“Ice Age!”

As far as the eye could see, the ocean transformed into an endless expanse of ice. The frozen surface extended beyond the horizon, encompassing a radius of dozens of miles. Lodestar Island and its surrounding waters were sealed in an instant.

“What? This… this is?!”

On the shore, people froze in shock, their eyes widening and mouths agape.

“It’s Admiral Aokiji! It’s him!”

“It has to be him. Only he has this ability, this power to freeze the sea on such a scale.”

The realization dawned upon the gathered crowd of pirates and onlookers, and their voices turned into a cacophony of screams. Although Aokiji himself was nowhere to be seen, the sheer scale of this phenomenon left no room for doubt—only he could accomplish such a feat. No other power, even those with cold-related abilities, could match the magnitude of instantly freezing an area spanning tens of miles.

“How is this possible? Didn’t they say the Navy wasn’t mobilizing?”

“Why is Aokiji here? When did this happen? We haven’t seen any naval activity on the island!”

“Damn it! This is a trap! A scheme by the Navy targeting the Sun and Moon Pirates!”

Panic gripped the pirates. Few among them could remain calm in the face of a naval admiral, let alone such a sudden and overwhelming display of power.

“What’s there to fear? A single admiral can’t threaten the Sun and Moon Pirates!”

“Exactly!”

Some tried to maintain their composure.

“Do you really think just one admiral is here? It’s more likely that all three admirals have come. Sending only one would be suicide.”

Suddenly, a voice filled with menace echoed from the rear of the crowd.

“Move aside.”

Before anyone could turn to look, a massive explosion erupted behind them. Pirates and other individuals, some unaffiliated, screamed as they were hurled into the air, blood spurting as they were flung skyward. Akainu bulldozed his way through the crowd with unparalleled ferocity, leaving devastation in his wake. Those who weren’t killed outright were sent flying by his magma-powered punches, crashing back into the crowd and sowing further chaos and terror.

“It’s Akainu—that mad dog!”

The gathering descended into madness as people pushed and shoved to get away from him. Akainu was the admiral pirates feared most.

“Oh my, how terrifying. So many pirates here, all monsters in their own right.”

A voice, dripping with its signature mocking tone, caught the attention of the fleeing crowd.

“It’s Kizaru!”

“Kizaru is here too! That means all three admirals are present. As expected, the Navy has fully mobilized to take down the Sun and Moon Pirates.”

Panic escalated. Pirates scrambled even harder to distance themselves from the trio of admirals, stopping only when they were at a safe distance to glance back.

“The Navy is truly despicable, keeping this a secret. The admirals have been lying in wait, completely undetected.”

“This is a repeat of the Sabaody Archipelago incident! Back then, the three admirals claimed they’d killed Kuke, but it turned into a joke. Now that the Sun and Moon Pirates are even stronger, there’s no guarantee the admirals can handle them.”

“True. Perhaps today we’ll witness the death of an admiral.”

The pirates’ gaze turned cold and hostile as they focused on the three admirals. To them, the Navy and pirates were natural enemies.

“If we get the chance, we should join the Sun and Moon Pirates and wipe out the admirals. Then the seas will belong to us.”

“Exactly!”

Calming down, the pirates began to roar, their bloodlust palpable.

“This won’t do. Without the admirals, this era would become far too dark,” said Garp nonchalantly, munching on a rice cracker as he strolled out like an elderly man enjoying a walk.

“Garp?!”

The pirates’ earlier bravado evaporated. His mere presence silenced them. No one dared shout anymore. Though not an admiral, Garp’s name carried even greater weight. As the Marine hero, he was known far and wide as the man who had fought and cornered the Pirate King Roger multiple times, forcing his crew into desperate situations.

“Even Garp is here. The Navy has gone all out this time. They’re determined to destroy the Sun and Moon Pirates. But surely Kuke can escape, right?”

They tried to reassure themselves. Surely the Navy wouldn’t bring every top-tier asset, including Fleet Admiral Kong, leaving their headquarters defenseless?

As the onlookers shifted their gazes between the Navy and the Sun and Moon Pirates, they felt that this clash might be evenly matched—a true showdown of titans.

“The death of Sengoku can only be avenged with blood.”

A towering figure emerged. Kong’s sheer presence sent waves of fear through the crowd. Pirates stumbled and fell in droves, clawing at the ground to retreat, their trembling fingers pointing at the figure they could barely comprehend.

“Fleet Admiral Kong is really here?!”

“The Navy has truly gone mad! They’ve brought almost all their top forces to Lodestar Island. This is unprecedented in history!”

“How dare they? Bringing everyone here—what if something happens elsewhere? What’s left to protect Marineford?”

“They’ve gone insane. They’re willing to risk everything to destroy the Sun and Moon Pirates.”

The pirates’ confidence wavered. The balance seemed to tilt in the Navy’s favor with the appearance of such a formidable lineup: Akainu, Aokiji, Kizaru, Garp, and Kong. Each name alone was a terror. Even if they didn’t know Kong’s exact capabilities, his reputation as a former admiral and Sengoku’s predecessor as Fleet Admiral left no room for doubt—his strength was undeniable.

“Will the Sun and Moon Pirates fight? Or will they retreat?”

“They might leave. Kuke is the strongest man, and his crew—Charlotte Linlin, Phoenix Gion, Sorceress Shakky, Queen Stussy, General Yamato, Empress Hancock, and Enchantress Belo Betty—is filled with top-tier powerhouses.”

“This could be the greatest battle in history.”

All eyes turned to the Radiant Eclipse, frozen just a hundred meters from shore. The crowd could see its crimson hull and the black-and-white “Sun and Moon” flag fluttering above it.

“Mama… what a spectacle,” Charlotte Linlin muttered, her gaze sweeping over the Navy’s five monsters. Each of them exuded an aura of overwhelming power, a pressure she could feel even from the ship. The scene reminded her of the God Valley incident, a battle of a similar magnitude.

She couldn’t help but recall her choices back then, fighting half-heartedly and leaving safely to later become an emperor of the sea. Now, confronted with a similar situation, Charlotte Linlin found herself at a crossroads.

“Kuke, if I help you today, can I earn my freedom? I want to take my daughters back to Totto Land and return to my throne,” she proposed, conflicted.

Her daughters, however, shook their heads vehemently. “Mama, stop! Don’t say any more.”

The four daughters had long since accepted the Sun and Moon Pirates as their true home, fully integrating into the crew. Knowing the ship’s mysterious defenses, resurrection powers, and teleportation capabilities, they had cast aside doubt and fear, unlike their mother.

Charlotte Linlin, oblivious to these truths, stood alone in her hesitation.

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DONT FORGET POWER STONE

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up 60+ chapters at patreon.com/Emik01.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep