Sage couldn't help but glance around at the three of them.
Right in front of him was Garp, grinning with a fierce, tiger-like presence.
On his flank was Aokiji, his entire body exuding frost, blending into the increasingly cold air, surrounded by falling ice crystals and bursting hail, his figure blurry, like a demon capable of freezing everything.
Above, in the sky, was Kizaru, still gathering light, descending from the heavens like an unavoidable light of retribution.
All of them were formidable opponents...
Retreat?
From the moment these three appeared, there was no hope for that.
Aokiji's abilities could freeze him the instant he entered the water, and could reach deep into the sea, turning even the air into icebergs. Where there's water, he could surely freeze the ocean depths.
Kizaru's abilities could prevent him from retreating in any other direction, no matter how perfect his Moon Step was or how fast he moved, it couldn't surpass the speed of light.
This old monkey is the fastest on the seas!
Garp, even if he looked slightly uncertain, remained incredibly powerful!
"Do you think being strong will make me surrender?"
Sage clenched his fists, pulling back fiercely, and shouted at the three of them, "I'm a Pirate!"
Pirates are free, no one can forcibly stop their free will!
Having taken up this profession, Sage would dedicate himself to it wholeheartedly!
His fists, already coiled with Haki, regained their previous intensity but with a hint of blood-red now mingled in the coiling.
Seeing this, the three momentarily paused, a heavy look emerging in their eyes.
"Oh~ so terrifying, eh? Looks like his momentum is impressive," Borsalino remarked in surprise, "Do you have more tricks hidden?"
"Ararara..."
Kuzan leveled his hands, exhaling a breath of frost, his demeanor becoming serious.
"That trick...puhahaha! Alright, Sage brat, I'll take on your move!"
Garp laughed loudly, lowering his body slightly, ready in a stance to welcome the move.
He's seen it before.
Once at the Bridge Kingdom of East Sea, he saw Sage execute that move, seemingly with full force, a move akin to the 'King's Fist'!
And now, to be this powerful, that move... its potency would be even greater!
Thud!
Garp suddenly charged forward, fist pulled back at his waist, revealing his white teeth to Sage.
"Fight whoever steps up!"
Sage's eyes turned fierce as he stepped outward, all his strength converging into his fists, facing Garp with a punching stance.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
The sky suddenly erupted in a rain of lasers, shooting straight down towards them.
"Sorry, but I don't want anyone to get injured, having three people besiege you and allowing injury would be embarrassing indeed."
Borsalino crossed his hands, releasing Light Bullets.
Sage's eyes narrowed, his advancing steps froze, and his body twisted, hurling straight at Borsalino above.
"Then take this, monkey! Galaxy Impact - Sky Collapse!!"
Boom!!
The oncoming laser rain was instantly engulfed. In Kizaru's sunglasses, a pillar of black and red intertwined appeared, engulfing him in surprise, rushing skyward, seemingly wrapping up even the descending ice crystal clouds.
Heaven-Breaking Fist!
All the body's strength unleashed with this move, paired with the Galaxy Impact, wielded immense power!
This was Sage's full strength!
"It's not over yet!"
After unleashing a punch, Sage's body waned, his energy exhaustion preventing the display of Haki, his chest heaving violently as he struggled for breath and gritted his teeth, showing a fierce determination in his eyes.
It's not over yet!
He still had the 'Brake Hole'!
It was time to put everything on the line!!
But just as he was about to move, a cold voice suddenly sounded from the side.
"Frozen Moment!"
From his side, a shadow of frost swiftly passed by, the sky cascading with gigantic hail and blood-like flowers. On the sea's ice layer, a mountain of ice even taller than before emerged.
Within that ice mountain, frozen into a statue, the fierce form maintaining a punching pose, Sage was encased within this immense and solid ice mountain.
"That's enough, junior brother."
Kuzan's form appeared outside the ice mountain, his entire body emitting frost and ice crystals, "Surrender and let us capture you calmly."
In that instant, Sage's energy was depleted, rendering him unable to exert Haki, and it was the moment Kuzan could make his move.
Completely freezing him was entirely possible.
"Tsk, just like you, such a stubborn, foolish disciple!"
Garp slowed his steps and approached the immense ice mountain, tapping on its icy surface, "So hard..."
"He learned from you, Master Garp,"
Kuzan turned his head, glancing at Sage frozen inside the ice mountain and said, "Frozen as he is, he'll die, don't you think?"
"Well, I have no objection, frozen like that, he'll die sooner or later."
On the other side of the ice mountain, a light appeared, Borsalino emerged unharmed, unaffected by the previous strike.
In terms of speed, if he wished to retreat, no one could stop him.
Not even the Four Emperors.
Let alone this kid...
"The power of that move was immense. If I hadn't dodged in time, I might have gotten injured... there seemed to have been something else planned."
Borsalino looked at the ice sculpture within the ice mountain, puckering his lips in amazement, "These young ones nowadays are terrifying, though he'll die sooner or later, should we end him now..."
He extended a forefinger, a light began to flicker at its tip.
But after a moment of flickering, the light dissipated on its own, and he said cheerfully, "Never mind, at this level of hardness, breaking it isn't easy. Sakasuki would probably do it though."
Hearing this name, Kuzan's expression cooled, but he kept silent.
As admirals, his relationship with Sakasuki was not particularly warm.
"Puhahaha, what a great fight, Sage brat... too bad you aren't in the Navy!" Garp laughed heartily.
"Impossible, Vice Admiral Garp, he's an O'hara survivor."
Borsalino slightly lowered his head, an odd light flickered in his sunglasses, his voice suddenly deepened, "Even if we were willing, the higher-ups wouldn't approve."
Just like Kuma...
He would be drained and then discarded.
"It's over, I was just passing by."
Kuzan waved his hand, heading towards the bicycle parked on the icy surface ahead, "Ararara, luckily the bike isn't busted yet."
"Then I shall also take my leave, the ship was conscripted, I'll wait for it in Water Seven."
Garp looked towards Borsalino, "What will you do, Kizaru?"
"While sinking to the bottom is a tempting idea, the higher-ups didn't say to do so, so I'll have to escort him back. This way, no need for chains, just freeze him into Impel Down," Borsalino replied.
"Hmm..."
Garp thought for a moment, then laughed, "I remember there's another frozen inmate in Impel Down, putting them together sounds nice, puhahaha!"
He then also turned and headed towards Water Seven.
The massive ice layers had extended to the island of Water Seven by now, allowing for a walkable path.
"This ice shouldn't take seven days to melt, Kuzan really gave it his all,"
Garp stomped on the ice, chuckled, then left along the ice path.
"This really is..."
Borsalino chuckled, opening the black Radio Snail on his wrist, "Moshi moshi, hello, can anyone hear me? How strange... is no one there?"
...
A couple of hours later, Borsalino realized he had been using the wrong Radio Snail and, upon finding his original one, summoned a warship from the headquarters to haul away the colossal ice mountain.
Meanwhile, Enies Lobby faced destruction from the Buster Call, the warship coming from Water Seven obliterated Enies Lobby.
And the Straw Hat Gang, taking advantage of the opportunity, miraculously escaped from Enies Lobby, heading straight for Water Seven.