socalfunplaces Chapter 1715 Counteracting the Freeze
Chapter 1715 Counteracting the Freeze
Since things have come to this point and there is no room for maneuver, then let's fight with all our might.
This epic showdown that will determine the course of an era will see whether the Navy's absolute justice will prevail, or whether the pirates' free will will break free of its shackles.
Kuzan's gaze was fixed on Whitebeard's every move like an icicle. When he saw that chilling white light reappear on the other's arm and felt that familiar yet terrifying premonition of vibration, he no longer hesitated.
We must not allow this monster from the old era to interfere with the execution process at the last moment with his awakened abilities. "Whitebeard—stop right there!!"
A cold, sharp shout seemed to freeze the air itself.
Kuzan thrust his right palm forward with a vengeance, the primal cold power of the Ice-Ice Fruit surging and rushing within his body, frantically converging in his palm.
"Frozen time capsule!"
A spiraling, clearly defined, icy blue torrent roared from his palm.
Its speed may not be as fast as the speed of light, but the absolute low temperature and freezing rules it contains make the space in its path seem to be frozen.
All moisture in the path was instantly plundered, forming a crystal-clear frost tunnel, which, almost the instant the thought arose in everyone's mind, struck the majestic whale-headed prow of the Moby Dick.
The Moby Dick's heavy bow was covered with a layer of solid ice at a visible speed, and Edward Newgate, who was the first to be hit, had his feet gripped by the crystal-clear ice the moment they made contact.
The ice spread rapidly upwards along his strong calf muscles, emanating a terrifying chill that seemed to extinguish life.
"Don't underestimate an old man, kid!" Whitebeard roared from deep in his throat, his anger and the pride of a conqueror driving him to forcefully unleash his overwhelming Conqueror's Haki to shatter the restraints.
At the same time, ignoring the rapidly spreading ice on his legs, he was determined to deliver a powerful blow from a distance, even if it would cause him to suffer more severe icy erosion and even leave hidden injuries.
He risked his own injuries to deliver the fatal blow that would turn the tide of the battle, and Whitebeard did so without hesitation.
Hiyori Kozuki's incredibly perceptive Byakugan had already clearly seen the frenzied surge of energy within Aokiji's body.
She may lack combat experience and her on-the-spot reactions may not be as swift as those of top experts, but driven by her will to protect her loved ones, her decisions are never slow.
The endless stream of terrifying cold energy was sweeping along the frost trail, its target not only to freeze Old Man, but also to drag the entire Moby Dick and everyone on board into an eternal ice prison.
Whitebeard, though a hero in his twilight years, still possesses a vast and imposing aura, but the quality and quantity of his power have long since diminished, making it difficult for him to regain his peak glory. On the other hand, Kuzan is a Logia-type Admiral in his prime!
The cruel law of youth prevails in combat, subtly revealing itself in this moment of offense and defense.
Can't wait any longer!
Hiyori took two light and resolute steps forward, her slender yet upright back standing firmly between Whitebeard's frozen feet and the oncoming cold air.
If this devastating cold is allowed to spread, the entire ship, except for the old man and a few others, will be turned into ice sculptures.
At that time, the loyal and devoted Whitebeard, who treats his crew like his own children, will be thrown into a state of great confusion and find himself in an even more passive position.
"My dad asked me to lend you a hand."
Edward Newgate's gathering of power abruptly stopped. He looked down in disbelief at the petite figure blocking his mountain-like body.
His silver hair, flowing like moonlight, fluttered slightly in the cold wind. For so many years, only his white beard stood before all his sons, using his broad back and invincible fists to shield them from the storms of the world.
When have I ever had a moment when my children protected me from behind?
Just as Whitebeard's emotions were churning violently, his keen senses detected that the space behind Hiyori was rippled slightly.
Several perfectly round black spheres, each only the size of a fist, silently appeared out of thin air and began to slowly circle around Hiyori in a mysterious trajectory.
A miracle, or rather, a divine intervention, occurred.
The icy current, powerful enough to extinguish life, vanished without resistance upon contact with the invisible force field emanating from these black spheres, like morning dew under the sun.
Not only did the low temperature around Rihe instantly return to normal, and the frost turn into nothingness water vapor, but even the hard, thick layer of ice on the white-bearded man's legs behind her quickly vaporized and dissipated.
To ordinary navy personnel or pirates, all of this might simply seem like the chill inexplicably dissipating, which is quite magical.
Kuzan clearly felt that the extremely cold energy he released, containing the original rules of the Ice-Ice Fruit, was completely wiped out by the strange black spheres the moment he approached the white-haired woman.
That wasn't the internal destructive clash of Armament Haki, nor was it the attribute counterplay of another Logia-type ability; rather, it was a more fundamental and domineering denial of rules.
It is a direct denial of energy forms and even some of the rules of the world!
"How is this possible... to be able to nullify the power of a Devil Fruit so completely?" For the first time, Kuzan's usually calm face showed undisguised astonishment.
"What exactly are those black orbs? Do they have no consumption limit? Or are they absolutely immune?"
As one of the Navy's top combat forces, he could not afford to back down at this moment, nor could he allow himself to be easily forced back by an unknown ability. He had to test its limits.
"Protruding beak!"
It was far larger than before, and the condensed freezing power was frantically shaping itself between his arms.
An ice crystal bird swooped down towards Hiyori.
"It's no use, Mr. Kuzan."
Her voice was clear and cold like the moon, yet carried an undeniable calmness: "You are still far from being able to break through my Seeking the Dao Jade in this way."
With a slight thought, a Seeking Truth Orb that had been quietly circling instantly transformed into a blurry black afterimage, colliding silently with the roaring ice bird at a trajectory and speed that defied the laws of physics.
There was no loud noise, no explosion, no flying ice crystals, and no chaotic energy flow.
The instant the Truth-Seeking Ball made contact with the ice bird, the freezing rules that contained the immense power of Kuzan disintegrated rapidly from the point of contact, turning into nothingness, just like data erased by a higher-level being.
The Seeking the Way Jade remained as deep as night, its size unchanged, as if it had only completed a trivial cruise, its trajectory smoothly returning to the circle surrounding the sun.
Effortless and effortless, vanishing without a trace.
"Seeking the Way Jewel..." Kuzan's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints as he silently chewed on this unfamiliar term, his expression more solemn than ever before.
"Well done, Hiyori! You are worthy of being my daughter, Edward Newgate's daughter!" The white-bearded man's voice boomed, his pride overflowing.
"Making a naval admiral suffer a loss? Even your bastard father never had such a glorious moment in front of those admirals back in the day!"
Upon hearing the white-bearded man mention his father, a barely perceptible, extremely complex and elusive ripple flickered in the depths of Hiyori Kozuki's usually calm and pale eyes.
In her heart, her father, Kozuki Oden, was a samurai of unparalleled heroism. The dreams and adventures he pursued throughout his life ultimately prevented him from becoming a qualified monarch who could protect the country and ensure its stability.
Kozuki Oden disappointed too many people's expectations.