78. Tom: Armament Haki? Too Easy!

Boom!

A massive sound erupted, sending a powerful shockwave into the sky, causing a cascade of crushed ice!

In an instant, the hopeful expressions on Nami and the others faded away.

"No way... this can't be true!"

"Spike, he... No, this has to be a trick of the mind. It can't be real!"

"Is this really the full power of a Marine Admiral?"

As Nami and the others looked on, a lifelike ice sculpture of Spike materialized before them.

Spike, now frozen in place, bore little resemblance to his former self.

With a menacing stance, he unleashed a devastating punch that tore through Aokiji's chest.

Beneath the fierce exterior, a hint of frozen resolve still lingered.

Only Al and Aokiji truly comprehended the events of that moment; perhaps Spike himself didn't fully grasp what had occurred.

As Spike's punch connected and pierced Aokiji's chest, the intense cold seemed to spring to life, spreading along Spike's arm.

In the blink of an eye, Spike was encased in ice, frozen in a lifelike pose.

Nami and the others gasped in surprise, their eyes filled with tension.

Even Al couldn't help but break into a cold sweat for Spike after witnessing the scene.

"Wow, that escalated quickly."

The voice continued unabated.

They watched as Aokiji raised his fist high, observing everyone's reactions, then shattered the ice sculpture of Spike into a pile of icy debris.

After dealing with Spike, Aokiji showed no inclination towards mercy, despite the fact that the group before him hadn't infringed upon his sense of justice.

But orders were orders.

"My apologies for accidentally shattering your comrade into pieces."

"By the way, there was a little mouse in a cloak earlier. I'm not sure if it belonged to your group."

"Unfortunately, it's now encased in ice as well. However, if it's resilient enough, it should survive."

Aokiji held his skates in hand, exhaling a warm breath. His tone remained calm, devoid of any emotion.

"And then?"

Al's casual remark sparked a realization in Nami and the others.

The few who had been concerned about Spike and Merlin suddenly grasped that they couldn't be measured by ordinary standards.

Aokiji furrowed his brow, seeming to struggle to comprehend the group's reaction.

Even Nico Robin displayed little emotion on her face at that moment.

Before Aokiji could speculate about their calm demeanor, something interrupted him.

Two swift slashes sliced through his body, reducing it to several small pieces.

As Aokiji began to reform his body, Al unleashed several more slashes.

However, this time, Aokiji showed no intention of restoring his body, allowing Al to carve through his own form.

Eventually, he transformed into a mass of ice debris, vanishing from the spot entirely.

Upon witnessing this, Al ceased his assault decisively, then departed from the scene, instructing Nami and the others to evacuate the area.

Once Nami and the others reached safety, Aokiji's laid-back voice echoed from all directions.

"Yeah, what a bothersome bunch."

"You should understand by now that regular attacks won't work against those with Logia Devil Fruit powers."

"Stop resisting. I don't want to waste too much time on pointless battles. It'll disrupt my sleep, you know."

As Aokiji's voice trailed off, a mystical voice resounded from the air.

"Aha!"

Following the sound's origin, a wooden plank identical to Tom's figure materialized in midair.

The peculiar aspect was that, apart from the ordinary legs, the rest of the plank was crafted from wood.

"Then... is that really Tom?" Vivi couldn't help but ask.

Not only Vivi, but even Al and the others stood frozen in place at the sight of this bizarre scene.

After witnessing this miraculous occurrence, Aokiji regained his form, a rare expression of bewilderment crossing his usually serene face.

The flat wooden body, combined with those three-dimensional legs, presented an odd sight no matter how one looked at it.

However, Aokiji quickly composed himself, a glint appearing behind Tom.

Aokiji placed his hand on Tom's shoulder, the touch feeling as solid as a real wooden board.

Board Tom sensed the sudden chill behind him and couldn't help but swallow audibly, emitting a "gulp" sound.

Cold sweat cascaded down his body like a waterfall.

Before Board Tom could react, Aokiji froze him into a statue and suspended him in the air.

Just as Aokiji was about to turn, the calm sea abruptly churned, forming a massive fist in the air that hurtled toward Aokiji!

"Ice Age!"

Aokiji raised his right hand, and an icicle shot forth from his palm, freezing the massive fist.

"What a peculiar bunch."

Observing the diminutive figure atop the colossal ice fist, Aokiji transformed into a heap of ice debris, blending into the icy surface and vanishing from sight.

When he reappeared, he was already within the midst of the huge ice fist.

Aokiji's nonchalant gaze betrayed a hint of doubt and confusion; he had evidently frozen the little mouse.

Why did that frozen individual still appear here, and why did he even change his attire?

It appeared he sensed Aokiji's hostile stare, prompting Muscles to act without hesitation.

Muscles clenched his fists tightly, exhaled forcefully, and raised two fists larger than himself to assail and eliminate Aokiji.

However, this time, Aokiji didn't evade; he stood there calmly, allowing his opponent to strike.

Boom.

Boom

As the wind generated by Muscles' fists continued to intensify, he struck Aokiji's body with relentless force, punching large holes one after another.

After delivering several punches, Muscles frowned, an unusual expression for him.

Simultaneously, he recognized that the current assault alone wouldn't even scratch this man!

Understanding this, Muscles ceased his attack and swiftly approached Tom's side.

Without hesitation, Muscles lightly tapped his fingers against Tom, causing him to shatter into ice fragments and plummet from the air.

Just as Aokiji wondered about the intentions of the little mouse before him, something astonishing unfolded.

Under the astonished gazes of everyone present, as the pile of ice debris plummeted to the ground, Tom's form slowly began to reconstruct itself.

But this time, it wasn't a mere plank of wood; it was a living, breathing Tom!

As the final shard of ice settled on top of Tom's head, he underwent a remarkable transformation from ice to flesh and blood in an instant!

Upon regaining his original form, Tom swiftly stretched out his arms before enveloping himself in a warm embrace. Meanwhile, he leisurely approached Spike's pile of ice debris.

"Ah-choo!"

After a sudden sneeze from Tom, he shivered and rolled over amidst the icy residue.

Finally, he retrieved a dog fur coat from the pile of ice debris and draped it around his waist.

However, before Tom could warm himself, Spike swiftly emerged from the ice debris and snatched the coat back.

Simultaneously, Spike didn't hesitate to deliver a hard blow to Tom's head, creating a sizable bump one meter high.

Spike clapped his hands in satisfaction, then retrieved a baseball bat from behind and glared menacingly at Aokiji.

While everyone's attention was on Tom and Spike, a mouse frozen into an ice sculpture was tossed from the air by Aokiji.

"Kach~"

With a crisp sound, Muscles tumbled into a pile of ice balls upon landing.

However, in less than a second, the scattered ice was drawn back together like a magnet the moment it touched the ground.

In mere moments, Muscles reverted to his original state!

At that instant, a colossal fireball struck Aokiji from a distance!

Boom!

Accompanied by a magnificent explosion blossoming in the air, the massive ice fist was instantly vaporized, leaving not a single drop of water behind.

"Is it over?" Nami gazed at the dissipating mist with a profound expression, her question slipping out unconsciously.

Al shook his head. If Aokiji were dealt with so easily, he wouldn't deserve to hold the title of Marine Admiral.

As the mist cleared, the silhouette of Kuzan materialized in midair before everyone's eyes.

"Armament Haki?"

Observing the fleeting darkness on Aokiji's skin, Al furrowed his brow, attempting to discern its significance.

Unfortunately, despite replaying the scene of the Vice Admiral in his mind several times, Al could only analyze a portion of it.

"It's still far from being mastered."

However, Al is confident that within less than a month, he will find a way to cultivate Armament Haki solely based on this moment imprinted in his mind!

However, what everyone failed to notice was that!

After witnessing the recent events, a light bulb figuratively appeared above Tom's head!

Soon after, Tom extended his claws. With a mere thought, the five sharp claws turned black! (T/N: Urayamashii)

"Though I don't know how you pulled it off, I'll let it slide. I'm feeling a bit sleepy."

Aokiji let out a yawn, casting a lazy glance at Tom and the others, who remained unscathed.

Though he harbored great curiosity about their methods, at the moment, his priority was finding a place to rest.

And the only means to achieve that was to act swiftly.

Aokiji's gaze turned icy, the earlier laziness vanishing in an instant.

Crossing his arms, he caused the water vapor in the air to solidify into razor-sharp ice blades!

"Carina, barrier!" Al exclaimed urgently as he noticed the impending danger.

Without hesitation, Carina swiftly crossed her fingers, erecting a barrier just as the water vapor solidified into ice blades.

However, due to the limited range, her barrier could only cover them, leaving Tom exposed.

With tens of thousands of ice blades looming overhead, Tom and Spike quickly retrieved shovels from behind and began frantically shaving the ice to create a makeshift defense!

After a brief interval, an ice castle materialized before everyone's eyes!

Initially appearing hollow, Tom and Spike exchanged glances before transforming into lightning bolts and darting back and forth across the ice.

Chair, bed—

In a matter of seconds, with Tom and Spike's coordinated efforts, the modest few-meter-high structure morphed into a grand three-story luxury castle towering 20 meters high!

The interior was more opulent, surpassing even Arabasta's palace in grandeur.

Once these arrangements were complete, Tom and Spike reclined on the ice sofa, indulging in a cup of steaming hot coffee.

Their expressions exuded leisure and contentment.

After savoring their coffee, Tom and Spike placed their iced tea cups on the table with great satisfaction.

However, a sense of unease crept over them, prompting a shared glance between the two.

Suddenly, a shiver ran down their spines, their bodies tensing with fear.

The creature split into several small pieces and scurried to the corners, seeking refuge.

"Cousin, what are these silly cats and dumb dogs up to?" Merlin queried, casting a perplexed glance at Tom and Spike within the opulent castle.

Muscles shrugged, his hands spread in a gesture of helplessness, clearly unaware of the antics of the two.

Observing this scene, Al couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth, pondering, "Are these two critters seriously unwell?"

Nami and the others were left utterly stunned, their minds going blank as they struggled to process the overwhelming spectacle before them. Clearly, the sheer overload of stimuli had caused their brains to temporarily cease functioning.

Aokiji exhaled a warm breath, maintaining a facade of calmness on the surface, yet turmoil brewed within him.

"How interesting..."

"However... it's regrettable that this is the conclusion."

With those words, he balled his fists tightly.

Under Aokiji's command, tens of thousands of ice blades hurtled towards Al and the others at breakneck speed!

Nami and Carina instinctively shut their eyes, their hearts racing with frantic prayers, hoping fervently for the barrier's protection.

Al remained steadfast, his gaze locked onto the approaching ice blades.

Merlin waved his wand lightly, conjuring a massive mushroom that soared into the air, deflecting all the ice blades.

However, Muscles displayed a bit more vigor, choosing to confront the ice blades head-on. Even as they struck his body, he made no attempt to evade.

Occasionally, he would snatch a swiftly moving ice blade with his bare hands and hurl it back at Aokiji with all his might.

As for Tom and Spike, their situation was rather dire; not only was the castle they had painstakingly constructed destroyed, but the scattered body parts failed to reunite and instead dispersed across the icy terrain.

Despite Aokiji's body repeatedly collapsing, it consistently reformed.

Gradually, the rain of icy blades subsided.

Except for Tom, who accidentally lost a few hairs, the rest emerged unscathed.

Carina couldn't help but exhale a sigh of relief, yet she refrained from lowering the barrier just yet.

This battle had far surpassed their current capabilities. If they were to drop the barrier now, it would undoubtedly spell trouble for Al.

Al remained within the barrier as well, keeping a vigilant eye out for any potential sneak attacks from Aokiji.

Meanwhile, in the meeting room of Marine headquarters...

Just as Sengoku was on the verge of concluding the meeting, a stunning report arrived from the World Government, compelling him to prolong the session.

"The encounter between those two individuals from the New World appears to have concluded. We must ascertain their motives swiftly!"

"In addition, the former Whitebeard Pirates crew member, Blackbeard, has captured Ace, the former captain of the Whitebeard Pirates 2nd Division."

"His application to become the new Shichibukai has been approved."

"Furthermore, there are suspicions surrounding the true identity of Portgas D. Ace, and the Marines will be conducting a thorough investigation."

As the final statement echoed through the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku's expression turned grave.

After a moment of silence, Sengoku posed a question with utmost seriousness, "If Whitebeard were to learn that his second-in-command was captured by the Marines..."

Before Sengoku could finish his inquiry, the Five Elders on the other end of the line seemed to anticipate his thoughts and interjected,

"We have deliberated on the matter and decided to postpone the apprehension of Al's recruits for the time being."

"But..."

Before Sengoku could utter another word, the Five Elders erupted angrily through the Den Den Mushi.

"Silence, Sengoku! This is an order!"

"If Kuzan cannot eliminate the newcomers swiftly, then let them be!"

"They are merely a group of newcomers. In comparison to Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world, you should know where your priorities lie!"

Sengoku gritted his teeth, his reluctance evident, yet he remained resolute in confronting the looming threat posed by the two Four Emperors.

Just as Sengoku was poised to reach out to Aokiji and request his swift return to Marine headquarters, Tom's fury erupted.

Enraged by the loss of his beloved hairs, Tom rolled up his sleeves, retrieved a ten-meter-long mace from behind, and launched a furious assault on Aokiji with intent to kill!

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