Meanwhile, in the center of Saka Pachi Island, scorched earth and ice intertwined strangely.
Inside a crater, Gern and Kuzan lay side-by-side; one was breathing faintly, semi-conscious, while the other had completely lost consciousness.
“Gern!” At that moment, a white figure, with astonishing speed, tore through the swirling smoke and was the first to rush into the center of the battlefield.
Libo’s face was etched with anxiety; she didn’t even have time to clearly see the completely altered surrounding landscape.
Her eyes were solely fixed on Gern’s charred, drooping left arm, from which wisps of white smoke rose.
“It’s okay, Libo is here!” With that, Libo knelt down without hesitation, her hands cupped together, and a soft green light emanated from her palms.
Within the light, two crystal-clear carrots, as if carved from red crystal, slowly materialized, exuding a rich life force.
“Quick, Gern, eat it!” Libo swiftly held a healing carrot to Gern’s mouth, her tone urgent and undeniable.
These were healing carrots she had extracted with great effort, using the power of the Healing-Healing Fruit, from the resilient criminals in Impel Down’s Level 6, under Vice Admiral Garp’s guidance, before this “Admiral Battle.”
Although they couldn’t compare to the top-grade one extracted from Oden back then, their healing power was still formidable.
Hearing the voice, Gern forced his eyes open, saw the worry in Libo’s eyes, and without further question, bit into it.
The sweet juice melted in his mouth, instantly transforming into a surging yet gentle torrent of life, flowing into his limbs and bones.
The searing pain in his left arm rapidly receded, and new flesh visibly grew beneath the charred skin; his over-expended stamina and Haki also recovered at an astonishing rate.
Almost as Gern began to swallow, Libo had already turned her gaze to the unconscious Kuzan beside him.
She then placed the other healing carrot in her palm, clasped her hands together, and an even more dazzling emerald green light burst forth.
“Healing Extraction: Life Infusion!”
As she spoke, the healing carrot rapidly decomposed in the light, transforming into the purest, most concentrated life energy.
Like a docile green current, it slowly infused into Kuzan’s chest, guided by Libo, into the area that had been internally destroyed and covered in charred cracks by “Quake Flare: Magma Core Blast.”
And as the life energy surged in, Kuzan’s near-collapsing injuries were like a long-awaited rain after a drought.
His internal organs, torn by shockwaves, his meridians, scorched by high temperatures, and the deep weakness brought on by overexertion, were all swiftly soothed and repaired by this powerful healing force.
When the energy of one carrot was depleted, Kuzan’s breathing, though much steadier, still remained unconscious.
Libo gritted her teeth, without the slightest hesitation, and once again conjured a healing carrot.
She similarly transformed it into life energy and injected it into Kuzan’s body.
Continuously consuming and transforming two essence carrots extracted from Level 6 criminals was an immense burden, even for Libo.
Soon, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her face turned slightly pale.
But the effect was significant.
After the second surge of energy was injected, Kuzan’s eyelashes fluttered a few times, a low groan escaped his throat, and then he slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze was initially somewhat unfocused and bewildered, then quickly sharpened as he felt the surging vitality within his body and his rapidly healing injuries.
Kuzan then instinctively propped himself up with his hands, tried to move his body, and then… actually sat right up!
“…What an… incredible ability,” Kuzan said, looking down at his chest, which had almost completely recovered.
He then felt the lingering, but no longer threatening, shock injuries within his body.
Next, he turned to look at the somewhat pale Libo beside him and sincerely thanked her: “Thank you, our little Rabbit Commodore.”
“It’s good that you’re alright! If you hadn’t woken up, Libo wouldn’t have had the energy to transform a third one!” Libo waved her hand, her rabbit ears drooping weakly.
On the other side, Gern had already recovered most of his strength thanks to that healing carrot; his left arm moved freely, though his face still showed the fatigue of the intense battle.
He sat up, looked at Kuzan, who was also sitting up, and twitched his lips: “Looks like you’re pretty tough.”
“Cut it out…” Kuzan, hearing this, also smiled helplessly, rubbing his chest, which still throbbed faintly.
“You held back that last strike, didn’t you?”
“You noticed?”
“What do you think?”
Kuzan was still very clear about his own body.
Especially the destructive energy that had invaded his body had a very brief attenuation before its final explosion.
Otherwise, even with Libo’s heaven-defying healing ability, he would probably have to lie in bed for a year or a half.
He might even have been left with indelible scars, instead of being able to sit and talk as he was now.
Gern neither admitted nor denied it, merely stating blandly: “Winning is enough.
Besides…” He glanced at Kuzan, “If I were to leave some permanent commemorative patterns on your body,
I wouldn’t be able to explain it to Teacher Zephyr, and Vice Admiral Garp would probably nag me for years.”
Kuzan was momentarily stunned, then chuckled and shook his head.
He knew Gern was referring to large-area, unhealable, severe burn scars.
If it had really turned out like that, it would indeed have been quite troublesome.
At this moment, Tesoro, Snake Princess, and others also arrived.
Tesoro looked at the rapidly recovering duo, especially Kuzan, who was now sitting up, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but he quickly reined it in.
Snake Princess, however, immediately bumped Kuzan away from Gern’s side.
Then she embraced Gern, scrutinizing him from head to toe, and only after confirming he was unharmed did she turn her beautiful eyes to Kuzan, with a look of disdain.
Kuzan: “…”
As for Eneru, who followed behind, he merely snorted coldly, stood to one side with his golden staff, and uncharacteristically refrained from uttering any “divine pronouncements.”
Originally, he had also wanted to learn Gern’s method of breaking through freezing with Haki.
As a result, he accidentally made an even bigger fool of himself on the Marine ship!
Soon, the Marine medical team also rushed up with stretchers.
But seeing that both officers were already able to sit up and talk on their own, they were all a bit at a loss.
Gern stood up, moved his fully recovered left arm, and said to the medical team, “Just bandage us up!
After all, the major injuries are healed, but there are still minor ones.”
“Yes, Vice Admiral Gern!”
Kuzan also slowly stood up; although his internal injuries had mostly healed under the healing energy,
the immense depletion of stamina and Haki could not be replenished in a short time, and he still felt a wave of weakness.
“This ‘performance’ should satisfy those adults in Mary Geoise.”
Gern scoffed: “Whether they’re satisfied or not, what does it matter to me?”
He paused, then looked at Kuzan, “What do you plan to do next?”
“Go back,” Kuzan’s voice returned to its usual lazy tone, but with a hint of depth.
“The battle is over, but the storm of the ‘Admiral Battle’ is only just beginning now.
The Fleet Admiral and… those few, are probably all waiting for the results.”
Meanwhile, the Marine ship slowly docked, and on the deck,
Fleet Admiral Kong stood prominently at the very front, clad in his Fleet Admiral’s coat, his expression as solemn as ever.
However, Sengoku, standing beside Kong, wore a slightly worried expression.
Although his gaze also fell on Gern, compared to Kong’s scrutiny, Sengoku’s eyes were more complex.
Or rather, they carried assessment, solemnity, and a very subtle hint of… apprehension.
Especially when Gern’s figure appeared at the top of the gangway, Sengoku’s pupils imperceptibly contracted.
Kong’s earth-shattering decision—the “Subordinate Autonomy”—uncontrollably echoed in his mind again.
For a moment, Sengoku rapidly weighed the future pattern, balance, and checks in his heart.
But his face remained impassive; he simply raised his hand, like everyone else, adopting a welcoming posture, though his movements seemed slightly stiff.
“Hahaha!” At this moment, laughter from the side broke the momentary silence.
Garp, picking his nose, strode forward without a care for his image, vigorously waving his arms, laughing heartily.
“You two brats! You put on quite a show!
You didn’t disgrace this old man! We’ll have a banquet at the Marine mess hall tonight, and it’ll be bottomless!”
Zephyr stood a little behind, looking at his two most outstanding students, and his tense expression softened considerably.
Especially when he saw Libo’s slightly pale face, a hint of concern flashed in his eyes.
Then his gaze shifted between Gern and Kuzan, finally turning into a meaningful hum.
There was both pride in his disciples’ strength and a touch of helplessness regarding the internal struggle.
Fleet Admiral Kong’s final term, Sengoku’s impending succession,
the World Government’s watchful eye, and Gern’s increasingly powerful “Calamity” faction…