"Kuzan!!!"
Akainu's roar echoed from within the ice, and in an instant, the entire ice block shook violently, surface covered in countless cracks.
Boom!
Lava erupted, ice shards scattered, and with a somber expression, Akainu looked ahead at Aokiji, who's face was like frost, pulling back his right hand with cold air all around him.
"I'm sorry for arriving a step late, Teacher Zephyr."
Aokiji supported Zephyr, reaching out to temporarily freeze his bleeding wounds, then looked around, seeing the sea of flames, the unconscious Aine and Binzi, clenching his fists.
"Sakazuki."
He suddenly turned, eyes filled with unprecedented fury, gritting his teeth:
"I once thought we simply walked different paths, at least you had a baseline. But to attack your mentor and comrades so ruthlessly, has your so-called 'Absolute Justice' twisted to this extent? Sakazuki!!!!"
"You're a worse traitor than Zephyr, save me from your pompous words!"
Akainu casually shook off the ice remnants on his arm, lava regrouping on his fist, "This operation was so secretive, yet you discovered us? But it seems this time, the Endgame only sent you alone, Kuzan."
"I alone am enough to kill you!"
Aokiji replied coldly.
"Oh? That's quite convenient."
Akainu sneered, suddenly rising, lava fist smashing fiercely towards Aokiji's chest: "I thought the same!!!"
Boom!
Lava and ice collided furiously, a terrifying shockwave swept across the deck, flames within tens of meters wildly flared, then were instantly extinguished.
Both were forced back dozens of meters.
"…"
Aokiji lifted his head somewhat puzzled, frowning.
If he was right, Akainu's power seemed stronger than when they last fought?
"Oh?"
Akainu sneered, "Judging by your expression, you've noticed? Correct! I've grown stronger. After abandoning those meaningless distractions, those needless entanglements, my conviction has never been more steadfast! And naturally, my power is also unprecedentedly strong!!!"
"What you've abandoned is surely your final shred of conscience!"
Aokiji bitterly laughed:
"I am different from you; my conscience remains intact, and without abandoning it, I can still grow stronger just like you, because unlike that lost Navy, I have also reaffirmed my conviction!"
"Enough talk!"
Akainu's eyes flashed coldly, lava left fist suddenly swelling several times, terrifying heat distorting the surrounding air:
"Meteor Volcano!!!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Countless lava fists soared into the sky, dyeing the whole heavens red, then crashing down like torrential rain at Aokiji and Zephyr's position.
"Great Ice Wall!"
Aokiji slapped the ground vigorously, a massive ice wall shot up, standing before them.
Lava clashed with ice, erupting with deafening roar, white steam instantly enveloped the entire battlefield.
"Teacher Zephyr, can you still move?"
Aokiji, using the steam as cover, quickly helped Zephyr up, "That guy's power can easily affect those nearby, I'll cover you as you retreat, leave this place to me..."
"No, Kuzan."
Zephyr weakly shook his head, "Don't worry about me... save those children, they're young, outstanding, the last batch of promising candidates I offer to you, the Endgame..."
"None of you are leaving!"
Akainu's roar came from the steam, a lava fist suddenly pierced the mist, heading straight for the two of them.
"It's not up to you!"
Aokiji coldly snorted, forcefully countering with a punch, blocking it without falling short.
But the next moment, he was heavily struck by another fist from the dense steam, crashing through several decks and flying out.
A fist?
Aokiji wiped the blood from his mouth corner, standing bewilderedly, though the punch didn't inflict significant harm, the issue is...
Where did the fist come from?!!!
Sakazuki's right arm was personally severed by his own captain during the North Sea war!
Aokiji's gaze fixated ahead as Akainu emerged step by step from the thick mist.
Seeing the scene before him, Aokiji's pupils sharply contracted!
"Originally, I didn't intend to show you this, but today's New World is the Endgame's territory, long nights bring many dreams, if I want to quickly resolve you, I must use full power."
Akainu spoke coldly, his right sleeve, supposed to be empty, now had a perfectly intact arm!
And his exposed left arm's skin surface faintly showed a Pentagram mark...
"That pattern is... Abyssal Sea Contract?"
Aokiji's color changed dramatically, "Sakazuki, you've accepted that kind of power!!"
"You're mistaken, it's merely Shallow Sea Contract, as I don't want to become a complete slave, mastering some Undying Regeneration Power to restore my peak state and even surpass my past self is enough."
Akainu glanced at his exposed contract tattoo indifferently:
"This was Kong's suggestion, though I'm usually disdainful towards it, to completely annihilate you all and restore order to this turbulent world, I've wagered everything to complete it in one stroke, this sacrifice naturally doesn't count as anything."
Plap! Plap! Plap!