HST: Chapter 72/73

Chapter 72: I'll Wait

"It's been five days!"

On the Wind Rider, Nami stared blankly into the distance. The island that had been turned into a frozen wasteland no longer resembled its original form.

By now, the Wind Rider had pulled quite far away from the uninhabited island.

The reason?

In the center of the island, terrifying shockwaves continued to erupt.

A massive iceberg would rise from the ground, only to be violently shattered the next moment.

The entire terrain of the island had been reshaped by the battle between Caelan and Aokiji, making it completely unrecognizable.

Above the island, the clouds had been pushed away, forming a massive vacuum in the sky.

The surrounding seas surged with turbulent waves, stirred by the aftershocks of their fight. No ship could get near.

Even from this far away, Nami and the others could still sense the overwhelming pressure radiating from the island.

"It's terrifying…"

Robin looked at the battlefield roaring in the distance and murmured in disbelief.

This terrifying battle had lasted for five full days.

Compared to this, Crocodile and Enel were nothing.

This was a clash of the highest combat power on the sea. The sky, the land, even the sea itself, was being reshaped by their fight.

"Caelan…"

Robin pursed her pale lips and stared toward the island, worry in her eyes.

She had full trust in Caelan and believed he wouldn't lose.

But five days and nights of brutal combat still made her uneasy.

After all, Caelan was fighting such a formidable opponent because of her.

"Don't worry. He'll win."
Nami patted Robin's shoulder and spoke with confidence.

Vivi and Tashigi also nodded, fully believing in Caelan.

Only Kalifa looked utterly defeated. She'd been pinned down for five days and had no will to resist left.

"Wait… the battle's stopped!"

Nami's eyes widened. She quickly turned the Wind Rider back toward the island.

…

Uninhabited island.

No, it could no longer be called an island.

After five days and nights of relentless combat between Aokiji and Caelan, the island had been utterly destroyed. The real land was now more than 30 meters below sea level.

The battlefield where they stood was entirely frozen over by Aokiji's Ice-Ice Fruit.

"Huff… Huff…"

Aokiji leaned on his ice blade, breathing heavily.

His body was covered in wounds, both minor and major. Every time he moved, sharp pain shot through him.

His Admiral's uniform was soaked in blood. From Aokiji to Akainu, he had truly been beaten black and blue.

"Hey, come on, I'm not done yet!"

Caelan shouted in frustration, his fighting spirit still burning.

His clothes were tattered, revealing his muscular physique.

Red marks lined his body, but they were already healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He'd be fully recovered in no time.

"You win. You're a monster. I can't keep up."

Aokiji groaned weakly, unable to lift a finger.

Looking at the still-energetic Caelan, he was completely convinced.

In the last five days and nights, the number of attacks he had landed on Caelan could have killed hundreds of pirates like Crocodile.

But Caelan, like some kind of freakish beast, had an unbelievably tough body and terrifying regeneration.

He took all those attacks, and yet came out fine.

And his stamina? Bottomless.

Even with his ability to draw energy from the surrounding environment, Aokiji still couldn't outlast him.

Five days of fighting had exhausted him to the core, yet Caelan looked like he could go for another five.

"Alright, alright."

Seeing Aokiji like this, Caelan's excitement faded a little.

With his A-rank endurance, he could keep going for another ten days if he wanted.

But seeing Aokiji beaten to this state, continuing the fight felt pointless.

"Caelan… why not join the Marines? I'll give you my position."

Aokiji made the offer sincerely, fully impressed.

With this kind of strength, there was no problem giving him the Admiral title.

If Caelan accepted, Aokiji would immediately resign and go chill with Garp.

And as for Robin? If Caelan became an Admiral, plus Aokiji's personal guarantee, she'd be safe.

"No thanks. I'm not interested in being a dog for the World Government."

Caelan scoffed and rejected the offer outright.

If he ever wanted to join the Marines, he would've done it already.

Forget being an Admiral—even if they gave him the Fleet Admiral position, he still wouldn't take it.

Being a lapdog for the World Government and the Celestial Dragons? Disgusting just thinking about it.

"Haha… 'dog of the World Government'... that's pretty accurate."
Aokiji chuckled bitterly, a little self-deprecating.

After the Ohara incident 20 years ago, he had grown more and more disillusioned with the World Government.

But he stayed in the Marines because they still had some form of justice.

He wanted to become Fleet Admiral someday and change the Navy from within.

Caelan looked at Aokiji thoughtfully, and a strange idea popped into his head.

"Aokiji, why don't you join me instead?"

Caelan rubbed his chin and asked seriously.

He had always seen the Marines as a talent pool.

Right now, he only had Tashigi, but he had also considered people like Hina and Ain.

If he met them, he would definitely try to recruit them.

"Are you kidding me?"
Aokiji stared wide-eyed at Caelan.

"Not at all. I'm dead serious."
Caelan replied firmly.

He was building his own force, and what he lacked most was top-tier power. Aokiji fit that need perfectly.

He was strong, just, and not a scumbag like Caelan.

The only problem was that he'd be hard to convince.

"Sorry. I refuse."

Aokiji turned him down immediately.

He still wanted to become Fleet Admiral and reform the Navy from the top.

Right now, he had the support of Sengoku, Tsuru, and Garp. His goal was almost within reach.

"That's fine. When you leave the Marines, just remember to consider my team first."
Caelan waved it off casually.

He didn't expect to succeed immediately. Planting the seed was enough.

"Leave the Marines? That's not happening."
Aokiji shook his head, thinking Caelan was being delusional.

His reputation in the Navy was at its peak. Why would he walk away now?

"Haha."

Caelan didn't respond. He just smiled and walked toward the approaching Wind Rider.

In the original story, Aokiji lost a leg and left the Navy in defeat.

Waiting for that moment will be fun.

Caelan was already imagining it—Aokiji joining his crew one day. What a sight that would be.

Just thinking about it made him laugh.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 73: What Happened?

On the Wind Rider, the women all let out a breath of relief when they saw Caelan return unscathed, with a bloodied Aokiji beside him.

Aside from a few rips in his clothing and a bit of dust, Caelan showed no signs of injury.

"Caelan, thank you."
Robin threw her arms around him, tears of relief streaming down her face.

Though she had trusted Caelan completely and believed he would win in the end, Aokiji was still one of the top powers in the world. The fear she had carried for so long had left a deep scar in her heart.

But now, her captain had defeated that fear.

That shadow in Robin's heart had been swept away by Caelan.

"What are you thanking me for? It's only natural that I do this."
Caelan gently stroked Robin's head, his voice filled with affection.

Robin, usually so mature and composed, showing this kind of girlish vulnerability—it was a truly beautiful contrast.

"Caelan, you're amazing! Even Admiral Aokiji couldn't beat you!"
Tashigi looked at him with admiration, her eyes sparkling like stars.

Vivi and Nami also gathered around Caelan, chattering excitedly.

"Alright, alright, that's enough."
Though Caelan was clearly pleased, he still raised a hand to stop their overexcitement.

"Let me rest for a bit. When I wake up, I want to see the most lavish dinner."
Caelan gave a tired smile.

Fighting for five days and nights without rest, food, or water wasn't even close to his limit, but a break was still welcome.

"Okay, Caelan, you just go rest. We'll have everything ready!"
Looking at his battered clothes and exhausted form, the women nodded firmly.

"Good, then I'll count on you."
Caelan waved as he returned to his room, washed up briefly, and fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Nami and the others headed to the kitchen, busy preparing a grand feast.

Kalifa, recently released from her restraints, was left stunned and overwhelmed.

"He actually defeated Admiral Aokiji… This man is terrifying!"

She had been certain Caelan stood no chance. But not only had he won, he'd done it without a scratch.

That meant this man now stood at the summit of the sea—a powerhouse who could act without fear or consequence.

"At this point, the only thing I can do is swear loyalty…"

A glint of determination appeared in Kalifa's eyes.

After witnessing Caelan's overwhelming power, she realized there was only one path forward.

With no further hesitation, Kalifa entered the kitchen and began helping the others prepare Caelan's dinner.

…

While the crew of the Wind Rider was celebrating, Doflamingo was in a panic.

In the sky above the sea, Doflamingo was fleeing toward the New World at top speed, his face filled with terror.

"What kind of monster did I just mess with?!"

He muttered, feeling like he was going to break down.

He had witnessed the entire battle between Caelan and Aokiji from start to finish.

The image of the two colliding like natural disasters was burned into his mind.

He had wanted to witness an admiral at full strength, but even that wasn't enough to take down Caelan!

He had come to the first half of the Grand Line with the intent to get rid of Caelan.

Instead, he had stumbled into a nightmare.

Caelan gave off the same pressure as Kaido, his ally in the New World. Absolute defense, overwhelming strength, and seemingly infinite stamina.

The only thing lacking compared to Kaido was his mastery over Haki. In everything else, Caelan was on par.

Based on that battle alone, Doflamingo could confidently say that Caelan was already a Four Emperors-level powerhouse.

"Thank goodness Aokiji got to him first. If I had gone up to him talking nonsense, I'd be dead."

Doflamingo clutched his chest, speaking with lingering fear.

If he had confronted Caelan before Aokiji and opened his mouth like usual… he didn't even want to imagine the result.

Bruised from head to toe? At the very least.

"This is too insane. I'm out of here!"

Thinking of Aokiji's miserable defeat, Doflamingo shuddered and flew even faster.

His earlier thoughts of picking a fight with Caelan were completely gone. He just wanted to return to Dressrosa.

Only in his own territory could he feel a shred of safety.

After all, he was partnered with Kaido, the King of Beasts. Caelan probably wouldn't dare touch him.

Probably… right?

…

On the frozen ruins of the island, Aokiji sat on the ground in defeat, slouched with no care for his image. His bicycle had long since vanished in the chaos.

Clearly, it had been sacrificed in the battle.

"Sigh… I really kicked a steel wall this time."

Aokiji scratched his head, utterly miserable.

He exhaled a puff of cold air to seal the worst of his wounds with ice.

It was a temporary fix. These injuries wouldn't heal for at least two months.

Originally, he had only planned to check on Nico Robin and meet the rising star named Caelan.

He had already overestimated Caelan, thinking he might have Four Emperors-level potential.

But in reality, Caelan didn't have potential. He already had the real deal.

"What a ridiculous surprise…"

Aokiji smiled bitterly, emotions swirling inside him.

Robin had found a reliable place to belong. That alone put his heart at ease.

But Caelan… Caelan had exceeded every expectation.

Not just in strength, but in his ideals too.

The guy even asked him, a Marine admiral to join his crew. That wasn't just bold, it was outrageous.

And yet, Aokiji didn't dislike Caelan for it.

Everything about the man was impressive… except for the fact that Aokiji had ended up a bloody wreck.

Now, he had arrived in one piece and couldn't even return on his own.

"Well… guess I'll treat this as a two-month vacation."

Aokiji chuckled bitterly, talking to himself.

In his current condition, returning to Marine Headquarters on his own was impossible. He needed backup.

Buru Buru Buru…

He pulled out a Den Den Mushi and contacted Marine Headquarters.

…

Marine Headquarters.

"Buru Buru Buru…"

In the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku's Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.

"Aokiji? That guy's actually calling me?"

Sengoku blinked in surprise.

That lazy bastard usually vanished off the grid unless he was forced to report in for a mission.

And as far as Sengoku remembered, Aokiji hadn't been assigned anything lately…

With suspicion in his heart, Sengoku picked up the Den Den Mushi.

"Fleet Admiral, I'm injured. Send a warship to pick me up."

Aokiji's voice came through, calm but strained. Sengoku's eyes widened in shock.

"You're injured?! Weren't you just out fishing again, using Robin as an excuse?"

Sengoku asked, utterly stunned.

What the hell happened?

You were supposed to be fishing.

How did you end up like this?

(To be continued.)