One Piece: Transmigrated as Crocodile

CHAPTER 391 - A Swift Escape?

For Rosen, however, the battle was far from over. The pursuit by Kizaru and Aokiji was relentless, especially since Rosen had been injured from Blackbeard's ambush and carried those wounds throughout the fight.

The fact that he had managed to survive a coordinated four-person attack without being immediately killed already showed his strength. Later, being pierced by a beam left him even more severely wounded.

"A massive Marine fleet ahead?!" Rosen, carrying Hathaway, used Moonwalk repeatedly in midair, trying to evade Aokiji and Kizaru.

But Aokiji's frozen ocean allowed him to move just as swiftly on the ground, and Kizaru needed no introduction—few abilities could match the speed of the Light-Light Fruit.

"You're trying to escape with someone in front of us? Not happening." Kizaru reformed a light particle and appeared before Rosen, extending a finger as beams converged into a laser shot aimed at Rosen's head.

Rosen blocked it with a single Haki-infused palm. The explosion echoed, and Hathaway glanced at Aokiji and Kizaru, frowning slightly. She could sustain brief flight, but long-distance hovering was impossible, so Rosen carried her in his arms.

"Devil Fruit users," Hathaway realized. Both Aokiji and Kizaru were ability users, and Rosen was as well. She was the only one there without powers.

Suddenly, an adventurous thought crossed her mind. The Marine fleet ahead was engaged with an unknown fleet, but there was no guarantee that it didn't have strong fighters aboard.

Kizaru's pursuit style was methodical. He didn't press Rosen and Hathaway all at once, clearly wary of their potential counterattack. He maintained a measured distance, sometimes ahead, sometimes to the side, slowly wearing Rosen down.

Aokiji, too, sent out spikes of ice from the frozen ground. Any spot Rosen was about to step on instantly became solid ice.

"This isn't looking good." Though Rosen no longer had the overwhelming advantage of facing four enemies, he was badly wounded, and neither of the two admirals were easy opponents.

More critically, he couldn't be sure if more pursuers were coming. After all, the ones targeting them were the entire Marine Headquarters, not just Aokiji and Kizaru.

"Breathe in." Amid his calculations, Rosen heard Hathaway's voice. She freed herself, lifted Rosen upside down, and launched a powerful sword slash toward Kizaru.

Kizaru stepped back slightly; if the chase dragged on, they wouldn't get away.

Of course, if Hathaway weren't seriously injured, Kizaru and Aokiji likely wouldn't pursue her. She wasn't their primary target, and she still retained combat capability, making her difficult to handle.

From the start, Rosen had been the focus.

"What?" Rosen froze at Hathaway's words, and then a beam exploded nearby. He and Hathaway plummeted like meteors.

"Hit?" Kizaru was slightly surprised. The enemy's stamina shouldn't have depleted so quickly. Could Rosen be that badly injured?

"Oh dear…trying to escape through the sea? Not on my watch. Ice Age!" With a swift motion, Aokiji froze a vast area of the sea, instantly seeing through Hathaway's plan.

Hathaway made no attempt to hide. With one hand holding Rosen, she stabbed forward with her Sun Sword in the other.

Crack! Like a drill, she shattered the ice. Her supreme blade, enhanced by her strength, cut through as if it were butter. She carved a path through the frozen ocean.

"No need for escort." Rosen glanced at the ice tunnel behind them. Kizaru and Aokiji gathered at the hole Hathaway had created, preparing to attack.

Rosen was unafraid. No matter what, he could defend against a single attack. Once Hathaway fully broke through the ice, they would dive deep into the sea, making it impossible for the two admirals to continue their pursuit.

With Hathaway, a non-ability user but immensely strong, Rosen believed they could swim a fair distance underwater without trouble.

Whoosh…Kizaru's expression darkened as laser beams fired relentlessly. Aokiji continued to compress the ice around them, trying to control or crush the pair.

But Hathaway focused entirely on breaking through the ice. Any encroaching ice was shattered instantly by miniature shockwaves generated from the blood mist around her.

"Sand Shield!" Facing the lasers, Rosen spread his palm. Golden sand detached from him at high speed, forming a protective shield. The attacks struck with a roar, but the shield held.

A chill followed as they submerged. Rosen immediately felt his limbs weaken. Though he had inhaled at Hathaway's urging, underwater, he could no longer elementalize, and he didn't know how long his body could endure.

"This is unbearable…" Rosen experienced for the first time how the sea restrained Devil Fruit users. Even with strong combat skills, the sea sapped his control and made his body heavy and powerless.

Any Devil Fruit user, no matter how trained, would suffer greatly in seawater. Without Hathaway, Rosen might have sunk to the bottom.

Hathaway noticed his struggle. With a look of slight helplessness, she held him close, kicked her legs, and released her blood mist. Even underwater, she moved with remarkable speed, though far slower than on land. Her expression seemed to say, "Devil Fruit users are troublesome."

This was why she never wanted powers—so many strengths, but such obvious weaknesses.

Rosen couldn't speak, nor move comfortably. He didn't know how long he could hold his breath.

"Deploy nearby Marine ships to search the area thoroughly." Kizaru activated his Den Den Mushi, annoyed at Rosen's escape. Escape through the sea? They had considered it.

From the start, they assumed Rosen, a Devil Fruit user, attempting this route would be suicidal. But they hadn't counted on the swordswoman.

Even if they had, as pure ability users, they would struggle to stop Hathaway from diving into the sea, even injured.

Yet the sea was dangerous. Even shallow waters could attract Sea Beasts or Sea Kings. Countless ocean monsters lurked beneath, especially since many preferred not to surface.

This was evident from the world beneath the Sabaody Archipelago. The sea was perilous, even for the strong.

"Many Sea Beasts below, and they're not Fishmen—they can't breathe long. Let's monitor the surface; they won't escape." Aokiji used his Den Den Mushi to deploy nearby ships and secure the area.

"I should have positioned Law's submarine around here," Rosen thought. He hadn't expected events to unfold this way. With his strength, he could have maneuvered freely, but Marine Headquarters targeted him directly, ignoring Whitebeard's remnants or Blackbeard.

"Can we really get away?" Rosen worried. He understood what Aokiji meant: no matter how strong, humans are bound by bodily limits.

When Luffy first entered the New World, he struggled without air during his fight with Caesar. All living beings face the inevitabilities of injury, aging, and environmental constraints.

(End of Chapter)

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