I'm Not Interested in Devil Fruits

Kuzan paid no heed to Liam's "loss of composure."

The boy's "Devil Fruit ability" was indeed a bit troublesome.

Even with his exceptional Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) as a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, he could only perceive a vague shadow hovering in the air next to the boy— a humanoid-shaped ghost.

No wonder people thought it was some kind of "spirit."

One could imagine that ordinary people, without mastery of Haki, would be utterly defenseless against such a "spirit."

This boy had probably relied on his ability to act recklessly for far too long, so it was natural for him to feel nervous and flustered the first time someone saw through his power.

"Although the so-called 'spirit' of the pirate king is unsurprisingly a man-made rumor…" Kuzan, with his hands in his suit pockets, bent down slightly to observe Liam. "But to think the one controlling the ghost is a child like you, that's quite unexpected…"

"How unexpected is that?" Liam asked.

"…" Kuzan scratched his head lazily. "If you were an adult pirate, you wouldn't have the chance to keep talking now... but since you're just an ignorant and fearless kid with an ability, it's really a headache deciding what to do with you!"

Liam then pretended to be fearless and shouted, "Big talk! What does it matter to you what I am, strange old man!"

Kuzan replied, "It does matter a bit, considering I am a Marine after all…"

"Marine? So what, my ghost ability is invincible!" Liam waved his hand dramatically and shouted, "Stop bothering me, take this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the ghost 'B.I.B.' sprang into action.

"So impatient, kid'a these days…"

Kuzan's Kenbunshoku Haki accurately tracked the ghost's fist coming towards him.

He didn't plan to defend himself; with his physical strength, a punch like that would be nothing more than a tickle... Wait, something's wrong!

Danger!

Just as the ghost's fist approached, Kuzan's Kenbunshoku Haki triggered his instinctive sense of danger.

How is that possible?!

In that split second, there was no time to hesitate or think.

The ghost's fist reached his chest… no, it didn't even touch, but the fist was already inside his chest.

Kuzan chose not to evade the attack by turning into ice but opted for a more cautious approach against an unknown ability… and a layer of black energy, Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), quickly covered his chest.

Bang!

After penetrating a few millimeters into Kuzan's chest, the ghost's fist suddenly seemed to hit a solid object.

The fist, covered in blue flame patterns, was slowly pushed out by Kuzan's black Haki.

"Just as I thought!" Liam thought, "I guessed right. Kenbunshoku Haki can see 'B.I.B.,' and Busoshoku Haki can touch and attack it…"

When his Stand first awakened, Liam had an inkling.

This energy-based Stand could bully ordinary people, but against masters of Busoshoku Haki and Kenbunshoku Haki, it wouldn't be so easy.

That's why he had been diligently training himself.

The green Den Den Mushi in his pocket could see and touch the Stand, which confirmed his guess. If Den Den Mushi could do it, there was no reason why the strong Haki users couldn't.

The future Marine Admiral Aokiji in front of him now proved this point.

"You're a dangerous and impulsive kid…" Kuzan said while exhaling cold air. Almost embarrassing himself in front of such a brat was quite a scare!

Liam was "shocked," and exclaimed, "How is it possible that my ghost attack didn't work on you?!"

"Ah, that's only natural." Kuzan with one hand still in his suit pocket, adjusted his tie calmly as he spoke. "After all, I am a Marine Vice Admiral… So," He pulled out a piece of paper from his coat. It was a bounty poster with Robin's picture on it. "Can you tell me why you're with her?"

…

The horizon began to lighten with the pale glow of dawn. Despite it not being winter, the ground near the shore was covered in a thick layer of frost.

Under the undisturbed tires of a bicycle, grass, and foliage were frozen in mid-sway. A nearly three-meter-tall man in a suit stood with his hands in his pockets, while in front of him, a boy relentlessly attempted to attack him.

Unfortunately for the boy, his punches and kicks were utterly ineffective against the towering man.

An invisible ghost lingered nearby, waiting for an opportunity to strike, but each time it aimed a punch at the man, a layer of black energy would appear on his body, effortlessly blocking the ghost's attack.

"Phew, phew, I'm done!" Liam shouted, collapsing to the ground, panting heavily.

The cool ground against his hot, sweat-soaked skin felt surprisingly refreshing.

His dark armor-clad Stand returned to his side, its white eyes fixed on the man who stood calmly by the bicycle. The man, now wearing a green sleep mask, yawned lazily, lifted the mask, and said, "Ah, are we done? That was a pretty good massage for a nap… Thanks, I slept really well!"

Liam rolled his eyes, lying on the icy ground, feeling a hint of envy for Aokiji's effortless display of strength.

"The sun's up. If you're done with your tantrum, get on the bike," Kuzan said, lifting his long leg to mount his bicycle. He rested his chin on the handlebars, yawning, "Or would you rather I eliminate you in the name of justice?"

"Just because you're a Marine doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!" Liam protested weakly from the ground. "What did I do that you need to catch me?"

"Nico Robin…" Kuzan said her name lazily.

"Yes, yes, I know she's got a 79 Million Belly bounty and is a wanted criminal!" Liam replied exasperatedly. "I don't care about money, and she's so cute— what's wrong with being friends with her? Are you going to arrest everyone who's talked to her?"

The World Government had put a bounty on Robin but had never publicly disclosed the events of Ohara.

After all, information about the Poneglyphs and the Void Century were things the World Government wanted to keep buried.

To most people, Nico Robin's bounty seemed absurdly high and inexplicable. Those with some insight might suspect she had a powerful and dangerous Devil Fruit ability. Only the highest echelons knew the truth about Robin, Ohara, and the Poneglyphs.

Naturally, Kuzan wasn't about to discuss Ohara with Liam. Instead, he repeated the World Government's propaganda designed to incite a sense of justice among the populace.

"The Devil Child…"

"Oh, come on!" Liam raised a fist while lying on the ice. "Doesn't the word 'Demon' sound cool? You guys gave her the awesome nickname 'Devil Child'— how can anyone not like her with a name like that?!"

Kuzan was at a loss for words as he heard this. This kid's thought process was truly unusual.

Liam let his arm drop and muttered, "If you're going to arrest someone, arrest the guy who came up with that nickname…"

"That's exactly the kind of thing a brat who calls himself the 'Spirit of the Pirate King' would say," Kuzan said, lazily resting a foot on his bike pedal. "How do you explain the messages your ghost wrote on the walls, claiming to be from the pirate king?"

The morning light cast a pure, white glow on Liam's face, making him look particularly innocent. "Actually, I named my ghost Roger."

Kuzan: "…"

...

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