Beside him, a Marine hesitated, his voice urgent: "Vice Admiral Onigumo! There are still our people on Enies Lobby!"
"Do you know what a Special Summon means?"
Onigumo cut him off coldly, not even glancing his way. "Advance. Fire. Follow your orders."
"But..."
BANG!
A gunshot. The surrounding voices fell silent.
"A soldier's duty is to obey orders. I have no use for Marines who won't follow commands."
Onigumo gripped a still-smoking flintlock, his gaze fixed ahead, his voice ice-cold.
The other Marines on deck went silent, none daring to object further.
Just then, a Marine communication Den Den Mushi rang out. Whether from crossed frequencies or not, the announcement broadcast across Enies Lobby, reporting the battle:
"Straw Hat Luffy is engaged with Admiral Aokiji at Pillar No. 1! Straw Hat has been frozen by Admiral Aokiji!"
Nami and the others' faces changed. They looked toward Pillar No. 1 with concern, and indeed saw it was now covered in massive ice crystals.
Onigumo's expression didn't change; it was only expected. "Straw Hat? Defeat by an Admiral is inevitable. That's the Marines' highest combat power."
But the Den Den Mushi updated quickly:
"Update! Straw Hat has broken free from the ice! He—he's sent Admiral Aokiji flying!"
"What?!"
For the first time, Onigumo's expression showed noticeable changes, his pupils contracting. The other Vice Admirals also reacted with shock.
That Straw Hat was this powerful?!
"Order the fleet to disperse and surround the Bridge of Hesitation!"
Onigumo immediately changed tactics, his tone was solemn. "Do not let the Straw Hats escape! This crew is too dangerous!"
At the top of Pillar No. 1, on the frozen battlefield.
"I won't let you get away this time."
Aokiji looked at Luffy, who was breathing slightly harder. The cold emanating from him grew sharper. "The Buster Call has been activated. Even I didn't expect it so soon."
Luffy wiped blood from his mouth, his eyes fixed on Aokiji. "This is what took Robin's home away?"
Aokiji paused briefly but didn't deny it.
"Then,"
Luffy looked back, his gaze sweeping across the approaching battleships, growing sharper. "That means some of those Marines right now were the ones who attacked Robin's home, weren't they?"
"What are you planning?" Aokiji frowned.
"Collecting a little interest."
Luffy took a deep breath. He stopped holding back. The Haoshoku Haki that marked the qualities of a king burst forth from him like a broken dam, released without reserve.
BOOM!
An invisible pressure—enough to shake souls—errupted from Luffy like a tsunami, instantly sweeping across the ten approaching battleships!
In that moment, all sound seemed to vanish, leaving a silence that made hearts pound.
THUD.
Like harvested wheat, the common Marine soldiers on the front ships—those loading shells, operating weapons—rolled their eyes back and collapsed in droves.
On a ship with nearly a thousand crew, only field-grade officers and elite soldiers could barely remain standing.
"Haoshoku Haku!!"
"A clearing of this scale?!"
The five Vice Admirals' expressions completely changed.
Now they understood why this rookie pirate had caused such chaos, why he could fight an Admiral!
A man with such qualities, if allowed to grow, would become a real threat.
"He must be dealt with here and now!"
Onigumo gritted his teeth.
"No wonder he can fight Admiral Aokiji to this extent." Doberman said coldly.
"Defeating Crocodile isn't so surprising now. I thought his 200 million bounty was too high. Now it seems too low." Yamakaji said with a chuckle.
Momonga drew his sword. "A man like this must be eliminated before he grows further."
Strawberry said calmly, "He won't escape today. He's fighting Admiral Aokiji."
"That's right. I can't let you run wild any longer." Aokiji's expression had gone icy, his tone carrying a dignified edge.
Ice Age!
BOOM!!!
Biting cold erupted from Aokiji, spreading like a plague. Its speed and range far exceeded before.
The base of the Bridge of Hesitation. The cliffs at Enies Lobby's edge. All were instantly covered in thick ice, as if dragging the entire world into an ice age!
But Luffy grinned. He pushed his Gear Fifth Nika form to its limit. The ground beneath him and the surrounding area—the approaching ice was forcibly imbued with rubber's properties, becoming elastic. The freezing slowed.
"Rubberization used this way?" Aokiji's eyes showed a flicker of surprise.
Their forces collided again.
WHOOSH!
Aokiji's breath crystallized into ice. He looked coldly at Luffy: "Your growth has exceeded all expectations. But you shouldn't have come here. You shouldn't have provoked the World Government. The Buster Call and the Admirals have been mobilized. If I don't capture you, I won't be able to answer to my superiors."
SWOOSH!
Without another word, Aokiji leaped. His arms crossed before him, transforming into two massive ice pillars like spears of divine judgment, crashing down toward Luffy.
"Ice Ball! Two Ice Spears!"
Aokiji, now showing his true speed and power, attacked
like a violent storm.
Luffy, in his heightened state with Kenbunshoku Haki fully extended, moved with impossible rubber elasticity, dodging and weaving—but it was still close.
"Give up. Your nakama are already surrounded."
Aokiji's voice was like an incantation. Using Geppo to move through the air, he appeared behind Luffy, throwing a punch that radiated freezing cold.
"They're waiting for me to come back!"
Luffy roared, turning and throwing a punch. Rubber elasticity and Haki combined, colliding with Aokiji's ice fist again!
BOOM!
This time, Aokiji had clearly increased his power. Advanced Busoshoku Haki combined with the absolute cold of the Hie Hie no Mi instantly overwhelmed Luffy's Haki. Bone-chilling cold flooded into Luffy's body.
CRASH!
The stalemate lasted a moment. Luffy couldn't hold. He was sent flying again, crashing into the thick ice behind him, sliding far across it.
Mid-flight, Luffy sucked in air. His body expanded like a balloon, transforming into a colossal white giant.
Gomu Gomu no: Giant!
His massive hand reached into the thunderclouds stirred up by their battle—and caught the raging lightning within!
Rubber's insulating nature and Nika form's miraculous ability allowed him to temporarily wield this force of nature.
Lightning Return!
A colossal pillar of lightning, like a thrown spear, crashed down toward Aokiji below!
***
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