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"Admiral Aokiji" is a symbol of his era!
He was once one of the World Government's strongest forces, on par with Kizaru and feared even by the Two Mountains of CP0 and the former Yonko.
Even if they were confident they could win against him, none dared to underestimate him, he was a headache for all who stood against him.
Even Akainu thought so. The reason the Admiral selection dragged on for ten full days was because of this simple truth: Aokiji's strength was beyond doubt!
"He previously encountered Princess Shirahoshi, who was abducted by Orrick... Could he have lost to the Sea Kings?"
Tsuru frowned as she asked. The first half of her words was directed toward Sengoku, who hadn't been at the previous meeting; the second half was meant for Akainu, who knew Aokiji better than anyone, from ideals to tactics.
Akainu shook his head decisively.
"Impossible! That bastard's abilities let him turn the ocean into his battlefield. I can't imagine any Sea King capable of causing him trouble, much less seriously injuring him!"
A Vivre Card, no matter how small, is tied directly to a person's life force.
If it's halfway burned, it means they've been severely wounded.
"Is it still burning?" Akainu asked.
Sengoku, recovering from his own shock, reached into his coat and pulled out a card, now only a third of its original size.
Hssssss…
Gasps of horror echoed through the meeting room.
Sengoku wasn't the type to joke about something like this, nor would he mistake what he saw. Which could only mean, Aokiji had taken another serious hit just moments ago.
"Damn it!! How could he lose to something like that?!" Akainu furiously kicked over the table. His lifelong rival, was about to be taken down by some mere Sea Kings?
GURURU…
Thick magma began bubbling uncontrollably from his shoulders, flooding the room with oppressive heat and a suffocating stench.
"Alert Kizaru! Tell him to get there ASAP!"
"Calm down, Akainu!"
At this critical moment, Tsuru had to once again act as the fire extinguisher.
"Rowen is unconscious, and Kizaru is clearly exhausted. Sending him would be useless, worse, it might throw him into danger too!"
Anyone capable of injuring Aokiji this badly clearly wasn't someone Kizaru, in his current state, could handle.
"Aokiji previously reported he was in the Adrian Sea, which is closer to the Red Line. If we deploy the 'Ark Maxim,' we can arrive within a few hours, about the same time it would take Kizaru."
Tsuru looked at Akainu's darkened expression and said solemnly, "There's no other option; we have to notify the Gorosei (Five Elder Stars) and request CP0's deployment."
Distance had always been one of the Marines' greatest limitations.
Outside of Rowen and Kizaru, no one could travel thousands of kilometers in a short time. That was what made them the Marines' trump cards.
But now with Rowen unconscious and Kizaru spent, those trump cards were gone.
The Marines alone weren't enough to handle the current situation.
"If they'd allowed us to relocate into the New World," Akainu growled, "we wouldn't be so constrained now!"
Despite the frustration in his tone, he didn't hesitate, pulling out the milky-white Den Den Mushi connected directly to the Gorosei (Five Elder Stars) and dialed.
Meanwhile, in the Adrian Sea—
The once-boundless ocean had turned into a vast frozen wasteland.
Icy winds whipped across the surface, biting to the touch. Beneath the sea, countless fish and beasts had been frozen solid without even realizing danger had arrived.
In the middle of the battlefield, a massive hole had been blasted through the ice, like a crater.
Surrounding that crater, several monstrous Sea Kings, each the size of a mountain, swam slowly in formation. Despite their sluggish movements, their sheer size stirred up waves several meters high. The low, oppressive buzzing sound in the air came from the intense flow of blood surging through their bodies.
At the center of it all, Aokiji lay sprawled across a chunk of floating ice, gasping for air.
The Sea Kings had their eyes locked on him. Any slight movement, and they would release a threatening growl.
So strong!
Not just normally strong, incredibly strong!
Aokiji's eyes were filled with disbelief.
He couldn't believe what he was facing, but the searing pain across his whole body made it impossible to deny. The absolute power of those blows had carved their presence into his very bones.
At this moment, Aokiji could only suffer in silence. When it came to Shirahoshi, based on all the previous intel and his own confidence in his strength, he had never once taken her seriously.
After all, Princess Shirahoshi had once been confined to Ryugu Palace due to certain political reasons and as a Marine Admiral, he had been fully aware of that.
Everyone knew Shirahoshi was not combat-capable, with a personality that was timid, submissive, and far too soft.
But now…
He never expected her to be this strong!
"Orrick… What did he do to you?! Princess Shirahoshi, this isn't who you truly are!" Lifting his head with difficulty, Aokiji gasped weakly.
He was sure Orrick had done something to her, otherwise, how could her personality and strength have changed so drastically?
However, Shirahoshi silently shook her head.
"You still don't get it, Admiral Aokiji." She paused for a moment, then gave up trying to explain. She simply waved her hand.
"Give him a quick death, little ones. If he dares block my path, he'd better be ready to die."
ROAR!!
A Sea King with the upper body of a gorilla began pounding its chest madly, releasing thunderous echoes. Then, with a terrifying roar, it brought its fist smashing down toward Aokiji.
BOOM!!
A mountain-sized fist crashed down with a force heavy as steel. The winds it generated were thick like iron plates. The crater it struck erupted with towering white waves, and the shockwave rippled out so far that even ice sheets over a kilometer away began to crack.
Such is the irrational power of a Sea King, creatures whose sheer size grants them apocalyptic force.
Any being labeled a "Sea King" is a walking natural disaster.
BOOM… SPLAAAASH!
Waves crashed wildly, and tons of seawater slammed against the surface, creating massive ripples.
Shirahoshi glanced at the battlefield, now looking like it had been bombed into oblivion, her expression utterly calm. She turned around.
"What a troublesome man."
"Looks like I need to leave for now. Since the Marines have already discovered me, Mary Geoise will surely prepare something… and he will, too. Right now… I'm not ready."
Just then, the gorilla-like Sea King let out a horrifying shriek, rolling over on the frozen plain and slapping its own hand wildly, as if it had been bitten by something.
"Hm? That aura…"
Shirahoshi stopped in her tracks, frowning in silence.
"What a pain… you're still not dead?"
"Either I bring you back, or I kill you on the spot… that's what I promised that bastard Akainu, Princess Shirahoshi."
Ka-cha…
Ka-cha, ka-cha!
Layer upon layer of solid ice began forming on the gorilla Sea King's hand. Its eyes went wide with panic, the freezing didn't come from the outside, but from within, starting with its bloodstream.
In seconds, the creature was completely frozen, hard as stone, like an ice sculpture.
Near its massive hand, Aokiji stood up, leaning on frozen flesh for support. His right arm dangled uselessly, and his left eye was shut tight, unable to open. He looked absolutely wretched.
Glancing at the wound in the Sea King's palm, Shirahoshi came to a realization.
"So that's what happened… You used the opportunity when I didn't have them activate their Armament Haki, froze its hand during close contact, took advantage of the brittleness of Ice Mass to create a gap, and hid inside its hand, didn't you?"
She turned back toward him, her expression cold and indifferent.
"But doing that only increases your suffering. The outcome won't change."
"Then come and try to prove it!"
Aokiji slammed his foot down and shot off like a black streak, vanishing from his spot.
Around him, Sea Kings that had limbs used them to strike; those without used teeth and heads to launch their attacks.
And, terrifyingly, every single Sea King was now wreathed in tangible, black Armament Haki.
The pressure was so great that it distorted the air, accompanied by a loud buzzing tremor.
These Sea Kings…
Every single one of them could use Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki)!
(End of Chapter)