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Within the newly formed Thunder-Ice Island.
In the 'Rumble World' half, Rowen held absolute home-field advantage.
Similarly, in the 'Ice World' half, Aokiji dominated.
Under these conditions, neither Rowen nor Aokiji was willing to fight on the other's turf—The chosen main battlefield was the epicenter of Thunder-Ice Island—the convergence point where the Rumble World and Ice World clashed.
"ICE BLOCK: PARTISAN——!!!"
Aokiji, more than half his body now transformed into extreme, solid ice, crossed his arms sharply.
CRACKLE! CRACKLE!
Two enormous tridents made of ice rapidly materialized in the atmosphere.
Then, drawing power from the frozen air and falling hail of the Ice World, they grew even larger, radiating an even more intense cold—like ice spears wielded by giants, chilling the very air around them!
This was the Ice-Ice Fruit's Awakening—elemental amplification. Within this Ice World, the fruit's power was truly unleashed to its fullest.
"Armament——!" With a wave of Aokiji's hand, the sharp points of the massive ice spears were instantly coated in a thick layer of black Armament Haki!
Against the Rumble-Rumble Fruit—an ability whose offensive power stood at the pinnacle of all Devil Fruits—relying solely on the Ice-Ice Fruit's attacks wouldn't be enough. His opponent had also mastered the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to its extreme!
In this situation, Aokiji had to use Armament Haki to bridge the gap in raw elemental offensive power!
"HYAAAH!!!!" Aokiji roared, thrusting his hands forward violently!
WHOOSH!
The colossal ice spears, imbued with Aokiji's dense Armament Haki, tore through the air with a terrifying whistling sound, hurtling towards Rowen in the Rumble World!
As they flew, minute ice crystals formed in their wake, a testament to the horrifying cold they carried!
The most terrifying part was the tips of these giant ice spears—infused with the full power of the Ice-Ice Fruit and Aokiji's All-out Armament Haki!
Aokiji held nothing back, a far cry from his half-hearted, 'lazy justice' approach during the Summit War—he was fighting with his full strength now!
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"300 Million Volt - Kirin——!!!"
Facing Aokiji's powerful assault, Rowen also held nothing back! The full power of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit erupted!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Above, within the raging thunderclouds, accompanied by rolling thunder, countless lightning bolts interwove—coalescing into an immense, tyrannical electrical pressure!
RUMBLE!!!
Accompanied by terrifying thunderclaps capable of shattering the spirit of an average Marine HQ Vice Admiral—a colossal, monstrous beast, formed entirely of raging lightning, its body crackling with countless violent electrical arcs, emerged from the thunderclouds, revealing its savage head!
ROOOOAR!!!
The beast opened its horrifying, gaping maw—seemingly large enough to swallow an entire island—and let out a deafening roar!
A roar composed of pure, destructive thunder!
BANG!!!
That single roar, under the sheer power of the thunder-sound—caused several icebergs in Aokiji's Ice World to instantly explode!
Countless ice crystals shattered in the atmosphere. Even the advance of the incoming giant ice spears slowed perceptibly!
"Armament——!" Armament Haki surged forth, concentrating entirely onto the horn of the Thunder Kirin—
Against Aokiji's fusion of Ice-Ice Fruit power and Armament Haki, relying solely on the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's power would be arrogant folly.
Logia users possessed immense attack range, especially those with powerful fruits like Rumble-Rumble or Ice-Ice. Unleashed at full power, they were true super-natural disasters—
But correspondingly, infusing Armament Haki into such vast elemental attacks consumed huge amounts of stamina. If every corner of a large-scale elemental attack was coated in dense Armament Haki, even powerhouses like Rowen and Aokiji couldn't sustain it—
Thus, Aokiji focused his Haki on the sharpest points of his ice spears. Rowen, similarly, focused his Haki on the Thunder Kirin's horn—these were the focal points of their respective attacks, their strongest points.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Accompanied by a cataclysmic thunderclap, the Thunder Kirin within the storm clouds roared downwards, its entire body descending!
Its colossal form nearly spanned half of Thunder-Ice Island!
One could only imagine the sheer volume of violent lightning contained within it!
The next instant—the roaring Thunder Kirin and the speeding giant ice spears collided violently!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
CRACKLE! CRUNCH!
Countless flashes of lightning and shards of ice exploded outwards in a chaotic maelstrom.
Upon impact, the shafts of the two giant ice spears, resembling lances fit for giants, instantly shattered into innumerable ice crystals, creating streaks of white mist in the atmosphere.
Under the combined violent energy of the lightning storm and Rowen's Armament Haki, the Ice-Ice Fruit's power completely collapsed, reverting to normal water vapor.
Correspondingly, a large portion of the Thunder Kirin's lightning body also disintegrated.
Under the combined force of Aokiji's Ice-Ice Fruit and Armament Haki, the pure power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit couldn't fully withstand it either, breaking apart into scattered sparks of lightning that danced madly through the air!
At the epicenter of their clash—all that remained were the Kirin's horn and the ice spearheads—both still wreathed in Rowen's and Aokiji's respective Armament Haki!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Innumerable streams of chaotic air currents erupted violently from the epicenter, roaring outwards—
The very air currents in the sky seemed to be torn asunder by an invisible giant hand, the cloud layers above twisting and recoiling violently—as if the sky itself was being ripped apart—
BANG! CRACK! CRACK!
Chunks of lightning-infused earth shattered. Vast swathes of frozen ground exploded into airborne ice crystals.
The entire Thunder-Ice Island trembled violently under the horrifying energy impact! Even the surrounding sea region was thrown into turmoil, colossal waves erupting!
WHOOSH! CRACKLE! CRACKLE!
The sea near the Ice World half—the towering waves instantly flash-froze under the terrifying, pervasive freezing aura.
BOOOOOOM!
The sea near the Rumble World half—the boundless, violent lightning instantly annihilated the newly formed colossal waves, countless sparks exploding through the atmosphere—
—Many sea creatures were instantly incinerated, turned to charcoal by the sheer domineering power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!
BOOM!
Though the colossal waves were frozen and annihilated by the Ice-Ice and Rumble-Rumble powers, the terrifying shockwaves from their clash continued to ripple outwards across the sea—
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"Reef the mainsail by half! We need to get further back!"
Aboard the Going Merry, which was being tossed about violently by the terrifying shockwaves, Nami yelled commands, clinging tightly to the mast.
"SCARY! So scary! The world is ending!" Usopp and Chopper clung to each other, tears streaming down their faces as they watched Thunder-Ice Island, which now resembled a scene from Armageddon.
"Un-Unbelievable... Is this the true power of fighters at Rowen's level?!"
Zoro and Sanji struggled to keep the Merry balanced on the tumultuous sea, simultaneously staring in horror towards the distant Thunder-Ice Island, which, along with the surrounding ocean, vibrated violently from the continuous terrifying shockwaves.
The air itself was filled with countless clashing sparks of lightning and ice crystals.
Those giant ice spears, like lances from ancient giants... That Thunder Kirin, roaring down from the storm clouds, its body rivaling an island in size—
—and this cataclysmic, world-shattering shockwave from their collision... all challenged their fundamental understanding of power!
They thought they had glimpsed the strength of the sea's peak powerhouses after witnessing Rowen's Haōshoku Coating effortlessly crush Enel, and parts of his Awakened Rumble-Rumble Fruit's power.
But they never imagined that when truly fighting an opponent of equal caliber, Rowen's power could escalate to such heights—truly demonstrating the terrifying might of a genuine peak powerhouse on these seas!
Zoro and Sanji, while following Nami's commands to control the Merry, kept their gazes fixed intently on the distant battle.
A battle between peak powerhouses like this—was not something everyone on these seas had the chance to witness!
They had to memorize it, burn it into their souls—and use it as their goal to strive towards!
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"Rowen..." Vivi's delicate hands gripped the railing so tightly her knuckles were white.
The Sand-Sand Fruit was incredibly compatible with her; her mastery of it was progressing at a rate that astonished even Rowen. She had thought she would soon be able to truly help Rowen.
But now, seeing the monstrous level of opponents Rowen faced—and there were three Admirals in the Navy, plus the Fleet Admiral, and the World Government's hidden powers...
'I must get stronger!' Vivi clenched her fists, biting her lip.
VMM!
A strange ripple emanated from within her.
The spiritual 'knot' Rowen had placed within Vivi unraveled slightly. The intense desire to become stronger—an essential mindset for every powerhouse—caused Vivi's control over her spiritual power to take a sudden leap forward.
A portion of the spiritual power Rowen had left within her was rapidly assimilated!
(This 'knot' of spiritual power, created by Rowen using the System, would automatically release more power as Vivi's own spiritual strength and capacity grew, allowing her to become stronger.)
This influx of spiritual power, combined with Vivi's physical energy, manifested!
"Armament Haki." This energy fluctuation was familiar to Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. They looked towards Vivi.
Vivi's Armament Haki had Awakened!
"Congratulations, Vivi!" Nami exclaimed happily, hugging Vivi.
"Mm." A small smile touched Vivi's lips.
....
"Armament Haki..." Watching Vivi awaken Haki, Robin pressed her lips together. Rowen had placed similar spiritual 'knots' within all of them.
As long as they could assimilate more spiritual power, Rowen could help them grow stronger. She herself had possessed the Flower-Flower Fruit since childhood—according to Rowen, her physique already met the criteria for learning Armament Haki.
Yet, she couldn't learn it...
Combining Rowen's teachings with her own introspection, Robin understood: it was because the shadow of Ohara, the Buster Call, Aokiji—still lingered within her.
As a manifestation of spiritual and physical energy, Haki couldn't be wielded if one harbored severe psychological trauma. Even if Rowen directly infused spiritual power, she couldn't assimilate it.
"Psychological trauma...?" Robin murmured, looking towards the distant Thunder-Ice Island.
Aokiji's terrifying power, freezing everything in an instant, flash-freezing Saul before her very eyes—that scene was an indelible scar on her heart.
Even after meeting Rowen, gaining more confidence, that deeply ingrained trauma from the age of eight wasn't so easily erased.
But now—watching Rowen contend on equal footing with Aokiji's terrifying, ocean-freezing power—even seeming to have the upper hand with his raging lightning—Robin felt her heart beat incredibly fast!
Speculating that Rowen might be able to fight Aokiji equally was one thing—witnessing it was entirely different!
Just like Devil Fruit Awakening—merely thinking about aligning with the fruit's inherent desire wasn't enough.
Human psychology was incredibly complex—true transformation required genuine, deep-seated acceptance. This applied to both Devil Fruits and overcoming psychological trauma.
Now, witnessing Rowen fight Aokiji as an equal—the psychological shadow Aokiji's power cast over Robin's heart began to rapidly melt away.
And as that shadow receded, something else swiftly filled the void—a fluttering, heart-pounding sensation.
Robin clutched her chest, feeling her uncontrollably rapid heartbeat.
She understood now...
She had completely fallen for him...
For Rowen...
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BOOM! CRASH!
The Armament Haki on the Kirin's horn was finally exhausted. The raging lightning forming the Kirin also dissipated into scattered sparks.
The ice spearheads, however, still retained a small amount of Armament Haki. Though their icy bodies were riddled with cracks, they hadn't completely disintegrated yet.
"300 Million Volt——! Thunder Serpent——! Black Mamba——!" Rowen roared, heavenly lightning flashing in his eyes!
Countless arcs of lightning interwove, forming a coiling black mamba of pure thunder!
Accompanied by a deafening roar, the black mamba struck, instantly shattering the remnants of the ice spearheads!
The lingering energy on the ice spears—crumbled instantly before the Thunder Black Mamba.
But Aokiji, instead of looking dismayed, showed a flash of triumph in his eyes.
Armament Haki intensity... He was stronger than Sky Sovereign Rowen in that regard! This completely offset the offensive power difference between the Ice-Ice Fruit and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit—in fact, Aokiji felt he now held the upper hand!
"I told you! Even if the Rumble-Rumble Fruit is incredibly powerful—if you rely solely on Devil Fruit abilities, you can never become a true top-tier powerhouse on these seas! Haki—is the key to elevating combat strength!" Aokiji yelled, thrusting out both hands as the roaring Thunder Black Mamba approached!
(If the previous Thunder Kirin represented the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's ultimate offense, then the Thunder Black Mamba represented its ultimate speed—
But to hit him, it first had to pass through layers of freezing aura... Lightning, ultimately, was still a form of energy, and his freezing aura could freeze that energy—though an Awakened Rumble-Rumble Fruit's power couldn't be completely frozen, hindering its attack slightly, affecting the Thunder Black Mamba's speed, was still achievable!)
BAAAAAAANG!
Combining his Ice-Ice Fruit power with Armament Haki, Aokiji shattered the roaring Black Mamba!
Looking at Rowen, who stood silently amidst the dissipating lightning storm, Aokiji smiled.
HE—was going to win!
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"Haki is the key to elevating combat strength, you say?" Rowen's voice, strangely calm, echoed.
Crimson-black light now blazed uncontrollably in his eyes...
"Huh?!" Aokiji's triumphant smile froze. His expression changed drastically. 'Th-This fluctuation is—!'
CRACKLE! BOOOOOOM!!!
The torrential rain of lightning around Rowen suddenly recoiled, pushed back! Replacing it—was an endless expanse of tyrannical, violent, crimson-black Haki lightning!
Crimson-black lightning filled the Sky!
Even the power of the Awakened Rumble-Rumble Fruit seemed insignificant before this overwhelmingly violent force!
BANG!
Countless ice crystals shattered.
The very ground where Rowen stood exploded outwards, massive chunks of earth, wreathed in crimson-black lightning, were hurled into the atmosphere!
At the center of this maelstrom of crimson-black lightning—stood Rowen—his entire body now enveloped in a cloud of pure, pulsating, crimson-black Haki lightning!
"You were right. Haki—is the power that determines a fighter's ultimate ceiling! Aokiji!" Rowen's powerful laughter thundered, making Aokiji's face turn utterly grim.
"Haōshoku Coating!!!" Aokiji managed to choke out, his voice filled with horror and disbelief.
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