Boom! Boom! Boom!
Fists of magma rained down relentlessly, the massive impact and searing heat annihilating everything in their path.
Shaxia flew through the air on her cloud, dodging left and right while shielding Robin, Olivia, and the other scholars. Each of Akainu's magma fists exploded beside them like molten teorites falling from the sky.
"Ahhh!"
The scholars scread in terror. Most of them had no combat abilities whatsoever. Each ti one of those blazing magma fists struck near them, it was like a high-powered explosive going off right beside them—how could they not panic?
Robin, Olivia, and Dr. Clover, however, remained relatively calm.
Thankfully, Shaxia's Observation Haki was strong enough. Though the situation was extrely dangerous, she barely managed to evade the hailstorm of magma fists crashing from above.
At the sa ti, Rosinante's expression had grown cold. A sharp light glead in his eyes as he stood still, face tight with concentration.
He was caught in a dilemma.
One option was to go help Shaxia and shield her from the falling volcanic fists—but doing so would give Sakazuki free rein to continue bombarding them with his deadly teor Volcano, putting them in a purely defensive position.
The other choice was to attack Sakazuki directly, which could force him to stop unleashing his teor fists. But that would an leaving Shaxia and the others vulnerable, and Rosinante couldn't ignore their safety.
So for the mont, Rosinante stood frozen, unable to move.
"Laser Shell!"
Just then, several figures appeared in a flash. They each wielded longswords ford from the light of a Glow Shell and began slashing at the descending magma fists.
Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!
The laser swords were unbelievably sharp, slicing several magma fists clean in half. Though the molten halves still burned hot, they had lost their montum and much of their destructive power.
"This way!"
A voice rang out nearby. A figure dashed into view, and when Shaxia saw him, she imdiately flew toward him on her cloud.
"Open!"
The man extended a palm and tore open a wormhole! Without hesitation, Shaxia darted into it with Robin, Olivia, and the scholars.
"Bins?! I knew you were here! Don't even think about escaping!"
Sakazuki roared and prepared to intercept them.
"I'd like to know who gave you the guts to ignore again and again."
Rosinante's cold voice echoed beside him. He appeared in a flash, and with a powerful kick—
Boom!
Rosinante's foot slamd directly into Sakazuki, sending shockwaves through the air.
"What speed?! That movent… it's on par with Borsalino!"
Sakazuki was stunned.
Borsalino, the wielder of the Glint-Glint Fruit, could move at the speed of light. And yet Rosinante's sudden burst of speed had felt no slower to him.
"Agh!"
Sakazuki skidded backward nearly three ters.
At the last mont, he had used Tekkai, one of the Navy's Six Powers, to harden his body and endure the blow. He wasn't sent flying, but he was still forced back nearly ten ters by the sheer force of Rosinante's strike.
"Rosinante… you've certainly grown stronger these past two years. But don't think I've been standing still!"
Sakazuki's voice was icy as he spoke. His form blurred into motion, his Soru technique now infused with volcanic force. His hands and feet turned to molten lava as he charged at Rosinante.
Rosinante activated Armant Haki, covering his fists and legs in a dense black sheen. He launched forward to et Sakazuki head-on.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Their fists and legs collided again and again, sending out thunderous blasts with every impact.
"Great Eruption!"
Sakazuki found an opening and unleashed a devastating volcanic punch that exploded outward like a true eruption.
"Silence!"
Rosinante t the molten punch with his palm. A silent, ghostly energy spread from his hand, eerie and calm like the void itself.
Then, with a grasping motion, he absorbed the energy of the magma eruption—nullifying it completely.
"Release!"
He shifted his weight and followed up with a punch, drawing upon the principles of Aikido. His blow borrowed the opponent's force and returned it tenfold.
"Great Eruption!"
"Great Eruption!"
The two shouted simultaneously, their fists crashing forward with explosive force. Twin fists of molten fire clashed mid-air.
"Using soone else's power will never be as stable. Let's see how long you can keep it up!"
Seeing Rosinante mimic his volcanic technique, Sakazuki was briefly stunned—but then sneered and intensified his magma output.
As expected, Rosinante's "Great Eruption" was not his own power. He had borrowed and adapted the technique, but he couldn't sustain it for long. Before long, Sakazuki's magma overwheld Rosinante's.
With a thunderous detonation, Sakazuki's eruption broke through Rosinante's attack and exploded violently. Magma surged forward, engulfing Rosinante.
"Not good!"
Saul cried out in alarm and moved to help Rosinante.
But then—
"Silence."
A calm voice echoed from within the magma. That sa eerie, tranquil energy erupted outward, and in an instant, the explosion was gone.
Rosinante stood unscathed, unmoving, not even his clothes singed.
"As expected of the Navy's monster Vice Admiral… your strength has nearly reached admiral level. Looks like if I don't get serious, I won't be able to deal with you at all."
Rosinante's tone was steady, but a fire burned behind his eyes.
"You punk… don't get cocky! Show what you've got—I want to see how much you've really grown!"
Sakazuki snarled, his face dark with fury. The brat he once ignored had now beco a threat he couldn't take lightly.
"Release—Limit Shattering Fist!"
Rosinante launched a punch.
At first glance, it seed like an ordinary strike—no magma, no Haki glow, no grandeur at all. It looked like a simple punch thrown by an average person.
But Sakazuki's instincts scread danger. His Observation Haki blared with alarms, warning him not to take it head-on.
"You brat! Don't act so arrogant! I'm Sakazuki!"
He roared in rage and t the attack with a full-force Great Eruption.
He was a Vice Admiral, soon to be promoted to Admiral—why should he fear a single punch?
BOOM!
Rosinante's fist shattered Sakazuki's magma explosion as if tearing through paper, then landed squarely on Sakazuki's body.
CRACK!
The ground split apart with a deafening roar. The force of the blow sent Sakazuki crashing into the earth, pulverizing the ground and sending tremors through the entire island of Ohara.
Splurt!
Sakazuki coughed up blood as he was driven into the ground like a teor. The land beneath him collapsed in a wide radius.
"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"
Just as Rosinante was about to finish Sakazuki off, a sudden cry rang out. Two icy spears shot toward him at breakneck speed.
Rosinante leapt back, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"Navy Vice Admiral… Kuzan," he muttered, staring at the new arrival.
"It's Kuzan… and Momonga too!" Saul exclaid.
Whoosh!
Kuzan and Vice Admiral Momonga shot through the air, closing in fast.
"You okay, Sakazuki?" Kuzan asked calmly.
"Be careful. That guy's not the sa brat from before. His power… might already rival Rayleigh's level," Sakazuki muttered, blood still dripping from his lips.
Despite being grievously wounded by Rosinante's Limit Shattering Fist, Sakazuki stood up again. His monstrous body, forged through countless battles, was frighteningly durable.
User Comments
0 comments from readers