Kizaru fell silent immediately. He raised his hand to push up his glasses and saw several new recruits who had just graduated from the Marine Academy.
They meticulously checked the weapons and first aid equipment on the warship, which was completely different from the leisurely and lazy old man standing beside them.
But this seemingly childish seriousness made Kizaru sigh for a moment. He sighed: "When I just graduated, I was just like these newcomers, serious and responsible-"
"Don't be ridiculous."
Aokiji did not hesitate to expose Kizaru's lies: "Even though we are not from the same class, I know you were able to get full marks in classes but were still able to make the old man so angry that he vomited blood. Ask anyone who graduated from the Marine Academy who doesn't know this story."
"You really don't give me any face at all!"
Kizaru shook his head, but his heart softened at this moment: "I'll try, but it may not work; after all, the opponent is that monster rookie; he is terribly strong."
"Oh, I'll treat you to a drink next time I come back."
"Whenever you can, talk to Sakazuki-"
"Moshi Moshi?"
"Hang up?"
Kizaru looked at Den Den Mushi, who had closed its eyes and retracted into its shell, with a rare hint of worry in his eyes: "The problem between you and Sakazuki will truly threaten the future of the Marines if it is not resolved."
"Admiral Kizaru!"
Suddenly, a slightly panicked voice came from a cabin in the distance.
"CP organization suddenly sent back information that a civil strife broke out in Alabasta, and it was suspected to be Crocodile's doing."
"Now dozens of towns, including Alabasta's capital, Alubarna, have been plunged into war."
"If this matter is not dealt with in time, the consequences will be extremely serious."
Kizaru raised his hand and took a few documents from the visitor. After glancing at them, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "First, Golden Lion appeared, and then Crocodile caused civil unrest in Alabasta..."
"That guy is really troublesome. How could such a person make the old man like this?"
Kizaru raised his hand and scratched his head, then turned to look at his subordinates beside him and said lightly: "This is really troublesome."
"By the time this warship reaches Alabasta, I'm afraid it will be too late."
"I'll leave things here to you. I'm going to Alabasta first!"
As the sound landed, Kizaru raised his hand and took out the Eternal Pose from his arms. After confirming the direction of Alabasta, he instantly turned into a dazzling golden light and disappeared at the end of the sky.
On deck, the new recruits looked at the scene in front of them and felt a little confused for a moment.
"Admiral Kizaru..."
The old marines, who were used to it, patted the new recruits on the shoulder and said: "You'll get used to it."
"After all, Admiral Kizaru is the fastest man in the world!"
… … ...
A few hours later.
Kizaru's figure slowly condensed in the wind and sand, and he calmly looked at the pale Crocodile in the distance:
"Is this the strength of the... Warlord of the Sea?"
"Even with such serious injuries, you can still move freely. You are really... the monster I expected."
"Stop joking!"
Crocodile looked extremely ugly.
He believed that it would be easy to delay Gawain with the help of that move, but he didn't expect that the person waiting for him ahead was Kizaru, who was known as one of the three monsters in the Marines, with a combat power that is undoubtedly above Gawain.
Even now, Golden Lion, who is in his twilight years and his body function is declining, is probably no match for this man.
Faced with such an enemy, Crocodile did not hesitate at all, and there was only one thought in his mind.
Escape!
Only by escaping can he have a chance to make a comeback, to take down Whitebeard's head, to take down the illusory throne…
Even build a utopia!
After all, Mr. 1 is very interested in such boring things!
The next moment, the surrounding sandstorms were blown up again and even became pitch black due to the Armament Haki attached to them, covering the surroundings.
So much so that under the scorching sun, the surrounding sky became gloomy at this moment!
"Huh?"
Kizaru snorted in confusion, and when he looked up, he found that Crocodile in the distance had already disappeared, and the surrounding yellow sand suddenly swept over…
"Both the Armament Haki and the degree of development of the devil fruit ability are far stronger than the intelligence obtained from the Marines."
"Even after twenty years, your combat power hasn't declined much?"
"Ko~wa~i~ne~"
Endless dark sand passed through Kizaru's body, but there was no sound of it hitting an object.
Armament Haki could strike the tangible form of a Logia user, but the Logia Fruit user could also evade by preemptively transforming into their element.
Just like Kizaru at this moment.
He reached out and pushed up his glasses, his eyes fixed on Crocodile running wildly in the distance and jokingly said.
"Speed is weight. Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
As the sound landed, Kizaru placed his hands on his chest, facing Crocodile in the distance.
The latter only had time to turn around before a beam of golden light hit him.
"Sacred Yata Mirror!"
When the lazy voice reached Crocodile's ears, the kick with the rapid acceleration of the Glint-Glint Fruit hit Crocodile's chest accurately.
Even though he had sensed Kizaru's attack in advance with his Observation Haki, his weak body prevented him from reacting at all.
Fast!
It was faster than the naked eye could perceive and even faster than the Observation Hak's perception!
Even... faster than that monster!
Boom!
The moment this thought flashed through Crocodile's mind, his body had already smashed into the desert below like a cannonball.
Dust rose up all over the sky and was blown away by the wind in the next moment.
Crocodile lay flat on the bottom of the sand pit, blood oozing from his mouth and nose, and he lost consciousness.
"He is a monster; even though he has been injured so badly, he still has such fighting power."
Kizaru's posture was relaxed, and his expression did not change at all.
As the wind and sand gradually rose, Kizaru's gaze focused in the distance.
Just because a figure with wings on its back and a layer of fine dragon scales covering its body was flying from a distance.
"Ah."
"I didn't expect to see a Mythical Zoan fruit user here, which is even rarer than a Logia type..."
Along with Kizaru's sigh, Gawain's figure fell to the ground with a bang.
He glanced at Crocodile, who had lost consciousness in the sand pit, then looked at Kizaru in the distance and instantly understood what had happened.
For a while, there was even a hint of pity in Gawain's eyes as he looked at Crocodile: "It seems like you have no chance of making a comeback."
Only then did he look up at Kizaru, feeling the latter's aura, which was not weaker than, or even superior to, the now aging Golden Lion; Gawain licked his lips with his tongue.
If he fights this guy, how much can his Conqueror Haki grow?
Six thousand, seven thousand, or... even more?
"Hey, hey, hey."
"Don't give me that dangerous look!"
Kizaru muttered while lowering his head to look at Gawain.
The dazzling golden light also completely hid Kizaru's eyes beneath his glasses.
Even if it was the first time they met and the face of the person in front of him did not match the face on the wanted poster.
But at this moment, he also realizes that the man in front of him is White Knight Gawain, who has caused such a huge change in Zephyr.