Chapter 48: I Will Sit on the Void Throne!

The Battle Unleashed:

The thick black-purple color in Ace's pupils instantly turned into substance, and the next second it burst out violently!

"Boom!"

"Pippy!"

Violent black and purple lightning surged and roared through the atmosphere. The fire clouds and hail clouds in the sky began to roll back before the violent and shining black-purple lightning. A huge hole appeared in the sky directly above the island, torn apart by a powerful force. The astonishing freezing air that was constantly filling the atmosphere began to retreat in front of the violent black and purple lightning.

"Click! Click!"

As the freezing air retreated, the land that was frozen like polar soil and the standing icebergs shattered before the violent black and purple lightning.

"Conqueror's Haki!" Aokiji looked at the black and purple lightning roaring in the atmosphere, his pupils shrinking. Though he knew from Fleet admiral Sengoku that Portgas D. Ace possessed the amazing Conqueror's Haki, capable of causing real damage to the real world, he could now truly realize how powerful this man, Portgas D. Ace, was. The next moment, Aokiji's face showed a look of horror that hadn't appeared in an unknown amount of time.

"Bah! Pi!"

The violent black-purple lightning roaring in the atmosphere seemed to be "caught" by invisible hands, all wrapped around Ace.

"Boom!"

The violent fluctuations caused the atmosphere around Ace to shatter like a mirror. "Bah! Bah! Bah!" In Aokiji's horrified eyes, a black-purple film wrapped around Ace, and bursts of violent black-purple lightning were compressed to the extreme, flickering from time to time. Each flicker caused the sky to roll back, and the frozen permafrost trembled!

"Conqueror's Haki-Infusion!!!" Aokiji screamed in horror, his eyes full of terror. To make the Admiral of Headquarters, the most powerful person in the world government, look like this, there was only one force: Conqueror's Haki-Infusion!

"Unexpectedly, he can actually use Conqueror's Haki to entangle..." Aokiji shed cold sweat. Although he already knew from Fleet Admiral Sengoku that Portgas D. Ace's Conqueror's Haki could cause harm to reality, he didn't believe Ace could master Conqueror's Haki-Infusion. This power was too difficult to master. Only one in a million can possess Conqueror's Haki, and even fewer can master Conqueror's Haki-Infusion.

If someone has the qualifications of a king, then mastering Conqueror's Haki-Infusion makes them a true king. On this sea, anyone who can fully master Conqueror's Haki can become a king in the New World. The Four Emperors are so powerful because they have fully mastered Conqueror's Haki! This is the real overlord-level power in this sea.

Portgas D. Ace had mastered this power to such a degree! Looking at the black and purple lightning film around Ace, Aokiji's eyes became more serious. This level of mastery was no less than that of the Four Emperors. Portgas D. Ace had completely mastered Conqueror's Haki-entanglement, this overlord-level power! In addition, the Mera-Mera Fruit, developed to the point of awakening, was comparable to his Frozen Fruit. This man was more than capable of killing Shichibukai. Portgas D. Ace was a dominant figure in this sea!

"Your field control seems to have failed, Aokiji," Ace said, Haki laughing. In the face of Conqueror's Haki-Infusion, Frozen Fruit's field control was ineffective. How could a King be controlled by a Devil Fruit's ability?

"Faced with overlord-level figures, such crude methods are indeed not enough. The probing attack just now was really rude, Portgas D. Ace." Aokiji's expression became extremely cold, and a cyan flare kept flashing in his eyes. He could no longer be careless! He wasn't facing some pirate who had just entered the Grand Line, but an overlord who could reign supreme in this sea! In this battle, he needed to fight with the awareness of death. Without such awareness, he would be the one to lose in the end!

The Ultimate Clash:

Aokiji slowly exhaled, his breath forming a chilling mist. He clenched his fists tightly.

"I heard from Mr. Garp that he once considered training you to become a Marine," Aokiji said coldly, extending his fists. "And I owe Mr. Garp a debt of gratitude for much care. I learned this power from him. It's also part of my history."

With those final words, Aokiji's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Whoop! Click, click, click!"

Instantly, terrifying freezing air erupted, transforming Aokiji's fists into elemental forms. The freezing energy of his Frozen Fruit concentrated on his fists.

"Armed!"

"Boom!"

Terrifying shockwaves erupted as Ultimate Armament Haki enveloped Aokiji's elemental fists.

"Ice Gloves!"

Aokiji exhaled, his expression cold. All the freezing energy of the Frozen Fruit, combined with his Armament Haki and inherited iron fist from Marine hero Monkey D. Garp, allowed Aokiji to confront the overlords of the sea without relying on Conqueror's Haki.

"Is this Armament Haki as strong as the old man's?" Ace chuckled, his eyes flashing with Ultimate's red. "This battle is quite interesting. Hahaha!"

In Ace's eyes, Aokiji was truly one of history's strongest Marine Admirals. The perfect fusion of his formidable Armament Haki and Frozen Fruit, along with Garp's iron fist, explained why he could challenge the Four Emperors. It was an intriguing battle, an overlord-level clash.

"Watch this!"

Ace's fists transformed into elements, Mera-Mera Fruit's power exploding. The endless flames concentrated on his fists.

"Bah! Bah! Bah!"

The black-purple lightning enveloping him exploded instantly, Conqueror's Haki merging with his elementalized fists.

"Conqueror's Haki, fused with Mera-Mera Fruit! Hahaha, let's enjoy this fight, Aokiji!" Ace laughed.

Aokiji's mouth curved into a rare smile.

"Next."

"Whoosh!"

They vanished instantly, the ground beneath them shattering.

"Charge!"

Simultaneously, Ace and Aokiji unleashed right fists.

"Boom!"

Their collision erupted with violent black-purple and black lightning.

"Boom!"

Energy surged, shattering the earth like purgatory, transforming the frozen soil and burning earth.

"Boom! Click! Click!"

Fire and hail clouds in the sky rolled back as violent collisions roared.

Terrifying waves churned the sea, as the sky and earth trembled.

This was Haki's ultimate clash.

"Amazing! Armament Haki can actually rival my Conqueror's Haki!" Ace laughed, black-purple hues deepening in his eyes.

"I should say the same! Your Conqueror's Haki is astonishing, Portgas D. Ace." Aokiji exhaled, cyan and black hues flashing in his eyes.

Ace and Aokiji traded blows like raindrops.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Ice-wrapped Armament Haki fists clashed with flame-wreathed Conqueror's Haki fists, each collision stirring fierce winds. The island shook, as Ace and Aokiji battled with unwavering spirit, their abilities reaching their zenith.

"Boom!"

"Have they been fighting for five days?" Nami stared incredulously from the Merry, observing Ice and Fire Island, now a battleground of earth and flames.

The Merry was distant now, unable to approach due to the cataclysmic clash.

"These Logia Devil Fruits, awakened, harness natural elements for strength and recovery," Robin remarked solemnly, watching the distant turmoil. "Their endurance in battle has reached extraordinary levels."

"Terrifying," Laki murmured, awed by the spectacle. "Compared to this, Enel's power pales. Is this the true power of the sea's top figures?"

"Ace..." Kaya's gaze remained fixed on the island, her concern evident.

"Don't worry, Ace won't lose," Nami assured her, though exhaustion lined their eyes from sleepless nights.

"No, I want to stay," Kaya insisted, her aura gently restoring her fatigued spirit.

Nami hesitated, but before she could reply—

"Look!"

The girls gasped, their eyes fixed on the island.

"The clash... it's ceased," Nami murmured.

On Ice and Fire Island:

"Phew!"

Ace stood amidst broken, burning earth.

"Click! Click!"

Aokiji stood amidst shattered, ice-covered ground.

The island lay in ruins after five days of relentless battle, saved only by their awakened Devil Fruits from complete destruction.

"Huff! Huff!"

Ace breathed heavily, eyes flickering with deep purple-black and fiery hues. This battle had pushed his body and abilities to their limits, even with Mera-Mera Fruit's natural fortification.

"Huff! Huff!"

Aokiji panted heavily. Confronting Conqueror's Haki with Armament Haki exacted a heavy toll, his energy nearly spent.

"If this continues..."

Aokiji's gaze turned sharp.

We must settle this decisively, even if it means risking everything.

"Portgas D. Ace!"

Aokiji's voice cut through the tense silence.

"With such formidable Conqueror's Haki and courage, what drives you?"

"My purpose?" Ace's lips curled into a slight smile.

"I aim to be the king of the world."

Aokiji looked at Ace in disbelief.

What a terrible ambition!

No wonder Ace is able to possess this level of Conqueror's.

"Do you want this sea to go completely berserk?! Portgas D. Ace!"

Aokiji roared angrily, exuding amazing Frozen energy.

Ace's laughter resonated, Conqueror's Haki surging once more with renewed intensity.

"A king must forge ahead boldly! My era will bring prosperity!"

Ace's eyes gleamed with a merging of fiery and purple-black hues.

"Boom!"

The blazing realm surrounding Conqueror's Haki intensified under his grasp.

"Boom!"

With Ace's will in motion, the sky's fire clouds violently contracted and vibrated.

"Whoosh!"

From the shrinking fire clouds cascaded a torrential downpour—not of rain, but of fiery droplets exuding unbearable heat.

The earth, now akin to purgatory, erupted as the rain of fire catalyzed the already intense inferno, filling every crevice with searing temperatures.

"Bah! Pi!"

Deep within this fiery maelstrom, violent black-purple flashes began to flicker.

"Boom! Click!"

In an instant, violent black and purple lightning burst forth, merging with the sea of flames—the ultimate manifestation of Conqueror's Haki, entwined with lightning.

"Bah! Pi!"

Above the flames, the fire domain itself crackled with black and purple lightning.

"Boom!"

The sheer force shattered the atmosphere like glass, and Ice and Fire Island quaked as if caught in an earthquake.

"Ha, Conqueror's Haki fused with the power of Mera-Mera Fruit?!" Aokiji's eyes widened in horror, witnessing the unprecedented convergence of powers.

This wasn't just Conqueror's coating; it was Conqueror's Haki fused with the violence of the Mera-Mera Fruit, surpassing even the destructive might of Sakazuki's Lava-Lava Fruit—the pinnacle of offensive Devil Fruits.

Aokiji's face grew solemn as he exhaled a cold breath. "It's not over yet, Aokiji."

Ace, noticing Aokiji's focused accumulation of power from Frozen Fruit and Armament Haki, smirked faintly.

"Just This power isn't quite sufficient for taking down a Admiral yet" Ace said, his gaze freezing as every muscle tensed.

"Buzz!"

In the next instant, energy surged from every cell of Ace's being, materializing into a force that seemed to grasp the very essence of power.

"Bah! Bah! Bah!"

All of Ace's physical energy concentrated into his left fist, wrapped in violent flames and surrounded by Conqueror's Haki.

"Hakoku!"

Ace declared, wielding this overwhelming power that made the entire atmosphere tremble, and he turned to face the astonished Aokiji in the distance.

"This is a technique of the giants!"

Aokiji stared in disbelief at the terrifying energy condensed on Ace's left hand, akin to a shockwave.

"Hakoku, the most powerful spear of Elbaf! Where did Portgas D. Ace learn this technique?" Aokiji wondered aloud, his forehead now damp with cold sweat.

Hakoku was traditionally a combined skill requiring two giants to execute. A single person mastering it was unheard of—especially coupled with Mera-Mera Fruit's fiery might fused with Conqueror's Haki. Ace's talent was nothing short of heavenly, causing Aokiji to reconsider the implications.

"He... he's like Rocks D. Xebec!"

Aokiji's mind raced back to the legendary figure who had once dominated the seas, prompting worldwide chaos and forcing even Marines and Gol D. Roger to unite against him.

"Is Portgas D. Ace the next Rocks? Or perhaps... even more formidable?" Aokiji mused, drawing a parallel between Ace's ambitions and those of Rocks D. Xebec, both possessing the "D" initial and aspirations of world domination.

Ace stood amidst the blazing sea, embodying a talent and ambition that rivaled—and perhaps surpassed—the once-absolute overlord of the seas.

In this era, at this age, Portgas D. Ace was poised to rewrite history as the sea's foremost power.

Aokiji felt a chill run down his spine as he contemplated the implications of Ace's potential, recalling the turmoil Rocks had stirred and realizing the necessity to prevent Ace's unchecked growth.

Aokiji's right arm crackled with elemental power, poised and dangerous amidst the chaos.

"You're far too dangerous, Portgas D. Ace. For someone like you, Impel Down would provide more assurance," Aokiji intoned solemnly, his gaze fixed on Ace amidst the fiery sea.

"Hahaha, Impel Down? I don't belong in a place like that. My destiny lies beyond the skies!" Ace retorted with a laugh, his words punctuated by the intensifying black and purple lightning in the atmosphere.

Aokiji exhaled a frigid breath, his eyes transforming into an icy cyan hue.

"Buzz!"

Above, freezing clouds that had been raining hail contracted violently, accompanied by a chilling air that turned the falling ice and snow into a tempestuous frenzy.

The entire frozen world seemed to erupt in madness as Aokiji's awakened Frozen Fruit unleashed its full might. All the freezing air converged towards his elemental right arm, freezing even the atmosphere around it.

With a slow exhale, Aokiji's eyes shifted from the green of the Frozen Fruit to the deep black of his formidable Armament Haki.

"Armed!"

A deep shout echoed as decades of honed Armament Haki surged forth, wrapping Aokiji's elemental arm in a thick, jet-black aura that whistled with power.

"You are indeed formidable, Portgas D. Ace," Aokiji acknowledged, his expression grave. "Give it a few more years, and I might not stand a chance against you. But for now, I will freeze you and send you to Impel Down. You're too dangerous to roam freely in this world, Portgas D. Ace."

With astonishing Haki emanating from his eyes, Aokiji focused on Ace in the fiery sea's heart.

Ace's power was undeniably immense—the fusion of Conqueror's Haki with the Mera-Mera Fruit's flames, and his mastery of Hakoku, Elbaf's legendary technique modified for a single wielder. Each was a devastating attack befitting an Admiral.

Yet Aokiji, renowned as one of history's strongest Admirals, was unfazed. Despite his belief in lazy justice since the Ohara incident, his resolve to strengthen and prepare for the future had only grown stronger. His Armament Haki continued to evolve, capable even against Sakazuki's Lava-Lava Fruit, renowned for its overwhelming offensive power.

Although Ace's talent far surpassed Aokiji's, the Admiral knew the young pirate's potential had yet to reach its zenith. Confident in his ability to surpass the two attacks before him, Aokiji remained resolute.

"Send me to Impel Down?" Ace's lips curled into a grin, laughter laced with Haki.

True, Aokiji was formidable, capable of contending with the Four Emperors and wielding superior Armament Haki.

"But do you think I unleashed these attacks merely to display my prowess to you, Aokiji?" Ace's eyes flashed with an intense purple-black hue, startling Aokiji and causing his pupils to contract.

"Let me show you this power," Ace declared, seizing the air with his right hand before clenching it into a fist.

"Buzz! Boom!"

The atmosphere crackled with searing heat, a violent sea of fire encircled by black and purple thunder compressing under Ace's command.

With a swift motion, Ace condensed the raging inferno into a film of red, black, and purple energy wrapped around his right fist.

"The Great Flame Ring - Red Hole!" Ace announced, controlling the formidable energy with a controlled grin.

Aokiji watched in disbelief as Ace simultaneously wielded Hakoku with his left hand and the Great Flame Ring with his right, moving steadily forward amidst the chaotic battleground.