"Yeah, I lost," Garp admitted readily without a moment's hesitation, his face showing not a trace of shame but rather an open-minded acceptance.
Upon hearing this, although Aokiji already knew the outcome, he was still inevitably surprised.
He recalled the time he had fought Garp with all his might. That battle had lasted a long time, and although no winner had emerged in the end, Aokiji knew in his heart that if it had dragged on, his chances of victory would have been high.
But now, Garp had actually lost to Roy, which sparked Aokiji's intense curiosity about Roy's strength.
"Roy, how strong is he now?" Aokiji couldn't help but ask.
"Haha, don't underestimate me!" Garp suddenly laughed heartily.
"Even though I lost to Roy, it was precisely because of that defeat that I resolved to push past my limits. I've gotten a lot stronger recently!"
As he spoke, he raised his fist high, the muscles in his arm bulging.
Aokiji looked at Garp's confident demeanor, half-believing and half-doubting.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, and a thin layer of cold air began to emanate from around him, the sand on the ground slowly freezing into ice.
"In that case, let me see this so-called growth of yours."
Seeing this, a flash of excitement appeared in Garp's eyes. He took a mighty step forward, instantly creating a large crater in the ground beneath his foot.
"Alright, Kuzan, bring it on! Today, I'll show you this old bones aren't just for show!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Garp shot towards Aokiji like a black bolt of lightning, his right fist raised high, whistling through the air straight for Aokiji's face.
Aokiji remained calm, his body flickering as he easily evaded the fierce blow. With a wave of his hand in the air, an ice wall instantly rose from the ground, blocking Garp's attack.
Garp's fist slammed heavily into the ice wall. With a "crack," fissures began to spread across it.
An immense aura surged from Garp's body, causing the very heavens and earth to tremble slightly under its pressure.
His Haki spread outwards like turbulent waves, one after another.
"Kuzan, take this!" Garp roared, a thick layer of dark Busoshoku Haki instantly coiling around his right fist, encasing it like solid armor.
Aokiji's expression changed slightly. He could clearly feel the terrifying power contained within Garp's punch.
But he didn't flinch. The corners of his mouth turned up in a confident smile.
"Hmph, old man, don't underestimate me!"
Aokiji shouted, his body instantly enveloped in a thick layer of ice, crystal clear and reflecting a cold, icy gleam.
The ground beneath his feet rapidly froze, spreading towards Garp in an attempt to restrict his movement.
Garp paid the ice underfoot no mind. He stomped forward, shattering the ice beneath him.
His fist, whistling through the air, drove straight towards Aokiji's chest.
Aokiji's eyes sharpened. He quickly raised his arm, which was also coated in Busoshoku Haki.
"Boom!" A deafening explosion rang out as Garp's fist slammed heavily into Aokiji's arm. The powerful impact shook the surrounding air, sending a visible shockwave rippling outwards.
Aokiji's body slid back a few steps, cracking the ice beneath his feet.
"Such immense strength!" Aokiji marveled inwardly, but his fighting spirit was thoroughly ignited.
"But old man, I've made progress too!"
With a great shout, Aokiji's body suddenly vanished, leaving only an afterimage.
In the next instant, he appeared behind Garp, a thick layer of ice coalescing on his palm as he struck towards Garp's back.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Garp spun around, blocking Aokiji's attack with his own arm covered in Busoshoku Haki.
Their arms collided with a sharp "crack," and the ice on Aokiji's palm instantly shattered, scattering into countless ice shards.
"Kuzan, your taijutsu has improved a lot!" Garp said with a laugh, his eyes full of praise.
"But this isn't enough!"
With that, Garp attacked again, throwing punches at Aokiji.
Each strike carried powerful Haki, distorting the surrounding air.
Aokiji was not to be outdone. Their figures moved rapidly across the island, leaving only a trail of blurred afterimages.
For a time, the entire island was engulfed by the thunderous sounds of their battle.
"Old man, you're still as formidable as ever!" Aokiji said while deflecting Garp's attacks.
"Ice Age!"
With his great shout, a wave of intense cold erupted from his hand, sweeping towards Garp.
Instantly, the ground and air around Garp froze, forming a vast expanse of ice.
Aokiji's "Ice Age" was terrifyingly powerful. In the blink of an eye, Garp was encased in a thick layer of ice, frozen solid and unable to move.
The ice was crystal clear, freezing Garp in that single moment, like a lifelike ice sculpture.
Aokiji looked at the frozen Garp and sighed inwardly.
"Still so formidable at his age. Truly worthy of being Vice Admiral Garp."
But then, thinking about how Garp had actually lost to Roy, Aokiji's doubts resurfaced. "Just how strong has Roy become?"
Just as Aokiji was pondering, the frozen Garp stirred.
A surge of immense power emanated from his body. "Crack, crack," the ice began to show signs of fissures.
Then, with a massive "BOOM," the ice shattered completely, scattering into countless ice shards.
Garp strode out from the debris, Haki radiating from his body.
"Haha, Kuzan, that move of yours can't hold me!"
Garp laughed heartily. This battle had only just ignited his passion.
"Now, let me show you my new power!"
Garp took a deep breath, crouching slightly into a coiled, ready stance.
His breathing became deep and rhythmic. With each inhalation, it seemed he drew the very air around him into his lungs; with each exhalation, a powerful gust followed.
A faint red glow began to emanate from his body, flickering and burning like flames.
"Flame Breathing – Blazing Flame Manifestation!" Garp roared, throwing a mighty punch.
This punch seemed ordinary, yet it contained the power to destroy heaven and earth.
As his fist shot forward, countless flames suddenly appeared in the air. These weren't ordinary flames; they took on a strange form, like countless agile fire serpents.
The flames spread outward from Garp's fist as the center.
Aokiji's gaze instantly sharpened. He could clearly feel the terrifying power contained within that fist.
"Old Garp actually possesses such a new power!" he marveled inwardly.
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