Expanding the area of his shadow without limit—not only did it amplify its destructive potential, but it also increased its vulnerability to attacks.
At the same time, it diluted the concentration of Armament Haki spread across the shadow.
This limitation in the perception of abilities had indeed become a widely accepted notion.
Yet, what was often overlooked under this common belief was Maude's ability to move like a shadow following the body.
Just as he had said earlier—
Where there is a shadow, there is him.
The enlarged attack surface of his shadow was undoubtedly a disadvantage that left him nowhere to hide.
But at the same time, it also meant that Maude could use the shadow as a medium for instantaneous movement, appearing wherever he wished and catching his enemies off guard.
And that was exactly how Maude's blade, infused with Armament Haki, pierced straight through Aokiji's chest in one decisive strike.
However—
If a top-tier Marine force like Aokiji could be taken down this easily,
Then—
The title of Admiral would be far too cheap.
With his superior Observation Haki, honed to a level above Maude's, Aokiji predicted the attack just in time and preemptively turned his body into ice, leaving an empty space in his chest where the blade could pass through harmlessly.
This technique—creating a hollow area in one's body to avoid direct attacks—was a high-level Logia evasion maneuver used to counter Armament Haki.
For someone of Aokiji's caliber, a master of Logia powers, such techniques had already been honed to near perfection.
That's why, even in the face of Maude's sudden and lethal attack, Aokiji, as long as his Observation Haki remained undisturbed, could evade any fatal strike in a one-on-one battle.
This, in fact, was the fundamental reason why Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu—despite being Logia users—were still able to hold their ground in a world dominated by Armament Haki experts.
Their seemingly unbreakable evasion technique was not only a means of defense, but also a perfect setup for a counterattack.
"Ice Time!"
Having narrowly avoided a fatal wound, Aokiji immediately unleashed a chilling frost that surged toward Maude at lightning speed.
Yet—
Before the ice could reach him, Maude's Veil Blade suddenly retracted, condensing into a single point and viciously shattering Aokiji's body into countless shards of ice.
The next instant—
The scattered ice fragments rapidly reformed, as if time were reversing, restoring Aokiji's body in an instant.
At this moment—
The usual laziness on Aokiji's face had vanished completely, replaced by an intense look of caution.
A dense, visible frost now surrounded him, growing even more intense.
"Ice Age!"
Using the ground beneath his feet as the epicenter, a tidal wave of freezing air erupted outward, carrying an unbearable chill that could freeze even the air itself.
Ground and sky alike—
Instantly turned into a frozen wasteland.
The terrifying power of a Logia Admiral was displayed in full force at this moment.
"Even the air is frozen…"
Looking at the raging Ice Age, Maude sighed inwardly but showed no intention of retreating.
"But let's see—can you freeze a shadow?"
Raising his blade, Maude pointed it toward the oncoming storm of frost.
At his command—
His shadow, which had just retracted, surged forth once again, flooding out from behind him like a tidal wave of darkness, crashing head-on into the overwhelming frost of Ice Age.
Black and white—two opposing forces—collided in a spectacle that split the sky, forming a massive, cascading curtain of interwoven darkness and ice.
At the same time—
The Yarukiman Mangrove, which had been split in half by Maude's Veil Blade earlier, collapsed to both sides with a deafening crash.
The resulting shockwave traveled along the deep fissure in the ground, tearing the entire Grove 14 in two.
One strike.
And the entire Grove 14 was split in half.
The people on the neighboring islands stood in stunned silence at the sight.
Let alone the sheer destructive force of the black-and-white clash towering into the sky—just the pressure alone had paralyzed countless onlookers with fear.
One particularly bold observer, trembling, climbed to higher ground and used a telescope to get a better look at the battlefield on Grove 14.
What he saw—
Was Maude and Aokiji engaged in battle.
And the monstrous clash of black and white that had split the sky apart—
Was caused by them.
Clatter—!
The observer's hands shook so violently that the telescope slipped from his grasp, crashing to the ground and shattering into pieces.
"It's Bacardi Maude… He… he's back!!!"
His trembling voice echoed through the crowd.
A phrase that had been heard before—
Yet this time, it landed like a bomb in the midst of the people.
Every single person present wore an expression of pure shock.
The last few times they had heard this phrase, Maude had returned to Sabaody as a Warlord… or as a hero.
Back then, the citizens of Sabaody felt relief and joy at his return.
But now—
Maude had returned as a pirate.
And with him came a rising tide of sheer panic that swept through the island.
Almost at the same time—
Without needing a single word of warning, driven purely by fear, the crowd scattered in chaos, fleeing as if their lives depended on it.
"Don't panic! He's fighting Admiral Ao—Aokiji…!"
The observer forcibly tore his gaze away from the battlefield and looked down at the empty ground beneath him.
His words abruptly stuck in his throat.
Because what he saw—
Was an abandoned clearing, littered only with discarded shoes.
Not a single soul remained.
"???"
As Grove 14 split apart, those who fled carried news of Maude's return to every corner of Sabaody.
Thanks to them—
The panic spread throughout the entire archipelago.
And in the few short minutes that it took for this fear to take hold,
Maude and Aokiji had already exchanged dozens of blows.
The ground of the shattered Grove 14 was now littered with frost and craters, a testament to the sheer intensity of their battle.
Having retreated from the battlefield, Shakky watched the fight unfold from a safe distance, her expression unreadable.
"Facing an Admiral head-on… yet not falling behind…"
A gleam of excitement flashed in her eyes as she turned her gaze to the battle on Grove 13.
Under the leadership of Gaya and Lafitte, Brook and Jim displayed astonishing strength.
With their Devil Fruit powers, they compensated for their numerical disadvantage, turning the tide against the Marines.
Seeing their efforts, Hawkins—who had narrowly escaped being overwhelmed earlier—decided to rejoin the battle without hesitation.
And his reinforcement—
Was beginning to look like the final straw that would break the Marines.
This shift in battle—
Was already influencing the fight between Maude and Aokiji.
"Look, shadows can't be frozen."
A cold smirk appeared on Maude's face.
With a mere thought, his frozen shadows morphed into a field of jagged black spikes, effortlessly shattering the thick ice layer that had trapped them.
"And clearly—my crew is stronger."
Casually, he gestured toward Grove 13—
Where the Marines were beginning to collapse.
Aokiji's brow furrowed deeply.
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