears:
"Not enough?"
Arcano was startled and tried to turn back.
*ROAR—*
As if hearing a monstrous roar from the depths, his body suffered an intense impact, a crushing force bearing down on him.
Even with his flesh acting as a shield and buffer, his bones were shattered by the impact, and his body contorted.
Under such a force, his brain lost the ability to think.
Arcano's body, pushed by a black-smoking tiger-like phantom, was smashed towards the island.
Sakazuki retracted his fist, and the magma reverted to his arm.
Carole activated his ability.
*Swish—*
The two disappeared into the air.
--------
On the ground of the deserted island, Sakazuki's right arm was coated in Armament Haki.
He reached out and caught Arcano, who was being pushed down towards the island by the tiger-like phantom.
*BOOM!!!*
A large crater appeared in the ground.
Sakazuki stood firm in the pit. With his left hand, he inserted the Devil Fruit Collector into the unconscious Arcano's body, whose eyes had rolled back.
He aimed his right hand at the area behind his heart.
*Tear—*
A heart, beating violently from adrenaline, was ripped from his chest and held in Sakazuki's hand.
The Devil Fruit within the Collector slowly began to form.
Sakazuki withdrew his hand and kicked Arcano's body.
Arcano's corpse arced perfectly into the sea...
Sakazuki tossed the heart in his hand lightly. His palm was slightly red.
*Sizzle—*
The heart in his hand instantly cooked and stopped beating.
He casually tossed it into the depths of the island.
Sakazuki handed the Devil Fruit Collector to Carole:
"Have you located the users of the Steel-Steel Fruit and the Smelt-Smelt Fruit?"
Carole put away the Devil Fruit Collector and said:
"The user of the Steel-Steel Fruit has been found."
"Their ability user is the captain of the Poker Pirates, King Bear."
"He recently conquered an island in the East Blue and established it as a base."
"He's enslaving the island's inhabitants, seemingly to build some kind of super cannon to rule the world."
"As for the user of the Smelt-Smelt Fruit, Bilu of the Silver Pirates."
"He's currently unaccounted for in the Grand Line. The most recent information dates back three months."
"Based on his previous route, his destination was likely the New World."
Sakazuki nodded:
"Go and collect King Bear, and then send these fruits to Punk Hazard."
"As for the Silver Pirates, have DeMora keep an eye on them in Sabaody Archipelago."
Carole replied:
"Understood."
--------
East Blue, Clockwork Island.
The island had only a single stone staircase spiraling upwards.
It was designed for resisting pirates and engaging in guerilla warfare.
At the top was a large stone platform where the inhabitants lived.
From a distance, it resembled a giant clockwork mechanism.
Originally a defense against pirate invasions, this staircase had become a fetter preventing all residents from escaping after King Bear of the Poker Pirates forcibly entered using his Devil Fruit abilities.
The secret elevator in the center was also controlled, completely cutting off all escape routes.
The residents were forced to obediently build the so-called "King Cannon" for the Poker Pirates.
Early morning, just as dawn was breaking.
*Swish—*
Carole appeared on the shore of Clockwork Island.
A hint of exhaustion on his face, he looked up at the towering structure:
"Let's get this over with in one go..."