Suppression!

Was Yellow Monkey physically weak?

No, he was not!

To become an admiral, one could not have any glaring weaknesses.

It was just that compared to his other aspects, Yellow Monkey's physique was indeed somewhat lacking!

At the very least, in Ian's eyes, Yellow Monkey's physique was not as formidable as Donquixote Doflamingo's or Hawk-Eye's!

Perhaps because he had grown accustomed to fighting with the Glint-Glint Fruit, Yellow Monkey had neglected to temper his body!

As for Ian's physique, after Bankai Hyorinmaru, it seemed to have passively improved in order to support Hyorinmaru's Bankai.

By Ian's own estimation, he was no longer inferior to Donquixote Doflamingo—he might even have surpassed him!

Ian seized Yellow Monkey with his left hand, his pupils widening as Conqueror's Haki crushed down upon Yellow Monkey and disrupted his movements. He raised Hyorinmaru with his right hand and slashed down!

With a sharp hiss, the slash missed. Just as Ian's sword was about to fall, Yellow Monkey's body abruptly dissolved into particles of light, evading the strike.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As Ian's sword fell, countless ice spikes burst from the ground like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, spreading outward in a straight line!

The surrounding temperature plummeted, and snowflakes began drifting through the air!

"Even Armament Haki can't completely seize an elementalized body?" Ian looked at Yellow Monkey, who had appeared on the other side with sweat beading on his forehead, and muttered to himself.

Just now, Ian's left hand had suddenly gone empty as Yellow Monkey escaped through elementalization.

That also made Ian realize that while Armament Haki could strike a Logia, it could not completely restrict a Logia's elementalization like Sea-Prism Stone could!

"That was really close. I almost got cut in half by you! And as expected, it really is an ice-type ability?" Yellow Monkey wiped away his sweat. Fortunately, his reflexes were quick enough that he had reacted at the last moment and shaken off the impact of the Conqueror's Haki. Otherwise, he might really have been cut in half by now...

"Next time, you won't be so lucky!" Ian did not mind. If an admiral were so easy to deal with, they would not be the Navy's highest combat power!

Ice Dragon Tailspin! Ian used Flash Step beneath his feet and caught up to Yellow Monkey. After Shikai, a crescent-shaped chain appeared at the end of Hyorinmaru, and the blade drew forth icy crystals and swept forward in a wide arc.

With a hum, ice crystals formed along the blade. As it swept through the air, everything before it was completely frozen, its cold aura chilling to the bone!

"What a nuisance..." Ian snorted coldly. His previous attack had still missed. Yellow Monkey's teleportation speed was now unimaginably fast—he practically vanished from where he stood in an instant, and even Ian's Observation Haki had failed to catch him.

Within this space blanketed by light particles, Yellow Monkey's body could appear anywhere he pleased. The moment he made up his mind, he would vanish without a trace!

Yasakani no Magatama! Yellow Monkey appeared above Ian, crossing his hands as golden light scattered outward. Dense golden beams abruptly rained down from the sky like a barrage, covering everything within a hundred meters. Unless one possessed teleportation like his, there was simply no way to evade them!

Prism Ice Barrier Formation! Ian pointed his sword toward the sky, and surging frost formed an ice wall before him. Armament Haki coated it, turning it pitch-black. No matter how the rain of light bombarded it, it remained immovable!

Boom! Boom! Boom...

A series of explosions rang out. Ian hid behind the ice shield, his gaze suddenly sharpening as golden light lit up all around him once again. The golden glow blossomed, and a sense of danger surged into his heart.

"Again?" Ian was growing annoyed. Yellow Monkey was extremely slippery, and his attacks came without any trace to follow. If Ian's Observation Haki had not already gained Future Sight, he would not even have had time to react!

In the next moment, ice crystals formed into a shield that encased Ian's body and blocked the endless explosions. When the ice shield shattered, Ian's expression had already turned somewhat grim.

Nameless Divine Wind Style: Ice Dragon! Endless frost gathered upon the sword's edge. Ian wielded all kinds of techniques as naturally as his own limbs, combining Hyorinmaru's frost with the slashes of the Nameless Divine Wind Style to unleash even more terrifying power!

Roar!

An ice dragon soared forth from the blade, charging ahead with an unstoppable, invincible momentum. Wherever it passed, frigid sword energy swept through the surroundings, as though the entire space had been frozen solid.

Even the movement frequency of the particles slowed!

"Hm? This strange sensation feels familiar... Aokiji's ability? Can this guy achieve such a level too?" Yellow Monkey's expression changed slightly as he sensed the abnormality in the light elements within this space.

Could this frost actually affect even the light elements after his awakening?

It could not help but remind him of Aokiji's ability!

Aokiji's awakened ability could achieve the same thing, and even more powerfully than Ian's!

But that was the Logia Ice-Ice Fruit, and it required awakening to reach such a level!

So what exactly was going on with this brat?

Ama no Murakumo Sword! Facing the charging ice dragon, Yellow Monkey did not dare let down his guard. He drew another sword of light, and the surrounding light particles merged into it. In an instant, the light sword in his hand radiated endless seven-colored brilliance, its blade growing even larger until it was more than ten meters long!

Aurora Slash! A sharp glint flashed through Yellow Monkey's eyes. Before obtaining the Glint-Glint Fruit, he had also been a skilled swordsman. His swordsmanship was formidable, and he had reached the Swordmaster Realm!

His Observation Haki caught the ice dragon rushing toward him. Gripping his sword with both hands, he slashed fiercely!

Rumble!

The attacks collided with a terrifying roar. Frost spilled outward as seven-colored radiance burst forth. The two equally terrifying attacks clashed against each other, neither yielding an inch!

Shockwaves spread in all directions, tearing up the ground. Wherever sword energy passed, deep ravines were carved out, then frozen over by the frost. It was as though the entire world had been remade!

Nameless Divine Wind Style: White Tiger! A tiger's roar echoed across the land as a slash nearly a thousand meters long struck the center of the collision. Its immense power erupted, completely dispersing the aftermath of the two attacks. The surroundings cleared, but the slash continued onward without losing momentum!

"Give this old man a break..." Yellow Monkey's mouth twitched. A red gleam flashed through his eyes as his Observation Haki caught the attack. In the next instant, he flashed away from where he stood and appeared elsewhere.

This time, Ian pushed his Observation Haki to its limit and foresaw several seconds into the future. His eyes lit up, and he moved ahead of time, vanishing from where he stood.

At the very moment Ian appeared, Yellow Monkey's body also emerged before him, putting them directly face-to-face!

"Got you!" Ian grinned coldly, his sword momentum rising again as he slashed down without mercy!

"Damn it!" The instant Yellow Monkey appeared, he saw the slash coming toward him. His expression changed drastically. There was no time to evade, so he could only barely assume a defensive stance, raising both arms before him as Armament Haki coated them and endless golden light blazed forth!

With a boom, Ian's slash struck directly against Yellow Monkey's arms!

Yellow Monkey felt agonizing pain shoot through both arms. Deep wounds that exposed bone appeared, blood spraying outward. The force of Ian's attack sent his entire body flying like a laser beam, plummeting from the sky!

With a rumble, a massive crater nearly a hundred meters wide appeared in the ground, its depths pitch-black!

"Damn it, what a monster..." Inside the crater, Yellow Monkey coughed up mouthfuls of blood, his aura weakening slightly. Yet in the next moment, his body dissolved into golden light. He reappeared beside the crater, using Life Return to forcibly stop the wounds on his arms from bleeding. He looked up at Ian, his expression incomparably solemn!

Ian looked down upon Yellow Monkey from above like a god and said calmly, "You're really tough. I only broke through your defense? Then... try my awakening..."

Ian grinned coldly, his aura surging once more as he softly spoke, "Bankai: Daiguren Hyorinmaru..."