One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

"Ice Age!"

Above the sea, a frigid world unfolded, transforming everything into ice and snow. A chilling cold surged across the ocean, so intense that a mere breath of it could freeze the water in a person's body.

Kuzan stood firmly on the deck, his form half-transformed into ice, emitting a relentless stream of freezing air. The sea below was locked in ice, and the freezing vapor rose skyward, swiftly condensing the moisture in the air.

With the freezing air thickening, clouds above began to coalesce, releasing snowflakes that drifted down, blanketing the sea in a relentless blizzard.

"K-Kuzan… you…!" 

Zephyr, half-frozen himself, glared at Kuzan with his only unfrozen eye, filled with both fury and helplessness. Next to him, Ain and other loyal followers stood frozen solid, their last expressions of shock preserved in ice.

The difference in power was staggering.

Even with Zephyr shielding them from the brunt of Aokiji's attack, the freezing aura spread through the seawater and froze them instantly. Their Haki couldn't hold back the crushing power of Kuzan's Devil Fruit ability.

Although Armament Haki can sometimes counter Devil Fruit abilities, there is no inherent immunity between the two powers. They are distinct forces. And when the strength of a Devil Fruit ability far outweighs that of Haki, resistance becomes futile.

With only Armament Haki and martial prowess, without the willpower of Conqueror's Haki, Zephyr found himself helpless as he watched his students and comrades fall to Kuzan's ice. This is the brutal truth of the pirate world: without a powerful Devil Fruit or the force of Conqueror's Haki, even the most skilled warrior can be reduced to a spectator on the battlefield.

In his prime, Zephyr was considered one of the weaker Admirals in Marine history. His reliance on martial arts and Armament Haki alone left gaps in his ability to protect those around him—especially against Logia users like Kuzan, whose freezing powers exert complete battlefield control.

The Frozen Fruit is arguably the strongest in field control, able to manipulate the moisture in the air to spread freezing energy across the battlefield. In the face of such widespread, all-permeating cold, there is nowhere for opponents to hide.

Those strong enough could use Armament Haki to shield their entire body, but the slightest lapse would allow the freezing air to creep into their pores, freezing water and blood alike.

This is the true terror of the Frozen Fruit, a Devil Fruit capable of weaponizing the very moisture in the sea itself, leaving no hope of escape.

"Zephyr-sensei… no, Z. The times have changed."

Kuzan's expression was calm as he regarded Zephyr, extending his right hand slowly. Half of Zephyr's body was encased in Kuzan's ice, and his single visible eye widened in shock.

His Armament Haki had been overwhelmed.

"This era belongs to the Flame Emperor," Kuzan murmured. His gaze sharpened, and in that instant, an intense wave of freezing energy surged forth.

"Crack… crack…"

Zephyr tried to speak, but the freezing cold had infiltrated every cell of his body, silencing him entirely.

Unwillingness filled his eyes as he became encased in solid ice, fully immobilized by the overpowering freezing energy.

"Anyone interfering in the captain's business will be frozen by me," Kuzan declared with chilling composure, letting out a final plume of his icy breath. "I am Kuzan, captain of the Entei Pirates' First Fleet."

"Zephyr-sensei!" 

Not far off, Hina and Smoker watched from their Marine warship, eyes red with shock and anger. Both of them had been in the first batch of Zephyr's Marine recruits, and even though he had left the Marines, their loyalty to him remained strong. Yet now, their former mentor, their leader—and the brother-in-arms who once led their faction, Kuzan—had reduced him to an ice sculpture under Flame Emperor's orders.

The harshness of it all was overwhelming, almost too much to bear for Hina and Smoker. But there was nothing they could do.

At this moment, ice had already claimed them up to their waists. The chilling energy in the air seeped through their pores, slowing their bodily functions. Doing anything was a challenge, and they knew that if Kuzan wished, they too would become lifeless statues of ice in seconds, just like Zephyr.

When Kuzan unleashed his full strength, the formidable freezing aura spread across the sea's surface, chilling the water vapor in the air and reaching even them. Smoker had tried to escape upward using his Smoke Fruit powers but was quickly frozen mid-air, crashing back onto the ship with half of his body covered in frost. Hina and the other Marines were immobilized, frozen from the waist down.

"Kuzan! Damn it!" Smoker growled, struggling against the encroaching ice.

"Don't waste your energy, Smoker," Hina said, her voice low but clear. "We're not even close to his level."

She glanced at Kuzan with a hint of dread. Despite their status as Rear Admirals, the chasm between their power and Kuzan's was monumental. He hadn't even attacked directly, and still, the air alone from his presence had overwhelmed them. Their Haki was too weak to withstand it.

And more alarming than Kuzan was the man backing him. A shadow of despair crept into Hina's eyes as she thought of the true strength of the highest echelon in the world's power structure.

Many Marines could scarcely grasp the enormity of the world government's greatest power. In each generation, three Admirals represented the Marine's mightiest forces, the ones meant to oppose the era's most dangerous pirates. Under the current balance of power between the Four Emperors, the Shichibukai, and the Marines, each force checked the other's influence on the seas. Admirals rarely made appearances, let alone unleashed their full strength.

Even during the Flame Emperor Incident at the Sabaody Archipelago, Hina and the others had barely grazed the periphery of the battlefield. They had been completely knocked unconscious by the overwhelming force of Ace Conqueror's Haki before they could even engage, only glimpsing the apocalyptic aftermath from afar.

But observing from the sidelines was different from enduring it firsthand.

Now, Hina truly understood the terrifying might of the sea's peak fighters.

She had faced Vice Admirals before—many were fellow students of Zephyr's, her own seniors and mentors. In some ways, they were all kindred in their training. As a firsthand witness of the Alabasta incident, Hina had pushed herself even harder since then, seizing every opportunity to train with higher-ranking officers.

Though Hina had become stronger over time, attaining the position of Rear Admiral and mastering Armament Haki, she now realized the stark gap between her strength and that of the Admirals. Against most Vice Admirals, her Armament Haki and Devil Fruit abilities allowed her to hold her own, if only for a time. But here, in Kuzan's chilling presence, she felt the overwhelming difference—an unbridgeable gap that crushed any hope of resistance.

The truth became evident immediately. Her Haki and Devil Fruit powers barely held up for a moment under Kuzan's freezing aura, which permeated the atmosphere and stifled her strength before any direct clash could occur. It was clear now: the rank of Vice Admiral at Headquarters held no comparison to an Admiral. In combat, facing an Admiral felt like a mere ant confronting a giant.

Only in experiencing this firsthand did Hina fully grasp the terrifying reality of the sea's peak fighters. The magnitude of power between herself and Kuzan was humbling, as if even her strongest abilities were simply swept aside by the overwhelming presence of a man who embodied the absolute top-tier combat prowess of the world. And above him was the force behind all this upheaval—a man whose influence now roared across the sea like a tidal wave.

As she looked out over the frozen sea, a bitter taste lingered on Hina's lips. The recent description from Naval Headquarters seemed all too accurate: Ace was a man who could set the world ablaze, someone possessing the very power to bring it to ruin.

"Captain," Kuzan said, watching Smoker and the others frozen in the distance. "Shall we dispose of them, or bring them back?"

Without hesitation, Kuzan stood ready to act on Ace's order, his resolve unshakable. This commitment to following Ace—to demonstrate his conviction—was absolute.

"No, leave them," Ace responded, resting against Robin's lap, a faint smile on his face. "A Devil Fruit like Smoker's is far too weak. Let the Marine Headquarters collect them."

He paused, the faintest hint of amusement in his tone. "Never forget: killing is merely a tool. Our ultimate aim lies beyond that."

Ace regarded Smoker's Smoke Fruit with a trace of disdain. Among Logia-type Devil Fruits, Smoke Fruit was indeed an unfortunate choice. It lacked direct combat power, and even if it were to awaken, it would only generate more smoke and possibly suffocate an enemy. But since smoke lacked any inherent damage ability, enemies with Haki could simply cover their noses and neutralize the effect. A Logia-type, yes, but truly the weakest of its kind.

Ace felt nothing but disdain for such a weak Devil Fruit ability. As for killing Smoker and the others? That, too, was unnecessary. Kuzan had now risen to become the captain of his own division and stood among the most powerful fighters under Ace's command.

Through his Observation Haki, Ace sensed Kuzan's unwavering resolve—a commitment so strong that, for the sake of their shared ideals, Kuzan would carry out orders without hesitation, even when faced with his former mentors and comrades. Yet this ruthlessness did not signify a lack of feeling; Ace knew Kuzan still held a heart, and any needless slaughter could weigh on his mind. Compared to Kuzan's unmatched power, figures like Smoker were irrelevant.

"Understood, Captain," Kuzan responded smoothly, immediately understanding Ace's intention. A slight smile formed on his lips as he felt an even stronger bond of loyalty and recognition. He thought to himself, 'Ace, I'll use every ounce of my strength to make you the king of this world! For your and my ideals!'

Ace rose from Robin's lap, his voice ringing with laughter. "Alright, time for the captain's orders!" His gaze focused intensely, and a tiny glimmer appeared in the air before erupting with immense force.

"Buzz! Crack!" 

Under Kuzan's astonished gaze, and to the disbelief of Hina and Smoker, a massive gate opened in the sky. 

In a sudden whoosh, an enormous ship descended from above, yet it touched down gently on the ocean, raising not a single wave. The ship was formidable, with a fierce tiger's head carved into the bow and a large pirate flag rippling on its main sail—a skull wreathed in fearsome flames, the flag of the Entei Pirates. The sail and an accompanying flag bore the large symbol "2," marking its rank.

"Long time no see, Kuzan-san," came a steady voice from the deck. At the bow stood a blind, middle-aged man leaning on his cane, a subtle smile at the corners of his mouth. "By the captain's orders, I, Issho, will be joining you on this mission."

Kuzan's expression softened as he recognized the figure. "It's been a while… Issho-san."

"Captain of the Second Team of the Entei Pirates' Grand Fleet, 'Dark Ranger' Issho?!" Smoker and Hina stared, wide-eyed with shock.

Two of Flame Emperor's most formidable fighters had been deployed simultaneously? Bewildered, Smoker could only think, 'What in the world does Flame Emperor intend to accomplish!?'