Crack.
The sea groaned as it solidified. Warships and vessels alike were completely frozen in place, immobilized by the sudden drop in temperature.
Even the waters several meters below the surface had solidified into solid ice, locking the ships in an unyielding grip. A chilling frost enveloped the entire area, making the atmosphere heavy and tense.
From his bicycle, Aokiji stepped off slowly and stared at Mio, speaking in a calm but stern voice.
"Your journey ends here."
"That may not be the case." Mio grinned and turned toward the warship. Spotting familiar faces onboard—such as Momosaki and the others—he waved casually.
"Your navy really doesn't let up, huh? We just got a new ship, and you're already this serious? Bit much, don't you think?"
"The newcomers aren't as strong as you are," Momosaki replied coldly as he unsheathed Kinpira, his blade glinting with deadly light.
"Then maybe the blame lies with the weak, not with me," Mio replied with a helpless shrug. His grin sharpened, and his tone turned cold. "But if it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get."
Aokiji was undeniably strong.
But among the three Admirals, he was the one Mio feared the least—especially when accompanied by the navy.
Clang.
Raikiri was drawn, and the sunlight gleamed coldly along its edge.
The next moment—
"Hanba!" Mio roared.
ROAR!
From beneath the frozen sea, directly below the warship, a monstrous roar erupted. The ice shattered violently as a massive hand surged up from the depths and smashed into the ship's underbelly. The powerful strike tore the bottom apart, launching the warship into the air. Panicked screams rang out as navy soldiers were flung in all directions.
Momosaki barely managed to evade the attack, leaping high into the air. Upon spotting the source of the destruction, her pupils shrank in disbelief.
Such terrifying size. Such terrifying power.
Whoosh!
A sudden sound split the air.
Mio was already airborne, Raikiri raised, swinging toward Momosaki with lethal precision. A wave of black sword energy burst from his blade.
Clang!
Momosaki sensed the danger instantly, pivoted mid-air, and blocked the slash with Kinpira. Landing gracefully on the ice, she stared at Mio with alert eyes.
She could feel it—Mio's strength rivaled her own. Maybe even exceeded it.
Strange abilities, skilled swordsmanship, overwhelming Haki… and above all, Mio's rapidly growing physical prowess.
His improvement speed is absurd.
"This time, with Vice Admiral Aokiji here, you're destined for Impel Down," Momosaki declared coldly.
"Don't be so sure." Mio spoke lightly and took a step forward—only to vanish in that instant. His sudden appearance at her side sent a chill down her spine. This strange ability… even with full awareness, reacting to it in time was almost impossible.
Swish!
Mio slashed with Raikiri, Armament Haki swirling around the blade. A black crow-shaped energy erupted from it, diving straight for Momosaki's fair neck with killing intent.
From a distance, Aokiji frowned.
He didn't hesitate. Just as he prepared to intervene and protect Momosaki—
His instincts flared.
Without thinking, he crossed his arms in front of his face and blocked.
Boom!
A powerful force crashed against him. Lilith had appeared mid-air and launched a brutal kick. Though Aokiji managed to block it, the impact still created a shockwave that rippled across the battlefield.
Lilith landed and backed off, her expression cool and composed.
"You're not allowed to interfere with my master's battle."
"Master?" Aokiji raised an eyebrow. The term surprised him. What kind of relationship did this crew have with their captain? But it was no time for idle questions.
"Then I'll capture you first. You're all going to Impel Down anyway."
Lilith chuckled, amused.
"Capture me? Feel free to try."
As she spoke, a pair of majestic wings unfurled behind her. With a gentle flap, she soared into the air and hovered gracefully.
Aokiji's brows furrowed. He didn't like this.
Flight-type opponents were always a headache.
Still in mid-air, Lilith smiled confidently. Not only could she fly, but she also possessed the powers of the Replacement Fruit. Aokiji didn't have the means to catch her alone.
"Tch. What a pain," Aokiji muttered as he glanced around.
Erica and Kuroken were quickly closing in.
Warwick, meanwhile, had charged straight into the ranks of the navy. Screams echoed as he tore through the marines like a beast in a slaughterhouse. Apart from Robin, the rest of the crew overwhelmed the navy effortlessly.
What's more—
Aokiji looked down at the frozen sea beneath his feet. He could sense a massive presence lurking below, observing… waiting for its moment to strike.
It was Hanba.
Large in size, but far from mindless.
"This is going to be more troublesome than I thought…" Aokiji sighed.
He extended his hand, and dozens of sharp ice blades formed in the air beside him.
With a flick of his wrist, the frozen blades launched straight at Lilith.
Shhhk!
The sound of blades cutting through the air echoed as they shot toward her.
Lilith, unbothered, flapped her wings—summoning a sudden windstorm. The storm smashed the ice blades into sparkling fragments.
"A fantasy beast Zoan… just as I thought." Aokiji narrowed his eyes, then leapt away.
Boom!
Four scarlet tentacles slammed down onto where Aokiji had just stood, shattering the ice with immense power. The ice cracked loudly beneath the blow.
Hei Yan emerged from the mist, eyes now glowing with the Sharingan.
"What a pain…" Aokiji murmured. But he wasn't surprised. He had sensed the ambush with Observation Haki and avoided it just in time.
No sooner had he moved when two ferocious sword slashes came at him again.
Now facing Erica, Lilith, and Kuroken together, Aokiji's expression turned serious. None of them were weak. Worse, their abilities were strange and unpredictable.
He had to take them seriously.
"I'll take you down one at a time," Aokiji muttered.
Muscles tensed, he disappeared from sight in a burst of speed.
When he reappeared, he was directly in front of Kuroken.
His palms crackled with icy energy as he shouted,
"Ice Ball!"
Five massive ice pillars exploded from his palms and shot toward Kuroken. The air grew bitterly cold, and the temperature plummeted.
Even Kuroken felt the blood in his veins begin to freeze.
But his Sharingan spun rapidly—and just in time, four crimson tentacles whipped out and pulled Hei Yan away from the danger.
The battle was far from over.