Chapter 22 - 22 – Intercepting CP0!

"Oh, so it's you lot... CP0's little rats." The sudden voice made Rock jolt with alarm. "On alert!" He barked the order, glancing up. And when he saw the figure perched on the tree branch, a flicker of disbelief crossed his face—his voice even trembled. "White Wolf... Magnus?!" Rock never imagined his worst suspicion would come true. The White Wolf Pirates were actually in Elbaf! "Retreat!" The moment he laid eyes on Magnus, Rock didn't hesitate to issue the order. Because if Magnus was here— Then what about the rest of the White Wolf crew? They might not match Magnus in power, but they were far from weak. If Magnus stalled them even briefly, none of them would be able to escape. Rock's mind spun. Why was Magnus here? Had he just arrived in Elbaf like them, or had the White Wolf Pirates been hiding here this whole time? He immediately dismissed the former. Right now was the Winter Solstice Festival in Elbaf. At this time, unless someone had the giants' trust, all outsiders would be treated as enemies. Which could only mean one thing: The White Wolf Pirates had allied with the giants of Elbaf. That thought alone made Rock instinctively pull out his Den Den Mushi. But before he could speak, a blade's flash whistled through the air—slicing the Den Den Mushi in half. "Wha—?" "Oi oi... trying to send a message right in front of me? You're not giving me much respect, are you... CP0 spies." Magnus stood up on the branch. The longsword at his waist had already been drawn. The moment he spotted these CP0 agents, he'd already decided— They weren't walking out alive. After all, the system had finally issued a quest again: [Sea Circle Calendar: 1480, December 7] You've been staying in the Giant Nation for six months, and have gradually mastered the use of Haki. But good times don't last forever. You've discovered several CP agents sneaking into Elbaf—and identified them as CP0, the elite intelligence force of the Celestial Dragons. Each CP0 agent possesses strength enough to easily defeat an adult giant. However, you, who just started to master Haki, stand no chance of winning alone. Mission: Awaken the giants and assist them in repelling the CP agents. Reward: Unknown (Reward varies based on contribution during the fight.) Magnus didn't bother trying to ask the giants for help. Once the fighting started, the giants would notice. All he had to do was finish CP0 before they could flee. "Damn it!" Seeing Magnus strike, Rock instantly knew—there was no escaping. "Sean, Ellie, stay with me." He glanced at the tall and short figures beside him, then turned to the last one. "Milo—get the message out!" "Got it!" x3 The four split instantly. Milo, assigned as the escapee, turned and bolted. But of course, Magnus saw everything. "Hmph... trying to run?" His limbs began beastly transformation— Magnus had never been the type to go easy on his enemies. From the moment he attacked, it was full force. "Block him!" Seeing Magnus disappear from the branch, Rock charged forward with a shout. Although Magnus was incredibly fast, Rock—leader of this CP0 operation—was strong enough to rival pirates with over 100 million bounty. With two other agents assisting him, even Magnus couldn't easily win. But in this world— Only the strong have choices. Just as Rock and his team were about to intercept Magnus— He stepped through the air in a "Z"-shaped trajectory, evading with ease. Rock's pupils shrank. "MILO!" But it was too late. All of this happened within seconds. Milo was the fastest of the group. But not faster than Magnus' blade. "Frostfall!" In the already frigid forest, it was as if a second snowstorm erupted. The power of the Mythical Zoan Fruit coursed through Magnus, letting him generate cold air naturally. After forty years of mastery, the fruit's power was like an extension of his will. You could even see frost rings swirling around Magnus. This was the mark of a Zoan-type Devil Fruit awakening. Six months ago, due to his age, Magnus wouldn't dare use awakening—it drained too much stamina. But now? His strength had nearly returned to its peak. In fact, even at his so-called peak, he might've been weaker than now. Magnus had awakened his Devil Fruit powers in his late fifties, when his combat technique and Haki were top-tier—but his physical form was already declining. So in truth, Magnus never had a true prime. But now, with the system's help, time itself had been reversed. He looked ten years younger—and his body had returned to that of a 55-year-old. His physical peak? 45 years old. Thanks to consistent training, he was nearly there. Maybe— Even without mastering Advanced Conqueror's Haki infusion, he could soon reach the world's top tier. "MILO!!!" But Milo would never hear Rock's scream. Because Magnus' sword was faster than any shout. The icy blade tore through the air, overtaking the fleeing Milo. He activated Tekkai (Iron Body) to endure— But it wasn't enough. The slash cut clean through Milo's defenses. He froze instantly into a lifelike ice sculpture. All of it happened in just one second. "Too bad." Magnus turned calmly to face the remaining three agents. His voice was gravelly and aged, but steady. "He should've stayed. If all four of you teamed up, maybe you could've given me some trouble." The oppressive aura of Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki) surged forth. It wasn't the strongest Magnus had seen, but that one slash—and the way he froze a CP agent in a heartbeat—chilled the hearts of the others. Now Rock was full of regret. Why had he even come here? Why tempt fate? They were done for. Magnus didn't plan to give them any chances. If they had any trump cards, he wanted to end it before they could use them. And as if to confirm his fear— A cold, feminine voice echoed through the woods: "Oh? Then what if you add me to the mix?" She hadn't even registered on Magnus' perception— Like a venomous serpent, unseen until it was already coiling to strike. CLANG! Swords clashed mid-air. And with the ringing steel came Rock's voice—full of hope. "Admiral Crimson Serpent!" One of the three Navy Admirals— Crimson Serpent... had arrived. (End of Chapter) [Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome] [Thank You For Your Support!]