77. Al vs Kuzan

In the Marine headquarters' conference room.

As the Marine ship tasked with executing the Buster Call got destroyed, the large screen abruptly went blank!

Caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events, the atmosphere in the conference room turned tense in an instant.

No one had a clue about what just occurred.

"What's going on? Why did the communication suddenly cut off?"

"Did the pirates figure us out?"

"Are you serious? They just touched down on the island. How could they catch on so fast?"

For a moment, the conference room descended into chaos, yet no one dared to bring up the Buster Call's failure.

Seemingly, everyone silently acknowledged an unspoken agreement, attempting to divert their attention from the grim situation.

This is a Buster Call capable of obliterating an entire island!

It's crucial to understand that since the inception of the Buster Call, there hasn't been a single failure!

But a rookie pirate crew managed to destroy the feared Buster Call?

With such an outcome, none of the Marine Vice Admirals in attendance were ready to swallow this failure!

"That's it!"

Sengoku rose from his seat, his serious tone carrying an overwhelming force.

Clearly, Sengoku was genuinely furious this time!

If the Cowboy Pirates had defeated Crocodile in Arabasta previously, it would have only instilled fear.

However, in order to exterminate this group of pirates, the World government did not hesitate to withstand the pressure of the whole world, and launched the Buster Call, but it ended in failure!

Undoubtedly, this is a humiliating blow to both the World Government and the Marines!

It's worth noting that the World Government had previously broadcasted this news worldwide, capturing the attention of people everywhere!

This also implies that the Buster Call against the Cowboy Pirates must not be taken lightly!

Once it falters, regardless of the World Government's might, it will be unable to conceal this disgrace!

This incident will undoubtedly tarnish the once formidable reputation of the World Government and the Marines upon the seas!

"Can we reach Admiral Kuzan?" someone inquired, noticing Sengoku's clenched fists and evident anger.

The Buster Call led by a Marine Admiral is the genuine article!

However, on the screen, there's no sign of Aokiji at all?!

For the Marines, this amounts to a serious dereliction of duty!

Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~

After the communication officer tried dialing for a while, he responded with a slightly apprehensive tone: "Reporting to Fleet Admiral Sengoku, unable to reach Admiral Kuzan. What should we do next?"

"Damn it, what is that guy up to!" Sengoku slammed his fist on the table and let out an enraged growl.

With the camera den den mushi losing contact and Kuzan unreachable, Sengoku felt there was no point in continuing this meeting.

Sensing the subtle pressure radiating from Sengoku's presence, everyone's breath quickened.

In the Water 7,

Just as Al and his crew concluded their battles and returned to land from the sea,

A profound sense of danger fiercely jolted every nerve in their bodies!

With an ominous chill hanging in the air, Nami and the others couldn't help but shiver.

As Robin gazed upon the frozen landscape stretching for miles ahead, her pupils suddenly contracted, as if she had glimpsed something truly terrifying.

In an instant, Robin collapsed to the ground, her eyes losing their usual brightness, replaced by a deep-seated fear gripping her heart.

"Ao... Aokiji!"

The desperate cry echoed like a haunting melody, tugging at the heartstrings of everyone present.

Nami sensed a formidable adversary's presence, tightly gripping the baseball bat with both hands, scanning the surroundings vigilantly, and shouting in response, "Who? Who is Aokiji?"

As the words left Nami's lips, Carina swiftly interlocked her fingers, releasing a barrier to shield the group, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Despite being shielded by barriers, an inexplicable sense of fear continued to grip their hearts.

"Damn it, what's with this strange feeling, Robin! Who in the world is this Aokiji guy?"

At that moment, Robin was ensnared in the whirlpool of fear, unable to break free from its grasp.

Though she had witnessed the strength of Al and the others, a profound feeling of powerlessness and fear lingered within her, keeping her perpetually on guard.

Never engage in direct confrontation with that man, Aokiji!

It would mean certain death!!!

Vivi, standing next to Al, appeared to be struck by an indescribable terror upon hearing Aokiji's name.

Her face went pale, and if it weren't for Al's support, she might have collapsed to the ground herself.

While the name Marine Admiral Aokiji might be unfamiliar to Nami and Carina, it was all too familiar to her!

During her time working as a bounty hunter in Baroque Works, Vivi had encountered a group of pirates who were terrified beyond measure.

And these pirates were no small fry; they all had bounties exceeding 100 million!

Such pirate, when he heard that Aokiji was coming, was so scared that he coundn't hold a weapon, that's the Aokiji Robin mentioned!

"Why is a Marine Admiral here?" Nami and Carina exchanged a quick glance upon hearing the title.

The fog of uncertainty that clouded their minds began to clear.

Fear of the unknown is indeed the most potent.

But as the unknown transforms into the known and understanding, the confidence and courage it brings forth are equally profound!

Upon learning that there was only one Marine Admiral on the opposing side, Nami and Carina couldn't help but break into smiles.

Nami and Carina exchanged grins.

"See, it's just a Marine Admiral. I don't see what all the fuss is about," Nami remarked.

"Yeah, exactly. It's just one Marine Admiral. Let's not forget, we have..." Carina paused as Nami began counting on her fingers. "There are eight of us!"

"No, no, Nami. We can't count Tom and the others as individuals. But hey, we still have plenty of firepower."

As Nami extended her eight fingers, Robin froze in place, her mind swirling with questions.

Vivi's eyes widened further, her jaw dropping in disbelief. This... this...?

Just as Robin and Vivi were about to speak up, Nami's earlier words echoed in their minds:

"Marine Admiral versus Captain Al, who's stronger?"

The four of them glanced at Al, as if seeking an answer from his lips.

"Why are you all staring at me? Speak your minds," Al said with a shrug.

Al, who was busy browsing the system mall, noticed the four girls staring at him with curious eyes simultaneously. He shrugged helplessly and said, "Before I learned Armament Haki, I had no way to deal with users of Logia-type Devil Fruits."

Al's statement was truthful.

Without mastering Armament Haki, it's impossible to harm the intangible forms of Logia-type Devil Fruit users!

Ever since he heard the mention of the Buster Call, Al had anticipated the likely appearance of a Marine Admiral!

The crucial factor behind the immense power of the Buster Call lies in its leadership by a Marine Admiral!

Upon hearing Al's words, Nami, Carina, Vivi, and the other women froze in place, as if turned to stone.

Robin slumped to the ground once more, wearing a look of despair on her face.

"Well..." Al muttered under his breath, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness. He truly couldn't comprehend the psychological turmoil of Nami and the others.

Ignoring their reactions, Al shifted his focus back to the system mall, determined to find a way to counter Aokiji.

Even Tom possesses an immortal body.

But if you're unable to land a blow on Aokiji, you'll only exhaust yourself, leaving you vulnerable and defenseless.

While Al continued searching for a means to counter Aokiji's ability,

A bone-chilling cold sensation crept up from behind!

Al's pupils narrowed, and he swiftly created distance with Soru, simultaneously retrieving the Western Sword from his system backpack and delivering a slashing strike towards the spot where he had been standing!

Boom—

"Carina, drop the barrier, now!" Al's angry shout echoed as he unleashed several sword slashes, swiftly retreating to safety with the four girls in his arms.

"Carina, use the box barrier to drain the water from the ground!"

"Nami, ring the bell and summon Spike back!"

"Vivi, take Robin and get out of the battlefield. Try to find a spot without ice!"

As Al's command rang out, Nami and the others acted swiftly and methodically.

However, Aokiji showed no intention of giving them a chance to resist, swiftly employing his Devil Fruit ability to encase Al and the others!

Boom

With a deafening crash, a towering wall of water hundreds of meters high surged into the sky!

Moments later, Aokiji's unmistakable lazy voice emanated from the icy mist.

"Yo, long time no see, Nico Robin."

"No, it hasn't been that long, so it's a bit sudden to say 'long time no see'."

"Let's focus on the task at hand."

Following the direction of the voice, a tall figure gradually emerged from the icy mist.

"Is this guy the Marine Admiral?" Nami asked, peering at the seemingly lackadaisical man before her, feeling a bit surprised. He didn't quite match the image she had conjured in her mind.

The title "Marine Admiral" alone was enough to strike fear into countless pirates.

The stereotype, shouldn't he be the type who looks extremely stern and imposing?

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Carina replied.

"Why are you all giving me those strange looks? Is there something on my face?" Aokiji asked, scratching the back of his head, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Just as Nami and the others began to let their guard down...

Aokiji's expression suddenly furrowed.

In the next moment!

An intense coldness, triggered by Aokiji's slight frown, swept through the surroundings at the speed of light!

"Watch out!" Al shouted urgently, swiftly employing Geppo to lift Nami and the others into the air once more.

But as Al and the others ascended, they beheld the ground below already coated in piercing ice!

The sheer coldness, coupled with the sudden crisis, served as stark warnings of the danger posed by the man before them!

Nami and the others stared at the frozen landscape, momentarily dumbfounded, their eyes reflecting disbelief!

However, Aokiji was far from done!

Observing Al lift everyone into the air once more, Aokiji exhaled a warm breath, his gaze chillingly fixed on the few figures suspended in midair.

"Ice Saber!"

With a frigid command, Aokiji vanished from sight!

In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Al!

With an ice saber tightly gripped in his hand, Aokiji thrust fiercely towards Al's heart!

"Damn it!" Al cursed through gritted teeth. He shot Carina a quick wink, signaling her to act.

In that moment, he made a split-second decision—to use all his strength to hurl his companions away!

But in doing so, Al left himself vulnerable to Aokiji's impending attack!

Just as Aokiji's ice saber was about to pierce through Al's heart...

Just in time, Carina swiftly crossed her fingers, conjuring a barrier behind Al!

"Crack—"

The sound of ice shattering reverberated from behind Al!

In the blink of an eye, Carina's shield intervened, sparing Al from being impaled by Aokiji's attack!

Seizing the opportunity presented by the failed assault, Al swiftly evaded, darting away from the perilous vicinity.

Al breathed a sigh of relief once he reached safety, yet at the same time, he couldn't shake off the deep-seated fear of Aokiji's formidable strength!

"Ah, impressive reaction speed," Aokiji remarked, a slight smirk playing on his lips. Without delay, he conjured another ice blade, launching it towards Al!

But Al showed no intention of backing down. Instead, he raised the Western Sword in his hand, prepared to face Marine Admiral Aokiji head-on!

Nami's heart skipped a beat, but now wasn't the time to marvel at Aokiji's strength!

Without a moment's hesitation, Nami swiftly retrieved a bell from her chest and rang it.

"Ring ring ring~"

The clear sound of the bell echoed in the distance, accompanied by the clanging of metal collisions.

Upon closer inspection, Al was fiercely battling Aokiji with the Western Sword, leaving behind afterimages in his wake.

Meanwhile, Robin was utilizing her abilities to create some obstacles for Aokiji.

"Nami, move!" Carina shouted, pulling Nami out of harm's way the moment she heard the bell ring.

Immediately afterward, the sound of ice cracking filled the air, and a human-shaped pit suddenly formed within everyone's sight!

Spike pushed back the large sack atop his head and scratched his head, looking around at the group.

"Hey, why are you all staring at me like that?" he asked, puzzled.

Before anyone could respond, a sword slash whizzed past Spike's head, narrowly missing him and shaving off the top of his head.

Feeling the cold sensation on the top of his head, Spike lightly touched the bare spot with both hands.

Suddenly, a surge of anger coursed through him.

In that moment, Nami and the others seemed to hear the whistle of a sea train!

Upon looking at Spike again, they noticed his ears emitting a sound akin to a train whistle, while his nostrils resembled a hair dryer, releasing two streams of white smoke.

Without hesitation, Spike transformed into a gray-white lightning bolt with a whoosh, hurtling straight towards Aokiji!

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