Chapter 25 Lazy Justice Admiral

When the crew heard the unexpected voice, they quickly turned around and prepared for battle. Robin and Sera stood in front of the kids to protect them while Daz and Vlad stood by Paul getting ready to fight the unexpected person. Robin especially had a grim expression because she immediately recognized the person.

Robin: " Aokiji..."

Paul had also panicked when hearing the voice because he was not expecting to see anyone on the admiral level here, at least not in this time period. His stats would at least need to be in the upper one hundreds if he wants to defeat an admiral level character. This just shows the strength level between an admiral and vice-admiral.

Aokiji: " Ara ara, Nico Robin, well haven't you grown up to be a beauty."

Aokiji was standing not that far from their group.

Paul: " What business do you have here Akoji?"

Aokiji scratched his head and said to Paul, "Young man, shouldn't I be asking this question? After all, this is an abandoned government facility."

Sera: " Abandoned? You dare say that when the World Government brought healthy children to be used on drugs!!"

Aokiji frowned when he heard that. " Quite a serious accusation you got there young woman."

Sera: " Then explain how Caesar escaped prison. There was even a vice-admiral that brought children here. When we investigated the medicine, it contained highly addictive drugs which is not suitable for children at their age. Explain yourself!!" Sera became even more angry when she saw Aokiji, an admiral, this type of experimentation should not escape the scope of an Admiral level character.

When Aokiji heard her, his expression turned serious seeing the anger on Sera. He looked and saw the beaten Vergo and Caesar. It seems like her accusations does not seem to be entirely made up.

Aokiji: " I understand your frustration young woman, if it is as you say, then we do need to do a thorough investigation."

Sera: " Enough of your meaningless investigation, if we hadn't arrived, the children here could've suffered from this medicine that you guys have been creating." She immediately summoned her wings and halo and dashed towards Aokji wanting to fight him.

Just as she was getting closer and closer to Aokji, Paul said, " Stop Sera, he's not an opponent that you can handle."

Sera stopped in her tracks when she heard Paul speak, " But..."

Paul: " Enough, let him speak."

If it was Akainu or Kizaru, then he would also jump in the fight and not stop her, but he knew Aokiji's personality more than the other Admirals.

Paul: " We have evidence."

Aokiji: " Do you now."

Luckily, Paul came prepared. He took out a den den mushi that had recorded everything that happened on the island since their arrival, especially the conversation between him and doflamingo and the underling Vergo.

Seeing the recording, Aokiji finally got mad and looked at Vergo. Vergo had fooled them all. This was utterly unacceptable. If this got out to the public, then the Navy and the World Government would lose all their face. Sera was right, if it wasn't for them then innocent kids would have had their lives ruined all because of their neglect in picking their marine officers.

Aokiji: " Well that is enough proof as is but... how do I know that it's not a set up."

Sera: " you dare still say this!!"

Paul: " How would we know that you just didn't appear here to clean up your subordinate's mess."

Aokiji waved his hands, " okay okay. That's enough of blaming."

Aokiji looked at Vergo and walked towards him. Of course during this time Vergo had already woken up now and was waiting for a chance to escape. Not being able to handle Vlad was a problem for him. With the whole crew whose strength seems to be on the same level, he decided to wait until he saw an opportunity.

Aokiji: " Do you have anything to say, Vergo."

Vergo: "..."

When Aokiji took a step forwards, Vergo immediately broke out of his restraints and made a run for it.

Aokiji: " Where do you think you're going."

He disappeared into ice and reappeared in front of Vergo who was running away. He put his hand on his face, ' Ice Age' Vergo and everything in the room began to freeze. The other's were still prepared and managed to avoid the ice attack. Sera had used her holy flames to resist the attack and also kept the children from the sudden chill.

Paul resisted the ice as he said with a grim face, " Trying to catch us too?"

Aokiji: " Ara ara. Well you guys are also pirates are you not?"

Paul: " Can't you act like you haven't seen anything since we uncovered your navy's problem?"

Aokiji continued to look at the pirate crew and thought about it. " I don't think that's a big enough reason to let you guys go. Especially with what happened at Sabaody Archipelago and your actions towards the Celestial Dragon."

That's when Paul also remembered who he was compared to Luffy. Luffy was the grandson of Vice-Admiral Garp who helped him out one time, while he was just another pirate out at sea. A strong one too. However, Paul was not too afraid of losing. Winning of course was close to impossible at his level, but losing, he was confident of not losing. The main reason was because of one thing. Fire. He could control and use fire to a great degree thanks to his devil fruit and chakra control. Furthermore, he had more than one element.

Paul immediately activated his dragon transformation that was now on the level of a miniature dragon.

Seeing the transformation, Aokiji finally recognized this pirate that stood before him. Sure, he doesn't seem like an evil guy who would hurt civilians, but he couldn't read him nor his strength. Aokiji knew that he can easily handle the pirates in front of him, but then again, they escaped Kizaru whose devil fruit ability is light. Traveling by the speed of light is something that one should not underestimate and is an overpower ability, but they still escaped.

Akoji: " Ice Block: Pheasant Beak."

Paul: " Heaven's Roar."

A giant ice pheasant bird came towards the crew while Paul responded with a large blast that embodied all his elements, with fire at it's center. 'boom' A loud collision occurred when the two attack met. Steam burst out as the ice was evaporating over time and when the mist cleared, Daz and Vlad rushed in with their swords to slash at Aokiji. Aokiji however responded by creating two long ice sabers that blocked their attack.

Sera: " You're mine."

Sera flew in and kicked Aokiji in his stomach, sending him flying. 'crash' Aokiji had crashed into the wall of the room the group was in.

Aokiji: " Haki? At this level too? Aren't you a strong group of pirates, with pretty strong devil fruits too." Aokiji looked at Paul's dragon transformation and Sera's angel form. " Ice block: Partisan." Several Ice pikes formed and was sent towards the group.

Sera: " Burning Shower" Sera summoned flames from her wings and sent flames to dissolve the Ice pikes. Daz and Vlad were deflecting the ice pikes that flew past Sera's flames with their swords. Vlad is unable to use the full power of his devil fruit because he needs to suck blood. There was no body around him who he could suck on because he was surrounded by his allies, children, and a powerful individual who could freeze him if he so much as try and bite him.

More steam and shattered ice began to fill the area as the fighting continued.

Whether it was range attack or close combat, with the combine strength of the whole crew, Aokiji couldn't take the initiative to capture even one of them. If he chose close combat the group's haki and numbers would always send him back a few steps. Range attacks? No matter what he threw out, the groups power could cancel him out. Sera's and Paul's powers were especially the ones that he had to look out for. However, the main reason was because he was holding back as there were kids in the area too, if he went all out, then the kids would be caught in the battle and as an admiral and a person of justice, he couldn't involve the kids in their battle no matter how much he wants to capture the pirates in front of him.

After awhile of trying, Aokiji understood that this battle was going nowhere. He seemed to noticed that the other side was also not using large scale attacks to avoid the children from getting caught in the crossfire.

Aokiji held up his hands to display that he's not going to attack anymore. " Okay Okay, I give up."

Hearing his words, the crew stepped back and didn't attack again. The main reason why they attacked in the first place is because Aokiji made the first move and showed hostile intentions towards them.

Paul: " What now Aokiji."

Aokiji ignored Paul slowly walked near the kids, " Hey kids, do you want to go back to your home?"

Mocha was the first to speak up and said hesitantly, " You- you won't take us somewhere else and hurt us?"

When Aokiji heard that statement, he became slightly sad and embarrassed. The little girl grew so much distress in the navy and government from this incident alone. " Yeah, you must not know but I am a hero of Justice. I won't let anything happen to you guys."

Sera: " Hmph, are you sure we can trust you. Did you bring a navy ship with you to carry all of them? Can we trust that you will deliver them back safely!?"

Aokiji took a deep breath as she looked towards Sera. He knew of her well enough. When giving pirates a bounty, they would almost certainly do a thorough background check on them to see where they come from. It seems like she became a pirate because of what happened at her at her country. He couldn't do anything about that incident because it came from the higher ups.

Before Aokiji can speak up, Paul chimed in and said, " We can probably trust him. After all, he could've attacked us the first moment he got here." " Why did you come here in the first place?"

Aokiji: " The gas explosion that covered the island. Although the world government abandoned it, I came to check on it after Caesar went escaped."

Paul: " Then I'm assuming that you will take care of these two and and the kids then."

Aokiji: " Yes, I will be calling the headquarters to take care of these two and since this lady here doesn't trust other people, I will personally escort the children home myself."

Sera: " Hmph."

Paul: " We will be on our way then."

When Paul and the others was about to leave, Mocha and the other kids came running up behind them and started crying. Mocha hugged the group tightly as she and the other kids started to cry.

Mocha: " Are you guys leaving already? Will we be safe with that tall man? Is he going to take us home?"

Sera heard her sad tone and her eyes started to water too, " Yes Mocha. We still have stuff to do so we have to leave. That man over there is very strong and he seems to be good too. So it's okay, when you go home make sure to give your mom and dad a big hug okay."

Mocha nodded," Hm, I will."

Paul: " Good bye kids, stay safe and healthy."

Before leaving, Paul had tossed Aokiji a recording of Caesar's interrogation. Who backed him and what he was doing on the island. After the battle with Vergo, besides the recording of what happened on the island, Paul had taken Caesar to the side and interrogated him into telling who was backing him and what was his plan there. This was the recording that Paul had tossed to Aokiji.

Paul: " Let's go."

While the crew was leaving Robin and Aokiji gave each other one deep look at each other.

Aokiji: " have you found what Saul had said told you about many years ago?"

Robin: " Yes. I have finally found a place."

Aokiji: " In that case, live strong. Ohara is not yet forgotten."

Robin: " Aokiji..."

Paul: " Let's go, Robin."