Ash and the others watched Kizaru put on an elaborate performance, patting down his entire body as if searching for a Den Den Mushi. A moment later, a stern voice came through the receiver.
"Borsalino, where are you right now? I've run into the Beasts Pirates and the Red Hair Pirates. If a battle breaks out, the situation will be extremely unfavorable for us. I need support immediately!"
After hearing the message, Kizaru glanced at Kirk, who cooperatively raised his blunderbuss and pointed it at him once more.
A nearly imperceptible smile tugged at Kizaru's lips. Slowly turning the Den Den Mushi toward the barrel of the gun, he replied leisurely, "If the situation is unfavorable, then perhaps it's best not to fight for now. I'm currently being held at gunpoint myself, so I probably won't be able to help anytime soon. Why not stall for a little longer? Didn't Aokiji already cross Reverse Mountain to take a shortcut? He should be able to meet up with you soon."
"Damn it! Who could possibly restrict your freedom with a single blunderbuss?!" Sakazuki roared.
"I don't know them very well, but their strength should be no less than Benn Beckman's. I can't keep talking. If I get distracted, I might get shot."
After listening to the absurd exchange between Kizaru and Akainu, Ash and the others instinctively looked at the blunderbuss in Kirk's hand.
Hmm?
It wasn't some Supreme Grade Blade polished by Benn Beckman.
So what exactly did Kizaru mean when he claimed Kirk's strength was comparable to Benn Beckman's?
Was he simply making things up to annoy Akainu?
Fortunately, Ash had a simple approach to things. If he couldn't figure something out, he either ignored it or asked directly.
Watching Kizaru leisurely sip his black tea with an expression of pure enjoyment, Ash asked, "If the tea is that good, drink as much as you like. But what did you mean by saying Kirk's strength is comparable to Benn Beckman's?"
"Oh, that?"
Kizaru set down his cup.
"It's simple. Benn Beckman is the only person who constantly points a gun at me while telling me not to move, not to move, and not to act rashly."
"The moment young Kirk pointed that blunderbuss at me, I couldn't help but think of Benn Beckman."
Kizaru raised his cup again and took another satisfied sip.
"Hmm... this tea is excellent. It would be even better with some miso ramen and a few bananas. That would make for truly top-tier afternoon tea."
Kirk looked toward Ash.
After receiving a nod, he immediately pulled a bowl of miso ramen and a bunch of bananas out of his storage ring.
Kizaru blinked in surprise.
"Oh my, a spatial ability? Young people these days really are frightening."
"Slurp... slurp..."
His eyes brightened.
"Oh! This ramen is absolutely fantastic!"
Ash stared at the legendary Admiral who treated every mission like a casual work shift and wondered if the man had completely abandoned any pretense of being a prisoner.
"Kirk, get me a bowl too. Extra spicy."
...
Time quickly passed, and night descended.
On Beehive Island, the people being beaten up were still being beaten up. Meanwhile, Ash and the others naturally transitioned from afternoon tea to dinner.
Kizaru "reluctantly" stayed for another meal.
After enjoying one delicious dish after another, even his usual sarcasm became noticeably less frequent. He praised the Kirk siblings' cooking skills so enthusiastically that it sounded as though honey had been poured over every word.
Neither the three fake Yonko crews of the Dawn Faction nor Akainu contacted them again, leaving everyone uncertain about the current situation and whether the standoff was still ongoing.
As the sun disappeared completely and the moon climbed into the sky, a massive longship finally appeared in the waters surrounding Beehive Island.
It was the vessel of the Giant Warrior Pirates, the Great Eirik.
Coincidentally, Nami had grown bored and wanted to return to the Dawn to rest for the night before mapping the surrounding seas from the clouds the next day.
Nojiko also planned to return to the Dawn to check on the fruit trees and spend some time with her sister.
Robin, meanwhile, felt somewhat uncomfortable with Kizaru's presence. Upon seeing the Giant Warrior Pirates approaching, the three women requested permission to handle the battle themselves.
Ash had no objections.
There were no ancient giants among the Giant Warrior Pirates, and Kirk had little interest in fighting them anyway.
On the other side, the Great Eirik anchored in the shallow waters near the coast.
A large group of giant pirates, led by the former Enies Lobby gatekeepers Oimo and Kashii, leaped from the ship.
Raising their massive weapons, Oimo and Kashii crossed their hammer and axe together and shouted:
"Warriors of Elbaph! Destroy the Dawn Pirate Hunters and avenge our leaders! Charge!"
"Avenge our leaders!"
"The God of Elbaph is watching us! Charge!"
"Roar! Kill them all!"
The giants responded in unison as they stormed toward the shoreline.
Before they could even reach land, however, Robin, Nami, and Nojiko had already arrived above them.
The giants were savage warriors, but they were not blind. They immediately noticed the three women hovering in the sky and began leaping upward while swinging their enormous weapons.
Robin seized the opportunity.
As the giants tilted their heads upward, she activated her Devil Fruit ability.
A blinding burst of sunlight erupted across the night sky.
The sudden radiance pierced the darkness and instantly overwhelmed the giants' vision.
While they bent over and shielded their eyes, Nojiko acted.
The sea within a thousand-meter radius froze solid in an instant.
Towering sheets of ice spread across the ocean, trapping every giant firmly in place.
At the same time, Nami had already gathered a massive thundercloud overhead.
Thunder rumbled through the heavens.
The next moment, countless bolts of lightning descended.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The frozen battlefield was engulfed in dazzling flashes as devastating lightning strikes rained down continuously.
Within moments, the entire Giant Warrior Pirates force was wiped out.
With their mission complete, Robin, Nami, and Nojiko immediately turned around and headed back toward the Dawn.
"Oh my."
On Beehive Island, Kizaru sipped his tea while watching the spectacle.
"Do these three young ladies possess such destructive power as well? By the way, are they all Logia users? Young people these days truly are terrifying."
"They're just giants who look tough on the outside," Ash replied casually.
At that moment, Kizaru's Den Den Mushi rang once more.
"Moshi moshi, this is Borsalino."
"This is Sakazuki!" Akainu's voice thundered through the receiver. "Borsalino, where are you now?"
Kizaru subconsciously glanced at Kirk before answering in a slightly more serious tone.
"Oh my, I've been captured."
Ash and Kirk exchanged looks and simultaneously rolled their eyes.
Captured by food, more like.
"You bastard, stop slacking off at a time like this!"
Akainu growled angrily.
"Kuzan has arrived, but for some unknown reason, he's covered in bruises and looks seriously injured."
"Originally, the two of us were enough to maintain a standoff against Kaido and Red Hair."
"But now, for some unknown reason, even the Whitebeard Pirates have shown up!"
"We're currently trapped in a three-way encirclement!"