One Piece: Chopping Ace Back to Foosha Village at the Start

Aokiji landed lightly, blade of ice still in hand.

"The gap isn't as wide as you think," he remarked. "What you lack is real battle time. Throwing out Armament and flying slashes from the start must have drained you."

He gave a lazy shrug. "At your age I was nowhere near this strong. Scary stuff. But if this is all you've got, I'll be taking Robin with me."

Wayne rolled his neck until the joints popped. "Then I'll show you my real strength."

System: raise Body‑Technique to Tier 7.

• Tier 6 (1 000 / 5 000) → Tier 7 (0 / 10 000)

• Life Points −4 000 → 1 106.

A surge of raw power flooded Wayne's limbs true "admiral‑class" stamina. Seven days and nights of fighting were now within reach.

He grinned at Kuzan. "Round two?"

The admiral's eyes narrowed. Wayne's life‑force signature had spiked.

"Regenerating mid‑fight? Is that your Devil Fruit?"

Wayne only clicked his tongue and swallowed a white bean.

Imitation Senzu (white): restores one‑third stamina, no wound healing.

Strength roared back through his muscles. With a burst of Geppo he re‑entered the fray.

"Cheat skills, eh? Fine let's see how long they last!" Aokiji moved to meet him.

The duel resumed, blades and frost clashing for another full day. At noon of the second day the admiral finally pulled back, breathing harder than before.

"Your power's greater than the files say and your stamina's nearly my equal," he admitted.

Wayne spat a thread of blood and laughed. "Same to you, monster." Both men were battered; the island beneath them had been carved flat on one side and frozen solid on the other.

Aboard the Apocalypse, Kuro reported through a spyglass.

"They're at it again no, wait, more trash talk… Gloria, stop throwing things!"

Robin tried to stay calm, but her clenched fists betrayed her worry.

Back on the island Kuzan rubbed his empty stomach. "Wayne‑kun, hungry yet? How about we call it and grab lunch?"

Wayne's eyes blazed. "You want to quit now? Take another of my slashes first."

"Dragon's Nest Flash-!"

Hundreds of Armament‑laced blades screamed toward Aokiji.

"Observation can barely track those…" he muttered, phasing in and out of ice. Even so, one cut ripped his coat.

Wayne shifted stance. "Next: Nine‑Headed Dragon Flash!"

Nine lethal arcs sprang out, armored in black Haki and spiralling like a dragon. The attack sealed every escape route.

Aokiji's expression hardened. "Guess I really can't dodge." Bitter cold poured from his arms.

"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"

Twin ice birds collided with the dragon; shock‑waves froze trees and shattered stone. When the mist cleared a deep gash bled down Aokiji's right side instantly sealed by frost.

"So Logia types can bleed," Wayne said, wiping his mouth. He, too, was marked by countless frost burns.

"Close one," Kuzan conceded. "If I hadn't hardened in time, I'd be sliced in two."

Wayne raised Snowchaser again. "Spare me the commentary you're not beaten yet."

The admiral chuckled, then sheathed his ice blade. "Actually… I think I've seen enough. Your conviction to protect Nico Robin is real and you're strong enough to back it. Arresting her today would cost too much, even for me."

He turned toward the sea. "Wayne‑kun, take care of that girl. The world government won't stop hunting her."

Wayne kept his sword raised. "And if they send you again?"

"Then we'll settle it properly." Kuzan swung a leg over his repaired bicycle, rolled onto the ice, and began pedalling away.

Only when the admiral's figure blurred into the horizon did Wayne finally lower Snowchaser. He exhaled a long, shaky breath then smiled toward the distant Apocalypse.

"Let's go home, everyone. Robin, you're safe."

Far off, Robin pressed a hand to her eyes, whispering a single, relieved word.

"Captain."