"Another tricky opponent," Aokiji muttered, rubbing his temple in mild irritation.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, fiery red orbs shot out from the blazing inferno below like a barrage of bullets, racing upward toward him.
In an instant, Aokiji's figure vanished, dissolving into thin air as if he had never been there.
Down below, Kaguya remained calm. Her hands slammed against the ground.
Boom! Boom!
The earth trembled violently, rising and twisting as though a massive dragon stirred beneath its surface.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
From the ground, massive bone spurs erupted skyward, each as thick as an ancient tree. Within moments, the landscape had transformed into a deadly forest of bones, sharp enough to pierce through steel.
One of the bone spurs skewered a frozen figure — Aokiji's ice body shattered under the blow before he reappeared mid-air, his boots pressing against the air itself as he used Geppo to steady himself.
Looking down at the forest of blades below, Aokiji's scalp tingled.
If he hadn't reacted in time, if this woman hadn't known Armament Haki, he might've been done for already.
Troublesome! he thought grimly.
"This level of strength… she's comparable to an Admiral. And this ability — manipulating bones?"
He didn't want this fight. Not here.
The Sabaody Archipelago was far too important, owned by Celestial Dragons and world nobles. If he unleashed his full power, the damage would be catastrophic — even a Marine Admiral couldn't afford that.
And worse… if all this noise drew Ayanami Kaito, her husband — he'd be finished.
Fighting one of them was bad enough. Facing both? Impossible.
Aokiji began to retreat mentally.
Below, Kaguya watched the white forest of bones darken, a gleaming black sheen spreading across them like liquid metal. Each spike radiated power.
"This is… Armament Haki!" Aokiji muttered. "So she can use it too… no wonder she's so strong."
Kaguya's lips curved slightly. "Just as Kaito-kun said… Armament Haki restrains Devil Fruit users perfectly. If that ice man gets stabbed now, he won't be turning into mist again."
She extended her palm toward the sky.
Sensing the danger, Aokiji instantly activated Soru, vanishing from her line of sight. He knew that gesture — it meant either gravitational or repulsive force. Getting caught would be fatal.
A flicker of surprise crossed Kaguya's pale eyes. "You know my ability… impressive. But let's see how long you can keep running."
The air rippled — and Kaguya vanished.
Aokiji reappeared on the roof of a nearby building, panting slightly. "Tch… better to report this to Fleet Admiral Sengoku. I can't handle her alone."
He gave a bitter smile. "Those two really are a pair — husband and wife, both with Admiral-level strength. Not a normal family, that's for sure."
He turned to leave — but before he could move, an immense pull seized his body.
Vrrrmmmm!
The invisible force dragged him backward, every muscle locking up. He couldn't even resist.
"This suction…!" Aokiji's eyes widened. "I can't move. It's like… some kind of invisible gravitational beam."
He tried to free himself, but it was useless.
Damn it. How did she find me so fast?
He let out a weak laugh. "Guess I'll be the first Marine Admiral to get captured by a female pirate…"
Ahead, a slender figure appeared, her hand outstretched casually.
Aokiji's heart sank.
Boom!
Kaguya's body split into a Shadow Clone. The clone summoned several black iron rods — the same kind used by Pain — infused with Armament Haki.
Before Aokiji could react, the rods pierced through his limbs, sealing his strength.
The suction faded. Blood spilled onto the ground as Aokiji crashed helplessly into the dirt.
From the soil, thick branches surged upward, coiling around him like living vines. His energy began to drain away rapidly.
"What's happening? My strength… it's vanishing!" he gasped, eyes wide.
Kaguya stepped beside him, her expression calm and cold.
"Not killing me?" he asked hoarsely.
"No," Kaguya replied lightly. "You're worth ten billion Berries. Same as the magma fool — just my pocket money."
"Pocket money…" Aokiji gave a bitter chuckle. "Guess I'm being ransomed like Akainu now. Sengoku's going to lose his mind over this."
Kaguya reached into a rift in space, pulling out a transponder snail — the one Sengoku had given to Kaito earlier.
Aokiji's eyes widened again. "Spatial ability too?"
Kaguya raised the snail to her lips. "Moshi moshi. Fleet Admiral Sengoku? I'm Kaguya — Kaito's wife. I've got your Ice Admiral here. Bring ten billion Berries if you want him back."
"What?" Sengoku's voice thundered through the snail. "Kaito's wife? Wait — the one who uses ice? Don't tell me you mean Aokiji!"
"It's me, Sengoku," Aokiji said weakly. "We fought… and I lost. She's the one who killed that Celestial Dragon, and she's got me now."
"What did you say?!" Sengoku's furious voice roared through the line. "Kaito's wife is the one who killed Saint Charles Rose?! And you— you were defeated by her?! Where's Kaito?! Did he join her too?!"
The transponder snail trembled from the sheer rage in his voice.
Kaguya only smiled faintly.
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Happy new month, Ladies and Gents 🍁
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