Several days later, when the Dragon ship arrived at Scythiany, Kuzan still hadn't settled on a perfect solution. However, upon arrival, they found the World Government's forces already waiting in formation.
Since the Gorosei and the Celestial Dragons had realized Alucard's objective, they naturally wouldn't stand by and watch them destroy the Ryumyaku.
"..."
Kuzan exhaled a puff of icy breath, the left side of his body flickering into its elemental state. He sighed. "So, we're really doing this?"
At the very least, he had to see for himself what Alucard and the others were truly after.
With that thought, while the ship was still about two miles from Scythiany and both sides were trading cannon fire, Kuzan leaped into the air. The moment his feet touched the sea, ice bloomed beneath him, creating temporary footholds. He sprinted across the waves as if skimming the surface of the water.
"Kuzan-san seems quite energetic today. It's a far cry from that 'Lazy Justice' he usually preaches," Aranea remarked. As she spoke, she activated her powers and took to the sky, trailed by plumes of black smoke as she flew toward the shore. PX-0 followed closely behind her.
The Government soldiers, clad in pure white uniforms, were stunned to see Kuzan charging them first. "Watch out! It's the fallen Admiral, Aokiji!"
The moment the officer finished speaking, Kuzan leaped high. Reaching out with his right hand, he shouted, "Ice Pick!"
Tiny shards of ice, sharp as needles and fast as a blizzard, swept through the ranks, freezing half the army in a single breath.
"Phew..."
Kuzan landed in front of the commander, who was trembling in terror at the cold intensity in the former Admiral's eyes. "This is... an Admiral... no, you... you traitor to the Government!"
"I'll accept 'traitor to the Navy,' but please don't call me a traitor to the Government, okay?"
Kuzan patted the man's shoulder. Frost began to consume the officer's body, crawling upward until he was entirely encased in ice. Just before the freeze was complete, Kuzan turned his back to him. "It's a pity. You're all just fodder the Government sent to put on a show. It's your misfortune to be caught in this fight, but ultimately, it's because you're soldiers of the Government."
By the time Aranea and PX-0 arrived, the Government troops on the shore had all been turned into ice sculptures. A faint, shimmering mist of cold hung over the entire coastline.
Aranea echoed Kuzan's earlier sentiment. "These people are just cannon fodder."
Having both spent time within the Government and the Navy, they knew the truth: the Government had no intention of saving this island from the start. They had abandoned it completely. Sending troops to block the way was merely a performance for the world, a way to prevent the public from thinking the World Government was cold-blooded and indifferent to the pleas of its member nations.
But with this level of combat power, let alone Alucard himself, they couldn't even stop Kuzan. To Aranea and the others, the "production cost" of this political theater was pathetically low.
Dr. Vegapunk led the Scientific Research Division onto the island. Gazing toward the interior, he said to Alucard, "We'll begin excavating the core to find the Ryumyaku. At the fastest, it will take a week; at the slowest, over a month."
"It's going to take quite a bit of time," Alucard noted slowly.
"There's no helping it. Digging through an entire island is a massive engineering project," Dr. Vegapunk said, shrugging helplessly.
"Heh." Alucard took a few steps toward the city, then glanced back at Dr. Vegapunk. "The Government won't just sit by and watch. They'll be making a move soon."
…
Kuzan made his way into the Scythiany citadel. Since this was a place where Celestial Dragons had lived eight hundred years ago, the environment was naturally opulent; countries as destitute as Dressrosa were the exception.
News of the pirates' arrival had already swept through the city. The terrified residents were screaming and fleeing in a disorganized mass, with stampedes breaking out in the chaos.
Thump!
A little girl, being pulled along by her mother, tripped and fell. Before she could scramble up, a crowd of people surged toward her from behind. No one spared a glance for the child on the ground; even those who saw her wouldn't stop their flight.
"Mama..."
Tears welled in the girl's eyes as she watched the shadows of boots grow larger and larger, about to crush her.
"Whoa, easy there. Calm down."
Suddenly, a tall figure stepped between the girl and the stampede. The burst of cold air radiating from him caused the panicked crowd to veer around him in a fresh wave of shock.
"Little miss, you have to be more careful when you're running," Kuzan said, turning to look at the fallen girl.
"Nana!"
The girl's mother ran back and scooped her up. After both mother and daughter bowed quickly to thank Kuzan, they grabbed their belongings and fled toward the coast once more.
Kuzan could save one person, but he couldn't save all three hundred thousand citizens of this nation. Soon, the air was filled with more screams of pain and pleas for help coming from the brawls and stampedes in the distance.
"..."
Kuzan sighed repeatedly. He leaped onto the roof of a house and gazed at the royal palace in the distance. Is this all I can do?
Minutes after Kuzan entered the palace, Aranea flew to the spot where he had just stood. She also looked toward the palace. "I hope they'll be obedient. Otherwise... heh."
About six hours later, Aranea walked out of the palace. After a few seconds of silence, she waved her hand dismissively. "Pacifistas, eliminate this country's military!"
Upon her command, the Pacifistas hidden throughout the city activated. They began hunting down anyone wearing the Scythiany Royal Army uniform, slaughtering them ruthlessly while tearing the city apart in the process.
This... was what it meant to be a pirate.
A few minutes after Aranea, Kuzan also emerged from the palace. The elemental frost on his right hand had just faded. As he stepped out, he saw the Pacifistas beginning to lay waste to the city.
"Are you joking?! I am of royal blood! If I lose this kingdom, I lose my status as King! Get out! You Marine traitor!"
"The Corpus Royal Family curses you, Aokiji Kuzan!"
"We would rather die with this country! This is ours! This belongs to our clan!"
Kuzan recalled the words of the Corpus family, the ones ruling here in place of the Celestial Dragons, as he sat on the palace steps, watching the Pacifistas systematically dismantle the city.
Two more hours passed. Finally, Kuzan pulled out a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.
"Marine Headquarters? It's me... Aokiji. No... it's Kuzan."