Boom!!!
A violent roar resounded across the sky. Luffy, in his powerful Gear Fourth mode, launched a devastating King Kong Gun. The force of the attack was so immense that Aokiji was forced to abandon his grip on Zoro to counter the blow with an Ice Gauntlet.
As their Haki-clad fists collided, a massive shockwave surged through the air, instantly extinguishing the flames surrounding the island. Despite the raw power Luffy poured into the strike, Aokiji remained composed, blocking the strongest of Gear Fourth's attacks using only his left arm.
"I told you, Straw Hat," Aokiji remarked calmly. "It is impressive that you have mastered Haki to this level in just two years, but against true monsters, it is still too weak. Let me show you the reality of powerful Armament Haki."
Boom!!!
Aokiji raised his right hand, his skin darkening as Armament Haki flowed over it. Luffy immediately sensed a lethal aura. Aokiji's Ice Iron Fist struck Luffy's King Kong Gun with overwhelming force.
Boom!!!
The impact was catastrophic. Luffy's eyes rolled back as the Armament Haki covering his body began to dissipate, forcing him out of Gear Fourth and back into his normal state. The onlookers were stunned; they knew how formidable Haki defense could be, yet Aokiji had pierced through Luffy's strongest form with ease.
Zoro reacted instantly, leaping up to catch his falling captain. Even then, the residual momentum was so great that Zoro couldn't stabilize himself, and the two crashed into the earth, carving a long gully into the ground.
Aokiji did not pursue them. Instead, he descended slowly from the sky, his icy gaze sweeping over the group. The sheer pressure of his look sent shivers down their spines.
"So... so terrifying!" Usopp stammered, his body trembling with fear, yet he refused to move from his position shielding Robin.
"I will ask one more time, Nico Robin," Aokiji said. "Will you come with me obediently? My target is only you."
"Don't you dare agree, Robin!" Luffy roared, struggling to stand up from the dirt. Zoro's eyes burned with a mixture of fury and frustration at their apparent weakness.
"Don't come any closer!" Usopp cried out, his hands shaking as he aimed his slingshot at the former Admiral. In the distance, the rest of the Straw Hat crew—Nami, Chopper, Franky, and Brook—were rushing toward the scene.
Robin hesitated for a moment, but seeing her friends risk everything for her, her gaze turned firm. "I'm sorry," she said. "If this were before, I might have agreed. But now, I must refuse. Even if it means our journey ends here. My companions would never allow it!"
"That's right, Robin-chan!" Sanji and the arriving crew members declared, surrounding her in a protective circle.
"Is that so?" Aokiji's expression seemed to harden, but his next words caught them off guard. "Then there's nothing I can do. I'll have to return empty-handed."
As they stared in confusion, Aokiji looked directly at Luffy. "Don't misunderstand. I personally dislike Kaido, but he was right about one thing during the Marineford War: ordinary people have no place in the final race for the gold medal."
He then turned to Robin. "You are fortunate, Nico Robin. Your captain has a lineage that few would dare to provoke. His father leads the Revolutionary Army, his grandfather is the legendary Navy Hero Garp, his mentor is Red-Haired Shanks, and his brother now leads the Whitebeard Pirates."
Law's face grew increasingly tense as he listened to this list of world-shaking connections.
"There are very few pirates on the Grand Line who would dare anger one of those powers, let alone all four at once," Aokiji continued. "In this sea, the only one who can truly protect you is likely Straw Hat. Even Teach lacks that kind of courage. However, that doesn't mean you are entirely safe."
"Is it Kaido?" Zoro demanded.
"No," Aokiji replied. "It seems you are unaware of the news. While you were at Fish-Man Island, Kaido declared open war against the World Government and the Celestial Dragons!"
Robin's eyes widened in shock. Aokiji glanced at Law, who gritted his teeth and confirmed the report. Law explained that the Beasts Pirates' executives had spread across the world to blockade the World Government and starve the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
"Kaido is preoccupied for now," Aokiji added. "And unlike other pirates, the Marines suspect he doesn't actually need you. Since he publicly released the Road Poneglyphs, we believe he already has a way to decipher them."
Robin nodded slowly. "Wano Country is the origin of the Poneglyphs. It is not surprising they would have the means to read them."
"Is that all you came to tell us?" Sanji asked, still suspicious.
"Not quite," Aokiji said, his eyes shifting to Franky. Franky froze as the former Admiral spoke. "Franky, apprentice of Tom... did you lose the blueprints for the Ancient Weapon Pluton?"
The color drained from Franky's face as Robin looked at him in disbelief. Aokiji sighed, seeing the reaction. "So the Marine theories were correct. Kaido obtained the Pluton blueprints from you two years ago."
"What!" Franky cried out, finally admitting the truth. "Two years ago, I realized the blueprints Iceberg gave me were gone. He told me not to tell anyone... he said it might actually be a good thing, because nobody would ever believe they were stolen."
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