The battlefield was momentarily frozen in shock.
Nami and Kaya's faces lit up with relief. "Brother Ron is okay! That's good!"
Marianne, who was hovering in the air, let out a deep sigh of relief. "I knew it—there's no way he'd be taken down that easily!"
In contrast, the sailors on the remaining warships were gripped by fear. As members of the Navy, they understood the immense strength of Aokiji and Kizaru—two of the Navy's Admirals. Yet now, they were witnessing the unthinkable: both Admirals had been defeated. Could Ron really be this powerful?
"Commander, what are our orders now?" a deputy asked, his voice trembling.
The commander's face was pale, and his voice shook. "Stay calm. Don't act recklessly." He had already made the mistake of acting impulsively earlier, resulting in devastating losses. He couldn't afford to repeat it.
"But... what should we do?" The deputy looked anxiously at his superior.
"Wait," the commander replied, trying to steady his voice. "The Admirals can't be defeated that easily. If they join forces, they'll definitely be able to subdue him."
Nearby, on the frozen sea, Aokiji leaped over the ice and called toward the pit. "Kizaru, can you still fight?"
With a flash of golden light, Kizaru emerged, his expression tinged with discomfort. "That guy… he's stronger than I thought."
"It seems we'll have to work together," Aokiji said seriously. "Ron's strength might even rival the Four Emperors."
"Indeed," Kizaru sighed. "Honestly, aside from Whitebeard, I can't imagine any of the other Emperors being a match for him. What a terrifying young man."
Aokiji shook his head. "Whitebeard isn't the same as he was in his prime. Who knows? Ron might even have the power to defeat him."
"Defeat Whitebeard?" Kizaru's eyes widened. "If that's true, who could possibly stand against him in the future?"
"That's not our concern right now," Aokiji said. "What matters is that we take him down here, together. We can't afford to fail."
Kizaru nodded, the golden light of his Devil Fruit ability intensifying. "Right. No more holding back."
(One Piece fight BGM)
Aokiji cold aura grew stronger, his breath visible in the air. If they couldn't win this fight, they would bring shame not only to themselves but to the entire Navy.
On the other side, Ron stood atop the ice, hands resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword. "I've been saying all along, you should've teamed up from the start. One of you isn't enough to take me down. With both of you, there's a slight chance."
"Ron, we're not holding back anymore," Aokiji warned, his voice as cold as the air around him. "Our combined strength won't let you walk away so easily."
"Let's see it, then!" Kizaru's form became a blur of light as he dashed forward, his speed leaving afterimages.
"Ice Blade!" Aokiji charged alongside him, wielding a pair of ice-formed swords that glistened in the light.
The two Admirals attacked in unison, Kizaru's sword clashing with Ron's while Aokiji ice blades sought to slice through his defenses. But Ron's Observation Haki kept him one step ahead. He weaved between their attacks, parrying Kizaru's strikes and deflecting Aokiji blades.
Ron pivoted swiftly, his movements fluid as he dodged a flurry of slashes from Aokiji. With a powerful swing of his sword, he knocked Kizaru back, sending the Admiral flying across the ice.
Crash!
Aokiji's ice swords shattered against Ron's blade, forcing him to retreat.
"Impressive," Ron said, exhaling slowly. "It's more challenging when you both fight together… but it's still not enough." His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. "I was only using fifty percent of my strength. Now I'll show you what happens when I go all out. Prepare yourselves."
"Fifty percent?!" Aokiji and Kizaru exchanged a look of disbelief. If Ron had truly been holding back, then his full power might be beyond anything they could handle.
"Don't listen to him. It's a bluff to throw us off," Aokiji muttered, trying to steady his nerves. "There's no way anyone could be that strong. Not even Whitebeard."
Ron took a deep breath, his stance lowering as his hand moved to the hilt of his sheathed sword. "You better get ready," he said quietly. "This ends now. I'm taking you both down with one strike."
The tension in the air thickened as Ron's voice rang out. "Iai: Kazekiri!" (Draw and Cut: Wind Blade!)
Before either Admiral could react, Ron's figure blurred, leaving behind a trail of lightning as he moved at blinding speed. The Admirals' eyes widened in shock as they felt the sharp, chilling wind pass by them. Ron appeared behind them, his sword clicking back into its sheath.
Clink.
As the sound of the sword settling into its scabbard echoed across the frozen battlefield, both Admirals collapsed to the ice. Blood seeped from thin wounds that had appeared on their chests, but their breathing remained steady, indicating that Ron had spared them.
Ron turned and walked toward Marianne, who hovered nearby in shock, her wings fluttering. "Beautiful lady," he said with a grin. "Care to give me a lift?"
Marianne's cheeks flushed as she snapped out of her daze. "Y-Yes, of course!" She flew down and took Ron's arm, carrying him back toward the Ark.
As Ron returned to the ship, the girls rushed to his side, their relief evident. They surrounded him, their voices filled with joy and concern as they chattered excitedly.
"Let's set sail!" Ron called to Nami, wrapping an arm around Kaya. "We're heading to Water 7."
"I knew you'd come out on top!" Nami grinned as she steered the Ark forward, the ship's engines humming as they cut through the water.
"Let's go have a drink," Ron said, leading the other girls who had nothing else to do toward the large round table on the deck.
The Ark sailed away, leaving the Navy fleet behind in stunned silence.
"Commander…" a deputy stammered. "The Admirals… they lost."
"I saw it with my own eyes," the commander replied, his voice trembling. "Quickly, help the Admirals! Get the medics over here!"
"Yes, sir!" the sailors responded in a panic, rushing to aid the fallen Admirals.
The fleet, which had once arrived with overwhelming force, now retreated in shame. As the Navy sailed back toward headquarters, the commander could only wonder how the higher-ups—Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and even the World Government itself—would react to this colossal failure.
What would they do now that Ron had not only bested two Admirals but had emerged unscathed, defying all expectations?