The world seemed frozen in time.
People, ships—everything stood still in that moment.
A faint rustle broke the eerie silence as a sea breeze swept across the ocean.
"...That guy's off his rocker again, isn't he?" someone muttered.
Robin silently stepped back, distancing herself from Kaelen.
He had no filter—openly pointing fingers right in front of Admiral Aokiji, with zero concern for tact or restraint.
And mentioning what Akainu destroyed? That was like rubbing salt in a fresh wound.
The illusion of safety shattered instantly.
Out on the sea, Aokiji brought his bicycle to a stop. Cold mist clung to him as he stared at Kaelen with an emotionless gaze.
Crackle...
A piercing, high-pitched sound echoed as the Admiral activated his powers. Ice rapidly spread from beneath his feet, creeping outward across the ocean in all directions.
In just seconds, several miles of sea were frozen solid—Kaelen's ship included.
Clearly, Kaelen's words had struck a nerve.
Or rather, Aokiji had already been in a foul mood—and this tipped him over.
Boom!
Kaelen gently stomped on the deck, sending invisible shockwaves through the wood. The vibrations flowed downward, reaching the frozen ocean.
Crack...
Web-like fissures spread across the ice. The sound was sharp and bone-chilling.
The ice shattered into countless fragments.
Completely ignoring the rising chill around him, Kaelen spoke again, calm and unfazed.
"I'm being serious. I'm not joking. That Akainu guy rubs me the wrong way. If the price is right, I don't mind teaching him some manners."
Was Kaelen annoyed by Akainu? Absolutely.
Very few people had anything nice to say about the guy.
"Teach Akainu, huh? Then show me what you've got first," Aokiji said as he slowly removed his sunglasses, revealing a pair of dull, heavy-lidded eyes.
He launched his attack.
"Ice Lance: Pheasant Beak!"
Activating his Devil Fruit ability, Aokiji's right arm turned to solid ice, and a massive ice bird launched from his hand.
Wherever it flew, the ocean froze behind it. The surrounding air turned frigid in seconds.
Even standing dozens of meters away, the cold made people shiver uncontrollably.
"Oi, oi! At least give me a heads up!" Kaelen shouted.
But his right hand had already clenched into a fist.
Vmmm!
A muffled hum rippled across the battlefield. A wave of concentrated shock burst from his fist, blasting into the oncoming ice bird.
"Ice Spear Duo!"
Aokiji followed up instantly. Two sharp spears of ice glinted under the sun as they streaked toward Kaelen, cutting the air with a sharp whistle.
"Barrier."
Kaelen raised his left hand, calm and unhurried, and gently pushed forward.
A translucent barrier materialized in front of him, shielding both himself and the ship behind.
The ice bird, under the force of Kaelen's shockwave, began to break apart and dissolve midair.
The two spears slammed into the barrier, sending out waves of ripples with a loud clang. But the shield held—unyielding, immovable.
Unscathed.
Kaelen smirked.
"Since you attacked first, it's only polite I return the favor. My turn, Aokiji."
Without waiting, he retracted his left hand and struck with his right.
"Fire Fist!"
Boom!
Kaelen's arm burst into flames. He launched a massive fiery punch, a blazing inferno surging toward Aokiji.
Within moments, the surrounding ice melted. Steam rose violently as seawater vaporized under the intense heat.
"Ice Block: Puck!"
Reacting swiftly, Aokiji conjured two icicles and hurled them at the fire fist.
Fire and ice—natural opposites.
If fire burns hotter, it melts ice. If ice is colder, it snuffs out the flame.
But Kaelen's flames weren't ordinary. His fire was hotter than Ace's and his output far more explosive.
The icicles began to melt mid-flight.
Although the fire fist shrank slightly under pressure, it still carried overwhelming force.
"Tch... troublesome."
Frowning, Aokiji formed another ice column to finally neutralize the remaining flames.
"That's enough. I've tested what I needed to. No reason to keep going," Kaelen said casually, his tone as lazy as ever.
"A full-on fight wouldn't be fun anyway."
Kaelen had no interest in battling Aokiji seriously.
This wasn't like fighting someone like Sengoku or Whitebeard at their peak.
Even if Kaelen was stronger, defeating Aokiji would still take time—and if Aokiji decided to escape, Kaelen wouldn't stop him.
Aokiji, now more serious, stared at him in silence. Gone was his usual nonchalance—replaced by caution and wariness.
The brief skirmish revealed enough.
Kaelen could wield multiple Devil Fruit abilities—each one powerful on its own.
From what Aokiji had seen, Kaelen's strength surpassed his own.
Possibly even stronger than Akainu.
Maybe... even stronger than Whitebeard.
As Aokiji mulled over these thoughts, Kaelen gave a sly grin.
"I heard you left the Navy. Why don't you come with me?."
It was a light-hearted offer—but the invitation was real.
Kaelen actually liked Aokiji. He was one of the few people in the pirate world Kaelen didn't have any real animosity toward.
Besides, having him around meant he could enjoy chilled drinks and popsicles on demand.
Across the frozen sea, Aokiji didn't respond immediately.
Then, after a moment of thought, he quietly rode his bicycle onto the ship.
"Thanks for the invite. I'll be in your care."
Kaelen's grin widened. "Heh, we're crewmates now—no need for formalities!"
"…"
Off to the side, Robin watched it all silently.
She glanced at Kaelen, then at the ever-calm Aokiji, unsure how to feel.
Fear? A little.
Helplessness? Also a little.
But one thing was certain—there was no need to worry about safety anymore.
---
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