"You're not half bad," Luffy said, turning to look at Aokiji. With that, Romad got ready to depart, saying his farewells to the Straw Hats. He expressed his gratitude for their help in defending him and all they had done.
Softly watching Luffy and Usopp play by the ice, Lucas warned them, "Once the wind kicks in, you'll regret playing there, you know." But they didn't hear him. After a while, they came back to the shore, shivering as the cold got to them.
"It suddenly feels like we're on a winter island," Luffy remarked. But as they stood on the grassy shore, they noticed that Aokiji suddenly had a different air about him. He scratched his head, looking like he was contemplating something.
"What is it?" Luffy asked.
"Now that I think about it, you and your grandfather really are alike, Monkey D. Luffy," Aokiji said, his tone now heavier and more serious.
"Y-You know my grandpa?!" Luffy exclaimed, shivering fearfully.
"Wait, what's up with your grand—" Usopp began to ask.
"N-Nothing, it's nothing really..." Luffy tried to brush the conversation under the rug.
"I've already dealt with him. And even though I'm only here for Nico Robin... Maybe I should just kill you all right here," Aokiji declared.
The atmosphere turned tense as the Straw Hats realized the gravity of the situation. Aokiji's demeanor had shifted, and the threat in his words was clear.
"Currently, the government isn't really taking you seriously. But after carefully assessing you, I've realized that your group, Monkey D. Luffy, is a really persistent one carrying quite the capable individuals. Not only does your group have just a handful of people, but you've managed to cause quite the degree of trouble in your wake. It's quite obvious from the looks of it that you'll only grow stronger as time passes and the bigger threat you'll become.
Look at it from the perspective of the Marine Headquarters. A crew like yours, gaining strength and influence, is a ticking time bomb. It's easier to deal with such threats early on before they escalate. And that's why, even though I wasn't planning on making any moves today, the logical choice would be to eliminate you here and now," Aokiji explained, his voice carrying a weight of authority and menace.
The Straw Hats stood their ground, bracing for whatever might come next. They knew they were strong, but facing a Supreme Admiral was no small feat. The tension in the air was palpable as they prepared for the inevitable confrontation.
"And to top it off, we've received a report of one who is not affected by the known weakness of Devil Fruit users," Aokiji said, giving Lucas a side eye. "You've already piqued the Marines' attention as being the wild card of the Straw Hats."
"Honestly, you never cease to acquaint yourself with troublesome individuals, Nico Robin..." Aokiji continued, talking about how she was a curse that brought down every group she joined, even giving Crocodile as an example. After talking to his content, Robin finally had enough. Although she was still shaken by Aokiji's words, she acted rashly and used her powers to restrain Aokiji, bending his body in an attempt to break his back.
"Ararara... It seems I've struck a nerve," Aokiji muttered as Robin bent his body until he shattered like a statue of ice. Usopp and Chopper gasped, thinking that Robin had killed him.
"Quick, let's run away," Usopp suggested, but that wasn't the end of the Marine Admiral. Aokiji's body reformed from the ice without any injury.
"So, ummm, do we run?" Usopp asked, unsure.
"Well, I wasn't planning on killing you, but..." Aokiji said as he picked up some grass and threw them in the air, forming an ice sword.
"Well, that's creative," Lucas remarked.
Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro attacked Aokiji at the same time, but as soon as they came in contact with him, they immediately got frostbite.
"It seems your friends this time around aren't that bad," Aokiji said.
"Lucas, what are you waiting for? Do something!" Nami yelled.
"R-right," Lucas responded, taking off. As Aokiji was about to freeze Robin entirely, a loud bang sounded as if a pistol had just been shot.
"!!!" Robin gasped, frozen in shock, but the sudden loud bang snapped her senses back.
"Chopper, go and treat those three," Lucas instructed, standing between Robin and Aokiji in a different, kinda scary-looking form.
"Hmmm, I kinda feel like naming this one... Kraab maybe," Lucas thought. His current form was that of a humanoid crab, and the sound just now was a punch or snap of his pincer, just like a pistol shrimp. Aokiji's body reconstituted as it was shattered in an instant.
"That hurt a little," Aokiji said as he got back up. The air around them grew colder and colder.
Lucas smiled a bit. "Unfortunately, I'm not fighting to win today," he said. As the others were getting away, the air got chillier, and moisture crystallized.
"I won't let you..." Lucas declared, taking off running super fast. From the ground, giant icicles sprung up as Kraab maneuvered through the terrain. Glowing veins ran through his body with every move. Kraab leaped up into the air, and as if there was something solid up there, he pushed himself off, shooting down at Aokiji like a bullet.
"Consecutive snap shots," Kraab announced, launching a series of snapping his pincers, releasing shockwaves with each snap. It was like a ball of hot air shot forth, carrying intense heat energy.
"Is everyone here?" Nami asked as they reached the Merry.
"Lucas is still fighting..." Chopper said.
"It's fine, he'll catch up," Nami reassured, instructing them to get ready to set sail. Suddenly, they heard a large explosion.
"Why haven't you taken off yet?" Lucas asked, appearing next to them, causing Usopp and Chopper to exclaim in surprise.
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