Boom!
The Ice Saber struck the ground, transforming the land for several kilometers around them into a vast sheet of ice.
"Ice Age!"
"This is bad!"
"Damn it!"
The expressions of Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji changed dramatically. They had just launched their attacks and were still suspended in midair.
After fighting Aokiji so many times, they had already developed a certain understanding of his abilities.
They knew that the moment they landed on the ice he had created, they would be frozen solid.
"Damn it!"
Luffy had already used Gear Third and had now shrunk into his smaller form. There was nothing he could do.
Sanji had not yet learned Moonwalk, nor did he possess any other means of remaining airborne.
That left only one option...
"108 Pound Phoenix!"
Zoro twisted his body in midair and unleashed a flying sword slash.
However—
Although the slash carved through part of the frozen ground, the ice immediately closed together again.
"It's useless. I need to give the World Government an acceptable result, so there's no chance I'll let the three of you escape!"
Aokiji's voice remained relaxed and lazy. He clearly believed the battle was already over.
But at the next moment...
Just before disaster struck, a brilliant sword slash suddenly tore through the air.
In an instant, it swept away all the ice across the battlefield before continuing toward Aokiji.
Aokiji transformed his body into ice and avoided it directly.
Luffy and the others landed safely on the ground.
"That swordsmanship and Haki... Dark King Rayleigh?"
Aokiji's expression immediately became serious.
"I've heard several times that you were living on this island. It seems those rumors were true..."
Aokiji slowly stared at Rayleigh.
Marine Headquarters was currently preparing to confront the Whitebeard Pirates. He had absolutely no desire to cause trouble for Dark King Rayleigh.
The Marines could not possibly fight two supreme powers of the sea simultaneously.
Should they capture Rayleigh and provoke Red-Haired Shanks as well—
Marine Headquarters would be plunged into complete chaos.
Two Emperors attacking the Marines?
The Marines might genuinely become a thing of the past!
Rayleigh casually carried his sword as he walked step by step toward Aokiji.
"Were you people willing to revoke my wanted notice, I could enjoy my retirement peacefully here."
"That's impossible. A pirate is still a pirate, and you were the first mate of the Roger Pirates!"
Aokiji paused, and his expression gradually darkened.
"So, are you planning to protect them?"
Holding his sword, Rayleigh scratched his head.
"Hmm... Could you humor an old man and let them go?"
"What, do you think you ate some kind of Favor-Favor Fruit?"
Aokiji raised his eyelids and answered without the slightest courtesy.
"These people assaulted a Celestial Dragon. Unless we arrest them, Marine Headquarters will never hear the end of it from the Celestial Dragons in the Holy Land Mary Geoise. I'll also be stripped of my rank as Admiral!"
A thorned ice spear formed in each of his hands.
The two sides entered a standoff, and the silent tension continued to intensify.
Caught in the middle of this atmosphere, Luffy and the others could neither attack nor flee. They could only remain standing where they were.
Just as the tension reached its peak and the two men were about to clash, a calm voice suddenly rang across the battlefield.
Although the words expressed surprise, the tone behind them contained no surprise whatsoever.
When Rayleigh and Aokiji saw the newcomer's face, both of their expressions froze.
"Thunder Emperor Roy!"
They spoke the name one word at a time.
At Roy's teasing tone, Rayleigh's face immediately fell into a bitter expression.
"I'm merely a relic of the previous era. You're an Emperor of the Sea yourself. Do you really need to tease an old man like me?"
Aokiji remained silent, but his entire body became vigilant.
"I do."
Roy nodded solemnly before continuing.
"All right, stop causing trouble. I came here because I have something to discuss with you."
"Something to discuss with me?"
Rayleigh gave him a strange look before guessing:
"Is it about Shanks?"
"No."
Roy waved his hand and looked directly at the tense Aokiji.
"I'd like to speak with Rayleigh in private. Admiral Aokiji, would you mind giving us some space?"
Roy's words were phrased as a question, but they were delivered as a statement.
His tone left no room for refusal.
While Roy spoke with Rayleigh and Aokiji, the members of the Straw Hat Pirates were also examining the man who had suddenly appeared.
Luffy tilted his head.
"That guy who suddenly appeared is pretty polite."
The others, however, looked both shocked and stiff.
"So that's Thunder Emperor Roy?"
Sanji spoke in an unusually unnatural voice.
"The strongest man in the world? The man Luffy's grandfather said stands at the absolute pinnacle of the New World—the emperor above all pirates?"
"And he's also the world's greatest swordsman!"
With a sword clenched between his teeth, Zoro stared intensely at Roy.
"He is the goal I'll pursue for the rest of my life!"
Earlier, while at Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Zoro had heard Shakky reveal the true identity of the world's greatest swordsman.
He now possessed a clear goal.
He would surpass Roy!
However, before he could challenge Roy, he would first have to defeat Mihawk.
The others also looked at Roy with very different thoughts.
Brook thought, "Ah, it's Roy-san. I met him before in the Florian Triangle. Yohohoho!"
Robin thought, "The Thunder Emperor? I've heard that he possesses quite a few Poneglyphs."
Nami thought, "The strongest man in the world? So he's Tiger and the others' captain? He's rather handsome, and he's an Emperor of the Sea. He must be incredibly rich!"
Usopp thought, "So that's my father's captain? Thank goodness! Since he's the strongest man in the world, we're definitely saved. What a relief... Wait! I'm going to become a brave warrior of the sea! I can't rely on my father to save me... But that ice really is terrifying!"
While the Straw Hat Pirates were each lost in their own complicated thoughts, Aokiji was also considering the situation before him.
(End of Chapter)
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