"Here! Have it back!"
He swung his arm violently. The rubberized ice spears shot back even faster!
Aokiji flickered, easily dodging the returning spears. Mid-air, his hands moved in rapid succession, sending more ice balls and ice spikes raining down like a barrage.
Luffy weaved through the intensive ice attacks. One wrong move and this kind of technique would freeze him solid.
Breaking free would consume considerable Haki and stamina.
In Luffy's eyes, he was gradually understanding what strongman battles were all about.
Stamina. Haki. Techniques... Ultimately, what mattered most was endurance.
Spotting an opening, he leaped high, his Haki-coated fist aimed straight for Aokiji's abdomen!
But the punch didn't connect with solid flesh.
Aokiji's body shattered on impact, scattering into countless crystalline shards that rained down toward the frozen sea below.
"Your Haki application still has a long way to go."
Aokiji's cool voice came from the side. The ice fragments rapidly coalesced, reforming his body without a scratch.
"I used Kenbunshoku Haki to predict your attack and preemptively used elemental transformation."
This was a lesson for Luffy.
Against top Logia users, simply coating attacks with Busoshoku Haki wasn't enough. He needed more advanced Haki techniques, or faster, more unpredictable strikes.
Fighting a strong opponent like Aokiji was enormously stressful, but it also gave him deeper insight into Haki application.
Every enemy was the best teacher. So now, Teacher Aokiji was in session.
Whoosh!
The moment Aokiji reformed, he vanished like a phantom. When he reappeared, he was already close to Luffy, his icy hands grabbing Luffy's arms.
Ice Time Capsule!
Biting cold spread instantly from the point of contact. Luffy's arms began rapidly freezing. This was the endpoint of Aokiji's Devil Fruit development—freezing.
In his rise to Admiral, Aokiji had countless frozen pirates. The Impel Down was full of those frozen lumps. They even saved on Seastone handcuffs.
But just as he was about to freeze Luffy solid, Luffy grinned. The muscles in his arms bulged as flowing Busoshoku Haki, almost alive, surged outward, forcing the forming ice to crack apart.
At the same time, his other fist—hidden behind him—struck like a snake, faster than lightning, slamming into Aokiji.
Gomu Gomu no: White Pistol!
CRASH!
Aokiji seemed not to have expected Luffy to counterattack so quickly under those conditions. The punch landed solidly on his chest. He flew backward again, crashing through half a wall.
Meanwhile, the battles between the Straw Hats and the remaining CP9 members were also nearing their end.
Under the influence of their captain—the King of Hustle—and his daily hellish training, combined with Vivi using her Fūfū no Mi to manipulate air currents from the Going Merry for interference, the Straw Hats had significantly improved. Their rapport was also growing.
Robin's fight with Kalifa ended first.
Though Kalifa had acquired the Awa Awa no Mi, making her slippery and hard to grasp, Robin's versatile Hana Hana no Mi and superior combat intelligence won the day.
Countless arms sprouted from Kalifa's body, locking her in place, joints twisted until she lost the ability to fight.
"Cough. You win."
Kalifa's lips were bloodied as she looked at Robin. She spoke suddenly: "I want to trade information for my life."
Robin frowned slightly. "What information?"
"A Buster Call has been activated for Enies Lobby." Kalifa said with difficulty.
Robin's face went white. Ohara's destruction surfaced again like a nightmare.
"What did you say?!"
A Buster Call had been activated?
Earlier, Lucci had threatened Robin by saying they would use a Buster Call against the Straw Hats. But she never imagined they would be so insane as to activate one on Enies Lobby itself!
She didn't hesitate. Using the Den Den Mushi Vivi had set up for wind-based communication, she contacted all her nakama. Her voice carried unprecedented urgency:
"Everyone, we need to retreat immediately! A Buster Call has been activated! If we don't leave now, the entire island will be erased from the map!"
The moment her words fell, the huge Gate of Justice—connecting Enies Lobby to Marine Headquarters and Impel Down—groaned heavily as it began to open.
Ten enormous battleships, like a sea fortress, emerged in neat formation through the gap in the gate, steaming rapidly toward Enies Lobby.
Their massive hulls towered even taller than the Bridge of Hesitation at the island's edge!
"The Marine fleet is here!"
Aboard the Going Merry, Vivi, using the wind for perception, was the first to detect the approaching fleet. Her voice, carried by the wind, reached each nakama clearly: "Ten giant battleships are closing in fast!"
Zoro, Sanji, and the others looked at the massive fleet. Their faces showed no fear—only determination.
They had achieved their goal of declaring war. Now, what remained was surviving the elite forces of Marine Headquarters and the firepower of the Buster Call!
"Hold out until Luffy defeats Aokiji and returns!"Zoro roared, his Three-Sword Style sharpening.
"Can't die here!" Sanji kicked like the wind, sending enemies flying.
The ten battleships advanced in two rows of five, breaking through the frozen sea, radiating overwhelming oppression.
At the bow of each of the five front ships stood a powerful Marine officer.
The five Vice Admirals assigned to this Buster Call.
At the center: a man with a mohawk, and a mustache.
Vice Admiral Momonga.
To his left: an expressionless man with a long beard, wearing an unusually tall hat, twin pink-hilted swords at his waist.
Vice Admiral Strawberry.
Farthest left: a broad-faced, cheerful-looking man with a full beard.
Vice Admiral Yamakaji.
To Momonga's right: a man with a scarred face, his expression is vicious.
Vice Admiral Doberman.
Farthest right: a man wearing a helmet adorned with a twin-dragon motif, arms crossed, expression ferocious.
Vice Admiral Onigumo.
These five were elite among Marine Vice Admirals, their names renowned across the seas.
Even in the New World, pirates would flee at the sight of their fleet approaching.
Onigumo took a deep drag from his cigar, exhaling a thick plume of smoke. His cold gaze fixed on the approaching Bridge of Hesitation and Enies Lobby. He gave the command:
"All ships, prepare to target. Once within range, begin indiscriminate bombardment of Enies Lobby!"
***
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