"Aokiji, can you handle it?"
Sengoku looked at Aokiji, his heart heavy with emotion.
"I should be able to."
Aokiji's face was grim. He had been forced into this position.
"Momousagi, help take some of the pressure off Aokiji."
Vice Admiral Tsuru kept her eyes fixed on Werther.
Werther looked at the four of them in puzzlement. What kind of formation was this?
Blue light flashed. Werther vanished, then reappeared in front of Aokiji and Momousagi.
"He's coming, straight ahe—"
Werther appeared before Tsuru could finish her warning.
He swung another seemingly ordinary slash, this time at Aokiji.
Boom!
The force shattered the stone beneath Aokiji's feet, driving both his shins into the ground.
Crack, crack.
Cracks spread across the Ice Saber in Aokiji's hand. It was about to give way.
"Momo—"
Momousagi slashed at Werther from the side. Before her blade landed, Sengoku arrived too, bringing a golden palm down toward Werther's face.
Werther drew a deep breath, tensed every muscle, and put more strength into his sword, forcing Aokiji back.
As soon as Aokiji retreated, Momousagi's attack reached him.
Werther reversed his grip on his sword and held it before his forearm.
His blade caught Momousagi's, then angled aside where their edges met.
Momousagi's sword slid forward. The momentum made her stumble, though she quickly regained her balance.
That tiny misstep was all Werther needed.
Coating his free arm in Armament Haki, Werther stepped close and drove an elbow into Momousagi's chest.
Her full chest compressed, then buckled under the blow.
The impact knocked the breath from her lungs. Her mouth fell open, and she spat up sour fluid.
Werther was not finished. Momousagi's body began to tip backward from the elbow strike.
He drew back his fist and punched her under the jaw.
Bang! Momousagi became a