For Esdeath, who wielded the Ice Imperial Arms, techniques like the Sacred Heart Art and Six Cold Commandments were a perfect fit. These techniques not only enhanced her ice-based abilities but also diversified her combat style. As for weapons, she didn't need them; with her control over ice, she could create an endless arsenal of weapons at will. After mastering the Six Cold Commandments, Esdeath had further refined it by incorporating Armament Haki into her attacks.
Facing Esdeath's overwhelming sword strike, Whitebeard remained unmoved. With a single punch, the destructive power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit shattered her forty-meter-long ice blade. However, the proximity of the attack's impact sent shockwaves rippling through Esdeath, forcing her to grunt in pain and retreat swiftly using Moonwalk.
Even so, Esdeath couldn't avoid all the damage. Several wounds appeared on her body, and red blood began to trickle from them. Yet, thanks to the First Generation Cells integrated into her body, her wounds began to heal almost immediately. Esdeath's enhanced regenerative abilities were remarkable, though she rarely relied on them. While the First Generation Cells also allowed her to use Wood Release, her affinity for ice and long-term reliance on her Imperial Arms meant she barely utilized those powers.
Despite her injuries, Esdeath's counterattack had also taken a toll on Whitebeard. The sheer force of her near-full-power strike forced Whitebeard to grunt, his body trembling slightly. He barely avoided taking a step back. Esdeath's relentless attacks earlier hadn't managed to injure him, but they had sapped some of his strength, which his aging body could ill afford to lose.
In his prime, Whitebeard would have dismissed Esdeath's attacks as minor inconveniences. However, age and illness had weakened him significantly, and his inability to endure prolonged battles was becoming more apparent.
"Pops!" Marco's face tightened with concern as he saw Whitebeard's body tremble. As his attending physician, Marco was acutely aware of the fragile state of Whitebeard's health. In his prime, Esdeath's attacks would have been nothing more than a warm-up, but now they posed a genuine challenge.
"I'm fine," Whitebeard growled, stopping Marco and the others from stepping in. Esdeath was his challenger, and Whitebeard refused to let anyone else fight in his place. He also understood that none of his crew could stand against her—sending them to fight Esdeath would only mean sending them to their deaths.
"Seaquake!"
Whitebeard, gripping his naginata with both hands, unleashed a devastating strike aimed at the battlefield ahead. The air shattered with a deafening roar as Whitebeard's full power came into play. He knew now that if he didn't use his true strength, not only would he fail to avenge Squard, but the rest of his crew might not survive.
Esdeath's ice abilities bore a resemblance to Aokiji's, and they posed a natural obstacle to the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. The freezing of the sea made it impossible for Whitebeard to summon massive waves, as the ice would reform almost immediately. If Whitebeard were in his prime, these limitations wouldn't matter—a single punch would be enough to obliterate everything in his path. But the current Whitebeard couldn't muster such power consistently.
In the Marineford War, had Whitebeard retained his prime strength, he could have single-handedly destroyed the Navy's forces with a single Seaquake. Blackbeard himself, after acquiring the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, dramatically reshaped the geography of Marineford, forcing the Navy to relocate its headquarters to G-1.
"You're finally getting serious," Esdeath muttered as she felt the immense power behind Whitebeard's attack. Her lips curled into a smile of anticipation. Bringing her hands together, she summoned five massive ice gates—each over ten meters tall and engraved with ominous demon-like faces—rising from the frozen battlefield in front of her. This was the modified version of the Five-Layer Rashomon, created using her Imperial Arms.
Boom!
Whitebeard's Seaquake tore through the ice gates one by one. The first gate shattered into pieces almost instantly, followed by the second, third, and even the fourth and fifth gates. The immense shockwave pushed forward, though significantly weakened by the time it reached Esdeath. Taking advantage of the reduced force, she dodged the remainder of the attack with ease, avoiding further injuries.
"Hahaha! If you're showing your true strength, then it's only fair I do the same. Ice Cavalry General!"
As Whitebeard's massive attack subsided, Esdeath's excitement only grew. With a laugh, she activated one of her strongest techniques. The sky darkened once again as heavy snow began to fall, and the surrounding temperature plummeted rapidly. Many of the weaker members of the Whitebeard Pirates began to shiver uncontrollably in the freezing conditions.
In Esdeath's hand, a pitch-black ice lance formed, radiating a chilling aura. With a flick of her wrist, the lance shot forward like a streak of black lightning, heading straight for Whitebeard.
Boom!
As the lance neared Whitebeard, he swung his naginata, its blade surrounded by the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. The clash of the two forces produced a deafening explosion, and the resulting shockwave sent many of Whitebeard's crew flying off their feet.
"Pops!" Marco and the others remained on their feet, but their expressions grew more tense. They noticed something alarming—this time, Whitebeard's tremor-powered attack didn't immediately destroy the ice lance. The two forces were locked in a fierce stalemate, with Whitebeard's legs sinking into the deck of the Moby Dick under the strain.
Crack!
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the ice lance began to crack and shatter into a flurry of icy shards. However, the effort took its toll on Whitebeard, who involuntarily took a step back.
"Pops!" Marco shouted again, his concern deepening.
"Watch out!" Vista suddenly yelled, drawing attention to Esdeath. As the crew shifted their focus, their expressions darkened. Behind Esdeath, a formation of nearly a hundred ice cavalry soldiers had materialized. Each soldier wielded a lance identical to the one she had just used, and at her command, they raised their weapons.
With a cold smile, Esdeath gestured forward. Half of the ice cavalry threw their lances at Whitebeard, while the remaining soldiers prepared for a second wave. As soon as the first wave attacked, the initial group began reforming their lances, ensuring an endless cycle of assault.
"Damn it!" Marco couldn't hold back any longer. Transforming into his full phoenix form, enveloped in bright blue flames, he positioned himself in front of Whitebeard, using his body to intercept the barrage of lances. The blue flames of the Phoenix's Mythical Zoan Fruit gave him extraordinary regenerative abilities, allowing him to endure the onslaught.
Meanwhile, Ace, despite his weakened state, mustered his strength and transformed into a massive fireball, charging toward Esdeath. However, before he could get close, several lances pierced through his fire form, sending him tumbling back to the deck. Vista quickly stepped in to protect Ace, preventing further harm.
The difference between Marco and Ace was evident. While Marco's flames allowed him to regenerate, Ace's Flame-Flame Fruit lacked any such regenerative properties. Without help, Ace would have been skewered by the lances.
"Marco, step back!" Whitebeard ordered, surveying the worsening battlefield. He gripped his naginata tightly and swung it with all his might. This time, the force behind his Seaquake was even greater than before, shattering the air and tearing apart Esdeath's ice cavalry formation. The shockwave obliterated the ice soldiers and broke apart the frozen sea, sending massive waves crashing in all directions.
Esdeath let out a muffled grunt as the shockwave struck her, sending her flying backward. She landed in the frigid waters, but in an instant, the sea around her froze solid, creating a platform beneath her.
"Impressive as always. The title of 'World's Strongest Man' isn't just for show," Esdeath said, rising from the ice with a wicked grin. Despite her regenerative abilities, Whitebeard's full-power strike had left her visibly battered.
Whitebeard, however, wasn't faring much better. His full-power attack had drained him significantly, and his deteriorating health was becoming more apparent. Marco immediately began treating him with the blue flames of the Phoenix, though even those couldn't fully counteract the toll of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
"Enough. You've proven your strength. He's not someone who should die here. Don't forget our mission," Ada's voice broke through Esdeath's thoughts. Ada stepped in, stopping Esdeath from continuing the fight.
"You know as well as I do that he's past his prime. If you're looking for a real challenge, Kaido might be more to your liking," Ada added through a private transmission, her tone firm.
After a brief moment of silence, Esdeath relented. "Fine," she said, returning to the ship to tend to her injuries.
The Whitebeard Pirates glared at Esdeath's retreating figure, their anger palpable. Yet the chaotic waves caused by Whitebeard's attack left both ships rocking violently, preventing any further action. Esdeath had held a
clear advantage due to the icy terrain, something Whitebeard couldn't fully counter while being confined to his ship.
"Have you seen enough?" Ada suddenly called out, her voice directed skyward. Moments later, a beam of golden light descended, revealing Admiral Kizaru.
"It's Admiral Kizaru!" one of the Whitebeard Pirates exclaimed, their tension rising immediately. Many among the crew began darting their eyes between Kizaru and Esdeath's group, suspecting a conspiracy between the Navy and the Warlords to target the Whitebeard Pirates.
"My, my, what terrifying individuals you are," Kizaru said, his gaze fixed on Esdeath, Ada, and the others. This time, his usual laid-back demeanor carried a hint of genuine wariness.
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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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