"It's been five days!"
On the Wind Rider, Nami stared blankly into the distance. The island that had been turned into a frozen wasteland no longer resembled its original form.
By now, the Wind Rider had pulled quite far away from the uninhabited island.
The reason?
In the center of the island, terrifying shockwaves continued to erupt.
A massive iceberg would rise from the ground, only to be violently shattered the next moment.
The entire terrain of the island had been reshaped by the battle between Caelan and Aokiji, making it completely unrecognizable.
Above the island, the clouds had been pushed away, forming a massive vacuum in the sky.
The surrounding seas surged with turbulent waves, stirred by the aftershocks of their fight. No ship could get near.
Even from this far away, Nami and the others could still sense the overwhelming pressure radiating from the island.
"It's terrifying…"
Robin looked at the battlefield roaring in the distance and murmured in disbelief.
This terrifying battle had lasted for five full days.
Compared to this, Crocodile and Enel were nothing.
This was a clash of the highest combat power on the sea. The sky, the land, even the sea itself, was being reshaped by their fight.
"Caelan…"
Robin pursed her pale lips and stared toward the island, worry in her eyes.
She had full trust in Caelan and believed he wouldn't lose.
But five days and nights of brutal combat still made her uneasy.
After all, Caelan was fighting such a formidable opponent because of her.
"Don't worry. He'll win."
Nami patted Robin's shoulder and spoke with confidence.
Vivi and Tashigi also nodded, fully believing in Caelan.
Only Kalifa looked utterly defeated. She'd been pinned down for five days and had no will to resist left.
"Wait… the battle's stopped!"
Nami's eyes widened. She quickly turned the Wind Rider back toward the island.
…
Uninhabited island.
No, it could no longer be called an island.
After five days and nights of relentless combat between Aokiji and Caelan, the island had been utterly destroyed. The real land was now more than 30 meters below sea level.
The battlefield where they stood was entirely frozen over by Aokiji's Ice-Ice Fruit.
"Huff… Huff…"
Aokiji leaned on his ice blade, breathing heavily.
His body was covered in wounds, both minor and major. Every time he moved, sharp pain shot through him.
His Admiral's uniform was soaked in blood. From Aokiji to Akainu, he had truly been beaten black and blue.
"Hey, come on, I'm not done yet!"
Caelan shouted in frustration, his fighting spirit still burning.
His clothes were tattered, revealing his muscular physique.
Red marks lined his body, but they were already healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
He'd be fully recovered in no time.
"You win. You're a monster. I can't keep up."
Aokiji groaned weakly, unable to lift a finger.
Looking at the still-energetic Caelan, he was completely convinced.
In the last five days and nights, the number of attacks he had landed on Caelan could have killed hundreds of pirates like Crocodile.
But Caelan, like some kind of freakish beast, had an unbelievably tough body and terrifying regeneration.
He took all those attacks, and yet came out fine.
And his stamina? Bottomless.
Even with his ability to draw energy from the surrounding environment, Aokiji still couldn't outlast him.
Five days of fighting had exhausted him to the core, yet Caelan looked like he could go for another five.
"Alright, alright."
Seeing Aokiji like this, Caelan's excitement faded a little.
With his A-rank endurance, he could keep going for another ten days if he wanted.
But seeing Aokiji beaten to this state, continuing the fight felt pointless.
"Caelan… why not join the Marines? I'll give you my position."
Aokiji made the offer sincerely, fully impressed.
With this kind of strength, there was no problem giving him the Admiral title.
If Caelan accepted, Aokiji would immediately resign and go chill with Garp.
And as for Robin? If Caelan became an Admiral, plus Aokiji's personal guarantee, she'd be safe.
"No thanks. I'm not interested in being a dog for the World Government."
Caelan scoffed and rejected the offer outright.
If he ever wanted to join the Marines, he would've done it already.
Forget being an Admiral—even if they gave him the Fleet Admiral position, he still wouldn't take it.
Being a lapdog for the World Government and the Celestial Dragons? Disgusting just thinking about it.
"Haha… 'dog of the World Government'... that's pretty accurate."
Aokiji chuckled bitterly, a little self-deprecating.
After the Ohara incident 20 years ago, he had grown more and more disillusioned with the World Government.
But he stayed in the Marines because they still had some form of justice.
He wanted to become Fleet Admiral someday and change the Navy from within.
Caelan looked at Aokiji thoughtfully, and a strange idea popped into his head.
"Aokiji, why don't you join me instead?"
Caelan rubbed his chin and asked seriously.
He had always seen the Marines as a talent pool.
Right now, he only had Tashigi, but he had also considered people like Hina and Ain.
If he met them, he would definitely try to recruit them.
"Are you kidding me?"
Aokiji stared wide-eyed at Caelan.
"Not at all. I'm dead serious."
Caelan replied firmly.
He was building his own force, and what he lacked most was top-tier power. Aokiji fit that need perfectly.
He was strong, just, and not a scumbag like Caelan.
The only problem was that he'd be hard to convince.
"Sorry. I refuse."
Aokiji turned him down immediately.
He still wanted to become Fleet Admiral and reform the Navy from the top.
Right now, he had the support of Sengoku, Tsuru, and Garp. His goal was almost within reach.
"That's fine. When you leave the Marines, just remember to consider my team first."
Caelan waved it off casually.
He didn't expect to succeed immediately. Planting the seed was enough.
"Leave the Marines? That's not happening."
Aokiji shook his head, thinking Caelan was being delusional.
His reputation in the Navy was at its peak. Why would he walk away now?
"Haha."
Caelan didn't respond. He just smiled and walked toward the approaching Wind Rider.
In the original story, Aokiji lost a leg and left the Navy in defeat.
Waiting for that moment will be fun.
Caelan was already imagining it—Aokiji joining his crew one day. What a sight that would be.
Just thinking about it made him laugh.
(To be continued.)
***
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