"Damn it! What kind of monstrous technology has the World Government developed?!"
Garp clutched the deep laceration across his chest, roaring with fury.
"Not only did you commit such unforgivable acts against Rouge, a pregnant woman... but you even turned Roger into a sword?!"
Fueled by rage, he lunged forward, trying to snatch the sacred sword, God Avoid, from Daemon's hands.
But before he could reach them, a chilling voice rang out across the battlefield.
"Ice Calvary!"
Boom —!!
Under Esdeath's command, thousands of ice cavalry charged forward like an unstoppable army. Their galloping hooves thundered through the air, trampling over Garp with terrifying momentum.
These ice cavalry were different from before.
Their forms were sharper, more lifelike, and even their weapons and armor gleamed with a new, upgraded brilliance.
After her battle with Silvers Rayleigh, Esdeath had used the boost from her God of War power to push her strength even further.
The Ice Queen... had ascended once again!
Bang!
Already severely wounded, Garp stood no chance.
He was hurled back by the stampede and crashed into the ground — the devastating freezing air sealing him into a towering ice sculpture almost instantly.
Without hesitation, Yamamoto Mei stepped forward, raising her wrist.
Her voice was soft but chilling:
"Hadō No. 90 — Black Coffin."
Previously, she had restrained herself in battles like the one against Aokiji, to avoid overkilling enemies with her sword techniques.
But against Garp... distance and precision were necessary.
Besides, Yamamoto Mei was thoughtful:
She didn't want her [Straight Death] ability to instantly kill Garp, as that might deprive Daemon of a precious new treasure.
Buzz —
A cube of inky darkness enveloped Garp's frozen figure.
Thousands of pitch-black spears formed inside the coffin, piercing the structure from every direction in a merciless barrage.
Whoosh—
The black coffin shattered.
Garp's broken, bloodied body collapsed onto the ground, surrounded by shards of shattered ice.
Not far away, Akainu fell into stunned silence.
The invincible Vice Admiral Garp — the man who could have crushed him not long ago — now lay battered and broken at someone else's feet.
His confidence shook.
"Mr. Garp!"
A furious cry split the air.
The returning Aokiji, witnessing his mentor's miserable state, erupted with rage.
"Frozen Time Capsule!"
With a slam of his palm, an earth-shattering wave of cold air raced toward Daemon's group.
Everything in its path — even the void itself — froze over in an instant.
But as Yamamoto Mei prepared to intercept it, Esdeath calmly raised a hand, stopping her.
"Allow me."
A rare, almost emotional look crossed her face as she gazed at the onrushing attack.
Once upon a time, before she obtained the power of the chat group, Esdeath might have been unable to defeat a natural freezing-type user like Aokiji.
Back then, even her Demon Manifestation could only barely freeze time and space — she lacked the raw physical might.
But now...
Now, she was different.
Having single-handedly challenged entire revolutionary armies and dozens of emperors in her world, continuously tempering herself through countless battles...
And having undergone two consecutive breakthroughs after arriving in the Pirate World...
Esdeath's strength had reached unprecedented heights.
She was no longer that "frog at the bottom of the well" from her former world.
"I will end this."
Her voice carried an undoubtable confidence.
"Demon Manifestation: Demon Essence — Emperor Cold Heaven!!"
An overwhelming wave of freezing energy burst from Esdeath's body, surging toward Aokiji like a roaring tsunami.
Whooosh—!
Two colossal streams of cold air collided in the sky.The impact shook heaven and earth.
Crack, crack, crack—!!
Everything — the air, the ground, the mountains — froze into solid ice.
Layer after layer of ice piled upon each other until a towering glacier, thousands of meters tall, stood where once there was open land.
Only then did Aokiji's cold energy begin to wane...
While Esdeath's freezing force still roared forward.
Before Aokiji could even react, the monstrous cold swallowed him whole.
In an instant, his body froze solid — becoming nothing more than a perfect ice sculpture.
Miyuki Uchiha: "Sister Queen wins again!"
Luo Hao: "As expected. The one who has inherited the power of the God of War — her victory was inevitable."
Jibril: "Hmph. Still far from my level... but acceptable. I shall reluctantly offer some praise."
Erina Nakiri: "S-So powerful...! This kind of force could probably destroy all of China, right?"
Not long ago, even Miyuki Uchiha and the others had agreed that Esdeath might struggle against a logia freezing-type like Aokiji.
After all, his superior stamina meant that even freezing space and time wouldn't significantly harm him.
But today, Esdeath had proven them wrong.
The Ice Queen was not weaker than any natural user — she had surpassed them!
A faint hum of pleasure escaped Esdeath's lips as the God of War power within her stirred again, strengthening her physical body, her abilities — everything.
As long as she continued fighting and growing, she would one day ascend beyond mortals.She would become the true Goddess of War.
"Her freezing ability," thought Yamamoto Mei solemnly, "may not yet match the peak of Hitsugaya Toshiro fully mastering Hyorinmaru... but her potential far exceeds any Soul Reaper. Even me."
There was a faint urgency building in Yamamoto Mei's heart.
Unlike Esdeath, whose power under the God of War system allowed unlimited growth...
Her own path was different.
She had the terrifying [Straight Death] ability, and her blade could even move at light-speed.
But her ceiling — her ultimate limit — had already been set.
If not for the existence of the chat group, allowing her to transcend worlds, perhaps even she would need to gamble on Hollowfication to evolve further.
Suddenly, a weak voice rasped from not far away:
"The old man... hasn't fallen yet... little girl..."
Garp's trembling figure staggered upright.
"...Still standing?!"
Yamamoto Mei's expression twitched slightly.
The monsters of the One Piece world truly had absurd durability.
"You were nearly split in half by my sword... frozen solid by Esdeath... struck by a full-powered Black Coffin..."
"...And you're still alive?!"
She couldn't help but marvel at the superhuman vitality of Garp.
But since he insisted on continuing the fight...
"Very well."
Black energy surged wildly around her as she raised her palm toward him.
"Hadō No. 88 — Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon!!"
In a violent storm of spirit pressure, her black hair whipped about wildly.
A searing thunderbolt of destruction exploded from her hand, hurtling toward the battered hero...
"Yo"
An obscene and lazy voice suddenly descended from the sky.
"Lightspeed Kick!"
A golden flash tore down from the heavens, colliding fiercely with the massive pillar of light.
Boom!!
The explosion shook the sky, as the golden figure was flung backward by the sheer force of the blast, smashing headfirst into the giant iceberg formed during the clash between Esdeath and Aokiji.
Crash ——!!
A violent tremor like an earthquake followed as the towering iceberg shattered into ruins.
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "Ah, things are getting a little too exciting, aren't they?"
Luo Hao: "Such terrifying speed! That must be the Marine Admiral you mentioned—the Kizaru, right?"
Amidst their chatter, a figure with a shameless grin and drooping posture staggered out of the icy debris, a mixture of helplessness and sorrow etched on his face.
The man was none other than Borsalino—The Kizaru.
Daemonpi smiled playfully at him.
"Have you come to aid Garp, Kizaru? Are you planning to disobey me as well?"
From the side, Akainu, gritting his teeth, struggled to rise from the ground. His eyes burned with fury.
"Borsalino!"
He roared, hatred and warning thick in his voice.
"If you dare rebel against Lord Daemon like Kuzan did, I'll personally turn you into barbecue today!"
The Kizaru raised his hands in mock surrender, retreating two steps.
"Ah... I'm sorry, I'm sorry. The old man wouldn't dare oppose you, Lord Daemon. It was just... a bit urgent to block that lady's attack earlier~"
He said lazily, flashing his usual fake smile.
"Hmph. Then what exactly are you here for? Just to watch?"
Akainu snorted coldly, his tone aggressive and suspicious.
The Kizaru sighed internally.
"Originally, I came to stop this battle and prevent a civil war within the Navy..."
He glanced around—the bloodied and panting Garp, the still-frozen Aokiji, the two terrifying women standing ominously nearby, and Daemon himself, whose very presence felt like a blade pressed against one's neck.
He knew.
He had come too late.
If he had arrived sooner, perhaps he could have enforced a truce with his overwhelming speed.
Now... everything was already beyond salvaging.
Marshal Kong had sent him into a death trap.
But there was no choice anymore.
For the sake of a peaceful, comfortable future, he had to endure.
"Marshal Kong, forgive me..."
He muttered in his heart.
Finally, the Kizaru steeled himself and asked:
"Lord Daemon, may I plead for the lives of Vice Admiral Garp and Aokiji?"
Daemon smiled.
"Yes—and no."
The Kizaru blinked in confusion.
"What... What do you mean?"
Daemon chuckled and gestured toward Akainu.
"If you, Kizaru, are willing to pledge your loyalty and fully support Sakazuki in the Navy from today onward, I will spare the life of Aokiji."
The battlefield froze.
Akainu's eyes widened with joy and admiration toward Daemon.
Daemon was truly the perfect superior!
Even now, he was thinking about ensuring Akainu's rise.
Meanwhile, the Kizaru's heart sank deeper.
To give up his easy-going life and wholeheartedly support the radical Akainu?
It was no different from sending himself to the frontlines endlessly, hunting pirates day and night.
It was torture.
And worse still—Daemon's words carried a heavy, hidden meaning.
Spare Aokiji...
But Garp?
No mention at all.
Miyuki Uchiha: "Garp is dead for sure."
Miyuki Uchiha: "For Daemon's new Noble Phantasm, and for his rebellion, there's no way he'll be spared."
Esdeath: "Indeed. Aokiji is still young. Killing him now would be a waste. But punishment is inevitable."
Jibril: "Hmm~ how about breaking his legs first and sending me the pieces?"
Erina Nakiri: "Break his... legs?!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "Get used to it, little chef. No one in this group is normal."
Erina Nakiri: "Ughhh..."
As the chat group buzzed with their opinions, one thing was clear:
Garp was doomed.
Daemon's attention returned to the Kizaru.
"What's the matter? Make your choice. Garp is beyond saving, but the boy's fate still rests in your hands."
The Kizaru closed his eyes.
After a long silence, he let out a bitter laugh.
"Daemon Saint... you're truly heartless."
But he knew he had no other choice.
Defy Daemon?
After seeing Garp defeated and frozen? After seeing Aokiji's helpless state?
That would be suicide.
"Forgive me, Marshal Kong... Admiral Sengoku..."
He turned to Akainu, forcing seriousness onto his usually carefree face.
"Sakazuki... From today onward, I entrust everything to you."
Akainu trembled with excitement, his heart filled with endless respect and gratitude toward Daemon.
With Daemon's favor behind him, his dream of becoming an Admiral no longer seemed distant.
Suddenly, Garp, soaked in blood, staggered to his feet once more.
"You bastards! Even you, Borsalino, you traitor!"
He roared, lunging desperately toward Daemon.
"How stubborn."
Esdeath frowned in irritation. With a sharp stomp of her heel, a torrent of cold air erupted.
Snap—!!
Garp was instantly frozen into a grotesque ice sculpture.
Daemon didn't even glance at him.
He drew his sword casually—and with a single slash, decapitated the frozen Garp.
Blood and shattered ice sprayed across the ground.
Just like that, the Navy's legendary hero—Vice Admiral Garp, the man who once cornered the Pirate King and crushed the Rocks Pirates—was dead.(Xebec solos)
Casually. Easily.
As if he were nothing more than a disposable pawn.
The Kizaru stood frozen, numb with disbelief.
Daemon hadn't even bothered with a public execution or symbolic show of authority.
But he didn't need to.
Not after the live broadcast where he destroyed the Rose Kingdom with the Treasure of Thunder, sending shockwaves through the entire world.
Daemon's terrifying reputation was already set in stone.
And soon, the Morgans newspapers would spread it even further.
Daemon was no longer just a Celestial Dragon.He was a living calamity.
Daemon slowly approached the still-frozen Aokiji.
"The death penalty can be avoided, but the living punishment... you won't escape."
He murmured.
Without hesitation, he shattered the ice, drawing several swift strokes with his blade.
"Aaaaarghhh!!!"
Aokiji's screams pierced the silent air.
Daemon had severed both his legs and sliced off his ears.
Blood splattered across the broken ice.
Aokiji collapsed, convulsing in agony.
"Call Marshal Kong. Inform him of the situation."
Daemon ordered calmly.
"Tell him: 'vice Admiral Aokiji' assassinated the hero Garp and defected. He is now a wanted criminal with a bounty of 1.5 billion berries, dead or alive.'"
Daemon smiled wickedly.
The pieces were falling into place.
And soon, the world would know that resistance against him was futile.
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