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*BANG!!*
In the blink of an eye, Geoffrey's towering figure was sent flying backward!
"Argh..." Geoffrey let out a blood-curdling scream as his body was riddled with wounds, drenched in blood—his condition horrifying to behold.
Despite hastily coating himself in **Busoshoku Haki**, Geoffrey couldn't withstand the advanced **Shigan Barrage** unleashed by Iji.
Back then, even Doflamingo's "awakened" shield of strings had been pierced clean through. That Geoffrey managed to avoid fatal injury at all was nothing short of miraculous.
"Captain...!"
"What the hell just happened?!"
"Damn it, he attacked us out of nowhere! Kill him!!"
The hundreds of pirates from Geoffrey's crew, stunned by the sudden turn of events, erupted into angry shouts.
*Bang! Bang!*
*Kaboom! Kaboom!*
A barrage of gunfire and cannon blasts drowned Iji on the shore. Flames shot skyward, sending shockwaves rippling in all directions. Shrapnel and debris flew everywhere, shrouding the area in thick smoke.
"That bastard is dead now, right?!"
"Haha, he must've been blown to bits!"
"You arrogant brat! You think you're untouchable because you have some skill? Did you really believe our Geoffrey Pirates would bow to your Germa scum?!"
The savage pirates vented their fury, their voices laced with malice. In their eyes, no flesh-and-blood human could survive such a concentrated explosion. Even if he somehow lived, he'd surely be crippled for life.
"Fools, don't treat him like an ordinary pirate…"
Geoffrey staggered to his feet, blood trickling from his mouth. His expression was twisted with rage, devoid of any joy or satisfaction.
His body was riddled with gaping holes—no, craters. Flesh torn apart, blood gushing relentlessly, making everyone's skin crawl. Though none were fatal, the injuries were severe enough to leave him visibly weakened.
"What…?!"
"Captain, are you joking?!"
"How could anyone survive that kind of attack?!"
The pirates stared incredulously at the smoke-filled battlefield. Forget the cannons—even the dense hail of bullets should've turned him into Swiss cheese. And yet, he hadn't dodged any of it.
Even the hardest rocks had been reduced to rubble. How could a mere human endure such devastation?
"Not only does he possess **Busoshoku Haki**, but he's also mastered **Kenbunshoku Haki**?" A detached voice emerged from within the smoke, tinged with cold amusement. "This is getting interesting…"
"A-Ah..."
"T-This can't be real!"
"G-Gulp! Is he some kind of monster?!"
Staring wide-eyed at the figure calmly stepping out of the smoke, gleaming with metallic armor-like **Haki**, the pirates of Geoffrey's crew froze in disbelief. Sweat dripped down their faces as they gawked in horror.
"He's a monster!!"
Ignoring the blood trailing from his lips, Geoffrey glared furiously at Vinsmoke Iji, gritting his teeth. "You said you came looking for something—is it the treasure of the Geoffrey Pirates?"
"No."
Iji shook his head, his expression calm and composed.
"Then what…?"
Geoffrey hesitated, confusion flickering across his face.
"I'll tell you when you're too weak to fight back."
Before the words finished echoing, Iji vanished from sight.
"Shadowless Razor!"
An incomprehensible blur streaked forward. In an instant, Iji reappeared before Geoffrey, his jet-black leg descending like a razor-sharp blade.
Brutal, merciless, and utterly cold!
"You damn brat, do you think I'm afraid of you?!" Fueled by rage, Geoffrey's body was already coated in **Haki**, and in an instant, it underwent a grotesque transformation.
A pair of sharp, pitch-black mantis limbs, lined with serrated edges, blocked the devastating kick!
*Boom!*
Geoffrey—or rather, the monstrous mantis-like creature he had become—was forced back several steps.
"Our captain has activated his powers!"
The pirates shouted in unison.
"We'll help too—kill him!!" Several officers raised their guns, aiming at the black-clad figure before opening fire.
*Bang! Bang!*
Bullets tore through the air, hurtling toward Iji.
"I'm the user of the Mantis Devil Fruit—die!!" Geoffrey snarled, his crimson eyes filled with bloodlust. His two razor-sharp forelimbs glowed black as he lunged and slashed at Iji with ferocious intensity.
Over years of combat, his crew had grown accustomed to fighting alongside him, knowing exactly how to coordinate without fear of being caught in the crossfire.
*Clang!!*
The sharp mantis limbs struck Iji's obsidian-coated body, leaving faint white scratches.
"The Bug-Bug Fruit, Mantis Form, huh?"
With his exceptional **Kenbunshoku Haki**, Iji effortlessly evaded the incoming bullets. Moving with ease, he studied the exaggerated mantis-like form before him.
"You're a monster!"
Geoffrey's pupils contracted sharply.
Even with his **Busoshoku Haki**-enhanced forelimbs, he couldn't penetrate Iji's defenses.
*Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Flapping his massive wings, Geoffrey took to the air, unleashing a relentless flurry of attacks from above. He refused to give his opponent a moment to breathe!
"Speed and strength amplified several times over, those sharp forelimbs acting like twin blades…"
Rather than dodge, Iji allowed the relentless strikes to rain down on him, each blow leaving faint scratches across his armored frame. "Even those oversized eyes are protected by a layer of 'armor,' and he has flight capabilities…"
"But that ends here!"
Iji's aura shifted abruptly as his figure blurred, darting through the air like a ghost.
*Slap! Slap!*
Hovering above Geoffrey, Iji raised both fists high.
Pitch-black Haki enveloped them like an invisible suit of armor, shimmering with a metallic sheen. His muscles tensed and pulsed rhythmically as he channeled every ounce of strength into his fists.
"Peacock Flare!!!"
In an instant, countless punches lashed out, creating a dazzling display that left spectators dizzy and terrified.
*Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!*
The piercing sound of displaced air screamed incessantly!
Each punch ignited against the atmosphere, burning brightly like a peacock spreading its feathers. The radiant barrage cascaded down upon Geoffrey, who stood frozen in horror, unable to evade.
*Kaboom! Kaboom!*
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