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.)