"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!" Aokiji shouted, as five large ice projectiles flew towards Ron.
"Just a little trick," Ron scoffed. His hands, covered in Armament Haki, effortlessly shattered the ice projectiles, not even slowing him down.
"Try this then—Ice Bird!" Aokiji's eyes narrowed as he formed a large bird made of ice and sent it hurtling towards Ron.
Smack!
Ron casually swatted the ice bird away with his hand. "These attacks are useless against me," he said dismissively. "You'll have to do better than this."
Aokiji's brow furrowed. "Is that so?" he murmured, standing up straight. "Then how about I show you a real move?"
Kizaru, who had been observing with his hands in his pockets, tilted his head and asked, "Do you need me to step in?"
"Not yet," Aokiji replied. "This guy is strong, I'll admit. Those previous attacks didn't work, but now I'll show you something else. Get ready!" He took a deep breath and began to gather an enormous amount of cold air.
"Make it quick, then," Ron said, clearly uninterested in the drawn-out exchanges. "If this keeps dragging on, I might lose interest."
Aokiji's eyes sharpened. "Ice Block: Partisan!" he shouted, creating two large ice spears. With a flick of his wrist, the spears shot towards Ron, who was momentarily distracted by the cold mist filling the air.
"Finally, a bit of a challenge," Ron chuckled as he drew the Sandai Kitetsu. With a swift motion, he shattered both ice spears mid-air.
"Is that all?" Ron taunted, but as he spoke, Aokiji had already closed the distance between them. His hands were clasped together, and he unleashed his strongest technique.
"Ice Age!" Aokiji roared. The frigid cold exploded outward, instantly freezing everything around him. The entire warship was covered in ice, and the sea beneath it froze solid, extending far into the horizon. Even Kizaru, who had been standing idly, had to leap away to avoid being caught in the massive freezing attack.
The battlefield fell silent as Ron's entire body was encased in thick ice.
Kizaru landed gracefully on a nearby section of the warship, his usual aloof demeanor returning as he observed the frozen Ron. "Oh my, it looks like you've frozen him completely. That was quite the display, Aokiji. It seems he's lost."
Aokiji allowed himself a small, satisfied smile, but before he could respond, his expression changed dramatically. "Something's not right…!"
Crack! Crack!
The ice encasing Ron began to fracture and fall away. With a burst of strength, he shattered the frozen shell, emerging from the icy prison completely unharmed.
"Is this your strongest attack?" Ron asked, his voice calm and unwavering. "Ice Age, huh? The temperature did drop significantly—probably close to absolute zero. But it wasn't enough to beat me."
"Impossible!" Aokiji's eyes widened in shock. "How could you still be fine after that? That was my strongest attack! No one has ever endured it unscathed!"
Ron chuckled and shook his head. "It may seem impossible to you, but for me, it's just a light workout. With my physical strength, this level of cold can't harm me."
In truth, he hadn't even needed to use his Armament Haki. His body's natural resilience was enough to withstand the Ice Age, and when the time came, he simply shattered the ice with a single punch.
"Now, it's my turn," Ron said, not waiting for a reply. In an instant, he closed the gap between them, launching his own counterattack. "Take this—Wolf Fang Fist!"
Aokiji's eyes widened as Ron's fist came barreling towards him. He quickly crossed his arms and summoned an enormous ice wall for defense.
Boom!
Ron's punch smashed through the ice wall with ease, sending Aokiji crashing into the structure of the warship. The impact was so strong that the Admiral was thrown to the very edge of the vessel, barely avoiding the still-unfrozen waters below.
"One down," Ron said casually as he clapped his hands, not even sparing a glance at the fallen Admiral. His gaze shifted towards Kizaru. "Your turn."
Kizaru's usual laid-back expression faltered, replaced with a look of genuine surprise. The fact that Aokiji—one of the Navy's strongest—had been overwhelmed so easily was beyond belief. Even more alarming was how Ron had shrugged off the Ice Age as if it were nothing. Kizaru knew that not even he would dare face such an attack head-on without dodging.
"I suppose it's my time to shine," Kizaru said, exhaling deeply. His demeanor became more serious than usual. "Ron, let's see how you handle this."
A golden blade of light materialized in Kizaru's hand. "Ama no Murakumo!" he declared, brandishing the sword of pure energy.
Ron raised Sandai Kitetsu, his eyes locked onto Kizaru. "Let's see what you've got, then," he said, already thinking ahead to his next goal. When I reach Water 7, I should find a skilled blacksmith to forge a new sword.
(TN - Like bruh, your smithing level is maxed, make one yourself, 'm sure you guys who are reading see why I stopped, this guy doesn't make sense)