Throwing them at Aokiji would be a complete failure.
Whether he dodges or freezes them, that Soul-Soothing Incense is never going to affect him.
It has to be at a very close range.
Otherwise, Aokiji’s reflexes are enough to keep him out of danger.
As for putting it on himself and rushing forward, that wouldn’t work either.
Would Aokiji even embrace him?
Hard to say.
Vir didn’t dare gamble on it.
If it wasn’t an embrace, the chances of getting right up to Aokiji openly were practically zero.
Only Robin.
Only Robin could make it work.
Robin was the most likely to be taken into Aokiji’s arms!
No other way!
Vir had to go first!
Pretend to be frozen!
Pretend to be defeated!
The current situation was extremely passive, but there was no choice.
The gap in strength was right there.
Only Robin could break this deadlock.
Everything depended on waiting…
Waiting for Aokiji to give a “loving hug”.
There was no other way.
Meanwhile, the three combatants on the ground had already collapsed.
Their arms and legs were largely encased in ice!
They lay on the ground, struggling, trying to ease the unbearable pain of frostbite!
“Arara~ I really didn’t want to make a move, Vir-kun. Let’s talk this out. Seeing your companions injured like this doesn’t sit well with me either.”
Aokiji was still trying to persuade Vir to surrender.
“Vir! Don’t listen to him! Run!”
Robin clutched Vir’s sleeve in a panic, trying to get him to flee.
Luffy and the others on the ground were also shouting the same thing!
“Vir! Go! I’ll hold him off!”
Luffy struggled to stand.
But his frostbite was far worse than in the original story.
Aokiji had truly attacked this time.
So he simply couldn’t get up.
Leaving wasn’t an option for Vir.
He looked at Robin, who was usually composed but now completely flustered.
He raised his hand and gently patted her head.
“Don’t worry, I have a plan to deal with him!”
It looked like a pat, but was it really just that?
No way he’d do something so sentimental in battle!
He had simply nudged the cat ears on her head.
Their temperature was now close to body heat.
The moment Aokiji’s chill reached them, they would explode instantly!
But Robin was truly panicked.
She tried to pull Vir away, but he had already turned to Aokiji and spoken!
Surrender?
Could Vir accept that?
Not a chance!
But handing over his head? That he could do immediately.
“Enough talk! Let’s fight!”
Vir’s expression was dead serious!
He wanted to test the true gap between himself and an admiral!
Just as he was about to go all out—
Aokiji disappeared!
Vir’s Observation Haki expanded to its maximum range!
But when he caught Aokiji’s presence, his expression changed drastically!
That guy was already behind him!
“Ice Time!”
A chilling voice, like that of a ghost, whispered in Vir’s ear!
At the same time, an intense cold spread across his back!
Vir had only one thought—Motherf***, should he say it or not?
This guy!
Coming at him with full power from the start?
He sure holds me in high regard!
That speed! That technique!
As expected, admirals are on a different level.
If only I could steal his physical abilities…
Just how incredible would that be?
Leaping straight into admiral-level strength wouldn’t be impossible!
Indeed, Aokiji wasn’t holding back at all.
He could play around with the others.
But Vir was his mission target.
Aokiji didn’t want to trouble himself too much; it was best to finish it in one go.
Extreme speed and freezing without giving any time to react!
But if Vir wanted to, he could have instantly turned and fired a charged lightning at Aokiji.
At the very least, he could have shattered the incoming ice!
There was no way he’d let himself be frozen so easily.
However, Robin was right next to Aokiji.
If he fired that charged lightning, the collision with Aokiji’s ice would send shards flying.
Those shards would undoubtedly pierce the cat ears on Robin’s head!
Vir’s right index finger had long been coated in Armament Haki.
The purpose? To mask the bright light and heat of charging.
But unfortunately, he couldn’t use it now.
Might as well get frozen…
His electricity could break the ice anyway.
No big deal.
With that thought, Vir made no move.
He acted as if he hadn’t even realized what was happening.
Aokiji’s ice spread from his right hand, freezing Vir into an ice sculpture.
Seeing Vir frozen, Luffy and the others exploded with rage!
Even Nami and Usopp charged toward Aokiji without hesitation.
Nami raised her Clima-Tact, summoning lightning to strike Aokiji!
Usopp’s slingshot fired a barrage of powerful ammunition!
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji also struggled to their feet!
They all lunged at Aokiji!
Robin, meanwhile, sprouted arms under Vir, trying to pull him away!
“Hey, hey~ He’s my mission target. I really can’t let him go~”
Aokiji simply glanced over.
The arms holding Vir instantly froze into ice and shattered!
Usopp’s attacks stopped mere centimeters from Aokiji before turning into ice spheres!
Aokiji willed them forward!
The ice balls shot out like powerful cannonballs!
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The sound of ice colliding with flesh rang out!
“Agh!”
“That hurts!”
Cries of pain filled the air!
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
Everyone, except Robin, collapsed simultaneously!
Each one sustaining injuries that prevented them from standing.
Aokiji had controlled his strength perfectly.
Just enough to incapacitate them.
“Arara~ I have to take this guy with me today. Don’t make it difficult for me.”
Aokiji sighed in exasperation.
Inside the ice, Vir sighed in relief—Aokiji hadn’t attacked Robin.
If she had been targeted, he would have broken free immediately to protect her.
That would have ruined everything.
From the looks of it, Aokiji was about to give Robin his “loving hug”.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left her for last.
Vir was ready.
He had run through the sequence in his mind dozens of times.
Break the ice! Open the medkit! Grab the brick! Thunder Step! Time Domain! Armament Haki Brick Smash!
All he needed was for Aokiji to get close to Robin!
And indeed, Aokiji turned toward Robin.
He had left her for last to test her.
Would she care about this boy?
If she did…
Well, that would be unfortunate.
Aokiji locked a Seastone cuff onto Vir’s frozen wrist.
Then, he grabbed Vir’s arm and turned to face Robin.
“Step aside, Nico Robin! Or I’ll take you back as well.”
Aokiji barked sternly!
Vir: Just stay like that, just stay like that…
He was mentally chanting frantically.
But Robin didn’t hesitate—she charged at Aokiji, determination in her eyes!
“Then take me too!!!”
Vir: Hug her. Hug her…
But Aokiji raised his hand and created an ice block…
Vir: Damn it!!!
Whoosh!
The ice block flew toward Robin!
No choice but to wait for another chance…
Just as Vir prepared to break free—
A figure rushed out!
Blocking Robin!
*Boom!*
The ice hit the newcomer, only causing him to stagger.
Robin’s face showed shock.
Even frozen, Vir’s eyes widened.
Aokiji looked at the person blocking him.
He asked impatiently, “Are you going to stand in my way too?”
The figure was radiating an aura of rage.
It glared furiously at Aokiji.
Its eyes were glowing red, emitting a terrifying light!
After taking a deep breath, it roared at Aokiji with a twisted expression:
“What did you do to my big bro!!!”
—–
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