"Owww, owww, owww!"
"My handsome face!!!"
As soon as Moria regained consciousness, a sharp pain shot through his skull—his already battered head taking another hit.
The last time he felt this way was back when he first arrived at Raijin Island.
Damn it!
At least it was just his skull.
Forcing his aching body upright, Moria sat up. His pained cries instantly drew the attention of his crew.
"Captain Moria! You're awake!"
"Moria, how are you feeling?" "..."
"Get me something to eat."
"We've already got it ready!"
His crew quickly handed him some dusty roasted meat and bread. Moria didn't care and began eating while looking toward the battlefield at the center of it all.
...
The battlefield roared with thunderous explosions. The Catapult was out of ammunition. Now, Barrett was relying purely on his own Haki as an energy source.
Not that it bothered him.
His stamina was limitless.
His opponent might seem to have infinite energy as well, but just like that onion-headed brat he knocked out earlier, the kid was on the verge of losing control.
Just as Barrett's Observation Haki predicted, Enel's three devoted lackeys had gone from excited to numb under the constant thunder, now even wishing they could go back to work.
Enel himself instinctively sensed that he was losing control over the massive thunderclouds.
So, he changed tactics.
The streaking bolts of lightning halted.
The thunderclouds churned as a massive purple lightning-clad foot emerged from the sky, blocking an incoming Haki-infused explosive strike.
This was nothing like the bloated, sluggish Thunder God form Enel had used before.
In an instant, six battle drums floated behind him, his armored body now lean and menacing—Enel hovered in the sky, radiating power.
There were no cocky remarks this time.
A lightning-coated fist crashed into Barrett's stunned face.
BOOM!
Barrett's face visibly contorted from the impact, his massive body and armored attachments blasted back like a cannonball.
But the attack was faster.
Appearing above Barrett mid-flight, it swung its colossal leg down like a battle axe.
CRASH!
The attack, moving at lightning speed, was relentlessly overwhelming Barrett.
...
Watching from the sidelines, Moria, now full and sipping milk to mend his bones, lit up at the sight.
"You guys wait here. I'm gonna go help that kid."
And with that, he sneaked toward the battlefield, moving stealthily.
...
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Thunder and impacts clashed endlessly.
No one knew how much time had passed.
Suddenly, Enel's assault faltered.
The two combatants separated.
Lightning crackled around Enel's body, and the last of the six thunder drums behind it dimmed.
Seeing this, Barrett's darkened face stretched into a grin.
"You're at your limit too, aren't you, kid?"
SNAP!
Before Barrett could fully enjoy his moment of triumph, a faint slicing sound echoed.
The moment he realized something was wrong—
His shadow was being dragged away by another shadow.
"Hee-hee-hee-hee! I'll be taking your shadow now!"
Moria, his pancake-shaped face gleaming, reappeared at the battlefield's edge.
Barrett sneered, turning slightly to face both opponents at once.
"What kind of circus act are you trying to pull this time?"
Ignoring him, Moria absorbed the stolen shadow into his own body.
Barrett's shadow wasn't just strong—it could rival an entire army.
The moment it fused with Moria, his body swelled like a balloon, his muscles inflating as if air was being pumped into them.
In seconds, he had transformed into a massive, hulking frog-like creature.
But his strength had multiplied tenfold, a hundredfold—even more.
In an instant, the two now-mindless beasts lunged at their biggest threat on the battlefield.
Barrett!
"Hahahaha! That's more like it!"
Grinning wide, Barrett felt his blood boiling.
His excitement reignited.
It had been far, far too long since he last felt this alive.
Barrett released his Conqueror's Haki, the sheer force sending debris flying in all directions.
His massive armored fists, now coated in Armament Haki, swung forward to meet his challengers head-on.
BOOM!
The entire island trembled.
Waves surged as their battle continued, shaking the island itself.
But this time—
Barrett didn't let things drag out.
Gripping Moria's monstrous claws, he yanked the transformed pirate toward him.
Even with Barrett's immense endurance and Haki, this attack made his head spin, blood trickling from his nose.
But it was worth it.
His left armored fist had caught Enel's dual punches.
His right fist was raised high, preparing a devastating blow.
Enel was completely exposed!
"Don't die on me, kid—MEDIUM POWER PUNCH!!!"
Enel didn't get sent flying.
Instead, Barrett's steel-clad fist plunged deep into its chest.
ZZZZZZZZZ!!!
Enel exploded into pure lightning.
The uncontrolled electricity momentarily paralyzed Moria, clearing his mind just long enough for him to see—
Enel being sent flying.
His arms clutched against his chest, his ribs caved in as if struck by a sledgehammer.
Blood sprayed like a fountain.
"You bastard...!"
Grinding his teeth, Moria launched a barrage of massive claw strikes.
"Don't worry—you're next!"
Barrett, with his superior Armament Haki, recovered faster.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
...
At the battlefield's edge, Enel's three lackeys exchanged nervous glances, none daring to move.
"Boss, I think we should just go back to work."
"You're right. We should love our jobs."
"..."
"Wait—Enel!!!"
Watching through a telescope, Diamante gasped as he saw Enel go flying, sucking in a sharp breath.
They all knew how much Doflamingo valued Enel.
If Enel died, who would take the brunt of Doflamingo's wrath?!
Without hesitation, Diamante steered the oil tanker back toward Raijin Island.
He couldn't help in a fight—but he could at least rescue them.
...
The battle raged on like a clash of monstrous excavators.
Stone shattered, the ground was reduced to dust under their devastating attacks.
But steel beat flesh.
Moria's claws, powerful as they were, were still just flesh and bone.
While Barrett's heavy armor was coated in Armament Haki.
The tide shifted.
Moria's claws snapped, exposing the bones underneath.
His attacks lost power.
Barrett seized Moria's flattened head.
His other fist drew back.
"Give me back my shadow!!!"
...
From the sky, a fiery cloud descended, catching the unconscious Diamante.
A dragon's head emerged from the clouds, eyes burning with fury.
Doflamingo's Observation Haki flared, instantly grasping the situation.
Diamante—on the verge of death.
Enel—barely breathing.
Moria—half-dead.
"You bastard...!!!"
"What the hell did you do to my men?!"
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+220 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg