#322 - Chapter 322 The Freedom Envied by Everyone

"Looks like Lingling ran into a tough opponent over there."

Kaido brushed the dust off his clothes, his gaze leisurely but with a hint of coldness.

His gaze shifted to the ruins not far away, where a muffled sound was coming from.

"Rumble..."

With a loud noise, Kuzan pushed aside the rocks pressing on him and struggled to stand up again.

His clothes were already torn to shreds, hanging on his body in a disheveled state, but his eyes remained firm.

When Kaido saw Kuzan's figure, a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes, but even more so, it was absolute confidence in his own strength.

His voice carried a hint of warning,

"Join my pirate crew, and from now on you can enjoy the freedom that everyone envies."

Kuzan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with determination and unchanging calmness, and asked in reply:

"Give up my identity as a Marine, and then enjoy the freedom built on the suffering of ordinary people?"

He paused, his tone full of contempt and decisiveness,

"Sorry, I don't have that habit."

Kaido laughed loudly, his voice filled with arrogance and pleasure,

"You're really stubborn, Je ha ha ha ha..."

The laughter gradually stopped, and Kaido's expression became fierce, his eyes filled with fighting spirit and murderous intent,

"Then I have no reason to hold back."

After saying that, he instantly switched to his Beast Form, his massive body shrouded in shadows, and a spiked club in his hand roared with power, carrying destructive force.

Kuzan felt the terrifying pressure from Kaido, and cold sweat slid down his forehead, but there was no trace of retreat in his heart.

"Bring it on."

He took a deep breath, mobilizing all the power in his body, and icy cold air filled his surroundings, preparing to meet this fierce battle.

Jin An had said before that a teacher told him that Haki alone reigns supreme above all else.

He didn't believe what Jin An said before, because he had always used his abilities alone to reign supreme above all else.

But this battle with Kaido made him understand that what Jin An said was correct.

Because even if he used a fighting style that exchanged injuries for injuries, he couldn't hurt Kaido...

Kaido strode forward, the ground trembled under his feet, and every step was like the earth groaning.

"Take my club!"

He swung the spiked club, and flames directly enveloped the spiked club as he swung it, bringing with it a whistling wind, and smashed it directly towards Kuzan.

A look of determination flashed in Kuzan's eyes, he quickly dodged to the side, and at the same time raised his hand sharply, a blast of ice rushed straight towards Kaido.

The collision of ice and fire stirred up bursts of white steam, and the atmosphere of battle became even more intense.

Kaido's attack power was astonishing, and the spiked club carried a destructive force as it swung, destroying everything it hit.

Kuzan used his agile movements to constantly dodge and counterattack, his movements as swift as the wind, and the icy cold air cut through the air like a sharp blade.

This cold air, which could easily freeze people into ice blocks, had no effect on Kaido.

The battle between the two was like two wild beasts fighting, fierce and intense.

Each of Kuzan's counterattacks carried a determination to die, and each of Kaido's strikes was filled with destructive power.

"You think these little tricks can trap me?"

Kaido roared, and with a fierce swing of the spiked club, he directly shattered Kuzan's ice blade, ice chips splashing, as if a blizzard had fallen.

A cold light flashed in Kuzan's eyes, he knew that he couldn't compete with Kaido with strength alone, he could only use speed and skill.

He jumped up suddenly, and the ice blades were like sharp blades flying all over the sky, stabbing straight at Kaido's vitals.

Kaido roared, his eyes bloodshot, and he swung the spiked club to shatter all the ice blades, but Kuzan had taken the opportunity to get close, and the power of ice condensed on his fist, slamming hard into Kaido's chest.

"Boom!"

With a loud noise, Kaido's body swayed slightly, but quickly stabilized.

He grinned, reached out and grabbed Kuzan's shoulder, his strength pressing down like a mountain.

"You're too weak!"

Kaido sneered, and the spiked club swung down again.

Kuzan felt the great force coming from his shoulder, his face turned pale, but his eyes remained calm.

He gritted his teeth, and the power of ice burst out from his body, forcibly resisting Kaido's oppression.

The two once again fell into a fierce fight, the atmosphere on the battlefield became more tense, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and icy cold air.

Every collision was like thunder roaring, and the aftermath of the battle caused the surrounding buildings to collapse one after another.

Kaido's mad laughter contrasted sharply with Kuzan's silence, and the battle between the two was like two irreconcilable forces colliding fiercely.

Both strength and will were fully displayed in this battle.

......

On the World Government ship.

Von Clay paced back and forth in the cabin.

As the ship got closer and closer to the G5 branch, his unease became more and more intense.

Although he could imitate Jin An's appearance, he couldn't imitate his strength.

Thinking of the danger on the battlefield and the consequences of possibly exposing his identity, Von Clay's scalp went numb and his heart beat faster.

"If I'm exposed, I'm really dead..."

Von Clay muttered to himself, cold sweat sliding down his forehead.

He clenched his fists, trying to calm the fear in his heart, but the anxiety was like endless waves, coming one after another.

Moreover, the fact that Jin An needed him to replace his identity meant that the other party should have done something very important during the time he replaced his identity, at least something he didn't want the World Government to know.

In order to keep this secret for Jin An, he had to think about the next countermeasure.

"......"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind him.

This voice directly scared him so much that he almost jumped up.

"Thank you for helping me cover up."

This voice was low and powerful, with a hint of unintentional majesty.

Von Clay turned around suddenly and finally saw that familiar yet unfamiliar face.

Jin An slowly approached him and gently patted him on the shoulder.

In that instant, his heart seemed to stop beating, and his whole body froze in place.

"Vice Admiral Jin... Jin An!"

A smile appeared on Von Clay's pale face, trying his best to control his trembling voice,

"It's a pleasure to see you, this is all I should do."

The Jin An in front of him was tall and straight, with a stern face and eyes as sharp as an eagle, as if he could see through everything.

Jin An's domineering aura came directly at him, allowing Von Clay to truly experience the majesty of this legendary powerhouse for the first time.

A complex emotion surged in Von Clay's heart, both awe of Jin An and fear of the upcoming battle.

He forced himself to calm down, took a deep breath, and looked directly into Jin An's eyes, as if only in this way could he find a trace of courage.

"Vice Admiral, I..."

Von Clay opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

He felt his mind was in chaos, and all his thoughts became blurred.

Jin An seemed to see through his thoughts, patted him on the shoulder, and said in a gentle tone:

"Relax, you did a good job. Leave the rest to me."

Von Clay felt the trust and support from Jin An, and the unease in his heart eased slightly.

He nodded, his eyes becoming firm.

"Yes, Vice Admiral!"

Jin An smiled slightly and turned to leave.

Von Clay looked at his back and felt an invisible force.

Von Clay took a deep breath, restored his original appearance, clenched his fists, and prepared to meet the upcoming battle.

...

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