One Piece: Alucard the Immortal

Although Kuzan hadn't witnessed the entire battle between Zephyr and Alucard at the mining site, he had seen the latter half clearly, especially the moment Alucard emerged from Zephyr's shadow and shot him, which remained vividly in his memory.

So, the instant Alucard vanished, Kuzan, recalling that scene, immediately turned to look at the shadow beneath his own feet. However, he was ultimately a fraction too slow.

A figure darted out at extreme speed, punching Kuzan directly in the face, sending his tall body flying.

"Ugh!"

Kuzan let out a muffled grunt, his body skidding across the ice for dozens of meters.

"Hmm... it almost reminds me of Garp-san's punches..." Kuzan rubbed the spot where he'd been hit.

Alucard didn't possess Observation Haki or Armament Haki. His own abilities were enough to compensate for all of it. His Blacklight Virus-infused body allowed him to touch Logia-type users, and Thermal Vision gave him control over everything within a city's range.

Observation Haki could be said to perceive auras and predict enemy attacks through them, and Thermal Vision was a similar tool.

The Blacklight Virus, of course, needed no further explanation; as its level increased, his body's overall capabilities strengthened.

"Ice Blade."

Kuzan's right hand condensed a weapon with a twisted shape, but clearly still a blade. Under the enhancement of ice aura, he instantly rushed towards Alucard.

BANG!

Sparks flew, but immediately vanished due to the ice aura.

The scene shifted as sword and gun clashed. Both their weapons vibrated slightly. This stalemate lasted for five seconds before Alucard's strength increased, reversing the pressure on Kuzan.

BOOM!

Alucard's left hand attacked with a powerful wind pressure. Kuzan's eyes narrowed, shifting to the right as he tried to raise his hand to block the strike. But as Kuzan moved to defend, he suddenly realized that Alucard's left hand had somehow produced a blade!

When did he pull out a blade?!

Kuzan was puzzled. He had been watching Alucard's movements intently and hadn't seen him assume a stance to draw a sword. If so, where did that curved blade in his hand come from?

After taking a punch from Alucard, Kuzan knew he possessed a method to attack his physical body despite not having Armament Haki. Given that, it would be foolish to simply stand there like he was fighting a third-rate pirate and let the blade hit him.

"Ice Ball!"

Kuzan's right hand released a chilling aura, instantly freezing the surrounding air. Alucard's blade, which was about to strike Kuzan's shoulder, was temporarily halted by the freezing.

"A chance!"

Kicking Alucard's arm away, the blade flew from Alucard's grasp. Kuzan abruptly turned and thrust his ice blade anew.

The opponent's body possessed the ability to automatically recover no matter how many times it was injured. In that case, the only option was to attack a vital point in one swift strike.

Kuzan's fighting style was somewhat similar to Zephyr's. While not reaching the exaggerated degree of "No-Killing," he often had a habit of holding back during fights. It was precisely because of this that when he aimed this attack at Alucard's heart, he slightly misaligned it.

"BANG!"

Suddenly, the immense shockwave from a bullet knocked the ice blade from Kuzan's hand, forcefully halting his attack.

'Tsk, a step too slow?' Kuzan thought to himself.

"Nice try, Rear Admiral! But I'm still faster!"

The blade, mutated and condensed from the Blacklight Virus, was once again in Alucard's hand. Alucard had no intention of taking Kuzan's life; this curved blade merely pierced Kuzan's right shoulder.

SPLURCH!

The sound of a blade entering flesh echoed.

Half of the curved blade sank into Kuzan's shoulder.

After being struck, Kuzan took several steps back, then pulled the blade out without hesitation, temporarily freezing the wound with ice. He looked at the blade Alucard had used—a weapon without Armament Haki had actually cut him.

Just as Kuzan prepared to attack again, Alucard suddenly lowered his gun, shrugging with a smile. "I'm done fighting."

"Huh?"

Kuzan's expression instantly became like a husky's—what did he mean? The fight had just begun!

Alucard turned and walked towards the sea, speaking with his back to Kuzan. "Neither of our strengths has reached its peak. If we were to go for the kill now, it would lose a lot of fun. Besides, while I enjoy fighting, I have no reason to kill you. This battle, let's keep it in reserve for now."

Alucard enjoyed fighting, but he wasn't a psychotic killer. To be precise, it was still the same: he lived according to his desires. If he didn't want to fight anymore, he simply didn't want to fight. It was that simple.

"Fun... what a vile character." Kuzan twisted his shoulder. The wound was deep, and even with the ice, he would still need medical attention back at base. But his main focus was now on Alucard. His assessment of him was complete.

A man with a simple goal, yet also a complex and unpredictable individual. From the perspective of a Marine, he didn't want the Marines to gain another enemy.