"Ice Saber."
Aokiji made a grasping motion with his right hand. Amidst a bloom of ice-blue light, an ice longsword suited to his size appeared in his hand.
In a blink, Merlin flashed in front of him. A cold light flashed—crack! The ice saber Aokiji swung forward was smoothly sliced apart. The tip of the ice saber flew into the air.
In this moment, narrowing his eyes, Aokiji retreated abruptly. At the same time, crack crack freezing sounds rang out instantly. "Ice Pillar!"
In a blink—Boom! An ice pillar shot out from the ground where Aokiji landed, growing and piercing rapidly.
The one-meter diameter ice pillar thrust in front of Merlin in a blink, slamming into the blade Merlin used to block forward, sending him flying backward instantly.
In mid-air. Snap! Merlin kicked the atmosphere with both feet, adjusting his posture to trace an arc and land on the ice a hundred meters away.
Gaze sharpening. Aokiji's reaction speed was unexpectedly fast, or perhaps his Observation Haki was enough to foresee the future?
Moving his wrist to relieve the soreness.
Aokiji exhaled a breath of cold air slightly, his gaze cold. "Rokushiki: Moonwalk?"
"Is that strange? Any problem?"
Merlin said flatly.
Aokiji disappeared with a whoosh! His speed was incredibly fast as he sprinted in front of Merlin, ice-blue freezing air blooming on his fists. Bang bang bang bang!!!
In an instant, Aokiji punched repeatedly.
Merlin swung his blade continuously. Muffled impact sounds spread between the two. Crack crack! Ice chips fell continuously from Merlin's blade to the ground.
With their continuous collision, terrifying cold air spread up the blade to Merlin's hands, then transmitted into his body, seemingly trying to freeze Merlin into a popsicle.
Suddenly, Aokiji noticed Merlin's body stiffen. A light flashed in his eyes, and a terrifying ice-blue cold current exploded from his body surface instantly. "Ice Time Capsule."
In an instant, a translucent block of ice four meters in diameter appeared on the spot. Merlin was frozen firmly inside like an insect in amber.
Exhaling a breath of cold air, Aokiji frowned. "Just putting on an act?"
Crack crack! Suddenly, cracks appeared on the ice block. In a blink—Boom! It shattered. Immediately after, a whistling sound erupted abruptly. A head-sized block of ice shot over suddenly like a cannonball.
In a blink, the ice block arrived in front of him, but Aokiji had already raised his hand, ice-blue light blooming. A smooth-surfaced ice shield blocked forward at an angle.
Bang! The ice block was smoothly parried away. At the same time, an ice spike grew abruptly from the front of the ice shield, piercing towards the face of the rushing Merlin.
In this moment, Merlin's body reacted in advance, shifting sideways. Zanye in his hand swung upward from below—Shing! Cutting off the ice shield spike, he arrived in front of Aokiji in a blink.
His right foot landed heavily on the shadow in front of Aokiji. Simultaneously, the pitch-black blade edge appeared at Aokiji's neck like lightning.
Aokiji's pupils contracted suddenly. He wanted to retreat, but his body couldn't move.
And in the next instant, a black ribbon slashed through his neck.
His head flew upwards.
Immediately after, at the moment Merlin turned sideways and raised his left leg—Boom! He kicked Aokiji apart.
Sky-filling ice shards shot backward.
"Tsk!" Merlin couldn't help clicking his tongue, watching Aokiji's figure grow out of a block of ice dozens of meters away amidst crack crack sounds.
Aokiji narrowed his eyes slightly, looking coldly at Merlin. "Why does a man of your strength work with Doflamingo?"
Merlin looked at him calmly. "Why does a man like you act as a lackey for the World Government?"
Aokiji's face darkened, taking a deep breath. "It seems we don't have common topics."
"It's you who doesn't want to have any; no sincerity at all."
Merlin scoffed, but there was no smile in his eyes.
In the next instant, both sprinted at the same time. Clang! Zanye and the pitch-black ice saber that appeared in Aokiji's hand again collided violently.
In an instant.
The ice surface under their feet exploded outward. A violent shockwave spread out simultaneously.
Crack crack crack!
Violent grinding sounds came from between the blades. Amidst blinding sparks splashing, crack!, both retreated simultaneously.
Aokiji's gaze was cold, looking at Merlin silently, but he was somewhat shocked in his heart.
Because Merlin's power and speed were completely not beneath his, and his reaction speed was equally freakish.
Merlin looked at him, surprise also in his eyes. Kuzan's physical fitness wasn't beneath his, even slightly surpassing him, and his Haki power far exceeded Merlin's.
Bear in mind, the current Aokiji was not yet at his peak state in this life.
If not for the black flames lingering in his body, continuously absorbing the freezing calamity invading his body, his reactions would probably only get slower and slower, eventually stiffening and being defeated by him.
Cold entering the body would stiffen both thoughts and body; the freezing ability of a Logia type was indeed powerful.
The gazes they exchanged were equally solemn. Aokiji thought this battle would likely be a protracted one. However, he was best at protracted battles, pulling the opponent's rhythm into his own and gradually building an advantage through freezing.
Thinking of this, ice-blue air currents emerged around Aokiji's body surface, lingering around him. Immediately after, his arms were wrapped in a layer of ice-blue light, turning pitch-black in a blink.
Whoosh!
With a sound of breaking wind, Aokiji's figure appeared in front of Merlin in a blink. At the same time, the shadow under Merlin's feet wrapped his whole body, then fully seeped into his body.
Shadow Fusion.
Fusing his own shadow into his body, thereby endowing his physical body with the shadow's super strong shaping ability.
The Shadow-Shadow Fruit could endow one's own shadow with strength close to one's physical strength. At the same time, Merlin's physical body now obtained toughness not inferior to steel.
His whole body turned pitch-black at this moment.
Clang!
In this moment, Merlin's blade and Aokiji's ice fist collided violently. Immediately after, an ice spear suddenly grew and protruded from the front of Aokiji's body.
Ding!
A bell-like metal sound bloomed from Merlin's chest. But at this time, Merlin's mouth opened suddenly. A black spike wrapped in Haki and black flames appeared instantly before Aokiji's eyes. In this instant, half of Aokiji's face turned into a block of ice.
Bang! His head was pierced. Immediately after, that black spike bloomed with spikes like a sea urchin.
Crack crack bang! Aokiji's head exploded instantly. In a blink, his body lost movement. Merlin shook his blade, causing a sudden oscillation in the surrounding atmosphere. Cracks appeared on Aokiji's body, and it exploded in a blink.
In this moment, Merlin's black flames spewed out, enveloping the ice blocks here. Wisps of blue-white electric current appeared in the black flames.
Calamity: Electric Shock Paralysis.
However, Merlin looked through the black flames at the ice surface ten meters away. Aokiji appeared there as if teleporting through the ice surface.
At this time, Aokiji's figure appeared, looking at Merlin with subtle eyes. "Just now, that pitch-black thing was your tongue?"
Merlin's gaze was calm. His slightly open mouth closed, and he tossed Zanye backward.
Immediately, a shadow hand grew from his lower back and grabbed it. Merlin's arms instantly turned into a pair of pitch-black dragon claws.
A pair of pitch-black demon horns grew abruptly on both sides of his forehead, and black flames wrapped around his body surface.
His body size enlarged synchronously. Standing three meters tall, completely not inferior to Aokiji.
"Hey hey hey? This image of yours would make Moria turn in his grave!"
Aokiji's mouth twitched, looking at Merlin who suddenly transformed like a demon. He held back a retort desperately: Is this really the Shadow-Shadow Fruit?
But at this time, his pupils contracted because pitch-black flame cloud ribbons grew from Merlin's shoulder blades and floated behind him.
This was obviously the Awakening state of a Zoan type. Now, Aokiji's eyes became incredibly solemn. He knew that from this moment on, he couldn't be careless in this battle anymore.
In this moment, Merlin's figure disappeared suddenly. A red glow bloomed in Aokiji's eyes.
Observation Haki exerted to the maximum limit. Whoosh! Merlin appeared at his side.
A terrifying airflow impacted. Aokiji reflexively raised his arm to block.
Bang!
An explosive impact bloomed at this moment.
Aokiji's center of gravity shifted downward abruptly, dissipating force in an instant. The ice surface under his feet shattered synchronously.
"Ice... Time Capsule."
In this instant, a terrifying cold current spewed out. But Merlin's figure appeared simultaneously dozens of meters away, black flames burning in his eyes, staring at him unblinkingly.
Aokiji's mouth twitched. His figure moved suddenly, rushing wildly to Merlin. Speed extremely fast, as if crossing instantly.
Bang!
Fist and fist collided brazenly.
In a blink, a whistling violent shockwave spread out instantly.
Immediately after, the two exchanged blows, violent fist shadows covering the sky and earth swinging towards each other's bodies.
Bang bang bang bang...
Muffled sounds of hitting tough leather appeared one after another.
Terrifying cold currents surged everywhere.
Their high-speed figures appeared constantly on the ice surface. Every appearance meant a continuous exchange of more than ten punches.
Merlin felt pain all over his body. Aokiji's fists were incredibly heavy; every punch carried Haki with extremely strong penetrating power, destroying the inside of his body.
Even black flames struggled to absorb this injury calamity lingering with Haki. Shing! A black slash light appeared from behind. Kuzan leaned back violently, dodging a slash swung by the shadow hand behind Merlin.
Immediately after, a terrifying black-blue cold current carrying Haki erupted from his body. At the same time, dazzling pitch-black electric currents carrying Haki also spewed out from Merlin's body.
As the freezing air and electric currents collided—Boom! An explosion spread out from in front of the two. Instantly, the violent airflow impact blasted both of them away.
A hundred meters away, landing heavily from mid-air, feet crushing the ice surface, then sprinting and pouncing towards Aokiji at extreme speed again.
Aokiji, upon landing, also kicked off and rushed wildly. In the next moment, Aokiji smashed a fist on Merlin's chest. Crack!
A sound rang out. Immediately after, Merlin landed a punch on his chin.
Crack! Ice cracked on Aokiji's chin. A fist print depression appeared on Merlin's chest at the same time.
Immediately after, under this violent heavy blow, both flew backward again.
Rolling continuously on the ground, Merlin swallowed the bloody water surging from his chest forcefully. Crack! His claws dug heavily into the ice, plowing for several meters before stopping his figure, then flipping up.
Crack crack sounds appeared inside his chest; shadows controlled the broken sternum to reset. Haki dispersed Aokiji's invading Haki. Black flames wrapped and permeated inside the body, absorbing the calamity.
Merlin half-squatted on the ice, panting violently. This full-power state consumed too much stamina. However, Merlin looked brightly at Aokiji, who also stood up a hundred meters away.
But compared to himself, Aokiji's condition was obviously much better.
Wiping a trace of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, Aokiji's gaze was icy cold.
And at this time, Aokiji had a certainty in his heart.
That was: this guy wouldn't be affected by his freezing air. No, can't say wouldn't be affected, but rather he should have a method to remove the negative effects of freezing.
At the same time, Merlin's Observation Haki sensed the aura of the Donquixote group several kilometers away; they had already left this ice field.
Rearguard mission accomplished. Merlin looked at Aokiji, a smile rising on his lips. "Continue?"
Aokiji didn't speak, but the cold air on his body surface became richer. Immediately after, an ice-blue light wave spread out, sweeping over Merlin in a blink.
Crack crack! Ice layers froze on his body. But in an instant, Merlin stepped forward. Boom! With a shake, the ice layer on his body surface shattered.
At this time, Aokiji's figure appeared abruptly in front of Merlin. A pitch-black fist glowing with an ice-blue halo smashed towards Merlin in a blink.
At the same time, Merlin swung a fist forward. Bang!!!
Their fists collided.
Bzzzz—
Black electric arcs appeared in the atmosphere in front of the two.
In this moment, a terrifying ice-blue halo bloomed from Aokiji's body.
And pitch-black flames rose from Merlin's body surface.
For a time, the two fell into a stalemate.
Merlin gritted his teeth and exerted all his strength, his whole body's Armament Haki flowing to his fist.
Pitch-black aura rose around him, and a phantom of a Demon God condensed.
Crack crack sounds of freezing rang around Aokiji, ice-cold air currents lingering around his whole body.
Dozens of seconds later, the continuous impact of Haki and freezing air pierced through the protection at Merlin's fist. Crack crack crack! In an instant, the outer layer of Merlin's right arm was frozen by frost.
A gleam flashed in Aokiji's eyes. Taking a deep breath—Boom! He exerted force abruptly, blasting Merlin away.
Amidst whistling atmosphere, Merlin flew backward. Kuzan pushed off his foot, about to pursue Merlin. But at this time, his body was suddenly pulled to a stumble by immense force.
Glancing down, he saw his shadow under his feet grabbed by a shadow hand.
Simultaneously, stinging paralysis came from his whole body.
Roaring sounds rang out abruptly. Flowing Haki impacted from within his body. Bang! With a sound, the shadow hand connecting to his shadow and the paralysis stinging in his body were blasted away.
At this time, Merlin in mid-air stretched his body violently. Shadow wingsuit appeared with a swish! Under strong air resistance, Merlin's figure stagnated suddenly. Then, a pair of shadow bat wings appeared on both sides of his shoulder blades and flapped violently. Merlin instantly flew into the sky.
In a blink, Merlin arrived a hundred meters in the air, flapping bat wings, looking down with lowered eyelids at Aokiji, whose eye corner was twitching below.
Just like this, one in the sky, one on the ground. Black flames rose from Merlin's body surface as he confronted him.
Both were relieving the fatigue on their bodies.
A moment later, Doflamingo flew over by hanging onto clouds in the sky with threads, hanging beside Merlin just like that.
Looking at Merlin's posture, he was greatly shocked. At the same time, looking at the somewhat wretched Kuzan below, his gaze became obscure.
"If we two join hands, can we take him out?"
Merlin smirked lightly. "We can try and see."
Merlin glanced at the frostbite on Doflamingo's body. The corner of his mouth hooked up. Black flames released and wrapped him. A few seconds later, the frostbite calamity on his body was absorbed completely.
Aokiji below saw this scene, understanding flashing in his eyes. While everything became clear, a haze couldn't help but form in his heart.
Pressure increased steeply.
At this time, Merlin left a shadow in place and dived down simultaneously. Kicking backward on the air with both feet—Snap! His figure appeared above Aokiji's head.
At the same time, Zanye, which was in the tail-like shadow hand, had already appeared in Merlin's right hand. The pitch-black blade slashed down instantly.
Whoosh! While Aokiji retreated, his right fist, seemingly ignited with ice flames, punched out instantly towards Merlin, who had missed his slash.
But at this time, while Merlin raised his blade vertically to block, the wings on his back turned into shadow blades, suddenly piercing towards Aokiji's neck from both sides.
In this instant, Aokiji's pupils contracted suddenly.