After receiving the order, the Admirals dared not be careless. Their fighting spirit surged throughout their bodies, and even Kizaru and Aokiji—usually known for their laziness—showed rare, serious expressions.
"That terrifying brat… it won't be easy to take him down. This will be a tough fight," Aokiji said solemnly, cold air spilling from his body.
"Let's use the old method—break his defense first," Kizaru added, his tone sharp and uncharacteristically serious.
Countless beams of light gathered along Kizaru's Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, glowing with blinding radiance.
Vice Admiral Tokikake also nodded grimly. Although they had managed to win their previous battle against Thorne Ashveil, it had been a narrow victory. Facing a monster like him again, they couldn't afford even a moment of carelessness.
Tokikake gathered his Armament Haki within his body, raised his blade, and swung sharply—sending out a curved slash of pure force.
At the same moment, Admiral Aokiji moved. Frost surged from both arms, forming into two enormous, crystalline ice phoenixes.
"Double Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!" he roared, sending the twin birds of ice hurtling toward Ashveil.
The Admirals coordinated perfectly, their combined attacks converging at the same point on Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki defense.
Boom!
The explosion that followed was deafening. The impact cratered the ground around Ashveil, and chunks of stone and debris were hurled into the air by the violent shockwave.
Ripples of raw energy spread outward. The threefold strike managed to pierce through Ashveil's defense—reaching within mere centimeters of his eyes.
When the smoke cleared, Ashveil stepped calmly from the crater, brushing off his shoulders with an amused smile. He clapped lightly, his voice carrying effortlessly through the haze.
"Not bad… not bad at all. The combined power of the Admirals is indeed terrifying. You actually came close to breaking through my Conqueror's Haki defense."
The Admirals froze, confusion flickering across their faces. Something wasn't adding up.
They remembered clearly that in their last clash, their combined assault had defeated Ashveil. Now, despite a stronger and more synchronized attack, they hadn't even managed to harm him?
Seeing their disbelief, Ashveil's smirk deepened.
"Didn't I already tell you?" he said, his voice smooth and taunting. "You didn't really think you beat me before, did you?"
Tokikake's eyes widened, his hand tightening around his sword.
"You… you let us defeat you back then—so you could infiltrate Impel Down?" he exclaimed, his voice trembling.
Ashveil tilted his head slightly, a faint grin playing on his lips.
"It seems the man among you is a bit smarter."
His gaze turned cold. "This time, your Marines are finished."
With that, his Conqueror's Haki flared again, whipping up a violent wind that tore through the ruined battlefield.
Above his head, three long swords of pure energy materialized—one red, one yellow, one white. Each blade pulsed with a strange and overwhelming aura. The skies dimmed, lightning splitting the heavens as rain began to pour.
Even the Admirals frowned, their bodies instinctively tensing beneath the crushing pressure of the sword intent.
The aura radiating from those swords was suffocating—each carried a unique force, yet all shared one trait: pure, unbridled destruction.
Kizaru's sunglasses flashed as he muttered, "What a terrifying monster… his Conqueror's Haki—mixed with three kinds of energy this time?"
Tokikake's face paled, his body trembling slightly. "This feeling… I haven't experienced it in years…"
Aokiji's breath frosted in the air as his gaze locked onto the white sword. His pupils shrank in disbelief.
That sword—it felt eerily familiar. It radiated a cold presence almost identical to his own Ice-Ice Fruit powers.
Far behind them, Sengoku stood grim-faced, gripping a Den Den Mushi.
"Listen carefully, Admirals," his voice boomed through the receiver. "No matter what abilities that brat has, do not underestimate him. Be cautious!"
From his vantage point, Sengoku's expression hardened, a sense of dread settling deep in his chest.
Ashveil's eyes gleamed with contempt as he advanced, the three enormous blades above him pointing their tips at the Admirals like judgment itself.
"You think a mere duo of Admirals and a half baked Admiral can stop me?" His voice was calm but laced with menace. "It's far too early for that. Allow me to show you… my true strength."
The air trembled.
With a single thought, the three long swords surged forward—each moving as if guided by its own will—tearing through the air toward Kizaru, Aokiji, and Tokikake.
The sky itself seemed to shudder in response.
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