Sun vs. Frozen

Aokiji paid no attention to the petty officer's muttering.

Instead, a massive amount of cold air began pouring from his body, as though he was deeply enraged. He asked Rear Admiral Stolo, "That was the one who killed our soldiers, correct?"

Strawberry snapped back to his senses and immediately replied, "Yes, Vice Admiral. That man is called Norse, and he hid himself very well. The World Government's bounty on him was actually only one hundred berries. But in reality, not only can he fly freely, but all sorts of his methods are simply unbelievable."

"Someone who can fly... That's quite a rare ability." Aokiji frowned at that.

He thought to himself that pirates capable of flying freely were exceedingly rare.

Could it be that Golden Lion Shiki, who had suddenly vanished ten years ago, was actually dead? Had the Float-Float Fruit changed hands and reappeared upon the seas?

"Does he have a criminal record?"

"This... It seems he doesn't have any record of criminal activity. All the detailed information was provided by the secret intelligence agency P three months ago. It stated only that he was a gifted cook and a ship's doctor who had treated many patients. Then, three months ago, when the Kuja Pirates ambushed our ship, he did not participate in the battle either. Yet today, he suddenly seemed like a completely different person. Without a word of warning, he displayed unfathomable power!"

Rear Admiral Stolo said a great deal in one breath. Every word was true and credible; he did not dare deceive Vice Admiral Aokiji before him.

"Ice Horse Man, I hear you're a monster from Marine Headquarters, and that you've become renowned across the seas these past few years. I wonder, if you lose to me, how much will the World Government raise my bounty?"

Suddenly, Norse used Gravity Flight, landing arrogantly atop the mast of Aokiji's warship. As he bent over and looked down at Aokiji below, the battle intent around him spilled out uncontrollably.

But Norse quickly became displeased.

He sneered. "I, Norse, only have a bounty of one hundred berries. You Marines really are boring. Do you look down on me that much? Or are you telling me that even an animal is worth more than I am?"

Norse simply could not understand how he had ended up with a bounty of one hundred berries. It made him worth less than even a reindeer, becoming the greatest humiliation of his life.

In the end, Norse could not hold himself back any longer and erupted on the spot.

"Descend, Sun of Calamity!"

Norse raised one hand toward the sky in an incomparably domineering pose, and the clouds high above began to churn and darken.

Then, a speck of red light suddenly appeared, as if it had pierced through the shroud of darkness. It spun and expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The thick layers of dark clouds around it began changing color, directly turning into clouds blazing like fire across the sky.

All of it seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.

The sky changed, and the sea was stained red as well, like the end of the world—or the descent of hell.

A sun-like sphere, as though burning at close range, floated above Norse's head. It occupied the very center of the sky and heavens, releasing astonishing destructive power as if it could destroy this entire world.

No one could contend against it.

"Aokiji, do you dare fight me now?"

Norse roared out his ultimate challenge, his eyes filled with disdain. "Hmph! Even if you refuse to fight, this move will still descend."

All the Marines began to panic.

This guy was far too domineering and terrifying!

At the same time, one thought would not leave their minds: how could this man's danger rating possibly be worth only one hundred berries?

There was no need to think further. The information provided by the secret intelligence agency P had been wrong. After all, judging from this world-changing move alone, even an admiral or one of the Four Emperors might not be capable of much more, right?

As for the pirates aboard the Kuja pirate ship, they were all dumbfounded, as though they were seeing Norse for the first time.

Beyond disbelief, there was only more disbelief. Who could have imagined that Lord Norse aboard their ship had become this terrifying? With a mere gesture, he had made heaven and earth change color.

Could he be about to become the fifth emperor of the seas?

Did it have to be this thrilling? This surprising and unexpected?

"I will stop you with all my strength," Aokiji said expressionlessly.

In truth, his heart was heavy. He felt that he had encountered a pirate he could not afford to provoke today. But for the soldiers behind him, and for the innocent soldiers who had died earlier, as a vice admiral of Marine Headquarters, he had to capture this terrifying man.

"Very good. You truly are a hero!"

Norse's raised hand slowly pressed downward.

The basketball-sized Sun of Calamity followed, beginning to descend from above, about to destroy everything below.

Aokiji did not dare be careless at the sight.

Today's opponent might be the strongest enemy he had encountered in more than ten years of service. He could not hide any of his strength and decided to go all out.

Otherwise, if he failed, the entire force would be wiped out, and the name Aokiji would suffer a devastating fall.

"Violent Beak Chick, Ice-Made Infinite Enhancement."

In that instant, a shocking wave of cold air surged from Aokiji's body, spreading into a vast expanse of white like startling clouds above the heavens.

At the same time, an ice bird rapidly condensed around Aokiji's right arm and shot toward the so-called Sun of Calamity in the sky.

It displayed tremendous impact and destructive force on the spot.

However, while flying upward, the ice bird received further reinforcement. The surging, majestic cold air wrapped around it once more, strengthening it.

In the blink of an eye, under Ice-Made Infinite Enhancement, the ice bird expanded by more than ten times in midair, reaching a length of one hundred meters and displaying even more terrifying freezing power.

Everywhere the ice bird passed, it left behind a frozen path. Its enormous beak, releasing icy air, sought to swallow the descending Sun of Calamity in a single bite.

Aokiji still said, "I have to admit, you possess a power that terrifies countless people. But I'll give it everything I have and let the frozen Violent Beak Chick devour that sun-like power of yours—perhaps even extinguish all its light and fire beneath unimaginable scorching heat."

"Is that so? But no one can devour my sun." Norse gritted his teeth, torrents of firelight bursting from his body.

At the same time, the Sun of Calamity descending from above suddenly unleashed even fiercer fire and light, radiating an even more terrifying temperature.

As the Sun of Calamity grew stronger, even the space in its path began to warp and tear apart, with specks of black already forming.

Like a black hole with terrifying devouring power.

"Damn!"

Aokiji was startled.

Wasn't this a little too powerful?

But Aokiji had no answer to this. He could only go all out, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

Preparing to make one final stand, he drew upon all his power, continuously releasing frigid air from his entire body. On the spot, his power formed a two-layered scene of ice above and fire below against Norse's.

Under such output—

Even the space behind Aokiji seemed frozen solid. Needless to say, the Marines behind him were naturally all temporarily frozen under these circumstances.

As for the Sun of Calamity descending from above, it was swallowed whole by the giant ice bird. But this was only the beginning; it did not mean this was the end.

Norse had said that no one could devour his sun. Even if its heat could be removed, its light would not disappear because of it.

What was more, whether this ice bird could seal and destroy Norse's Sun of Calamity still depended on how long Aokiji himself could maintain this output. Only then could it be determined whether he could suppress Norse's undying light and fire during this time.

PS: I'm not asking for anything anymore. It feels like asking is useless anyway, since the problem is that I haven't written well enough myself. I don't want to get criticized and feel burdened, like I've wasted your votes.