"Boss! It's over there!"
"It really is a blue island!"
Ace could already make out the vague outline of the strange landmass through his binoculars, but it was still too far away to determine exactly what they were looking at.
As the Spade Pirates continued sailing toward it, however, the mysterious island gradually became clearer.
"Wait… that's…"
"That's a gigantic iceberg!"
Michal, whose eyesight was the sharpest among the crew, immediately realized that something was wrong.
He lowered his binoculars and raised his sniper scope, carefully examining the enormous blue-white mass ahead.
It wasn't an island.
It was an enormous iceberg.
The entire formation rose from the sea like a frozen mountain, its surface gleaming beneath the sunlight.
Everyone instinctively looked toward the sky.
The sun hung high overhead, its heat beating down upon the sea.
Yet, despite the oppressive warmth, an enormous iceberg stood directly in their path.
The sight was so bizarre that even the experienced members of the Spade Pirates were left speechless.
"How can something that huge exist here?"
"Is this another strange phenomenon of the Grand Line?"
The Grand Line was notorious for its unpredictable weather and bizarre geography.
Compared with everything they had already encountered, however, an iceberg appearing beneath such a blazing sun was still astonishing.
"There's someone on the iceberg!"
Michal suddenly stiffened.
His finger remained near the trigger of his rifle as he peered through the scope.
"There's definitely someone standing there."
"And…"
His expression gradually became serious.
"That person is dangerous."
As the crew's sniper, Michal possessed exceptionally sharp eyesight.
More importantly, the instant his scope settled on the distant figure, he felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.
The figure was standing quietly atop the ice.
She wasn't moving.
She wasn't attacking.
Yet merely looking at her was enough to make Michal instinctively tense his entire body.
"Someone?"
Ace immediately raised his binoculars.
"Let me see."
He adjusted the focus and looked toward the iceberg.
At first, all he could see was a white silhouette against the blue ice.
Then the image became clearer.
Ace's expression changed.
Cold sweat slowly formed across his back.
His hand tightened around the binoculars.
"It can't be…"
He knew that woman.
Six months ago, Saint Roselith Seraphina had been an existence Ace could barely comprehend.
She was the Marine officer who had once saved him and Luffy from danger.
She was also the same woman who had later beaten the two brothers when they encountered her again.
And, most importantly, she was the Vice Admiral who had fought against Edward Newgate, the legendary Whitebeard.
Ace's eyes narrowed.
"She's here."
"Boss, you know her?"
Deuce immediately noticed Ace's unusual reaction.
Ace lowered the binoculars.
His expression was serious.
"Everyone, prepare for battle."
The crew immediately became alert.
Ace then added,
"She doesn't appear to be here to kill us."
The Spade Pirates exchanged uncertain glances.
"Then who is she?"
Ace looked toward the woman standing atop the iceberg.
"Saint Roselith Seraphina."
"Vice Admiral Hakutaku."
The moment those words left Ace's mouth, the atmosphere aboard the ship changed.
"What?!"
Several members of the crew exclaimed simultaneously.
They had heard that name before.
Saint Roselith Seraphina was no ordinary Marine Vice Admiral.
She was a member of the Roselith Family, a Celestial Dragon family, and a Marine officer whose reputation had spread throughout the Grand Line.
More importantly, rumors surrounding her battle with Whitebeard had made her name increasingly difficult to ignore.
Some reports claimed that she possessed enough strength to contend with the greatest monsters of the sea.
Others had begun comparing her potential to legendary Marines such as Vice Admiral Garp.
The exact truth was known only to those who had witnessed the battle.
But the reputation alone was enough to make the Spade Pirates understand the seriousness of the situation.
"Vice Admiral Hakutaku…"
Michal swallowed nervously.
"That woman is the one who fought Whitebeard?"
Ace nodded.
"That's right."
He didn't hide the truth from his crew.
But neither did he allow fear to control them.
Ace turned around and grinned.
"What?"
"Are you scared?"
"Scared?"
Deuce stepped forward immediately.
"Ace, we're following you because you're going to the top of this sea."
"How could we turn back because one Marine Vice Admiral is standing in our way?"
The other members of the Spade Pirates gradually tightened their grips on their weapons.
Their expressions were still tense.
Anyone would be nervous when facing an opponent of Seraphina's reputation.
But none of them retreated.
Deuce looked toward Ace.
"We already decided that we'd challenge the strongest people on the sea."
"If we want to help you reach the top, then sooner or later we'll have to face monsters like her."
Ace's grin widened.
"Exactly."
His eyes burned with determination.
If Saint Roselith Seraphina could fight Whitebeard, then facing her would be another opportunity to measure how far he had come.
But Ace understood something important.
Defeating Seraphina would not automatically make him equal to Whitebeard.
That was too simplistic.
The sea was filled with countless variables, and power wasn't measured by one battle alone.
Still…
He wanted to know the difference between himself and the monsters standing at the summit.
Ace clenched his fist.
"Then let's fight!"
Flames suddenly erupted around his arm.
The orange-red fire illuminated his face.
It would have been a lie to say that Ace wasn't nervous.
Six months ago, Saint Roselith Seraphina had been overwhelmingly stronger than him.
But Ace wasn't the same pirate he had been back then.
His body had grown stronger.
His combat experience had increased.
His mastery of the Mera Mera no Mi had improved substantially.
And he now had companions who had willingly chosen to stand beside him.
Ace pulled his cowboy hat lower.
"It's time to make her recognize how much I've grown."
On the enormous iceberg ahead, Saint Roselith Seraphina stood silently.
She had already sensed the pirate ship approaching from a considerable distance.
There was no need for ordinary eyesight.
Her Kenbunshoku Haki spread across the surrounding area, allowing her to perceive the people aboard the approaching vessel.
Among those presences, one was unmistakable.
Portgas D. Ace.
"So you finally arrived."
Seraphina's expression became slightly colder.
She had received information from a nearby Marine branch that the Spade Pirates had entered this section of the Grand Line.
The captain's identity had been confirmed as Fire Fist Ace.
Because this route was one of the more practical routes toward the New World, Seraphina had chosen a suitable location and waited.
She hadn't expected Ace and his crew to take so long.
Hours had passed.
Her Marine warship's supplies were gradually running low, forcing her to send Bruce to the nearest Marine branch to replenish their provisions.
She had remained behind alone.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Saint Roselith Seraphina slowly exhaled.
"You certainly know how to make someone wait."
Her fingers rested lightly against the hilt of her sword.
The moment the Spade Pirates approached within range, Seraphina finally drew her blade.
Clang!
The clear sound of steel rang across the frozen landscape.
"Winter Solstice: Three Feet of Ice."
Her sword swept forward.
A cold flash crossed the sea.
The seawater immediately began freezing along the path of the slash.
Ice rapidly spread outward from the point of impact, forming an enormous frozen pathway across the ocean.
The surrounding waves were locked in place as the ice expanded.
"Boss!"
"She attacked!"
"She's coming toward us!"
The members of the Spade Pirates immediately became nervous.
Ace's eyes narrowed.
"I know."
He didn't take his eyes off the white figure approaching across the ice.
The enormous frozen path continued extending toward the Spade Pirates' ship.
A massive pillar of ice suddenly erupted from the sea.
The white-clad Vice Admiral stepped onto it with effortless grace.
She then leaped from the pillar and landed on the surface of the enormous iceberg.
Several members of the Spade Pirates stared in astonishment.
"So this is the power of a Marine Vice Admiral?"
"She froze the sea!"
Ace remained silent.
He understood that what they were witnessing wasn't something that ordinary Devil Fruit users could casually reproduce.
The precision behind the technique was what truly frightened him.
Saint Roselith Seraphina stood before them.
Her white Marine coat fluttered gently in the wind.
Her expression remained calm.
"Ace."
The Vice Admiral's voice carried across the frozen sea.
"So you've chosen to become a pirate after all."
Ace pulled his hat down slightly.
"Yeah."
"I've made my choice."
Seraphina sensed the determination within his voice.
She could also sense the considerable improvement in his physical strength and the greater control he possessed over the flames of the Mera Mera no Mi.
But compared with the level of power she had reached herself, the difference remained enormous.
"Ace."
"If you're prepared to set sail as a pirate, then you should already understand what comes next."
Seraphina raised her sword.
"You're under arrest."
Ace grinned.
"Surrender?"
"I don't think so."
He suddenly thrust his arm forward.
"Fire Gun!"
A concentrated projectile of flame shot toward Seraphina like a cannonball.
The fire tore through the air with tremendous speed.
Seraphina tilted her head slightly.
Her Kenbunshoku Haki had already revealed the trajectory.
She stepped aside.
The attack passed harmlessly beside her.
Ace immediately followed with another attack.
"Fire Fist!"
A gigantic fist of flame erupted from his arm.
The blazing attack surged forward, its intense heat distorting the air around it.
Seraphina's sword moved.
Shing!
A cold flash appeared.
The flaming fist was split apart before it could reach her.
The surrounding flames scattered across the ice.
Ace's expression became serious.
"So that's the difference."
Seraphina lowered her sword.
"Your strength has improved."
"But it's still not enough."
Ace gritted his teeth.
He knew she wasn't insulting him.
She was simply stating the truth.
Six months ago, he wouldn't even have been able to withstand a serious exchange with her.
Now, at least, he could understand what he was seeing.
That alone represented enormous progress.
But understanding the gap didn't mean he would accept it.
Ace's flames intensified.
"Then I'll close that gap!"
His entire arm erupted with fire.
The flames gathered around his fist, becoming hotter and denser.
"Fire Fist!"
The enormous flaming fist erupted forward once again.
This time, Ace poured considerably more power into the attack.
The flames expanded across the sea like a blazing wave.
The heat was intense enough to cause the surrounding ice to hiss and melt.
Several members of the Spade Pirates stared in awe.
"That attack is incredible!"
Ace's eyes remained fixed on Seraphina.
"Take this!"
Seraphina stood motionless.
The flames approached.
Her hand tightened around the sword hilt.
A faint chill spread through the air.
"Winter Solstice: Ice Storm!"
Her sword swept forward.
The temperature around her seemed to plummet instantly.
Ice erupted across the battlefield, colliding with Ace's flames in a violent explosion of steam.
BOOM!
White vapor swallowed the battlefield.
The sea shook beneath them.
The Spade Pirates stared into the enormous cloud of steam.
Ace remained at the front of the ship, his fists clenched.
He knew this battle had only just begun.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ON CHAPTER 242 ON PATREON.
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