"Woo-ho-ho——"
The blazing wings cut across the sky, leaving a crimson trail above the undulating sea. Ren's figure gleamed like a comet, his satisfaction evident.
Flying like this was freedom. No need to summon the colossal dragon form every time—too conspicuous, too overwhelming. The Valstrax‑like flame wings were sleek, deadly, and above all… stylish.
Strength may change with time, he thought with a grin, but style lasts forever.
He glanced at the permanent record pointer in his hand, its needle unwavering. "The legendary City of Water… don't let me down."
But then—his smile faded.
The air shifted. The temperature plummeted.
Ren's breath misted in front of him as the sea below turned pale, then solid. Waves froze mid‑motion, sculpted into jagged ice. The horizon shimmered with frost.
His wings beat once, slowing his flight. He descended, boots crunching against the frozen surface.
"Is the sea… frozen?"
The words left his lips in a low murmur.
Ren's eyes narrowed, scanning the distance. He knew the Grand Line's climate was unpredictable, but this was different. Too sudden. Too absolute.
Memories stirred—stories of a man whose very presence could turn oceans into tundra.
Ren's gaze sharpened, his voice steady but edged with caution. "Admiral… Aokiji."
The name hung in the frozen air.
For lesser pirates, this might have been dismissed as another quirk of the Grand Line's madness. But Ren knew better. This was not nature. This was a man. A force. A predator waiting in the cold.
The flame wings flickered, casting heat against the ice. Steam hissed where fire met frost.
Ren's heart beat faster, not with fear, but anticipation.
So… the Navy has already moved against me.
The frozen sea stretched endlessly, a battlefield carved by one man's will.
Ren's wings of flame beat steadily as he hovered above the ice, his gaze locked on the distant clash.
"Admiral of the Navy Headquarters… Aokiji," he muttered, his fighting spirit burning. So this is the power of a man who can freeze the ocean itself.
On the uninhabited island ahead, the battle raged.
"Second Gear!"
Steam hissed from Luffy's body, his skin flushed crimson, veins bulging with pressure. He launched forward with blinding speed.
"Gomu Gomu no Jet Pistol!"
"Gomu Gomu no Rocket Launcher!"
"Gomu Gomu no Machine Gun!!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Each strike hammered into Aokiji's tall frame, shattering him into shards of ice. But in the blink of an eye, the shards reformed, his body condensing back together as if nothing had happened.
The admiral's expression barely shifted, though his eyes narrowed slightly. "Arara… so you've even begun to grasp Haki." His tone was calm, almost lazy, but edged with recognition. "But this kind of half‑baked Armament won't hurt me."
Luffy's chest heaved, sweat dripping down his brow. Ren's training had given him and the crew a head start—early exposure to Haki, mastery of Second Gear, even the awakening of Observation Haki in Alabasta. But against an admiral, it was still not enough.
"Huff… huff…" Luffy staggered, his body returning to normal as the strain of Second Gear weighed on him. His fists trembled, but his eyes blazed with resolve.
"Stop talking nonsense! I will never let you hurt Robin!"
He bit his thumb, inhaled deeply, and blew.
"Third Gear… Bone Balloon!"
His right arm swelled monstrously, expanding at a speed visible to the naked eye. In moments, it was the size of a giant's fist, casting a shadow across the frozen battlefield.
Aokiji's eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering across his usually detached face. "Hmm… interesting."
The massive rubber fist descended, a titan's blow aimed to shatter the admiral's icy calm.
Ren's wings flared brighter as he watched from above, his lips curling into a grin. So this is the measure of an admiral… and the measure of the Straw Hats I once guided. Let's see how far they've come.
"It's really an exaggerated move…" Aokiji's voice was calm, almost bored, as he watched the giant fist descend. "But with your current strength, you can't defeat me."
The impact was thunderous. Ice shards exploded, the ground cracked, and for a moment it seemed as though Luffy's strike had landed true.
But then—
"Click… click…"
The shattered admiral reformed, his body condensing back into solid ice as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Luffy's body shrank, collapsing into a comical, mini‑sized version of himself. He bounced helplessly across the frozen ground. "Damn it…! Using Third Gear and too much Haki at once… it made me shrink again!"
In the blink of an eye, he returned to normal size, but his body was trembling, drenched in sweat. His breath came in ragged gasps.
"Luffy—!"
On the deck of the Going Merry, Zoro, Sanji, and the others watched with grim faces.
"Ruined…" Zoro muttered, his hand tightening on his sword. "Luffy's no match at all," Sanji growled, cigarette trembling between his lips. "Woohoo… is this the power of a Navy Admiral?" Usopp whimpered, his knees knocking together.
Nami and Chopper clung to the railing, pale and shaking. "If only Ren were here… his fire could restrain that ice…"
Robin's face was ghostly white. Aokiji's cold words had cut deep, dredging up memories she had buried for years. Her hands gripped the railing until her knuckles turned white, her body trembling uncontrollably. The admiral's presence was suffocating, dredging up the trauma of O'Hara.
On the ice, Luffy staggered, his fists clenched. "Stop talking nonsense… I will never let you hurt Robin!"
His voice was hoarse but resolute.
Zoro and Sanji leapt from the Merry, blades and flames ready. Usopp, trembling, loaded the seastone projectiles Ren had insisted they carry.
But then—
"Zoro, Sanji, everyone…!" Luffy's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. He gritted his teeth, forcing his exhausted body to stand tall. "This is my fight. None of you should interfere! That's an order—from your captain!"
The crew froze.
Zoro's boots skidded against the ice as he halted mid‑stride. Sanji's cigarette burned down to ash. Usopp's trembling hands lowered the slingshot.
"Luffy…"
The Straw Hats exchanged looks of anguish. Their captain was battered, exhausted, and clearly outmatched. Yet his eyes burned with unyielding resolve.
Aokiji stepped forward, his icy aura spreading across the battlefield. "Ah la la… admirable spirit. But spirit alone won't save you."
The frozen sea groaned under his power.
And above, far beyond the clouds, a crimson comet streaked closer—flame wings cutting through the sky.
The moment was suffocating.
The Straw Hats froze in place, their captain's cry cut short as the Admiral's cold engulfed him.
"Luffy—!"
Zoro's eyes widened, his hand trembling on the hilt of his sword. Sanji's cigarette fell from his lips, forgotten, as his jaw clenched in fury. Usopp's knees buckled, his slingshot slipping from his grasp. Nami and Chopper clung to each other, tears streaming down their faces.
On the deck, Robin's breath caught. Her body trembled violently, memories of O'Hara flooding back—the same merciless ice, the same suffocating despair. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the railing, unable to look away from the frozen figure of the boy who had sworn to protect her.
Aokiji stepped forward, his calm voice cutting through the silence like a blade of frost. "Ah la la… stubborn, just like your grandfather. But kindness doesn't change reality. This is the end."
The frozen sea groaned beneath his power, frost spreading outward with every step.
The Straw Hats were paralyzed, despair clawing at their hearts. Their captain was down, their strength meaningless against the Admiral's overwhelming might.
And then—
A sudden roar of heat split the air. The clouds above burned crimson as a blazing figure streaked across the sky. Flame wings unfurled, scattering sparks like meteors, their heat clashing against the Admiral's frozen domain.
A comet of fire descended onto the battlefield.
Ren had arrived.