Chapter 66: Admiral Aokiji

Chapter 66: Admiral AokijiSaitama found himself positioned remarkably close to Marine Headquarters by now. Merely a day later, the formal letter naming him as Vice Admiral arrived aboard his naval vessel. For Saitama, promotions hardly held much importance. On the other hand, for Tashigi, the story was quite different. Her promotion to Navy Commodore, a rank equivalent to Smoker’s, seemed to genuinely light up her face with happiness. With her enthusiasm, it was only right to enjoy the moment. Of course, the codename did add a touch of complexity... ———————— It was a curious twist of fate. It seemed like problems just couldn’t leave Saitama alone, no matter where he went. It had only been one day since his new rank when... “Commodore Tashigi, a pirate ship has come into view on the horizon!” The tranquility was shattered by a soldier’s urgent report, detailing the presence of a pirate vessel obstructing their path. Tashigi calmly retrieved her binoculars, her curiosity piqued by the audacity of those who would dare to impede their progress. A sense of bewilderment washed over her as she took in the sight of the ship before her. The prow of the vessel was adorned with an intricately carved fox’s head, Swinging from the stern was an equally impressive tail, swaying gently with the motion of the waves. At the ship’s fore, two intricately designed paws were suspended by chains. The lower hull was reinforced with sturdy metal plating, bearing testament to the ship’s readiness for the unknown. Positioned on each side were spinning wheels, a testament to the ship’s advanced engineering. Now, the flag... Well, it was a bit tricky to explain. It resembled a crudely drawn Jolly Roger, complete with fox ears and a nose, and the word ‘FOX’ awkwardly penned beneath. But, well, no one could really read it or understand it! “What’s this? A bear?!” Saitama pondered aloud, his hand stroking his chin in curiosity. Tashigi squinted at the pirate flag for a moment before tentatively suggesting, “It kind of looks like... a small pig?” At the same time, the pirate crew sees Saitama’s naval ship. They didn’t plan to attack – it’s like destiny brought them together. In typical circumstances, pirates would swiftly alter their course upon encountering a Marine ship, unless they were of the daring sort. However, just as they were about to change direction, they suddenly notice the two marines stationed at the front of the opposing ship making gestures and pointing toward their pirate flag. “Oh, hold on, hold on... it’s more like a cat!” “How do you think it’s like a cat? It’s definitely a pig.” “...” Having already felt the sting of humiliation from a recent defeat, coupled with the fact that Luffy had concocted a flag that portrayed them in a belittling manner, they now find themselves unwittingly becoming a source of amusement for the Marines. Talk about a stroke of bad luck! “Hey, you over there, quit staring!” A woman with a masked face and a pointed nose shouted at Saitama, her voice carrying over the water. “This is Silver Fox Foxy‘s ship, with a bounty of 24 million Berries! Another peep and I’ll make you part of the ocean floor!” Right next to her, there’s this guy with a weird hairstyle, quickly moved, placing his hand over her mouth. He purposefully avoided direct eye contact, his actions driven by caution. “Shhhhht! Seriously, don’t even say my name! Especially while we’re stuck with this dumb flag! It’s the freaking Navy!...” “What did she say? 24 million Berry?” Saitama asked with casual curiosity. Tashigi stood her ground, confidently firing back, “All of you better watch your step! This is Vice Admiral White Turtle‘s ship! Surrender now, unless you want to regret it!” Beside her, Saitama does the same thing Foxy did, his eyes half-closed. “Can we please just forget about that stupid codename!” he blurts out and adds, “She means me, Vice Admiral Saitama!” ———————— Each member of the pirate crew stood frozen in place. “What did they say?” Foxy inquired, having not caught the words clearly. “V... V... V... VICE ADMIRAL!” one of the crew members stammered, fear evident in their voice. “WHAAAAAAAAT! A Vice Admiral?!” “That’s what he spilled!” another confirmed, their voice quivering. A wave of shock and fear swept through them. “Why? First the ‘Straw Hat Pirates, and now we’ve got a Vice Admiral on our tails? Can’t we catch a break?” Foxy wailed, tears practically welling up. The crew exchanged anxious looks. Some visibly lost color in their faces, realizing the seriousness of the situation. A voice called out from Foxy’s ship, trembles of trepidation evident in their tone, “We’re sorry about any hassle we might’ve caused!” Their urgency was palpable as they hastily guided their ship, eager to make a hasty retreat. But... A surge of frigid air enveloped the sea, a shockwave propagating through the waters. In an instant, a vast stretch of ocean transformed into an icy wasteland. Their ship became motionless in the blink of an eye, ensnared in the frozen clutches of the sea. Panic engulfed the crew as they gazed out at the frozen expanse surrounding them. As the pirate ship became an imprisoned sculpture of ice, Saitama’s warship suffered the same fate. The entire naval vessel, was encased in ice, transformed into a haunting gallery of frozen figures. Even Saitama himself was not spared! “Ah... now I’m an ice cream sandwich... Ohhh! This is good... it’s oddly invigorating...” Within the icy shell, Saitama’s mind drifted through a jumble of thoughts. “Oh, wait! No time for that now!” Breaking free from the icy confines, he hastened towards Tashigi’s frozen body. He called her name a couple of times, but there was no response. “Is she...?” he wondered aloud. Her smile seemed frozen in that fleeting moment. “Ah! She’s fine!” ———————— Shaking the ice off, he rushed toward where the white streak began. He looked pretty relaxed as he slid on the ice. Getting closer, moving fast. On a nearby island, Saitama saw a fierce fight happening. Familiar faces were causing a lot of trouble. The first had a straw hat... The second, green-haired and wielding swords... The third, characterized by wild, curly eyebrows... All three locked in a brutal fight with a man donning a white suit jacket. “Ugh, aaah!” “Aaaahhhh!” “Ooohhhh!” The island echoed with painful shouts. In the blink of an eye, Luffy’s fist, Zoro’s arm, and Sanji’s kick got frozen in ice, making them fall down in pain. “He froze them!” Chopper blurted out, shock evident in his voice. “Those three... All at once...” Nami’s words quivered with fear. “O-Oh no! They have to be treated right away! If they get frostbite, their limbs will become gangrenous!” Chopper’s worry for his friends was palpable, his tone laden with concern. Turning to Usopp, frustration and anxiety etched across his face, “What’re you doing, Usopp?! We have to go help those three now!” But Usopp’s fear was palpable as he stammered, “I-I really would like to, but my body can’t move.” The shock mirrored the grim reality of the situation. Never before had they faced a challenge of this magnitude. Their top three fighters, known for their incredible strength, were easely defeated! leaving an unsettling sense of vulnerability in the air. “Looks like you’ve found some good friends,” Aokiji mused, striding purposefully toward the Straw Hat Pirates, his attention drawn to Nico Robin. “But deep down, you’re still the same... From Baroque Works to the Straw Hat Pirates... Did you just use them as your next hideout?” Robin’s speech faltered in the face of her fear. He picked some herbs, then threw them up in the air. While doing that, he blew out icy breaths, turning its into an ice sword. Moved closer, holding the sword out towards Robin. Finally, he aimed it at her chest, meaning to end her life. Then, suddenly, a resonant “thud” reverberated through the air. A bald man swiftly intercepted his attack, placing himself between him and Robin. With his bare hand, he snatched the ice sword and shattered it effortlessly. “Errr! And just who are you... Bald man... Marine Coat... Reckless...” Aokiji sounded surprised and confused. Then, he realized something and said, “Oh! You must be the new Vice Admiral... Saitama.” The morning edition of the newspaper had already spread word about Navy’s new Vice Admiral. Unlike Aokiji, the Straw Hat crew instantly recognized Saitama. “V..V..V..V..V..V..Vice... Vice Admiral!” Usopp’s voice cracked, a mix of disbelief and desperation coloring his tone. His trembling finger pointed accusatorily as he muttered, “Another one? You’ve got to be kidding me! Why don’t you go deal with those high-stakes pirates with several-hundred-million-Berry bounties!?” “Huh!? Another one... Another one... Another one...” Chopper’s anxiety was palpable, his steps an agitated rhythm. “We’ve got to move fast and thaw out Luffy and the others before they end up losing limbs.” “Wait, Chopper!” Nami’s mind raced as she sized up the situation with a seasoned eye. But a glimmer of hope lit up her face when she saw Saitama approaching. “If that’s really him, we might have a shot at this! See, he’s keeping the Admiral busy. Let’s not miss this chance to save Luffy and the rest!” Nami’s words snapped Usopp out of his stunned state. After taking a closer look, he exclaimed, “You’re right! The new Vice Admiral... He seems to be on our side!” Usopp, Chopper, and Nami rushed over, skillfully avoiding Aokiji’s attention, and set to work freeing Luffy and the others. Swiftly, they transported them back to the ship to initiate the thawing process. The Straw Hat Pirates were plucked from imminent danger right under Aokiji’s watchful gaze. A perceptible chill seemed to settle around him. “Errrr! What brings you here? Vice Admiral Saitama?” —————————————————————— Hey everyone, I hope you all had a great time reading this chapter! I’m really excited to hear your thoughts and get your feedback. Don’t forget to drop a comment and let me know what you think! 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