"Kid! The Marine won't let you run wild here!"
Tsuru had arrived!
Elior saw only an old woman. To be honest, Tsuru looked like any ordinary elderly lady. But Elior knew better — this was a woman who could terrify Doflamingo into fleeing. She was one of the few people who left a lasting psychological scar on him — perhaps one of only two people he truly feared.
The other, of course, was Kaido.
"So, the legendary marine wants to play doubles with Kizaru now?" Elior smiled innocently, his expression so harmless it was hard to believe he was one of the most dangerous pirates in the world.
As Tsuru moved to engage, Kizaru also arrived at light-speed, activating the full power of his Glint-Glint Fruit.
"I'll stop you here, by any means necessary. The goal is the same..."
"For justice."
Despite her frail and hunched figure,Tsuru was faster than most elite marines using Soru, the high-speed technique of the Rokushiki.
As she moved in to strike with her right hand — as if to slap Elior — he recognized the gesture immediately. She was preparing to activate her Wash-Wash Fruit powers.
To Elior, that ability was particularly troublesome.
"Wash away the evil in your heart, you wicked little devil." Her voice was calm, but firm. These days, among both the old and new generations of Supernovas, none caused as much trouble as Elior. Tsuru considered that even in the chaos of Marineford — with Whitebeard's crew and the Revolutionary Army involved — the most unpredictable factor now might be Elior's crew.
Especially Elior himself. A rapidly growing pirate force in the New World, with a small but terrifyingly strong crew. None of them were easy opponents.
"You want to cleanse my sins, Vice Admiral Tsuru?" Elior's expression remained composed as he countered with his left hand—imbued with the power of the Imagine Breaker —to meet hers.
"Hmph! This brat clearly doesn't know how my power works!"
"He actually dares to touch my hand directly!"
Tsuru was confident. Her Paramecia ability was infamous. Those who had fought her, or even heard of her, knew how bizarre and fearsome it was. While it didn't deal direct damage, it rendered enemies helpless — washing them as flat as cloth, then hanging them like laundry.
Elior knew how it worked. She could wash anything—people, objects, even sins. Those affected lost form, power, and even will. Their evil hearts were literally cleansed, their strength and freedom stripped away.
A truly nasty ability. Even top-tier fighters could fall if caught off guard.
"Nice! Vice Admiral Tsuru's joining the fight! That should tip the odds against this brat!"
Kizaru grinned.
"But... that hand..."
He watched as Tsuru's right hand touched Elior's left. But... nothing happened. The usual scene of someone being flattened and hung up like a shirt didn't unfold.
"What's going on?"
Even Tsuru was taken aback. She had clearly activated her power — but upon contact with Elior's left hand, the ability simply vanished?
"Your powers are useless on me."
Elior smiled, a hint of contempt in his voice.
It had to be said—Tsuru's powers were naturally formidable. If Elior hadn't possessed the Imagine Breaker, he would've had to tread carefully. But with it, all he needed was timing—he could nullify her fruit power at the moment of release.
"Vice Admiral, his left hand is weird! It's the third time now I've seen it negate abilities!"
Kizaru called out from behind as he flashed into the battlefield.
"Speed is power!"
Kizaru unleashed a powerful kick with his long leg. Elior flipped in response, countering with his own leg, and the two collided mid-air. The impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield, splintering the ice beneath them.
"Now's my chance!"
Tsuru used their clash as cover to close in again and tried to activate her power once more. Her Wash-Wash Fruit didn't require direct contact — like water splashing, just being near could be enough to cleanse a part of someone.
She had once formed the legendary Iron Triangle with Garp and Sengoku. Any fighter who could stand alongside those two titans for decades was far from ordinary.
But Elior wasn't ordinary either. He touched the ground, instantly raising an ice wall to block her ability.
"Don't underestimate me either."
He glared at her as a giant ice pillar erupted from behind, launching Kizaru into the air.
Boom!
Then, with a tap of his left hand on the ice wall, a sharp icicle launched straight at Tsuru.
"Damn!"
She crossed her arms just in time, coating them in Armament Haki. The icicle slammed into her guard, forcing her back despite the defense.
"This brat's powers are seriously troublesome."
Tsuru couldn't help but think of Aokiji — whom she had personally recruited into the marine. Of everyone, she might know his abilities best.
But Elior's ice... was different. More aggressive. More dangerous.
Whoosh!
Elior didn't pause. He flashed above Tsuru, aiming a powerful kick downward.
"Sorry, I don't like hitting old ladies... but I can't treat you like one."
"You—"
Before she could finish, Elior's boot drove into her stomach.
Boom!
The impact sent Tsuru crashing into the ice, creating a deep crater.
"Beating up old folks isn't exactly honorable, you know!" Kizaru quipped, zipping in.
"Ama no Murakumo Sword!"
He drew his signature lightsaber and slashed at Elior. Elior blocked it with his Haki-covered left hand, then summoned an ice sword in his right—also coated with Haki. As he raised it, an intense aura flared around him.
"Huh? A swordsman?"
Kizaru was startled and quickly retreated several meters.
Now looking at Elior, he had to admit—his aura had changed. He truly looked like a master swordsman.
Kizaru had fought many swordsmen before—but this... this was different.
"You guessed right, Kizaru. Let's see how your sword holds up."
Elior lunged forward, crossing blades with the admiral. Despite Kizaru's power, his swordplay lacked the discipline of a true swordsman. Elior had the upper hand.
"A swordsman? And not a novice either..."
Elsewhere, Mihawk observed. Naturally, he had been watching Elior closely for some time.
Now, it was clear—Elior had taken on the mantle of a swordsman. And from what Mihawk could see, his swordsmanship was anything but amateur.
Even Mihawk, focused on his own battle with the Whitebeard Pirates, kept an eye on Elior.
"So that woman Tsuru got overwhelmed quickly. She didn't gain the upper hand at all. And now Elior reveals swordsmanship on top of his other powers? What's this guy's deal?"
Back on the battlefield, Doflamingo was watching from a distance, waiting for his moment. He had no intention of fighting seriously for the Marine's sake. None of the Shichibukai did. They weren't fools.
"A swordsman, huh?"
Tsuru, emerging from the crater, looked solemn. The black blade in Elior's hand now crackled with strange dark-red energy. Something about it felt off.
For someone with the strength of a Great Swordsman, Elior clearly had the upper hand over Kizaru, who was using his sword like a glorified baton.