Chapter 127The very next second after Aokiji's words fell.Crack!A faint but incredibly clear cracking sound came from Luffy's ice sculpture.Then came the second, the third... appearing like dense drumbeats.Thump... Thump... Thump...The sound was deep and powerful.Like the sound of a beating heart, it emanated from inside the ice sculpture, growing louder and more rapid!Aokiji's pupils suddenly contracted: "Ararara... you're a bit too strong, Straw Hat Boy."Boom!The solid ice encasing Luffy exploded.Countless ice crystal fragments shot out in all directions.Amidst the swirling ice dust, a brand new figure stood proudly.Chapter 182: Suddenly Intruding Marine warshipLuffy's hair turned snow-white, fluffy like clouds and floating upwards. Thick, veil-like white flame clouds swirled around him, with steam and electrical arcs dancing on his body.His skin still had the texture of Rubber, but his entire aura had undergone a drastic change, filled with primitive yet incredibly powerful vitality!"I almost froze solid."Luffy twisted his neck, making a Rubber-stretching sound. He grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, his eyes burning with battle intent like raging flames."Devil Fruit Awakening?"Aokiji rarely showed surprise. He stared intently at the white flame clouds on Luffy's body, his tone filled with confusion, "The Gum-Gum Fruit should be a paramecia-type devil fruit, right? Why does it exhibit characteristics similar to a Zoan-type awakening?"Luffy moved his limbs, feeling the surging power within him and his injuries rapidly recovering. The sense of crisis from a moment ago, when even his blood was almost frozen, was completely dispelled by the burst of awakened power.He could even temporarily turn the ground he touched into Rubber, using it to deflect attacks and create combat opportunities."Guess."Luffy once again uttered those two words that gave Aokiji a headache. He adopted a fighting stance, the battle intent in his eyes not diminishing in the slightest, but growing even more intense, "The battle truly begins now!"Aokiji genuinely didn't want to fight anymore.What kind of monsters were these kids nowadays?This growth rate and absurd Devil Fruit ability simply defied common sense.Luffy stopped wasting words, his figure moving so fast that he left an afterimage."Gum-Gum Mole Pistol!"His fist didn't strike Aokiji directly, but instead slammed into the ice beneath Aokiji's feet like a drill.A strange thing happened: the ice surface struck by the fist instantly turned into a Rubber-like texture, and it undulated violently like waves.This twisting force traveled directly up the ice, completely destroying Aokiji's footing, while the rubberized ground arched upwards like a living thing, delivering a heavy uppercut to Aokiji's abdomen.Ugh!Aokiji was caught off guard, a sharp pain shot through his abdomen, a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and he was sent flying upwards by the force."This attack method really isn't something a normal person would come up with."He forcibly stabilized himself in mid-air, unable to resist praising him, though the compliment sounded more like a complaint.However, the horror in his eyes had only just begun.Because after Luffy threw that punch, his arm snapped back, and the rubberized ground returned to its original state. Meanwhile, Luffy's other fist was already wrapped in incredibly condensed Armament Haki and white flame clouds, as if he didn't need any recovery time.This was a relentless, continuous barrage of attacks, like a storm, giving him no chance to catch his breath or adjust his tactics."To deal with a monster like you, it seems I can't hold back anymore."Aokiji's eyes turned cold. His hands instantly elementalized, covered in thick, solid ice, forming two massive ice gauntlets, while profound Armament Haki coiled around them.He combined his Ice-Ice Fruit ability with the top-tier martial arts and Haki inherited from Garp, choosing to clash head-on with Luffy."Ice Glove· Impact!"The massive ice crystal fists and Luffy's Haki-covered Rubber fists once again collided fiercely. Ice shards and black-red lightning splattered everywhere, and the shockwave shattered the newly frozen ice surface around them.Meanwhile, the going merry, aided by Vivi's ability, had already accelerated away from the Long Chain Island coast.Because the entire island had turned into an icy hell under Aokiji's Ice Age, the biting cold even began to spread to the sea surface, freezing the offshore waters.Nami and the others stood by the railing, watching the constant roars and towering ice dust erupting from the island, their hearts in their throats."Luffy."Nami gripped the railing tightly, her knuckles white."He'll be fine."Chopper, though scared, said firmly.Zoro and Sanji's expressions were grim. They could clearly feel the aftershocks of the terrifying clash on the island; that level of battle made their desire to become stronger burn even hotter.Just then, Usopp suddenly pointed at the distant horizon, shouting with a trembling voice, "What's that?!"Everyone turned to look, only to see two huge dark silhouettes appearing where the sea met the sky, heading towards Long Chain Island.The outlines were ships!And incredibly huge ships!"It's a warship, a Marineford warship!"Zoro, with the best eyesight, said in a deep voice, his face growing even uglier.The specifications of that warship were far beyond anything they had encountered in the East Blue.Even more surprisingly, between the two warships, there was a long, dark silhouette emitting thick smoke, speeding across the sea with a whooshing whistle."What about the others? Ships? No, that can't be, there's no ship that long.""It's a train, but what's a train doing running on the sea?"Usopp and Chopper's eyes widened."That's a Sea Train."Vivi, being more knowledgeable, recognized it at a glance, "It's a steam train that runs along tracks built on the sea. It's said that such technology exists near Water 7."Normally, seeing a train that could run on the sea would have excited everyone to study it for a long time.But now, this sudden Marine force only brought immense pressure and urgency.Luffy was still locked in a deathmatch with an Admiral, already at a disadvantage. If elite Marineford forces joined the battle, the consequences would be unimaginable."We can't stay here any longer."Nami made a decisive call. She bit her lip and looked at Vivi, "Vivi, can you use your ability to try and send a message to Luffy? We have to evacuate immediately."Facing an Admiral, a strategic retreat was nothing to be ashamed of!Vivi nodded solemnly. She closed her eyes and fully activated her Wind-Wind Fruit ability, attempting to precisely send a subtle current of air carrying information towards the direction of the fierce battle on the island.But the airflow was immediately frozen.So she decided to go herself.On Long Chain Island, Luffy and Aokiji's battle had reached a fever pitch.They abandoned most of the flashy long-range attacks and entered the most dangerous and direct close-quarters combat.Fists met flesh, each collision erupting in earth-shattering roars.Luffy's stamina was rapidly draining in his awakened state; he knew this state couldn't last and he had to end the fight quickly.But Aokiji's stamina and defense were also monstrous, truly worthy of a man who had trained with Garp.However, Luffy was typically one to grow stronger when facing a stronger opponent; the higher his fighting spirit, the fiercer his combat power.Terrifying amounts of Haki surged forth!Chapter 183: Win, Win, Win!Luffy felt his Haki become more condensed and active during the battle. Each clash allowed him to deepen his control over his own power.Haki, by its very nature, was the unity of mind and body; only by defeating powerful enemies with an upright and unyielding will could it become truly formidable!"So I'm very curious, why do you keep such trouble as Robin by your side?" Aokiji spoke again in the instant they crossed paths, attempting to shake Luffy's resolve."It's fine if you don't understand."Luffy forced Aokiji back with a Gum-Gum Elephant Gun, panting, his eyes terrifyingly bright, "My reasons don't need to be understood by a Marinelike you!"Luffy's attacks were solid, leaving Aokiji with several wounds.Of course, Luffy had plenty of them too.A Rubber Human's biggest fear was sharp blades.Aokiji had realized this at the beginning of the battle, so besides ice fists, his most frequently used attack was ice spikes.Just as the battle was about to escalate again, Aokiji suddenly stopped, and Luffy also turned his head. Vivi anxiously said from behind him:"Luffy, Marine warships are approaching, they look very much like Marineford ships. We need to leave here immediately."Marine warships?Luffy's movements suddenly froze. He instinctively looked at Aokiji.You old geezer, you're not playing fair, are you?Aokiji also stopped. He seemed to have noticed the distant commotion, scratched his head, and said, "Don't look at me like that. I reiterate, I'm really on vacation. Those are probably Marineford warships on a nearby mission or escort duty; they have nothing to do with me."He looked at Luffy, then glanced at the faintly visible going merry on the distant sea, and Robin, who was nervously on guard not far behind Luffy, and suddenly sighed."This battle ends here."Luffy was stunned.Aokiji pointed at Luffy, then in the direction of the going merry: "You, take your crew, and that Alabasta princess who was 'taken hostage', and leave here immediately.""You're letting us go?"Aokiji pouted, his tone a mix of helplessness and resignation: "Consider it repaying a favor. That stubborn guy Smoker is my friend. You objectively helped him in Alabasta by not letting Crocodile's plot fully succeed, preventing a worse outcome."He paused, looking at the gradually clearer outlines of the Marine warships: "Besides, those guys coming now aren't really reinforcements. If a real fight breaks out, their losses would be significant, and it would just be more trouble."That being said, the subsequent matters would be quite troublesome.Aokiji's expression became somewhat complex.A pirate with Admiral-level combat power, and so young, appearing on the seas, this would have too great an impact on the Marine and the World Government's plans.Especially a pirate like Luffy, who also had a complicated background.Aokiji sighed."Forget it, let Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Akainuworry about these headaches. I'm still on vacation. If I get injured fighting during my vacation, does it count as a work injury? Who pays for the medical expenses?"Aokiji stood in place, pondering.Luffy gave Aokiji a deep look, no longer hesitating.He instantly deactivated his awakened state. Though tired, his movements were still swift.He pulled Robin, who was not far away, then carried Vivi on his back, and stretched his other hand out to grab the going merry.Whoosh!Luffy, carrying Robin, shot towards the sea like a slingshot. In a few bounds, he landed steadily on the deck of the accelerating going merry.With Aokiji not stopping him, Luffy felt no pressure.Aokiji stood his ground, not giving chase, merely watching them depart silently until the Merry became a tiny speck on the horizon.Phew.Aokiji let out a long sigh, rubbing his still aching abdomen and cheek, "Garp-sensei, you've really given me a huge problem. Now, it's impossible to handle this discreetly."
