Under the curious gazes of the G-3 branch marines, Po and Aokiji made their way to the open grounds outside the fortress. After Gustave and his friends secured their earnings on the ship, they hurried to the outer defense walls of the G-3 branch, which were already crowded with eager spectators.
"Who do you think's gonna win? Admiral Aokiji or Vice Admiral Garp's apprentice?" asked a tall, lanky marine to his shorter, stockier companion.
"Are you kidding? Admiral Aokiji's got this in the bag!" the portly marine replied without hesitation.
"But when Vice Admiral Garp was stationed here, he wouldn't shut up about how powerful his apprentice was—said the guy could rival an admiral!"
The tall marine clearly had his doubts about the conventional wisdom.
"This is Admiral Aokiji we're talking about! And Vice Admiral Garp's got a habit of... well, let's just say he likes to talk big," the shorter marine countered, his loyalty to Aokiji unwavering.
"But what if—"
A thunderous crack echoed across the distance, cutting off the marine's words and drawing everyone's attention to the combatants.
The two fighters collided with explosive force, fists and feet meeting in a blur of motion. A powerful shockwave erupted from their clash, strong enough to tear several marine flags from their poles and send them fluttering away like wounded birds.
Po and Aokiji continued their battle at speeds that pushed the limits of human perception. The ordinary marines could no longer track their movements clearly, catching only glimpses of black and white before another thunderous impact shook the air.
"Aokiji's signature strength is his Devil Fruit ability," Gustave observed, his expression serious as he watched the admiral fight using only his physical prowess. "But he's matching Po blow for blow with pure combat skill alone. I'd bet Akainu and Kizaru are similar—even without their fruit powers, they're monsters in hand-to-hand combat."
As the intensity of their battle escalated, the cacophony of their exchanges grew louder and more violent. Several marines had to retreat from the defensive walls, unable to withstand the crushing pressure radiating from the fight.
Recognizing the danger their battle posed to the G-3 branch, both Po and Aokiji began moving their fight seaward, taking to the sky above the ocean's surface.
Once they reached the open sea, Aokiji finally unleashed his Devil Fruit power.
The ocean surface froze solid for several kilometers in every direction, creating a vast battlefield of ice. However, the sheer force of their continuing battle shattered the frozen surface repeatedly, sending massive chunks of ice flying through the air.
While Gustave and his crew were well aware of Po's incredible strength, the situation was entirely different for the G-3 marines. They watched in stunned silence as Po matched Admiral Aokiji move for move. This was one of the Marine's three admirals—one of the world's ultimate powers and a cornerstone of marine strength!
The fact that Po could fight Aokiji as an equal could only mean one thing: Po had reached the ranks of the world's strongest fighters.
What shocked the G-3 marines even more was the realization that Garp—that seemingly unreliable, donut-obsessed veteran—had actually trained a fighter of this caliber. This level of instruction was probably second only to former Admiral Zephyr, who had trained all three current admirals and countless other marine officers.
The two combatants at the center of the battlefield understood that they could continue this dance for days without a clear victor. They exchanged a knowing nod and prepared to unleash their ultimate techniques.
Po's entire body became shrouded in Armament Haki, with black lightning crackling around his form. As he gathered his strength, his right fist turned completely obsidian, and the very air around him seemed to vibrate with barely contained power.
Aokiji recognized the technique immediately—the telltale sign of the world's strongest fighters: Conqueror's Haki infusion!
Po launched forward with his devastating punch just as Aokiji awakened his Devil Fruit power and roared: "ICE AGE!"
The sea within dozens of kilometers instantly transformed again into a frozen wasteland, and even the outer walls of the G-3 branch became coated in a thick layer of ice. Every person present felt the bone-deep chill that accompanied Aokiji's ultimate technique.
At the epicenter of the battlefield, Po's Conqueror's Haki-infused strike collided with Aokiji's Ice Age.
This clash dwarfed even Po's previous battle with Shanks—not because Shanks was weaker, but because both Po and Aokiji were fighting without any restraint whatsoever.
A massive mushroom cloud erupted from the point of impact, followed by a devastating shockwave that spread in all directions like the wrath of an angry god.
"Damn it! These two are so caught up in their fight that they're about to level the entire G-3 branch!" Gustave cursed internally, watching the approaching wall of destruction.
Several rear admirals stationed at the G-3 branch immediately sprang into action, but even their combined efforts proved insufficient against the terrifying force bearing down on them.
Left with no choice, Gustave stepped forward.
"Barrière Électromagnétique!"
At Gustave's command, a massive dome of crackling electromagnetic energy materialized in front of the G-3 branch. This technique, developed by Gustave using his understanding of electromagnetic principles, served both defensive and offensive purposes—capable of protecting allies or trapping enemies.
Gustave didn't actually need to shout the technique's name, but he'd noticed that everyone else seemed to announce their attacks during battle. Not wanting to seem less impressive, he'd come up with a suitably dramatic name for the move.
After witnessing the Barrière Électromagnétique successfully deflect the catastrophic shockwave, the G-3 marines' perception of Gustave shifted dramatically.
They had initially dismissed him as just another money-obsessed bounty hunter of average ability, but when the moment demanded it, he had effortlessly blocked an attack that even their rear admirals couldn't handle.
While Gustave's physical combat skills might not match those of the rear admirals present, the overwhelming power of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit more than compensated. In terms of overall combat effectiveness, Gustave had reached the level of a Marine vice admiral—strong enough to deflect the aftermath of a battle between admiral-class fighters.
Meanwhile, the G-3 marines found themselves offering a moment of silent sympathy for Jack of the Beast Pirates. No wonder he'd looked so miserable when he was brought in. Facing Po, who fought at admiral level, and Gustave, who possessed vice admiral-level strength, what pirate crew wouldn't be doomed? If any single ship from the Beast Pirates encountered the Bamboo Staff crew, they'd be finished—unless Kaido himself happened to be on board.
Of course, if Gustave ever reached Emperor-level strength, then he and his two friends would be capable of challenging any of the Four Emperors directly. Two Emperor-class fighters plus Tom—whose strength seemed to scale mysteriously with his opponents—would be enough to sail anywhere in the world without fear.
As the shockwave dissipated, Gustave lowered his Barrière Électromagnétique. The battlefield finally came into view: Po and Aokiji stood facing each other on the cracked ice, neither showing clear signs of victory despite their ultimate techniques colliding head-on.
Both fighters had decided to end their battle there. A contest of this level would require days or weeks of continuous fighting to produce a definitive winner.
Suddenly, Tom became animated, his legs spinning like cartoonish wheels as he raced toward the battlefield where Po and Aokiji had fought.
"Tom!" Gustave called out, rushing after the cat.
When he caught up, he found Tom frantically clawing at the ice. Looking down through the transparent surface, Gustave spotted an enormous squid-like Sea King frozen solid within Aokiji's ice.
The massive creature had been drawn by the noise of the battle, but had severely overestimated its own strength. When it attempted to breach the surface during Aokiji's Ice Age attack, it found itself trapped in an icy tomb instead.