Chapter 54: Massacre the City!

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Massacre the City!

Of course, Claudius had no intention of leaving that guy intact. After freezing him into an ice sculpture, Claudius casually tapped his scabbard against the man's chest. A crisp *crack* echoed, and in an instant, the guy shattered into countless pieces. The ground was covered in broken shards, and not a single drop of blood could be seen.

Seeing this, Gion was visibly surprised and muttered, "Ice powers? Is this like Kuzan's ice?"

Kuzan, the wielder of the Logia-type Frozen Fruit, was well-known for his ice abilities. Watching Claudius freeze a man to pieces with just a gesture, Gion couldn't help but be taken aback.

Vice Admiral Tsuru, however, narrowed her eyes and studied the remains. "No, this isn't Kuzan's ice. Kuzan's power freezes people solid, but this... this is far more lethal. His ability seems different from Kuzan's, but I'm not sure how."

Though Tsuru didn't fully understand it, she was right. Kuzan's ability freezes the exterior, encasing people in ice, but it doesn't usually kill them instantly—strong individuals like Whitebeard or Doflamingo could even break free from it.

Claudius's freezing power, on the other hand, worked differently. His liquid nitrogen froze from the inside out, rapidly absorbing all the surrounding heat, making it far more deadly. The result? A person reduced to fragile shards with no chance of survival.

However, while Claudius's ability was more lethal, it had its limitations. His freezing wasn't as fast as Kuzan's. Kuzan could freeze an entire sea in the blink of an eye, while Claudius couldn't. Kuzan could also control the degree of freezing, even leaving someone alive after being encased in ice. Claudius's liquid nitrogen had no such control—once it was used, the damage was irreversible, with no possibility of melting someone back to life.

As the realization of what had just happened settled in, panic spread among the remaining people of Birka. One woman, her voice trembling with fear, screamed, "Demons! These wingless people are demons! They killed the envoy! Somebody, kill them!"

Claudius stood there, holding the boy Enel in one hand, his expression thoughtful. He murmured, "It's true... no snowflake in an avalanche feels responsible."

If Enel had experienced even a sliver of warmth or kindness during the darkest moments of his life, perhaps he wouldn't grow up to resent and destroy all of Birka in the future. But the cruelty of the priests and the onlookers had darkened his heart beyond repair.

Before Claudius could dwell further on his thoughts, a few of the remaining priests reacted, their anger boiling over. One of them, face twisted with fury, raised his hand and fired a shot at Claudius.

"No! Protect His Highness!" Tsuru's voice rang out sharply.

The bullet passed right through Claudius, leaving him unharmed thanks to his elementalized body. But now, this situation was no longer just a case of casual retaliation, it had escalated into something far more serious.

"Damn it," Tsuru muttered, knowing exactly what this meant. Marines quickly moved to form a protective circle around Claudius.

Claudius glanced at the bullet hole left in the wall behind him, a wicked smile creeping across his face. "Vice Admiral Tsuru, what do you think?"

Though Tsuru's expression remained one of frustration, she couldn't ignore the shift in tone. Claudius had stopped calling her "Sister Tsuru" and had reverted to her formal title of "Vice Admiral." She understood immediately what that meant.

Besides, she thought, Marines have done worse with Buster Calls.

"Your Highness," Tsuru began hesitantly, "now that the city is gone, I suppose our mission is a failure."

Claudius, glancing at the lifeless island, shrugged. "Maybe, but I have a feeling that when we reach the next island, they'll be more willing to talk. Especially after hearing about what happened to Birka."

Tsuru couldn't argue with that logic. What was done was done.

"Oh, by the way," Claudius added with a sly grin, "I'm sure Birka has some valuable resources lying around. It would be a shame to leave it all behind. Let's nationalize it, shall we? Hahaha!"

Crocodile shot Claudius a sideways glance. "You sound more like a pirate than a noble."

Claudius laughed. "What? If they hadn't provoked me, I wouldn't have bothered with them. Consider this the price they paid for their arrogance. Besides, if we take their resources, it strengthens us and helps protect the seas. It's all in the name of peace, after all."

To say something so self-serving right after wiping out an island... Only someone as brazen as Claudius could do that with a straight face.

Tsuru smiled wryly. "His Highness has a point. Originally, we came to explore Sky Island technology. Let's not waste the opportunity. Gion, search the temple."

"Understood!" Gion replied, immediately heading off to follow Claudius's orders.

Before she left, though, she hesitated and asked, "It's safe to go out now, right?"

Claudius chuckled. "Don't worry. My power's dissipated, but the air might still be a little thin for a bit. Give it some time, and everything will return to normal."

With that reassurance, Gion left to carry out the search.

Claudius turned his attention to the young boy still in his arms, smiling gently. "So, kid, what's your name?"

The boy, Enel, looked up at him with wide eyes. Though he didn't fully understand what had happened, one thing was clear—this man had saved him from the people who had tormented him his entire life. To others, Claudius might have seemed like a demon, but to Enel, he was an angel sent from the gods to deliver him from his suffering.

"My name is Enel," the boy whispered, his voice barely audible.

Claudius smiled warmly. "Enel, huh? A strong name. Well, Enel, you're with me now."