In mid-air, faced with the sudden water column attack rising from the sea, there was no attempt to evade. The katana in her hand continued its trajectory towards Squard. This response left the fish-man launching the attack from the sea utterly stunned. His original plan was to employ the tactic of "relieving the besieged by attacking the base," hoping to save Squard. However, to his surprise, the opponent chose to take the hit rather than spare Squard's life.
But in the next moment, the fish-man immediately realized why the opponent didn't dodge. His attack had been intercepted by someone else. A massive fist shattered the water column in one powerful blow—it was Leone, who had been observing from the sidelines.
If this had been someone from the native world of pirates, Squard might have been saved when the fish-man intervened. However, Leone and Kurome were assassins by profession. Once they deemed someone an enemy, they acted decisively and ruthlessly, with the sole aim of killing.
As Leone shattered the water column, Squard let out a pained roar. To his credit, Squard was indeed a fierce fighter. Even though his heart was pierced from behind, he still swung his massive blade in an attempt to strike his attacker. Truly, the physical endurance of those in this pirate world was astounding—surviving briefly even with a pierced heart.
Bang.
However, just as Squard managed to swing his large blade, Kurome delivered a powerful kick to his back. The force was so overwhelming that Squard involuntarily spat out a mouthful of blood. The sword in his hand slipped from his grasp and plummeted toward the sea. His body was sent flying several dozen meters before finally crashing down into the ocean below.
"Squard!" The fish-man on the surface of the sea roared in fury as he watched Squard plummet. After shooting a venomous glare at Kurome and Leone in mid-air, he dove swiftly toward Squard's falling location. Being a fish-man, his movements in the water were as fluid and effortless as on land.
"Jinbe, the Knight of the Sea, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. How should we handle him?" Kurome and Leone, having returned to their ship, watched the fish-man on the water. Leone turned her head and asked.
"If he attacks, he's an enemy," Esdeath responded without hesitation.
"Got it. Leave him to me." Leone cracked her knuckles in excitement upon hearing Esdeath's words. Jinbe, the Knight of the Sea, was by far the strongest opponent she had encountered so far. It was the perfect opportunity to gauge her current strength.
"You killed Squard!" Jinbe, holding Squard's lifeless body, floated on the water's surface and shouted furiously at Esdeath and her group. His expression was filled with grief and rage. Within the Whitebeard Pirates, Jinbe had a close relationship with Squard.
"He was just a pirate in the way," Esdeath said coldly. "Jinbe, step aside. We're here for Whitebeard, not you. Or do you intend to disregard the rules of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and fight us?"
According to the World Government's regulations, the Seven Warlords of the Sea were forbidden from attacking one another. Violating this rule would result in losing their Warlord status, just like how Law and Luffy's alliance against Doflamingo broke the rules.
"I won't let you challenge Pops," Jinbe said firmly after a moment of hesitation.
To be fair, Jinbe didn't particularly care for his Warlord status. However, for the sake of his people—the fish-men—he had no choice but to accept the title. Only by holding this position could he ensure the release of captured fish-men, such as Arlong.
Unlike the other Warlords, such as Doflamingo or Crocodile, who actively pursued their titles, Jinbe's Warlord status was granted due to the unique circumstances of Fish-Man Island.
As the captain of the Sun Pirates, Jinbe had spent years warding off challengers to Whitebeard, taking down numerous rookie pirates, including stopping Ace back in the day. Whitebeard's protection of Fish-Man Island earned Jinbe's utmost respect.
"You think you can stop us?" Esdeath scoffed. From her perspective, among everyone on their ship, the only one Jinbe might defeat was Chelsea.
"Jinbe, looks like you got here before us," came a loud voice from afar before Jinbe could respond.
Moments later, a small boat with a jet-powered engine approached rapidly. Three figures were aboard, one of whom was Ace, the "Fire Fist." Beside him stood Vista, the Fifth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and a renowned dual-wielding swordsman, as well as Jozu, the Third Division Commander and bearer of the Diamond Devil Fruit.
The actions of Esdeath's group had, of course, reached Whitebeard's flagship, the Moby Dick. Although Whitebeard himself wanted to confront Daniel Davis, his sons, concerned about his health, decided to intercept the threat before it reached their father. Phoenix Marco and the other commanders had privately agreed to send three captains to handle the situation, believing their combined strength would suffice.
What they didn't know, however, was that Daniel Davis wasn't even present. Had he been there, the situation would have unfolded very differently. Still, the Whitebeard Pirates' misunderstanding was not unwarranted.
Only Admiral Aokiji had a clear grasp of Esdeath's true power; to most others, she and her group were unknown quantities. What little they did know was that Daniel Davis was immensely powerful, capable of matching Mihawk. Thus, it was natural for them to assume he was the challenger.
"You're here," Jinbe said, his expression dark as he glanced at Ace and his companions. Although they had arrived, it was already too late—Squard was dead.
"Squard... what happened here?" Ace and the others initially greeted Jinbe with smiles, but their expressions quickly darkened when they noticed Squard's body. Turning their gaze to the smoldering pirate ship, they saw its burned flag and the charred remains of its structure. They hadn't immediately recognized it as Squard's ship.
"Was it them?" Ace asked Jinbe directly.
"Yes," Jinbe confirmed grimly.
"Fire Fist Ace," Jinbe's confirmation left Ace seething with rage. Flames erupted from his body as he transformed into a fiery streak in the sky, heading toward Esdeath's ship. His right hand became engulfed in a massive fireball, causing the surrounding temperature to spike dramatically.
With a furious roar, Ace launched a colossal fireball downward, his fury evident in the intensity of his attack. Since joining the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace had regarded the crew as family. Squard's death was no different from losing a brother, and Ace was determined to avenge him.
"I've got this," Akame stepped forward as the massive fireball descended. Her black blade, Shusui, flashed as a fan-shaped sword aura cut through the air, slicing the fireball apart. The skies seemed to split as the fireball disintegrated, its flames extinguished.
Ace, sensing imminent danger, transformed into flames and darted to the side. Just as he moved, the sword aura passed through his previous position, splitting the air with deadly precision. Had he been a moment slower, he would have been bisected vertically.
With Akame's current strength, her sword aura carried Armament Haki. Ace had narrowly avoided being fatally wounded.
"What a powerful slash," Vista, observing from the small boat, couldn't help but admire Akame's technique. As a fellow swordsman, he understood the sheer strength behind her attack.
"Fire Fist Ace, Diamond Jozu, Flower Sword Vista, and Knight of the Sea Jinbe. Their combined strength is decent," Esdeath commented. "Perfect for testing our skills. Choose your opponents. Esdeath, please create a proper battlefield. This ship won't survive the fight otherwise."
"I already said it—I'm taking the fish-man," Leone declared.
"Fire Fist Ace is mine," Esdeath said confidently.
"Flower Sword Vista."
"Diamond Jozu," Akame and Kurome stated in turn.
Chelsea and Robin, both disinclined to fight, remained silent.
"What's with all the women? Where's your captain? Tell him to come out!" Ace shouted angrily upon realizing that Daniel Davis was absent. But before he could receive an answer, his expression—and that of his companions—changed drastically. The surrounding ocean, spanning nearly a kilometer, had suddenly frozen solid.
"Admiral Aokiji?" Ace and the others exclaimed in unison. It was a reasonable assumption, as few possessed the ability to freeze the sea on such a massive scale.
However, after calling out Aokiji's name, Vista exchanged a wary glance with Jinbe. What initially seemed like a straightforward challenge now carried far more ominous implications. If Aokiji were involved, this might not just be a duel—it could be a prelude to a larger conflict involving the Navy.
"Stop looking around. Aokiji isn't here. Let's fight," Esdeath declared, launching her attack without waiting for a response. Dozens of lightning bolts descended upon the four pirates, forcing them to scatter in different directions.
As the combatants separated, Esdeath focused her attention on Ace. Leone, Akame, and Kurome each engaged their chosen opponents.
Vista quickly realized that Akame had been the one who unleashed the earlier sword aura. Though initially dismissive, he grew serious as their swords clashed. Akame's blade, Shusui, radiated with a sharp, deadly aura. Every swing carried immense strength and precision, forcing Vista to focus entirely on their duel. As their blades collided, sparks and bursts of sword energy erupted, scattering across the frozen battlefield. Vista, a renowned dual-wielding swordsman, found himself impressed. He hadn't expected such formidable swordsmanship from an opponent he had initially underestimated.
"This woman is no ordinary swordsman," Vista muttered to himself as he parried another powerful strike. Her technique was fierce yet refined, her blows unrelenting. He could see that Akame's attacks weren't just physical; her blade carried Armament Haki, amplifying its lethality.
Meanwhile, on another part of the frozen sea, Leone and Jinbe were engaged in a ferocious hand-to-hand brawl. Leone's beastly transformation from the Hundred Beasts King amplified her physical strength and speed to an extraordinary degree. Each of her punches and kicks collided with Jinbe's, their attacks reverberating across the icy battlefield.
Jinbe's Fish-Man Karate allowed him to manipulate the water even in frozen conditions, his strikes creating shockwaves that cracked the ice beneath their feet. However, Leone's raw strength and savage fighting style matched his blows head-on. Their fists, clad in Armament Haki, clashed repeatedly, producing thunderous echoes. Despite the fish-man's incredible endurance and power, Leone's ferocity and enhanced abilities kept him fully occupied.
At the same time, Kurome found herself at a disadvantage against Diamond Jozu. His glittering, diamond-like body granted him nearly unparalleled defense. Kurome's strikes, even with her sword infused with Armament Haki, barely left scratches on his hardened form.
"You're tough, I'll give you that," Kurome muttered as she leaped back to avoid a devastating punch that cracked the ice beneath her.
Jozu advanced with heavy steps, his diamond-coated body gleaming under the sunlight. "You'll have to do better than that to hurt me," he replied confidently. Kurome didn't respond. Instead, she continued to dart around him, using her agility to evade his powerful but slower attacks. She was biding her time, looking for an opening to strike.
From the sidelines, Chelsea and Robin watched the battle unfold with detached interest. Chelsea's eyes glimmered as she stared at Jozu's diamond body. "Are you sure those diamonds can't be removed? Not even one?" she asked wistfully.
Robin chuckled. "I'm afraid not. Those diamonds are a part of his body, courtesy of his Devil Fruit powers. Even if you could take one, it wouldn't be worth much—it'd dissolve back into flesh when he dies."
Chelsea sighed in disappointment. "That's a shame. Imagine the jewelry I could make with just one piece..."
Robin, on the other hand, was more concerned about the overall situation. Despite their casual conversation, she kept a watchful eye on Esdeath, who had yet to fully enter the fray. The battlefield, however, had already begun to shift drastically under her influence.
Esdeath's control over ice had transformed the entire area into a frozen wasteland. The sea was completely solidified, creating a massive arena for the ongoing battles. She stood at the center of it all, her cold gaze fixed on Ace, who was now completely focused on her.
"Is this all you've got, Fire Fist?" Esdeath taunted as she deflected another of Ace's fiery attacks. Her ice powers countered his flames with terrifying efficiency. Every fireball Ace launched was extinguished by walls of ice or blasts of frigid air.
Ace gritted his teeth, frustrated by how easily Esdeath was handling his attacks. "Don't get cocky!" he roared, his entire body erupting into flames. He charged forward, transforming into a fiery whirlwind as he closed the distance between them.
Esdeath smirked, raising her hand. A massive ice spear formed in an instant, and with a casual flick of her wrist, she hurled it toward Ace. The spear tore through the air, colliding with Ace's fiery form. For a moment, it seemed as though the flames would consume the ice, but the spear's immense cold overwhelmed the heat, forcing Ace to retreat and reform his body several meters away.
"You're too predictable," Esdeath said calmly. "Fire is powerful, but against someone like me, it's useless. I hope you have more to offer."
Ace's frustration grew, but he refused to back down. He conjured a massive fireball above his head, its heat causing the air around him to shimmer. "I'll show you what I've got!" he shouted, launching the fireball toward Esdeath with all his strength.
Esdeath simply raised her hand, and a towering wall of ice shot up to meet the attack. The fireball exploded against the ice, sending flames and shards of ice flying in all directions. However, when the smoke cleared, Esdeath stood unharmed behind the ice wall, her expression as calm and composed as ever.
Nearby, Vista and Akame's duel continued to intensify. Their swords clashed with such force that the frozen ground beneath them began to crack. Vista found himself increasingly impressed by Akame's skill. Her strikes were swift and precise, her movements calculated and efficient. It was clear that she was no ordinary swordsman.
"You're strong," Vista admitted as he parried another strike. "Stronger than I expected."
Akame didn't respond. Her focus was entirely on the battle, her crimson eyes locked onto her opponent. She had no interest in his compliments; all that mattered was defeating him.
On the other side of the battlefield, Leone finally began to gain the upper hand against Jinbe. Her relentless attacks were starting to wear him down, and her beast-like reflexes allowed her to evade his more powerful strikes. Jinbe, for all his strength, was finding it difficult to keep up with Leone's raw ferocity.
Meanwhile, Kurome continued her battle of attrition against Jozu. While she hadn't been able to deal significant damage, she had managed to avoid taking any serious hits. Her strategy was clear: wear him down and look for an opportunity to strike when he least expected it.
Back at the center of the battlefield, Esdeath decided it was time to end her fight with Ace. As he prepared another fiery attack, she raised both hands, and the temperature around them plummeted. Massive ice spikes erupted from the ground, surrounding Ace and cutting off his escape routes.
"This is the difference between us," Esdeath said coldly. "You rely on brute force. I, on the other hand, control the battlefield."
Ace's eyes widened as the ice spikes closed in on him. He unleashed a fiery explosion in an attempt to melt them, but the sheer cold overwhelmed his flames. The spikes drew closer, forcing Ace to retreat once again.
For Ace, it was becoming painfully clear—Esdeath wasn't just strong. She was utterly dominant. Every move he made was countered, every attack rendered useless. The fight was entirely on her terms, and there was nothing he could do to change that.
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Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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