"Kaelen Tsukishiro, thank you for your help!"
Before Blackbeard could speak, Marco stepped forward, his voice filled with gratitude.
He had to thank him. This battle with Blackbeard had been a matter of life and death for all of them. No one knew how many would survive by the end. It had felt inevitable that they'd lose everything—family, comrades, even their lives.
But Kaelen had changed that.
Marco couldn't help but feel relieved. The weight of command, the stubborn pride of the Whitebeard Pirates—it all seemed lighter now. With that oppressive tension broken, the crew was easier to rally.
Marco had matured. And it showed.
"You're welcome," Kaelen said, smiling faintly. "If you're really grateful, I do have one small request. We'll talk about it later."
Marco noticed something in his expression—an amused glint, or maybe something more sinister. For some reason, Kaelen's smile made him uneasy.
Still, Marco smiled back.
"Whatever it is, if I can help, I'll do my best."
Naive.
"No problem," Kaelen replied, smile widening.
So agreeable. Marco's such an easy mark. At this rate, the Mythical Zoan fruit—Marco's Immortal Phoenix—might fall into Kaelen's hands sooner than expected.
How convenient.
"Aokiji, clear the field."
Kaelen looked upward, tone casual but firm. It was time to start the real fight.
"Blue...Blue Pheasant? Admiral Aokiji is here too?"
"No way! Why's he involved with Kaelen Tsukishiro?"
"Tch... things just got even crazier."
Whispers spread across the battlefield. Suspicion, awe, excitement—everyone had something to say.
Swoosh!
A tall figure dropped from the sky like a stone, landing directly on the sea. As he fell, his calm voice rang out:
"Ice Age."
Buzz—
The moment Aokiji touched the water, the chilling power of the Ice-Ice Fruit exploded outward.
In seconds, the sea around them froze for miles. The island, once humid and warm, now felt like midwinter. Icy winds howled, and snowflakes drifted across the air.
The whole world had changed.
From summer to winter—in a breath.
This was the power of a top-tier Devil Fruit user.
"Run! He's insane!"
"Damn it, I only came to watch and now I'm in the middle of a war zone!"
Even Blackbeard's crew stirred uneasily.
"Did he really join the pirates?" Shiryu muttered, drawing his blade and slicing through the creeping frost. A trail of smoke followed his cigarette as he narrowed his eyes at Aokiji.
He didn't believe the rumors. Not completely.
"Man, I hope we don't have to fight this guy next…"
"Former admiral or not, he's terrifying."
The rest of the crew avoided the ice in their own ways. Getting caught in it would be disastrous.
"Zehahaha! We meet again, Aokiji. I was planning to invite you anyway!"
Blackbeard swung his massive fist and shattered the ice in front of him with ease. He meant what he said—Aokiji's power was impressive. Anyone would want him as an ally.
But Aokiji didn't answer. His eyes flickered, unreadable.
He had once sought out Blackbeard. He'd wanted revenge—for what happened after he lost his duel with Akainu. But somewhere along the way, he'd crossed paths with Kaelen Tsukishiro.
The rest was history.
"Heh, Blackbeard," Kaelen cut in, eyes gleaming. "You might be ugly, but at least your taste isn't bad."
He grinned.
"Having Aokiji around is useful. No more heat, and ice for drinks anytime."
Blackbeard: "..."
Aokiji: "..."
Everyone else: "..."
Was this the proper way to use an admiral?
Some of the spectators learned something new that day.
If it weren't for the massive crowd, Aokiji might've encased Kaelen in an iceberg on the spot.
Even Blackbeard looked wounded. Sure, he was ugly, but did Kaelen have to keep pointing it out? He was a Yonko now! He had pride too.
He sighed.
"I swear, I'm gonna kill that guy someday," Robin muttered on the deck above, watching with an expression of disbelief. Kaelen's loose tongue and casually unhinged remarks were bound to get him murdered.
---
But Kaelen had his own philosophy: do what makes you feel good first, then take care of business.
He dropped the smile.
"Alright. The bystanders are gone. It's just us now."
His voice was cold.
"I won't hold back. If you die, don't blame me."
"Zehahaha!" Blackbeard roared. "If you think you can kill me, then try it!"
The moment those words left his mouth, their eyes locked—and the world held its breath.
BOOM!
Their conflicting auras erupted, crashing together with explosive force.
The sheer pressure split the skies and cracked the ground beneath them. Winds howled. Clouds twisted. The heavens raged.
Conqueror's Haki.
Blackbeard had awakened it. Whether he had done so recently or had just been hiding it all along—no one could tell.
But one thing was clear.
The final battle had begun.
---
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