"Though my stamina can still hold out, Garp is also holding back. Let's wait and see. Rayleigh and the others are no match for Sengoku and his men. I need to buy time until reinforcements arrive."
Roger sat beneath a tree, observing the battle. His mood was heavy. Rayleigh, Gabban, and Sanbel were all capable of fighting on par with an Admiral—but only in one-on-one combat.
The Fishman Sanbel clashed with Aokiji, his entire body reinforced with Armament Haki, his trident also coated in the same hardening.
"Hey, Ramen Head, you only rely on your Devil Fruit powers, don't you? Have the guts to fight me head-on!"
"Tch—crack!"
Sanbel shattered the ice formed by Aokiji with his trident.
"You're too fat. You should lose some weight. How about I gift you a slimming capsule?"
"What the hell are you talking about? Are you out of your mind?"
Before Sanbel could process the words, Aokiji bent down, his palm aimed directly at him.
"Ice Time Capsule!"
Whoosh!
A blast of freezing air shot from Aokiji's palm, reaching Sanbel in an instant. Everything in its path was instantly encased in ice.
"I'll block it!"
Sanbel crossed his trident in front of him. With a sharp crack, the weapon was frozen solid. Staggering back two steps, Sanbel glared.
"You bastard, attacking by surprise. Hmph! A guy who only depends on his Devil Fruit. Fight me properly!"
He shattered the ice on his trident, curling his thick lips in disdain.
"Oh, that's a good suggestion. Thanks."
Aokiji suddenly stopped, glanced around, and walked to the side.
"You're a weird guy… and kinda polite too."
Sanbel's already dopey fishman face grew even more confused, his thick lips twitching. Who the hell takes a break mid-fight like this?
Aokiji picked up a wooden stick, exhaled a breath of freezing air, and instantly transformed it into an icy blade.
Turning back, he gripped the makeshift weapon.
"I'll finish you with this, little fish."
Ice encased Aokiji's body as cold air erupted around him, forming a frozen path in midair. He leaped onto it, sliding toward Sanbel at high speed.
"Bring it on! Let's see what a skinny Ramen Head like you can do!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two clashed fiercely, their weapons swinging wildly. Trees around them were either split in half or toppled entirely, their trunks left frozen solid.
Aokiji slashed relentlessly, each strike accompanied by freezing air—a dual assault of blade and cold. If Sanbel let his guard down for even a second, the biting frost would seep into his body.
"Not bad with that blade of yours… and that freezing power. You're the user of the Ice-Ice Fruit, right? Too bad your freezing doesn't work on me."
Sanbel swung his massive trident, blocking each of Aokiji's attacks. The Admiral's ice powers couldn't fully freeze him in one go.
The two separated.
"What a pain… no effect, huh? Then how about this?"
Aokiji planted his icy blade into the ground and spread both palms toward Sanbel.
"What's this guy planning now? Gotta stays sharp."
Sanbel's fish-like eyes darted warily. Aokiji's earlier Ice Time Capsule had already caught him off guard.
"Ice Ball."
In an instant, five icy pillars shot from each of Aokiji's palms—ten in total—streaking toward Sanbel with blinding speed, as if time itself had frozen for a split second.
Bang! Bang! Bang! —
All ten pillars struck Sanbel in succession.
"This speed… is insane—"
Before he could finish, Sanbel was completely encased within a massive sphere of ice.
"Haaah…"
Aokiji exhaled lazily, stretching his arms with a yawn.
"Big guys are always troublesome. Had to use both hands… I'm getting sleepy. Time to head back."
After a glance at the frozen sphere, he turned to leave.
Crack… fzz… fzz…
The sound of splitting ice reached Aokiji's ears.
"Hm?"
He turned back just in time to see the ice ball rapidly fracturing.
Boom!
The sphere exploded, shards of ice shooting in all directions.
Shivering, Sanbel sneezed, a trail of snot dripping from his nose.
"So damn cold… I'm a Fishman, and even I can't handle this ice!"
Seeing this, Aokiji walked back.
"You're a tough little fish. Looks like I won't be getting any sleep today."
"I'm a member of the Roger Pirates. You can't beat me."
"Oh?"
Aokiji crouched, pressing his palm against the ground.
"Ice Age."
In an instant, the earth froze solid, spreading rapidly in all directions from Aokiji's position.
"Hey, Aokiji! If you're gonna use a big move, at least narrow the range! You trying to freeze us too?!"
Sengoku roared in frustration, his palm strike halted mid-motion as the ice surged toward him.
The other combatants also paused, forced to retreat from the expanding frost.