After two weeks where Maki and Ace shared the same boat, the story turns to a group gaining in fame: the Straw Hats. Just descended from the celestial island of Skypiea, they find themselves caught up in a series of absurd games against Foxy's pirates on the strange island of Long Ring Long Land. But on that day, they would encounter a much more threatening shadow.
Under a bright sun, the sea shimmered, peaceful. Suddenly, a deep and nonchalant voice resounded. "Ice Age."
In a flash, the ocean froze under a layer of glistening ice, as if petrified by the will of a god. The Straw Hats, mouths agape, gazed at the frozen expanse, facing the Marine admiral, Aokiji Kuzan, a man whose name alone made pirates flee.
Yet, true to their carefree nature, the Straw Hats began to slide on the ice, laughing and frolicking as if an admiral was just a casual spectator. Seated on a rock, legs crossed, Aokiji watched them, his piercing gaze veiled by feigned laziness.
The cold eventually drove them off the ice. Luffy, true to himself, broke the silence, staring at the admiral with a provocative smile. "What's wrong, old man?"
A lazy sigh escaped Aokiji's lips, his hand scratching his neck. "How to put it... You remind me of your grandfather, Monkey D. Luffy. Impulsive, unpredictable... a real kid."
"Grandfather?!" exclaimed Luffy, his face paling, a bead of sweat forming on his temple.
"Luffy's grandfather?" repeated Usopp, scrutinizing his captain. "Why are you so pale? Are you sick or something?"
Luffy shook his head, stammering that he was fine, but his discomfort betrayed a secret linked to this mysterious grandfather. Aokiji, hands clasped, continued, his tone oscillating between nonchalance and seriousness.
"Your grandfather caused me quite a bit of trouble in the past. But today, I'm here for Nico Robin... and for you." He lowered his eyes to the ground, then raised them, suddenly serious. "Maybe I should eliminate you now."
A chilling silence fell over the crew.
"The government still underestimates you, but your crew is becoming dangerous. Your exploits are accumulating, and in this world, few pirates worry me as much as you..." He paused, as if another face crossed his mind. "Well, you and another."
"Why are you dropping this bombshell all of a sudden?!" exclaimed Usopp, waving his arms frantically. "Two minutes ago, you were just here to 'check' on us!"
Ignoring the interruption, Aokiji fixed his gaze on a figure within the crew. "What truly makes your crew threatening is her. Nico Robin."
He recounted her past: a colossal bounty at only eight years old, a life of a fugitive, fleeting alliances to survive. To him, the Straw Hats were just a new temporary refuge for this woman he deemed dangerous.
Robin, her face stern, crossed her arms. "If you're here to stop me, go ahead! Thirty Flower!" Dozens of hands sprouted from the ground, ensnaring Aokiji's body.
Usopp yelled, his eyes bulging. "Robin, stop! Are you crazy?!"
"Ara, ara, ara..." murmured Aokiji, a smirk on his face. "I've said too much. I underestimated you, Robin. I thought you were more cautious."
Robin tightened her grip, and a crack resounded. But instead of blood, ice shards fell to the ground. In an instant, Aokiji reformed, unscathed, under the bewildered gazes of the crew.
"THIS CAN'T BE!" shouted Usopp, already ready to bolt. "Let's run!"
Aokiji picked up a few blades of grass, blew on them, and an ice sword materialized. "That was cruel, Nico Robin. Maybe I should end it now."
The sword shot towards Robin, but Zoro intervened, parrying the attack with his katana. Sanji, with an acrobatic leap, struck the ice weapon, shattering it into a thousand pieces.
"Still getting in my way, you cursed cook?" growled Zoro, a smug grin on his lips.
"Shut it, Marimo!" retorted Sanji, returning his grin.
Luffy charged without thinking. "Gum-Gum... Pistol!"
His fist crashed against Aokiji, but the admiral grabbed his arm, as well as Zoro's and Sanji's leg. In an instant, the three men were enveloped in ice, screaming under the bite of the cold.
Nami, Chopper, and Usopp watched, paralyzed by fear. Robin, on the other hand, stared at Aokiji, a mix of defiance and anxiety in her eyes.
"Robin, run!" cried Nami, her voice trembling.
"You've found yourself some good crewmates, Nico Robin. But deep down, you remain the same."
Aokiji advanced, arms outstretched, ready to engulf her in a deadly embrace of ice. Robin, frozen—out of fear or defiance—didn't move. But just before he touched her, a soft and confident voice echoed.
"Stop, Aokiji."
The admiral froze, a shiver running through him. His nonchalant expression turned tense. He slowly turned, hand on his neck. "What are you doing here, Cursed King... Yuta Okkotsu?"