But Akainu wasn't done. He roared, his entire body seeming to melt into a churning mass of molten lava. "Ryusei Kazan!" he bellowed, and a massive salvo of volcanic fists soared into the sky—bigger, faster, and more numerous than before. They arced downward like a meteor shower primed to obliterate everything in its path.
Leo felt a spike of panic.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!
But Mihawk's body remained calm, almost detached. He plunged Yoru into the ice in front of him, both hands gripping the hilt. A black aura—Armament Haki—coated the blade, making it hum with raw energy. Then, with an upward swing, he unleashed a colossal energy slash, a green-and-black wave that cleaved the air like a titanic razor.
The slash bisected Akainu's meteors mid-flight, exploding them into a spray of lava and smoke. The shockwave swept across the bay, toppling dozens of fighters and cracking the ice for hundreds of meters. Debris rained down in a scorching deluge, but Mihawk stood still, his cape fluttering in the wind like a raven's wing.
Akainu, teeth gritted, wiped a drop of sweat—or was it lava?—trickling down his forehead. "You think that's enough, swordsman?" he growled, his voice quaking with barely contained fury. He took a heavy step forward, each stride melting the ice beneath his boots. Then, without warning, he lunged, his right fist morphing into a roaring mass of magma. "Dai Funka!"
The attack was massive—a lava fist the size of a ship, hurtling toward Mihawk with terrifying speed. The air around it ignited, the heat unbearable even from a distance. Leo screamed internally.
What the hell is that?! I'm gonna fry!
But Mihawk didn't falter. He spun on his heels, Yoru rising in a circular motion. The black blade met the magma fist with a deafening crash—BOOM! The impact shook the entire bay, a pressure wave blasting outward in all directions. Lava sprayed like a fountain, but Mihawk sliced through, his blade parting the attack like a knife through butter. The two halves crashed behind him, turning the ice into a bubbling lake.
Akainu landed hard, his breathing ragged. A smoking gash marked his right arm where Yoru had grazed his flesh despite his Logia form. He stared at Mihawk, eyes wide with rage and disbelief. "How…?" he snarled, clutching his wounded fist. "Your Haki… it's breaking through my defenses?"
Mihawk adjusted his hat with a casual flick, his golden eyes glinting beneath the brim. "Your justice burns hot, Akainu," he said, his voice low and cutting. "But my blade cuts deeper." Leo was ecstatic inside.
Oh yeah, that was badass! I'm such a boss!
Akainu roared, all restraint gone. His entire body turned to magma, a glowing red silhouette teetering on the edge of eruption. "Inu Gassen!" he shouted, and a pack of lava hounds burst from his fists—howling beasts of pure magma, charging at Mihawk with searing fangs.
Leo felt a surge of adrenaline.
Okay, this is getting real!
Mihawk planted a foot forward, muscles tensing beneath his coat. Yoru came alive, a black tornado in his hands. He sliced the first hound in half with a horizontal swing, sidestepped the second, then drove his blade into the third, shattering it into lava fragments. The beasts crashed around him, their howls fading into geysers of steam, but they were too many, too fast.
One grazed him, and a searing burn tore through his left shoulder. Leo winced mentally.
Ow! That freaking hurts!
But Mihawk didn't flinch. He pivoted, his blade tracing a perfect circle, and a wave of black energy swept through the remaining hounds, pulverizing them into a shower of glowing droplets. The ice beneath his feet was now a mess of steaming puddles and gaping cracks.
Akainu, panting, stepped back, his magma dripping onto the ice like blood. A flicker of frustration gleamed in his eyes. "You're tough, Mihawk," he growled. "But I am absolute justice. I won't bend!"
He slammed both fists into the ground, and the ice erupted in a massive lava geyser. The ground quaked, fissures splitting open like fiery veins. Mihawk leaped back, but the magma pursued, a red tide threatening to swallow him whole. Leo panicked.
No, no, no! Not like this!
Mihawk drove Yoru into the ice to halt his slide, his boots skidding on the slick surface. Then, in a flash of genius—or pure instinct—he closed his eyes for a split second. Leo felt a surge of power welling up, an invisible pressure that made the air tremble.
Conqueror's Haki? he thought, awestruck.
When Mihawk opened his eyes, a purple aura erupted around him, repelling the magma like an intangible shield. The lava recoiled, hissing and spitting, unable to cross that boundary. Akainu staggered, fists clenched, a vein throbbing on his forehead. "Impossible…" he muttered, his voice shaking with fury.
Mihawk yanked Yoru from the ice with a sharp tug. Gripping it two-handed, he unleashed a massive black energy slash—a horizontal wave that tore through the air and ice like a giant scythe.
Akainu crossed his arms, his magma forming a blazing shield. The slash struck the defense in a titanic clash, sending lava and ice shards flying in all directions. The admiral grunted under the impact, his feet sliding back several meters, leaving smoking trails in his wake. When the dust settled, a deep gash marred his chest, his tattered uniform exposing a glowing wound.
He dropped to one knee, gasping, a hand pressed to his chest. "Dracule Mihawk…" he spat, blood mingled with lava seeping between his fingers. "You… won't win… this war…"
Mihawk stopped a few meters away, Yoru resting lightly on his shoulder. His golden eyes fixed on Akainu with unrelenting coldness. "This war doesn't interest me," he replied. "But you're in my way."
Leo, in his head, was in a trance.
I just took down Akainu?! This is unreal!
TO BE CONTINUED...
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