Chapter 10

Loya kept babbling "teacher" this and "teacher" that, dazzling everyone.

Kuzan, adjusting his blindfold, asked, "Where'd you hear that phrase?"

"Oh, it was in the East Blue, back when we visited Baratie, that restaurant on the sea."

"East Blue... got it."

Following the incident, Admiral Aokiji, one of the three naval powerhouses, volunteered for a stint in the East Blue, stirring up the region for three months straight.

Seeing no objection from Kuzan, the big guy's eyes welled up with tears. "General Aokiji, you... you took on an apprentice!"

"Hey, it's gross seeing a giant cry," Loya muttered internally.

Suddenly, the giant stopped crying and glared at Loya with a mix of anger and defiance. "You! Let's have a showdown! Show me why General Aokiji chose you!"

"Ah?"

Kuzan, feeling relieved that his plan was back on track, chuckled inwardly. Aldo, this hulking giant, had always idolized the three admirals. Rescued by Kuzan once, Aldo had longed to be his apprentice, but Kuzan, ever the lazy trouble-hater, had never agreed. Today, seeing Kuzan accept a disciple, Aldo's jealousy erupted into a challenge.

Loya calmly turned to Kuzan, pulling on his sleeve and silently asking with his eyes, "Was this your plan all along?"

Kuzan's look replied, "What are you asking? I'm innocent, right?"

Loya sighed, knowing this was a serious matter for Aldo.

"Loya, give it a go. You'll be joining the elite camp in a month, so it's good to build some rapport with your future comrades."

"Alright, I'm game."

"Then, I'll be the referee. No rules, just don't kill each other!"

Kuzan's declaration left Loya rolling his eyes. "No killing? You're just setting me up for a beating, aren't you?"

Aldo, nostrils flaring like a bull, positioned himself. "Come on, Loya! Show me if you deserve to stand beside General Aokiji! Even if he accepts you, you'll have to earn my respect!"

Loya spread his hands. "What can I say? I'm just as desperate as you!"

"Both ready... 3, 2, 1! Start!"

Kuzan's voice signaled the beginning. Aldo charged like a freight train, aiming straight for Loya.

"Fly, kid!"

Loya assessed Aldo's physical prowess. "Definitely a physical combat specialist... I hope he doesn't have some weird Devil Fruit ability."

As Aldo barreled towards him, Loya braced himself. Ice armor encased him, glinting in the sun. Dodging was out of the question; Aldo's reach would catch him. He chose to take the hit head-on.

Roaring, Loya collided with Aldo. Kuzan raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Does this kid have that much strength?"

Bang! The impact echoed like two trains colliding. To everyone's shock, it was Aldo who flew back!

Aldo quickly regained his balance, landing on his feet. He wasn't surprised—he'd felt it. Loya's strength wasn't greater than his own, but Loya's ice armor had anchored him to the ground, amplifying his stability. It was like a catapult's locking rod, transferring all inertia into one powerful strike.

The spectators were stunned, but Aldo understood. Loya's ice armor had spiked into the ground at the moment of impact, locking him in place and converting the momentum into a powerful counterforce. It was a tricky move, requiring immense control and the ability to withstand extreme lateral force.

Loya, rubbing his shoulder, felt the aftershock. "That guy's like hitting an iron wall."

He pulled the ice spear from the ground, his secret to stopping instantly. Now, he stared down Aldo, ready for the next round.

Loya eyed Aldo's stance. "Iron Mass, huh? Impressive."

He twirled an icicle, dropping into a crouch before lunging. Close quarters meant no fancy dragon roars or wing attacks.

Aldo's hands turned jet black, an eerie energy field making Loya blink. Armament Haki!

CLANG!

Metal met ice as Aldo's fist shattered the icicle. Loya released the broken shard, narrowly dodging a sweeping leg. His right hand glowed dark blue. "Ice Dragon's Iron Fist!"

SMACK!

Aldo's palm met the swift counter. Despite his bulk, he moved fast, that black energy radiating confidence.

But he'd miscalculated. Loya wasn't just any Devil Fruit user. The Ice Dragon's Iron Fist didn't explode on impact - it drilled inward, freezing from within.

Aldo's eyes widened as biting cold bypassed his Haki, spreading through bone and blood.

Loya seized his chance. Using his fist's momentum, he vaulted off Aldo's thighs, flipping upside down. His feet glowed blue. "Ice Dragon's Claw!"

BOOM!

One kick sent Aldo's massive frame flying.

From the sidelines, Kuzan nodded. "Nice counter. Sloppy technique, but he capitalized on Aldo's slip-up without hesitation. Pure predator instinct."

The onlookers gaped. "Is Aldo going to lose? General Aokiji?"

Kuzan shrugged. "It's anyone's game now."

-----

A massive hand brushed away the dust.

Aldo stood up from the rubble, rubbing his numb arm. He grinned, a bruise on his forehead. "Ha, kid! Is that all you've got? No matter how many times you hit me, I won't get hurt!"

The elite camp members watched silently, acknowledging Aldo's true strength. His most formidable weapon wasn't his giant-like strength or even his rudimentary Haki, but his mastery of the Navy's Iron Block technique. It was his singular focus.

Joining the elite camp two years ago, Aldo had been the weakest. He poured his passion and talent into mastering the Iron Block. Two years later, he was one of the camp's strongest, his defense impenetrable to all but the top admirals. He was the most talented defense master.

Loya's attacks couldn't break his defense, making the outcome uncertain.

Loya marveled at Aldo's resilience. He knew the strength of Ice Dragon Slayer Magic. Its destructive power and chilling cold were formidable. Yet, Aldo's body seemed impervious, like an iron plate resisting the cold.

Loya decided to give his all. Such a perfect punching bag didn't come along every day.

With a deep breath, a dazzling blue light appeared on his hand. He slammed it on the ground. This time, it wasn't the Ice Dragon's Iron Fist.

Ice Make: Icefields!

The chilling cold spread in all directions, forming a thick layer of ice. Kuzan, enjoying the spectacle, smacked his lips and jumped onto a nearby platform.

The others followed suit. One, wielding a samurai sword, plunged it into the ground, toes on the hilt to avoid freezing. An inexplicable power around the sword kept the cold at bay.

Aldo, too close, found his feet frozen. But it wasn't Dragon Slayer Magic, just simple ice. A bit of effort freed him from the ice.

"Kid, you wanna have a snowball fight?"

Loya shook his head calmly. "Big guy, can you skate?"

Aldo's eyes widened as Loya rushed him. The blue light on Loya's fist reminded Aldo of the cold that had invaded his body earlier.

Why is he so fast?

Boom!

Loya's punch landed, followed by a flurry of kicks.

Aldo realized he couldn't maintain his balance on the ice. Loya's attacks made him lose his center of gravity, stumbling under the relentless assault. Loya, gliding on ice skates, danced around Aldo, a mischievous monkey taunting a bear.

"Don't get cocky, brat!"

Aldo, hit in the nose again, roared and stomped hard, embedding his feet into the ice. He opened his arms to catch Loya.

Loya wasn't surprised. In a pure melee, he might not match Aldo's strength. It was natural for his attack to be caught.

"I'm going to smash you!"

Aldo roared and punched down, his Haki-laden fist exuding killing intent. Loya gritted his teeth, his ice armor thickening.

Thwack!

Aldo's heavy punch left Loya's shoulder numb, blood spurting from his mouth.