The sea breeze was somewhat noisy.
Uehara Naraku sipped his juice, looking at the two figures standing in the dueling arena, and shouted, "Hey, make sure your fight entertains me. If I'm not satisfied, not only will I demand a refund, but I'll beat you up!"
"Aren't you... worried?"
Nico Robin's eyelids twitched, her expression still tense as she watched the towering figure of Aokiji in the dueling arena. "That's an Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, someone Crocodile absolutely cannot be compared to!"
"What's there to worry about?"
Uehara Naraku, with a straw dangling from his mouth, spoke casually, "I just need to be certain that I'm invincible; I don't care how strong he might be!"
"..."
This guy is unexpectedly confident!
A drop of cold sweat appeared on Nico Robin's face.
Hoshigaki Kisame, hearing Uehara Naraku's words, continued grinning, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, "If giving a good performance is Uehara-sama's order, I surely wouldn't dare to disappoint!"
"..."
Aokiji remained silent.
To him, the events happening today were not to his liking.
Aside from the dangerous organization Nico Robin has joined, another reason is the rather absurd duty of an Admiral – a performance of combat.
No matter what, this organization must be eradicated!
Aokiji's gaze shifted slightly, glancing at Nico Robin sitting next to Uehara Naraku. Being in such an organization is indeed dangerous for her!
Indeed.
Aokiji's main purpose for coming was Nico Robin.
Even now, Aokiji's thoughts are about destroying this organization and getting Nico Robin away from the dangerous Uehara Naraku, because only then can she continue living on the run.
The organization Robin has joined now, though unknown, is different from any small groups she's been with before, groups Aokiji could easily destroy...
This organization is unimaginably dangerous!
This organization is sure to stir up world-changing turmoil, in which case the World Government will definitely not tolerate Robin remaining alive if she stays involved.
One step back...
Even if Robin just wants a hiding place, such an organization is unsuitable, for she might be casually killed...
This woman is truly troublesome...
If he had known earlier, he shouldn't have taken on this trouble...
Just as Aokiji was lost in thought, Uehara Naraku's voice reached their ears: "Hey, you can start now!"
With Uehara's announcement, the air suddenly became tense!
Standing in front of the Navy-marked stone wall, Aokiji slowly extended his hand, an ice blade sprouting from his palm, while a mass of jet-black Haki also slowly entwined around the ice blade!
Standing in front of the Akatsuki-marked stone wall, Hoshigaki Kisame, unfazed by the sight, swung his Shark Skin and charged forward!
In an instant, the two collided!
A shock wave emanated from the point of their clash!
Both wield weapons entwined with Armament Haki, clashing furiously, each swinging their blades trying to strike at the opponent's weaknesses!
It must be said, Aokiji's height indeed gives him quite an advantage.
Especially this guy is an undeniable monster. Even without relying on Fruit Powers, he could fight evenly with Hoshigaki Kisame!
Both grew increasingly astonished as they fought!
The next moment, Aokiji's ice blade was suddenly shattered with a cut, and unknowingly, the Armament Haki he had entwined on the ice blade began to dissipate!
Hoshigaki Kisame's Shark Skin Greatsword cut through Aokiji's body, narrowly avoided!
Just as Aokiji thought he had evaded the attack, the Shark Skin Greatsword suddenly came alive, with spikes piercing into his shoulder!
This Shark Skin carried Armament Haki!
Armament Haki can directly ignore elemental attacks and strike the body of Logia-Type Fruit Ability Users; even Aokiji had to hurriedly cover his shoulder with Armament Haki to fend off Shark Skin's spikes!
To Aokiji's surprise...
The Armament Haki he just covered his shoulder with started vanishing upon contact with Shark Skin!
No, or rather, it was absorbed!
"This is..."
Aokiji's expression changed.
The Navy Admiral leapt back a few steps, retreating from Shark Skin's attack range, his brows furrowed, "A sword that can absorb Armament Haki... Is it a weapon that ate a Devil Fruit... Looks like it's not to be underestimated!"
"You guessed it right!"
Hoshigaki Kisame wielded his Shark Skin Greatsword toward Aokiji, chuckling as he spoke, "Indeed, Shark Skin can absorb your Haki... Though it's not as tasty as Chakra, it ultimately can feed it, right?"
Confidence flickered across Hoshigaki Kisame's face, and he continued with a smile, "After all, I'm someone who can follow alongside Uehara-sama; even if you're an Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, you shouldn't overly underestimate this 'minor role' of mine, right?"
"Hmm, makes sense..."
Aokiji nodded slowly, calmly spreading his palm as he spoke softly, "Indeed, I should apologize to you for that; it's truly wrong to judge a person by appearance... Ice Ball!"
In an instant, ice pillars burst forth from Aokiji's palm!
These pillars charged toward Hoshigaki Kisame's direction, causing the air to fill with cold mist. When the ice pillars struck their target, they'd instantly freeze the enemy into ice balls!
"Water Release: Water Array Wall!"
Hoshigaki Kisame swiftly pressed his palms together in hand seals, and a torrent of water burst forth, transforming into a water wall to block the incoming ice pillar!
The next moment, the Water Array Wall was directly frozen!
"Seems like a ninja from Wano Country?"
Aokiji observed Kisame's actions and couldn't help but furrow his brow further: "More troublesome than I had imagined!"
"No, perhaps it's you who's troublesome for me!"
Hoshigaki Kisame gripped Shark Skin again, breaking the ice wall formed from the Water Array Wall into pieces, charging towards Aokiji!
Kisame brandished Shark Skin as he rushed forward, a wicked smile appearing on his face: "I truly miss Mr. Itachi... If he were here, perhaps I wouldn't have to face such a troublesome opponent!"
"Mr. Itachi..."
Aokiji heard a rather peculiar name, reminiscent of one of their kind, indicating that Mr. Itachi was likely a code name within their organization.
However, Aokiji soon had no time to dwell on this!
Because Kisame's speed was faster than expected, and the strange ninja blade in his hand that could absorb Haki posed a significant challenge...
If it were ordinary people...
No, or rather, if it were Admirals who merely favored Kenjutsu and Taijutsu without special Fruit Powers, Kisame would almost perfectly counter them.
Even with Fruit Powers, it's of no use...
The intelligence on Navy Vice Admirals is almost semi-public.
This Hoshigaki Kisame, his Haki is already abundant, coupled with the ability to absorb others' Haki...
It's simply unimaginable!
No, aside from absorbing Haki, it seems he can absorb physical energy as well, as Aokiji felt his stamina consumption slightly increased earlier.
Among all Vice Admirals of the Navy Headquarters, the only one capable of suppressing Kisame with Haki and Taijutsu might be Vice Admiral Garp, reputed as the strongest Armament user.
"Hoshigaki Kisame, you are indeed surprising."
Aokiji's palm emitted a cold aura. He watched Kisame charging at him, constantly avoiding Kisame's attacks while droning on: "For the entire first half of the Grand Line, it's been a long time since a pirate as strong as you has appeared..."
In the next moment, Aokiji's expression abruptly turned somewhat cold. Staring at Kisame swinging Shark Skin to slash at him, he continued coldly: "But you guys shouldn't underestimate the power of an Admiral too much, right?"
Aokiji suddenly ducked low to the ground, dodged Kisame's attack, and extended his hand to touch the entire Dueling Arena!
"Ice Age!"
The next moment, Aokiji's body suddenly transformed into ice, and an ice surface began to appear from his hand and quickly spread throughout the Dueling Arena!
A chilly air also emanated from him!
The entire Dueling Arena transformed into a world of ice and snow within seconds, making it hard to imagine!
Anywhere within the entire area was in Aokiji's attack range!
This guy simply relied on his freezing ability to directly change the terrain and environment, turning this Dueling Arena completely into his territory!
In this situation, Kisame felt a bit helpless.
Kisame felt waves of cold air coming towards him, forming frost on his body, and had to cover himself with Armament.
The Ice-Ice Fruit's ability restrained him too much!
Because Kisame couldn't use his most adept Water Release Ninjutsu, any Water Release would freeze in the cold.
Moreover, this Dueling Arena had completely become a land of ice and snow, and Kisame would need to maintain his Armament constantly to avoid freezing while fighting in this region...
Now, it's a disadvantageous situation.
Just as Kisame was about to clasp his palms together, attempting to form a Great Shark Bomb Jutsu to continue attacking, a voice stopped him.
"Stop it, Kisame, you've already lost."
Uehara Naraku stopped Kisame and calmly clapped his palms. He glanced at Kuzan, chuckling softly as he continued: "Truly deserving of being a Navy Headquarters Admiral... Can effortlessly change the environment of an entire island."
After saying this, Uehara Naraku extended his hand to touch the ground: "But Miss Robin is wearing too little... I wouldn't want my subordinates to catch a cold."
"..."
Aokiji looked at him in surprise.
The next moment, steam suddenly emerged from Uehara Naraku's palm, rapidly spreading and covering the entire island within seconds!
The dueling arena, transformed into a world of ice and snow, began quickly evaporating under the effect of the high-temperature steam, gradually revealing its original appearance.
A mere ten seconds ago, Aokiji demonstrated his formidable power, leaving Nico Robin and Kisame inexplicably startled.
Yet, barely ten seconds later, Aokiji's recently showcased power was effortlessly neutralized by Uehara Naraku, leaving Aokiji feeling somewhat shaken.
This isn't something ordinary people can accomplish!
What kind of Fruit Power does this guy have, seemingly akin to Temperature Fruit?
On the Dueling Arena, mist filled the air.
Uehara Naraku waved his hand, and a gust of storm swept through, dispersing all the lingering mist in the Dueling Arena, revealing the silhouettes of everyone present.
"It's not the Temperature Fruit... It's a much scarier power!"
Aokiji's gaze fixated on the still innocently smiling Uehara Naraku, the shadows slowly surfacing on this Navy Headquarters Admiral's face.
This person...
Must be stronger than he imagined!
What a troublesome guy... How did Robin find someone like him!