Chapter 390: The Straw Hat Pirates Fall into Despair
Crack...
A cold mist spread rapidly, shrouding the entire General's Tomb in an instant.
Even breathing felt like stabbing needles.
In Nami's arms, the Frost Yeti struggled to release a pale blue aura,
but could barely maintain a half-meter-wide protective barrier.
Though both dealt in frost,
the difference in spiritual strength was like night and day.
Aokiji's frost domain was further amplified by his silver armor set, empowered by frost magic to the point that even extreme fire couldn't melt it.
"Damn it! I don't believe Robin is that kind of person! Back off!"
The fire demon roared.
Sanji's feet ignited with flame, burning with violent power like an enraged beast.
The sound of combustion rumbled like a growl.
Sizzle…
The frost domain hissed under the assault of his flames, steam rising in coils.
But soon after, the extreme cold turned the vapor into water droplets,
which instantly froze and clattered to the ground.
Even Sanji's flames flickered and weakened, on the verge of going out.
Boom!
Sanji took a deep breath. His internal mana surged like boiling water, focusing into his legs.
The dying demonic flames suddenly roared back to life.
Bang!
Braving the intense cold, Sanji abandoned his magical defenses and let the ice bite into his bare body.
Frost visibly crept across his skin, but he still slammed both legs directly into Aokiji's chest.
The impact met a hard, icy resistance.
A thick frost armor deflected Sanji's flaming kick, leaving only a faint dent—it didn't shatter.
Demonic Flame Kick!
Sanji twisted midair, his legs spinning like a propeller, fire turning into a blazing drill that tore at the frost armor.
"Hah…"
Aokiji calmly raised both arms and brought his elbow down on Sanji's legs.
Instantly, the swirling flame was encased in ice, frozen mid-spin in its drill-like shape.
The ice spread from Sanji's legs up to his torso.
Buzz!
A brilliant purple slash tore through the air,
cracking Aokiji's frost armor like a spiderweb.
On his chest, a ghostly skeletal imprint appeared—formed from concentrated spirit energy.
Ghost Flash.
Zoro materialized from the shadows, still holding his striking pose as ghost energy burned inside him.
Aokiji was momentarily blasted apart by the explosive energy—
shards of ice littered the ground.
Sanji, now free from the frost, staggered backward.
Crack, crack…
"So these scapegoats you've gathered... they're actually quite capable."
The shattered ice quickly reformed into Aokiji's tall frame. He looked at Nico Robin with a complicated expression.
"You had a chance to escape. Why didn't you?"
Sanji and Zoro's joint attack couldn't harm Aokiji,
but it had created an opportunity for Robin to flee.
"Shut up!"
A low growl laced with fury redirected Aokiji's attention to Luffy's face.
"Nico Robin is my crewmate. I won't let anyone bully my crewmates!"
Luffy, who hadn't made a move until now, was fuming.
Free from the interference of the Nika Will, he had already realized Aokiji was a Marine Admiral. He was trying to think of an escape plan.
Luffy wasn't a brainless brawler.
Just like when he escaped from Enies Lobby or dodged the Marines after Alabasta,
he would only risk his life on something meaningful—
never for wasteful causes.
"Hand over Nico Robin, and I'll let the rest of you leave."
Aokiji's voice was cold and emotionless.
"I was once shown kindness by your grandfather, so I'm sparing you."
"I'm leaving with Robin!"
"No."
"I want Robin!"
"Only if you hand over Robin will you survive."
"I said—I want Robin!"
"You really are an idiot… Just like Vice Admiral Garp in some ways."
A vein throbbed on Aokiji's forehead as he sighed internally, grumbling about the dog-headed Vice Admiral.
"You're not going to harm my friends!"
Luffy's face turned serious.
He removed his straw hat and slammed it to the ground.
A ripple of mental energy burst outward, breaking through the frost barrier.
Then—
brilliant white light glowed across the field, lighting up the domain with radiant particles.
Luffy clenched his fists and started twisting his body rapidly,
leaving behind streaks of white afterimages.
"The Blue-Fist Saint Envoy?"
Aokiji narrowed his eyes, instantly recognizing Luffy's class.
"White afterimages… You've also equipped gear or bloodline with holy light attributes?"
Judging by his aura,
Luffy was clearly the strongest player in the Straw Hat crew.
But even so, it wasn't enough…
Four layers of ice walls shot up from the ground, boxing Luffy in.
His fists slammed into them, shattering shards but failing to break through.
Aokiji casually strolled to the center of the battlefield,
squatted down, and pressed both palms against the damp soil.
Ice Dragon Spiral.
Four massive twisting ice pillars erupted skyward,
shimmering with crystalline frost that resembled exploding, serrated scales.
Dragon heads roared upward,
not only emanating cold but also a suffocating draconic presence.
It wasn't just for show.
To strengthen his [Ice Dragon Spiral],
Aokiji had traveled to the Eternal Snow Mountains and slain a dark gold-tier, level 49 young dragon with Ice Dragon blood.
He even hunted a gold-tier boss with the same lineage to gather the necessary materials.
Using a Comprehension Pill,
he exchanged them for the skill trait [Dragon's Majesty],
which infused his Ice Dragon Spiral with terrifying pressure.
"ROAR—!"
The roar thundered across the battlefield, shaking the frost-covered landscape.
Sanji, with his blazing demon flame;
Zoro, slashing through the air with his three-sword style;
Nami, launching molten projectiles from her magic-tech hybrid devices;
even Luffy, struggling inside the ice walls—
all of them began to freeze over.
"Can't break it?!"
Sanji stared in disbelief as his arms, coated in demon flame, failed to melt the ice.
The frost on his arms bore intricate dragon-scale patterns,
multiplying its hardness several times over.
"We're doomed…"
Nami clutched her head in panic,
burning through her mana reserves as she overloaded her magical constructs.
Acid Rain Cloud, Molten Vial, Anti-Gravity Device, Electric Eel Collider!
Magical science from the demon realm burst forth and, at last,
managed to sear Aokiji's hands, forcing him to lift his palms off the ground.
With the connection broken,
the ice dragons lost control and were torn apart by the Straw Hats.
"Let's run!"
Though the General's Tomb was rare,
the Straw Hats were clearly outmatched.
Luffy picked up his hat, slammed it back on his head, and nodded without hesitation.
"We're outta here. That guy's name is Aokiji, right? Someday, I'm gonna punch him real good!"
Suddenly—
vines burst from the ground, wrapping around the Straw Hats.
"Who!?"
"Magic vines? Since when did the Marines have someone with powers like Robin's?!"
Usopp pulled out a dagger to slice at the vines entangling his leg, scoffing.
"But Robin's spellbook magic comes from the Demon Prophecy! These weak vines are nothing like her [Slumbering Devil Vines]…"
He trailed off.
A wave of sleepiness overcame him.
Turning his head,
he saw a thick magic tome floating beside Robin—her hands still locked in a casting pose.
"Another betrayal…?"
Aokiji's expression turned frigid.
If the Straw Hats tried to flee, even with his support and thousands of elite marines, someone would get captured—or worse.
So…
did Robin once again choose to betray her allies to ensure her survival?
What a shame.
Aokiji sighed. The disappointment in his eyes had reached its limit.
The Straw Hats had risked everything to protect Nico Robin,
yet she remained unmoved—still lost in darkness.
Saul… my old friend.
You made the wrong choice back then.
But I won't.
Now, I'll correct that mistake and never waver in my justice again.
"You—secure the Straw Hats. Don't let them escape. I'm going after the Demon Child!"
Aokiji didn't hesitate.
He burned through nearly 70% of his frost mana, sealing the Straw Hats inside a [Dragon-Scale Ice Prison].
Then he summoned a snowmobile:
[Ski Adventure: Silver Wing]
And raced down the frozen path at blinding speed, chasing after the fleeing Nico Robin.
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