One Piece: I am the Empress, and the more sycophants I have, the stronger I become.

Before Aokiji could finish speaking, a terrifying power of ice erupted.

It wasn't aimed at Hancock herself, but at the entire Kuja Pirates ship beneath her feet, as well as Aria on the ship and Robin in the cabin!

"The Ice Age!"

Without warning, without any prelude, it was as if the words came true.

The extreme cold air emanated from Aokiji, spreading out like invisible ripples, sweeping across the sea and touching the ship's hull!

"Snap—!!!"

Almost instantly, the huge perfume cruise ship, along with Hancock standing proudly at the bow, Arya on the deck, Robin in the cabin, and even the vast sea around the ship, were all completely frozen by a layer of incredibly thick ice!

Time seemed to stand still here, transforming into a magnificent yet deadly ice sculpture.

Arya remained in the position of drawing her sword, her eyes still filled with horror.

Robin, inside the cabin, only had time to show a look of despair before being frozen in ice crystals.

This is the terrifying power of a Marine Admiral!

The awakened power of a top-tier Logia-type Devil Fruit, combined with his superb physical skills, allows him to alter the heavens and freeze everything with a mere gesture!

While domineering isn't his specialty, at his level, combined with his awakened Devil Fruit power, he's already terrifying enough.

However, just as Aokiji thought he had the situation under control, a sudden change occurred!

The body of Hancock, who was frozen in the ice sculpture at the bow of the ship, was suddenly covered with an extremely dense layer of dark Armament Haki.

At the same time, a pink energy, containing strong allure and impact, erupted from her body!

"boom!!!"

The ice that had frozen her was instantly shattered into dust!

Hancock's figure emerged like a goddess breaking through ice, carrying endless rage and fierce momentum, rushing towards Aokiji with lightning speed.

Her right leg was raised high, covered with advanced Armament Haki and internal destruction techniques, and even faintly wrapped with a trace of black and red Conqueror's Haki arcs.

With a force that could tear everything apart, it kicked fiercely toward Aokiji's head!

"Big, fragrant feet!"

This attack, unleashed in fury, was almost the pinnacle of Hancock's current combination of physical skills, Haki, and Devil Fruit abilities.

The speed, the angle, and the concentration of power far exceeded Aokiji's expectations!

Aokiji's pupils contracted slightly, and he hastily raised his arm, covered in Armament Haki, to block.

"Bang--!!!"

A deafeningly loud bang erupted!

The violent shockwave exploded in a ring, cracking the surrounding sea ice into countless fissures!

Aokiji felt an overwhelming force coming from him.

A sudden numbness shot through his arm, and he was kicked backward dozens of meters before regaining his footing on the ice. Two deep furrows were carved into the ice beneath his feet!

He lowered his slightly trembling arm and looked at the empress in the distance, who stood unharmed and even more imposing in the ice. His lazy face finally showed obvious shock.

"As expected of a Shichibukai... Boa Hancock, you're even stronger than you were a few years ago!"

Aokiji removed his blindfold, and his attitude became unusually serious.

He hadn't expected that his opponent could not only break free from his ice seal instantly, but also unleash such a fierce counterattack.

This level of strength is quite good even among the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Hancock appeared to have the upper hand, forcing the general to retreat with a single blow, but her brows were furrowed and alarm bells were ringing in her mind.

She had used almost all her strength to break free from the ice and launch a counterattack, which had taken a toll on her.

Aokiji, on the other hand, was clearly not taking it seriously, relying more on the instantaneous burst of his Devil Fruit power.

This is a huge problem...

Hancock's mind raced; this was the biggest crisis she had encountered since setting sail.

The prestige of a veteran naval admiral is undeniable, and Aokiji's raw strength is definitely superior to hers.

If the opponent hadn't seemed to have some reservations and hadn't used his full power in the fight, that attack just now would never have forced him back so easily.

If the fighting continues, it's only a matter of time before I'm defeated, and even Arya and Robin might be...

We absolutely must not engage in a direct confrontation!

With her mind made up, Hancock's fierce aura suddenly subsided, and she said with a hint of reproach:

"Admiral Kuzan, you, the Navy's top combatant, freeze the entire ship the moment you face a weak woman like me. Don't you even know what it means to cherish a woman?"

Her sudden change of topic startled Aokiji, who was preparing to attack again.

Before he could react, Hancock continued to press him, her tone tinged with grievance and questioning.

"Furthermore, I am, after all, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea recognized by the World Government! How dare you attack me so indiscriminately, and even try to forcibly take away my guest? Aren't you afraid of disrupting the balance between the World Government and the Seven Warlords of the Sea? Does Fleet Admiral Sengoku know that you are doing this?"

The Seven Warlords system, balance, and the Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

These keywords were like cold water poured over Aokiji's heart.

He already harbored doubts about many of the World Government's policies, and his style of doing things was more inclined towards laziness and "ambiguous justice," rather than an absolute executor like Akainu.

Taking action against the Seven Warlords of the Sea, especially without conclusive evidence of serious violations, can easily trigger unnecessary political disputes.

Aokiji looked at Hancock, then glanced at the frozen ship and Robin inside, weighing his options in his mind.

Taking down Hancock might be possible, but it certainly won't be easy; it will inevitably be a fierce battle, and there will be enormous trouble afterward.

Is it worth it for Robin?

If Hancock takes a tougher stance, or if the authorities officially strip him of his title, he might consider taking further action.

But now... he really doesn't want to fight anymore.

The shadow of O'Hara, his skepticism about the current system, and the formidable nature of the woman before him all robbed him of the desire to continue fighting.

Seeing the hesitation and reluctance in Aokiji's eyes, Hancock was secretly delighted, knowing she had made the right bet.

She seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire, her tone becoming somewhat meaningful.

"Speaking of which, Admiral Kuzan, you don't seem to completely agree with the Navy's... or rather, the World Government's system of justice, do you? Otherwise, back in Ohara..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the implication was enough.

Aokiji remained silent for a moment, and the chilling aura around him slowly subsided.

He gave Hancock a long look, then glanced at Robin, who was frozen in ice.

Finally, he sighed and shook his head.

"Ugh... this is so troublesome."

He scratched his head, reverting to his usual lazy demeanor.

"You're right. It's really not worth fighting to the death with a Shichibukai for Robin. Besides, attacking a beautiful woman isn't my style."

He turned around, pushed his bicycle, and stepped onto the ice.

"Let it go this time. But Boa Hancock, keep an eye on her. If she gets into any unmanageable trouble... it won't be so simple next time we meet."

As soon as he finished speaking, Aokiji rode his bicycle slowly away along the ice path he had created, his figure gradually disappearing into the vast sea.

Only after Aokiji's scent completely disappeared did Hancock finally breathe a long sigh of relief, her back already soaked with sweat.

She immediately went to the frozen ship, gathered her Armament Haki, and carefully began to break the ice to rescue Aria and Robin.

Hancock's eyes were deep as she watched the ice gradually melt.

This brief encounter with the Admiral made her clearly realize the gap between herself and top-tier powerhouses, and also allowed her to witness the terror of the World Government's elite combat forces.

Our strength... needs to be improved even faster!

She clenched her fists, feeling an even stronger sense of urgency.

At the same time, she also realized that Robin's existence was indeed a huge problem, but also a huge opportunity.

Aokiji... it seems you're quite skeptical of so-called "justice" too...

Hancock's lips curled into a smile.

Perhaps, in the future, we might be able to... make use of this.