After fighting for such an extended period, Aokiji's speed remained undiminished, his attacks as swift and precise as ever. If Jerry hadn't managed to land a few limited Conqueror's Haki-enhanced strikes that had slightly injured the Admiral and torn his clothing, anyone observing might think the battle had just begun.
"Hey! It's going to rain heavily soon. Why don't you go collect your laundry instead of fighting here?!" Jerry habitually complained about irrelevant matters while sinking low, pushing off with his feet, and launching himself skyward to avoid Aokiji's devastating punch.
"Ever heard of a technique that falls from the sky?" Jerry called out while spinning in midair, his fishing rod crackling with black lightning as he continued shouting: "Well, here's the rod version!"
The distance between them rapidly closed as Jerry's overwhelming Conqueror's Haki suddenly burst forth, pressing down on Aokiji's entire form in an attempt to lock the Admiral in place.
"Rod Breaker: Heaven's Judgment!" A brilliant flash erupted as Jerry swung his fishing rod with tremendous force, the attack screaming straight toward Aokiji.
Seeing the incoming strike, Aokiji moved to counter but hesitated at the critical moment—whether from surprise at Jerry's audacity or some other calculation.
CRASH!
A deep chasm spanning hundreds of meters suddenly split the earth with a deafening roar. Aokiji, caught within the attack's range, seemed unable to avoid it in time.
Jerry flipped and landed smoothly, taking the opportunity to recover from the massive energy drain caused by frequent Conqueror's Haki usage. After exhaling deeply, he raised the corner of his mouth in a triumphant smirk.
"Hehe, I knew all Marine Admirals were just paper tigers! From today forward, I, Jerry the Leviathan, will reclaim my place among the world's strongest..."
However, before he could finish his boast, he suddenly felt a cold wetness beneath his feet.
Looking down, Jerry's eyes widened as he felt an icy chill rising from the soles of his feet, instantly crystallizing into countless ice formations that froze his legs firmly to the ground.
"!!!" Jerry's heart clenched as he instinctively tried to break free from the ice spreading rapidly upward along his body.
But at that moment, his Observation Haki screamed a desperate warning.
Jerry realized something was catastrophically wrong. He foresaw what would happen next, but it was already too late to avoid it.
The instant Jerry was immobilized, Aokiji appeared at tremendous speed, his Haki-blackened fists clenched as he launched an attack with the power of thunder directly at Jerry's hastily crossed arms.
BOOM!
A tremendous explosion echoed from the crater Jerry had created. He instinctively reached for his fallen fishing rod while coughing up blood, the metallic taste filling his mouth.
Obviously, it was impossible for a Marine Admiral not to have mastered advanced Armament Haki techniques.
Despite his best defensive efforts, Jerry couldn't completely block the thunderous impact. He struggled to his feet with one hand while watching Aokiji approach again with relentless determination.
Although his opponent seemed slightly injured from the previous exchange, judging by Aokiji's current condition, the damage wasn't serious—otherwise he wouldn't be moving with such energy.
"What happened to that 'paper tiger' comment?" Aokiji's usually dormant sense of humor emerged as he spoke with dry amusement.
Noticing their battlefield had unknowingly shifted toward the coastline, Jerry stared intently at his approaching enemy with lightning-sharp focus.
"Tch, I didn't expect someone who looks so serious to have such a petty streak," Jerry spat blood in disgust, flexed his aching muscles, and chose to meet the attack head-on rather than retreat further.
"Raining Fists of the Sea King"
Jerry had stored his fishing rod at some point and instead took the offensive, channeling every ounce of strength into his body as he unleashed countless punches with both hands.
"Ice Needles!"
Aokiji spoke two words quietly, his arms becoming phantom blurs as he matched Jerry's rapid-fire assault.
"You want to mess up my face with that ice rain? I'll fight you to the death!" After blocking countless attacks—including one aimed directly at his head—Jerry's eyes blazed with fury as he suddenly adopted the demeanor of a man with nothing left to lose.
It had to be said that strength was temporary, but handsomeness was forever. Although Jerry's body was covered with wounds and bruises, his face remained unmarked, his skin as smooth as before, his natural charm undiminished.
"Final Strike!"
The countless fist shadows vanished instantly as Jerry released an earth-shaking roar.
He quickly adjusted his stance, dropping into a wide horse stance as he threw a devastating right straight punch that contained all his remaining Conqueror's Haki and physical strength, the attack cutting through air with a thunderous boom.
"Absolute Zero: Annihilation Fist!"
Mist from temperatures beyond human endurance flowed around Aokiji's clenched fist as he launched his own mountain-shaking, earth-cracking strike.
Before their fists officially collided, the auras of both fighters surged outward, creating invisible waves of pressure that distorted the very air around them.
When the atmosphere was compressed beyond its limits, it finally released a deafening explosion. The two men's fists met like colliding planets in a devastating head-on confrontation.
In that instant, the entire island seemed to tremble as a wave of energy filled with impossible cold spread in all directions at frightening speed.
Wherever the blast touched, both earth and vegetation were ruthlessly frozen solid, covering an area of several kilometers in pristine ice.
Both were caught by tremendous opposing forces, flying backward in opposite directions like projectiles fired from the same cannon.
Jerry slid and tumbled uncontrollably across the rapidly spreading ice, like a meteor streaking through the sky as he rushed toward the coastline at incredible velocity.
Finally, with a tremendous crash, he plunged into the surging waves like a falling boulder, sending up massive sprays of seawater.
Jerry coughed up more blood as he let the ocean swallow his battered body, thinking to himself with grim satisfaction: "At least I managed to time this right."
"I knew when I felt myself being pushed toward the sea that I might actually have a chance. After all, this is where I belong."
Jerry dove deep beneath the surface, his mind surprisingly clear despite his injuries as random thoughts drifted through his consciousness.
Meanwhile, Aokiji suddenly appeared on the beach, also bearing fresh injuries. He wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, stopped massaging his aching right hand, and crouched down to gently place his left palm against the cold seawater.
"Ice Age..." Endless frigid air began rising as Aokiji prepared to launch his ultimate freezing technique, but he paused when a familiar female voice called from behind.
"Hold on, Kuzan. Do you really want the people of this island to become victims of your attack?"
Gion approached while speaking, gesturing for Aokiji to look toward the other side of the bay.
There stood a group of terrified civilians who had gathered because of the noise from their battle, confused and helpless as they watched the devastation unfold.
Aokiji sighed deeply, stood up slowly, winced at the pain throughout his body, and adjusted his bloodied collar. "You're right, but... this really is like letting a dragon return to the sea."
"He's been at sea for less than two years, and he's already grown to this level..." Aokiji murmured quietly, then turned and began walking away with measured steps.
Having decided to halt his pursuit, he wouldn't dwell on the missed opportunity.
"Yeah, but... never mind, let's go." Gion seemed about to say something else but hesitated, ultimately shaking her head as she followed Aokiji's lead, leaving the devastated and frozen beach behind.
"The leviathan has returned!" With a tremendous splash, Jerry launched himself from the vast ocean onto the deck of the Black Nova, waving his arms triumphantly despite his obvious injuries.
"Jerry!" his crewmates called out in relief and celebration as their captain—battered but unbroken—rejoined them for their escape into the endless blue sea.