After advancing his physique to six stars, Maude's strength had risen to a new level, allowing him to defeat Vice Admiral Momonga.
Even so, with Maude's current abilities, he couldn't last ten exchanges against Admiral Aokiji.
Even teaming up with Lafitte wouldn't change the outcome.
That's the weight of an Admiral.
So when Aokiji arrived on the scene, the group of Marines led by Momonga instantly felt reassured.
To them, an Admiral represented the Navy's peak combat power—a symbol of invincibility.
No matter the predicament, as long as an Admiral was present, no problem was insurmountable.
Especially when facing a fledgling pirate crew that had only recently emerged.
Yet, the Marines on-site couldn't possibly imagine that the quiet, unassuming middle-aged blind man who seemed as ordinary as driftwood possessed strength on par with Admiral Kuzan.
They couldn't gauge Issho's depth, but Aokiji could.
To be blunt, Aokiji could easily crush Maude and Lafitte with just a bit of effort.
But Issho was different.
He wasn't someone Aokiji could handle effortlessly.
Otherwise, why would Maude appear so calm?
Issho met Aokiji's gaze, his tone serene. "I've long heard of you, Admiral Aokiji…"
"Ah, la la."
Aokiji stepped off his bike, kicked the stand into place to secure it, and casually shoved his hands into his pockets as he examined the scarred face of Issho.
"You're called Issho, right? I've heard of your exploits."
"Oh?"
Issho raised his eyelids slightly, revealing a sliver of the whites of his eyes. He spoke mildly, "I'm just an unknown wanderer. To be acknowledged by an Admiral is truly an honor."
"Come on, no need to downplay yourself."
A thin layer of frost formed on Aokiji's small sunglasses as wisps of freezing air emanated from his body, spreading across the ground in a delicate layer of ice.
"Someone like you could never be an 'unknown wanderer.'"
"..."
Issho remained silent.
Aokiji stared at him and asked, "So, what's your relationship with Maude?"
The chill exuding from Aokiji's body seemed to gain a more menacing edge.
Feeling the bone-piercing cold creeping closer, Issho stayed calm, his right hand slowly moving to rest on the hilt of his sword. "A friend."
"A friend, huh…"
Aokiji scratched his cheek with one finger, tilting his head slightly as he glanced inland. "I don't know all the details about what's going on here, but I've heard a bit…"
He paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Never mind, there's no point in discussing that now."
As his words trailed off, frost began forming on various parts of Aokiji's body, signaling he was ready to make a move.
"..."
Issho remained silent, but his blade had already been drawn slightly from its sheath.
He had no desire to clash with the Navy.
However, while Maude could handle Vice Admiral Momonga and his subordinates, there was no way he could take on Admiral Aokiji.
Given the circumstances, Issho had no choice but to step forward and block Aokiji's path to ensure Maude and Lafitte's safety.
Nearby, Maude stood calmly, watching Aokiji's cold air fill the area.
He wasn't sure if Issho could hold Aokiji off, nor did he believe Aokiji would go all out against Issho in a battle that wouldn't benefit him.
If the two fought without holding back, the entire island of Lorre would be destroyed.
Issho, who deeply valued the lives of civilians, would never let that happen.
Likewise, Aokiji wasn't the kind of extremist Akainu was. Even though Lorre wasn't a World Government-affiliated nation, Aokiji wouldn't disregard the safety of its inhabitants.
From an outsider's perspective, Maude understood this dynamic perfectly.
He was confident this confrontation would end inconclusively.
Both Issho and Aokiji possessed extraordinary strength, but their rationality and principles acted as invisible chains, restraining them.
After all, both were far from the kind of reckless figures who would throw caution to the wind.
Such restraint, born from human rationality and morality, could often serve as shackles.
In contrast, the infamous pirates who ran amok on the seas had no such limitations.
That was why this era was in such chaos.
"Uncle Issho, we'll be heading back now."
Maude broke the silence, his calm gaze fixed on Aokiji.
Given the tense atmosphere, his words seemed almost inappropriate.
The Marines glared at Maude in disbelief.
He dared to ignore Admiral Aokiji!
Aokiji, too, turned his gaze toward the calm-faced Maude, as though sizing up a small but persistent troublemaker.
Was he just oblivious to the situation or genuinely confident?
For some reason, Aokiji found the whole thing oddly frustrating.
Issho hesitated briefly before nodding. "Alright."
Given the circumstances, Issho had intended to have Maude and Lafitte leave first anyway.
"Should I ask Sister Gaya to prepare some vegetarian noodles ahead of time?" Maude suddenly asked.
"That would be great."
Issho nodded.
"Okay."
Without another word, Maude turned and walked away with Lafitte, completely ignoring Aokiji and the Marines.
Aokiji watched their retreating figures, scratching the back of his head. He made no move to stop them.
With Issho watching him closely, forcing a confrontation would be a waste of effort.
The still-conscious Marines, including Vice Admiral Momonga, were stunned as they watched Aokiji allow Maude and Lafitte to leave.
What just happened?
Did they really let Maude walk away like that?
Confusion filled the ranks of the Marines.
Aokiji, of course, wasn't going to explain. Slowly retracting his gaze from Maude, he turned back to Issho and sighed. "That guy… as crafty as ever."
"Hmm…"
Issho suddenly swung his sword, sending a ripple of purple energy into the air.
"There are too many injured people here. Let's take this elsewhere."
With that, Issho sheathed his blade and began walking in another direction.
"Ah, la la, showing off, huh…"
Aokiji glanced at Issho's back, then turned his gaze skyward, where a massive meteor engulfed in flames broke through the clouds, hurtling toward their location.
Unlike the panicked Marines and Momonga, who stared at the descending meteor in terror, Aokiji remained unfazed.
At that moment, the Marines finally understood why Aokiji hadn't stopped Maude.
In the distance, Maude looked back at the meteor cutting through the clouds.
Lafitte squinted but seemed far less calm than Maude. A trace of worry crept into his expression.
To him, Issho was undoubtedly strong, but Aokiji was an Admiral.
"Let's go. Uncle Issho will be fine."
Noticing Lafitte's concern, Maude reassured him before continuing toward the village.
Lafitte nodded and followed.
If Issho couldn't hold Aokiji back, they'd have to consider their escape options in advance.
The troublesome part was Aokiji's ability to freeze the sea.
If it came to that…
Lafitte frowned, deep in thought.
Had Maude known Lafitte was planning ahead like this, he would've brought Kuma into the conversation.
With Kuma around, not to mention his ability to send people anywhere in an instant, escaping would be no problem at all.
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