At the same time, Aokiji's iron fist was about to crash down on Ian's body.
He truly had surpassed his teacher; his speed was even faster than Zephyr's.
But his punch swung through empty air—his fist passed straight through Ian's chest.
"Ugh!!"
Instead, Aokiji let out a muffled groan.
Ian's chest had formed a hole of flames, and the blazing fire caused Aokiji intense pain.
Then Ian retaliated with a punch to his chest.
Aokiji couldn't avoid it like Ian could by elemental transformation because the Haki wrapped around Ian's fist was overwhelmingly fierce.
"Argh!!"
The Marine Admiral spat out blood. Ian's immense power combined with his raging Armament and Conqueror's Haki instantly dealt a heavy blow.
"This power is outrageous!"
Aokiji immediately fell like a meteor crashing down.
At the same time, Zephyr's fist was already hurtling forward.
Accompanying it was Gion's long blade.
Red light flickered in Ian's eyes—he was already familiar with the future scenes unfolding before him.
"Oh?"
A smile gradually spread across Ian's lips. It seemed he had seen a very interesting future.
"Come then."
"Fight me."
He opened his arms wide, as if to embrace these two who were glaring murderous intent at him.
A perfect opportunity!!
Zephyr's eyes suddenly burst with fierce excitement!
"Ian, pay the price for your arrogance!!"
"Gion!"
Zephyr roared, his jet-black iron fist smashing directly into Ian's chest.
"Yes! Teacher Zephyr!!"
Gion was overwhelmed with joy.
Was she finally going to defeat that bastard Ian?
Her long blade swept horizontally.
At the very moment Ian's powers were suppressed by the Sea Prism Stone and his true form returned, she would sever his neck without hesitation!
And then—
"Oh no."
Ian gasped. "What's happening?! My strength… it's gone!"
His chest was pierced clean through by Zephyr's iron fist.
It worked!
Zephyr looked up, thrilled.
But—
His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the hole in Ian's chest.
It had already turned into blazing flames, wrapping around his steel arm.
His power… hadn't been suppressed?
"Die!"
With a sharp cry, Gion's pitch-black blade came down upon Ian's neck.
A clear metallic ding rang out as the blade struck—and went no further.
"What?"
Vice Admiral Gion stared in disbelief at the point where her sword had landed.
"I was just messing with you," Ian said with a gentle smile. "You really thought it was going to work?"
Zephyr's expression changed instantly.
It didn't work?
The Sea Prism Stone didn't work?!
Impossible!
How could something like this exist in the world?!
"You still don't get it?"
Ian lifted both fists, smiling lazily. Black lightning crackled around them.
"The flames I transform into have no physical form. Not even Haki can touch them—how could Sea Prism Stone possibly affect me?"
Zephyr's eyes went wide.
Not even Sea Prism Stone could do anything?
Was this guy's ability… invincible?!
"If you understand now…"
Ian's fists came crashing down.
"The Winged Dragon of Ra's Iron Fist."
"Gion!!"
Zephyr tried to pull his arm back to defend, but his eyes instinctively darted to the disciple beside him.
No mercy!
Ian's iron fist smashed into Gion's chest.
The overwhelming force and terrifying Haki exploded at once, caving in her chest and sending fragments of her internal organs spraying from her mouth.
Zephyr's eyes nearly burst from their sockets in rage, but he was powerless—he too had just been punched out of the sky by Ian.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two black shadows crashed down one after another, slamming into the frozen tundra created by Aokiji. The ice shattered instantly, sending a towering wave of fragments into the air.
"Gion-chan!!"
As Gion's loyal simp, Tokikake's eyes turned bloodshot at the sight.
"IAN!!" he roared furiously.
"Calling me?"
A voice, tinged with amusement, echoed right in front of him.
Tokikake spun around—Ian was already standing there.
His pupils shrank to their absolute limit.
"Tokikake! Get back!"
A hand suddenly gripped his shoulder and yanked him backward.
At the same time, a jet-black fist came hurtling toward Ian.
"Haaah!"
Aokiji, his chin still bloodied from his earlier clash, had just returned to the sky. He launched his punch with all his might, the shockwave of Haki rippling outward with undeniable force. It was a strike that truly bore the style of his teacher—Garp.
But Ian simply extended his right hand.
Like an immovable reef in the ocean, he stood firm against the raging wave of Haki. He even tore through the wave with ease and caught Aokiji's fist in his palm.
"Your Haki and strength are just completely absurd!!"
Aokiji shouted in frustration.
He unleashed the full extent of his freezing power, and ice began to form across Ian's body.
But the frost lasted only a heartbeat—then vanished completely without a trace.
This was beyond reason.
Defeat flickered in Aokiji's eyes.
He, who had been hailed as a monster since the day he joined the Marines, now felt utterly ashamed.
Ian's right arm flexed, and with a powerful yank, he pulled Aokiji helplessly toward him.
"Kuzan-san!!"
Tokikake roared as he lunged forward with a devastating punch.
"Boar Charge!!"
His fist transformed into the head of a wild boar, long tusks spiraling outward with brutal force. Covered in armament Haki, the beast-shaped strike charged straight at Ian.
But Ian didn't even flinch. It was as if he hadn't seen Tokikake's attack at all. His left fist moved forward, slow and steady—like the calm before a storm.
"Waaahhh!!"
Tokikake screamed in pain.
His earthen-armored fist shattered instantly under the impact. Ian's punch didn't stop there—it bulldozed ahead, meeting Aokiji's incoming strike head-on.
Haki exploded violently at the collision.
"Ugh—ahhh!!"
Aokiji cried out as his body was hurled through the air, crashing down again in defeat.
"Kuzan-san!!"
Tokikake turned back in disbelief.
Even an admiral... couldn't withstand this man's power?
Before he could react, a hand clamped tightly around his throat.
"Urgh!!"
His face flushed crimson, veins bulging, but he couldn't make a sound. Ian's fingers squeezed like an iron vice.
Tokikake instinctively tried to shift into his elemental form to escape. But Ian's Conqueror's Haki surged around them, locking down on his body like a cage of thunder. The transformation failed—his body was pinned by overwhelming willpower.
Desperate, Tokikake threw wild punches at Ian.
But it was useless.
His blows did nothing, merely stirring flame-like ripples across Ian's form. The man didn't even blink.
"Zephyr-sensei, hurry up," Ian called toward the sea, his voice cold. "If you don't come now, you'll miss your final chance to see your student."
"Ian!!"
A roar tore through the waves.
From below, a figure burst from the ocean—Zephyr, the former admiral. His massive Seastone mechanical arm was already bent from Ian's earlier blow.
"Let him go!!" Zephyr's eyes burned with rage.
Tokikake was one of his students. One of his few remaining hopes.
Zephyr swung his iron fist straight toward Ian's head.
Ian simply smiled.
He let the punch pass right through him—his body momentarily intangible.
Then he raised his right hand. Calmly. Deliberately. His fingers flattened into a blade.
"Remember this moment, Zephyr-sensei," he said, voice low and sharp as a dagger.
"Stop!! I said stop!!!"
Zephyr roared, slashing again and again at Ian's arm, desperate to save his student.
But his blows never landed.
He couldn't even touch Ian.
"This feeling…" Ian whispered. "This is what they call helplessness."
Shhk!
Ian's right hand drove forward.
The blade pierced straight through Tokikake's chest.
Zephyr froze.
"Urgh!!"
Tokikake choked on blood. His mouth opened and closed, gasping, but still no words came out.
Then—
"This power…" Ian clenched his right hand into a fist.
A burst of flame exploded outward.
Tokikake's body was instantly engulfed.
"…is enough to make you despair, isn't it?"
**********
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