Chapter 21: Ice vs Magma (III)

"Did he actually kill those three Celestial Dragons?"

"In a live broadcast witnessed by thousands, the Celestial Dragons..."

At this moment, Sengoku was simmering with anger.

"Sakazuki has already fought that guy, but he doesn't have the upper hand at the moment either"

"Despite his youthful appearance, his combat prowess is beyond comprehension."

As the battle progressed, the initial fury gave way to a creeping concern.

"Sengoku, there's no point in further conflict. The Celestial Dragons are dead, and their deaths cannot be undone. We must place blame where it lies: the above. We are outnumbered and outmatched. The three on their side, aside from the slightly weaker Crocodile, are formidable opponents. Retreat is the only logical course of action."

"This needs careful consideration," Tsuru stated firmly. "Fighting now might leave the Admirals worse for wear. That would be a double whammy – bad for morale and our war footing."

"Bullet and Ling Bai are no slouches. Even if Sakazuki and the others secure a swift victory, it will come at a significant cost."

"We can't afford to be reckless," she concluded decisively.

Sengoku's brow furrowed at Tsuru Vice Admiral's words. They held undeniable weight. Kizaru and Akainu were locked in battles against equally matched opponents. Without a decisive edge, victory was far from guaranteed. Injuries and losses were a near certainty, and such setbacks could prove disastrous on the eve of the Whitebeard clash.

Faced with this sobering analysis, Sengoku made a difficult decision. Ling Bai and his crew would have to be dealt with swiftly. He issued orders to the Sabaody Marine General, demanding they relay the message to Akainu and the others immediately.

...

Boom!

At Sabaody Archipelago. Akainu shattered the massive puck Ling Bai had unleashed. But fear gnawed at him. This opponent, Ling Bai, was unlike any he'd faced before.

Across the battlefield, Kizaru clashed with the fused Bullet. The combined Devil Fruit power was a formidable force.

Meanwhile, Sentomaru lay broken. His left hand was cut off by Shiryu, and another strike would surely claim his life.

"Damn it!" Rage and frustration boiled within Akainu.

Ling Bai charged, a fist aimed squarely at Akainu. The Admiral met the blow head-on. The resulting clash of Haki-infused fists echoed across the island.

Ling Bai's Armament Haki made every exchange a punishing one. Ten minutes of combat had revealed a terrifying truth: This enemy possessed an inhuman physique, a living wall against Akainu's attacks.

"Bastard!"

Boom!

A deafening collision erupted as their fists met. Akainu's attack slammed into Ling Bai's mouth, while Ling Bai's countered squarely on the Admiral's face.

The sheer force of the impact sent both men reeling. Ling Bai seemed to brush it off, while Akainu... Well, let's just say the exchange didn't go his way. A crimson stain began to bloom on his nose, and his eyes burned a furious red, not just from the impact, but from a fresh wave of humiliation.

"Little devil, today, you must be permanently left in Sabaody Archipelago!"

Clenching his fists, Akainu unleashed a torrent of molten lava. It surged forth, taking the shape of two monstrous lava dogs, their fiery maws agape and ready to devour. The inferno roared as the beasts charged towards Ling Bai, a deadly symphony of heat and destruction.

"Hmph! Do you really think I'm a brat, Akainu?" Ling Bai scoffed, his voice unwavering. Calmly, his palms met in a practiced gesture, hinting at the power he was about to unleash.

"Mahapdama! " A low cry escaped Ling Bai's lips as two colossal lava dogs lunged towards him, their fiery maws agape to devour him whole. Reacting with lightning speed, Ling Bai unleashed a surge of power from his palms. An ice-blue, translucent field erupted outwards, rapidly expanding. Within this domain, time and space itself seemed to grind to a halt!

Mahapdama, Unlike Esdeath's technique, which traditionally activated only once a day, Ling Bai possessed an anomaly. His monstrous physicality allowed him to utilize it multiple times within a limited timeframe. The heart of his Ice Teigu lay in its ability to manipulate the very fabric of reality – freezing time and space within its domain. Here, only Ling Bai held the freedom of movement. Everything else, from the air itself to the very thoughts of those caught within, stood suspended in a state of absolute stasis.

Those observing the battle watched in utter disbelief as Akainu's magma-infused attack, the Dog-Eating Red Lotuses, froze mid-air. Even the steam billowing from the molten beasts hung motionless. Akainu himself – his expression, his stance, every fiber of his being – was locked in an unyielding ice sculpture. A wave of chilling dread washed over the onlookers.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Kizaru and Bullet froze mid-fight at the sight.

The two had witnessed powerful winds and waves before, yet this moment stunned them.

Akainu… he wasn't moving. No, he couldn't move!

"Hey, Sakazuki, what's the deal?"

Kizaru's scalp prickled. He looked over, but Akainu wouldn't hear him. An ice-blue, transparent field held everything in stasis.

Akainu? Not only was his body immobilized, but his very thoughts, consciousness, and feelings were frozen as well.

"This is my ability. You can understand that my freezing ability freezes time and space, and in this field, you are just a lamb at my slaughter, even if you are an Admiral!"

Ling Bai came over with a smile, "Almost forgot, at this time, you can't think, and you can't even hear what I say."

Ling Bai clenched his fists, ready to strike.