"What a terrifying brat."
Kizaru narrowed his eyes, spat out a mouthful of blood, and clicked his tongue. "But—"
Boom!
Before he could finish his sentence, his face suddenly caved inward.
Xiano had appeared before him without warning, his right fist descending like a meteor onto Kizaru's smug grin, crushing his cheekbone and instantly twisting his nose out of shape.
Kizaru instinctively raised Ama no Murakumo to block, but Xiano's left hand violently swatted it aside. His right hand seized Kizaru's hair as his knee shot upward like a piston.
Crack!
Kizaru's nose shattered completely, blood spraying as the knee strike sent him hurtling backward.
Yet before he could steady himself, Xiano's figure closed in like a phantom once more!
Hovering directly above Kizaru, Xiano raised his right leg like a battle-axe, wreathed in black-red lightning, and brought it down with devastating force.
BOOM!!!
The kick landed squarely on Kizaru's chest.
The terrifying impact instantly pierced through his body, causing the ice field to collapse in a spiderweb of fissures spanning hundreds of meters.
Kizaru vomited blood as his body was driven deep into the ice like a Cannonball.
Just before plunging into the sea, his form dissolved into countless golden particles, scattering along the impossibly narrow cracks in the ice before reforming back into Kizaru.
He looked even more disheveled now, his energy slightly diminished.
But that was all.
Expected.
Xiano narrowed his eyes and snorted, unsurprised.
How long had they been fighting? He wasn't sure, but the sky had darkened—at least six or seven hours.
By now, he'd seen this scene play out countless times.
Damn, this guy's tough!
With the Glint-Glint Fruit and that lanky frame...
Logically, he should be an agility-focused glass cannon.
Yet here he was, nearly as tanky as Kaido or Big Mom!
Was this true for all three of the old Admirals?
Even Kizaru—who Zefa once criticized for "over-relying on his Devil Fruit"—had absurd physical resilience and Martial Arts prowess!
"Damn nuisance, you old monkey!" Xiano laughed uproariously. "My fists are going numb, and I still haven't put you down?"
Nuisance?
Kizaru took a deep breath, his already crooked nose twitching in irritation.
If the brat's hands were just "going numb"...
What did that make him, the one getting pummeled relentlessly?
How was this possible?!
The kid's physical strength was leagues beyond what he'd shown at Enies Lobby—an unimaginable improvement!
Coupled with that dense, overwhelming Haki and that bizarre fist technique that seemed to amplify his defense—
Most of his long-range attack techniques were like tickling the opponent, barely causing any significant damage.
Using Ama no Murakumo for prolonged close combat, he could occasionally exploit his speed advantage to seize openings and leave wounds on his opponent.
But the problem was…
This was a losing trade!
The results he achieved by sacrificing part of his Devil Fruit abilities could easily be… devoured and digested by the opponent!
Yes, devoured and digested!
Those wounds that tore through the skin would be completely healed within a few breaths, the muscles writhing like living things as if nothing had ever happened.
…As if this boy's body harbored an insatiable beast, feeding on the enemy's attacks to satisfy its ravenous hunger!
Such terrifying regenerative abilities…
And despite possessing immensely powerful swordsmanship, he rarely used it, preferring to rely entirely on Haki and physical prowess to relentlessly suppress his enemy, grinding down their will and aura.
This fighting style… It reminded him of a familiar figure.
A terrifying opponent he had once faced.
"Kaido…"
Kizaru's voice was hoarse. "Brat, the way you feel now… is getting dangerously close to the Kaido I encountered at Enies Lobby."
"Kaido?"
Xiano froze for a moment before clenching his fists with a savage grin. "Don't compare me to that bastard!"
A shockwave erupted beneath his feet as he launched himself from the ice, charging toward Kizaru. But the latter abandoned the form of Ama no Murakumo, crossing his arms over his chest and growling:
"Yata Mirror: Amaterasu!"
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Countless golden mirrors densely materialized across the sky within a kilometer radius, each emitting a blinding golden light aimed directly at Xiano.
Xiano instinctively shut his eyes.
Whoosh!
In that instant, the mirrors unleashed colossal lasers—each as thick as the mirrors themselves—assaulting Xiano from every angle, leaving no blind spot!
"Oh? Finally pulling out your trump card, huh? Things are getting interesting!"
Xiano's brows arched slightly. Though his vision was obscured, his formidable Observation Haki pierced through the interference, allowing him to clearly sense the changes around him.
Boom!
With a wild laugh, he swung his fist. Conqueror's Haki materialized into a torrent of black and red, surging outward and instantly obliterating the first wave of dozens—no, hundreds—of thick lasers.
The residual shockwaves devoured many of the golden mirrors, shattering them into fragments.
But more mirrors remained. More lasers followed.
Sizzle!
A golden laser finally breached his Haki defense, searing a wound under his arm.
Then his right calf, his back—one after another, blood sprayed violently as Kizaru's ultimate technique achieved unprecedented results!
"So, what's the price?"
Despite the smoke rising from his body, Xiano continued laughing maniacally, utterly disregarding his injuries. Instead of bolstering his defenses, he reached behind his head with his right hand.
The Authentic Blade—sheathed since their initial exchange—was drawn once more. With a single slash—
"Divine Departure—!"
A crimson Sword Aura howled through the air, like a blood moon streaking across the sky, instantly tearing through the barrage of light beams as it shot straight toward a certain direction—where Kizaru was hiding behind a prism of light.
"Found you!"
The cost of maintaining this "Amaterasu," far more terrifying than the Eight Span Curved Jewel, was complete immobility!
Kizaru's pupils constricted sharply.
He never expected Xiano's Observation Haki to be this formidable—even amidst such a dense bombardment of light beams, he could still pinpoint Kizaru's true location with precision!
"Damn it..."
The crimson Sword Aura was impossibly fast, reaching him in the blink of an eye.
Yet, in that split-second reaction time, Kizaru still managed to dispel Amaterasu, instantly transforming into a laser as he flickered to the right—
Dodged!
Only someone like him, a man of light, could evade "Divine Departure" unscathed under such circumstances.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Kizaru's temple as he inwardly sighed in relief—but then, something felt off.
Ahead, in the distance where the slash had come from, there was no sign of Xiano. No follow-up attack came crashing down either.
A feint?
Then the real strike was—
"Above you!"
Xiano's vicious laughter rang out from overhead. Before Kizaru could even look up, a knee strike wreathed in black-red lightning smashed into the back of his neck!
CRACK—!
His spine groaned under the strain as Kizaru spat out a mouthful of blood, his body plummeting like a broken kite.
Straight toward the ice.
If nothing went wrong, he would scatter into motes of light once more, slipping through the cracks between ice and sea...
But this time, Xiano had already predicted his landing point. In a flash, he appeared there first, his bulging muscles coiling like dragons as his arms clamped around Kizaru like iron vices—
Then, with a roar, an overwhelming surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his entire body, flooding outward like a bursting dam, completely enveloping Kizaru. The half-dispersed motes of light were forcibly compressed back into solid form.
Damn it!
Trapped, Kizaru finally realized Xiano's intent—his face twisted in horror!
The next instant—
BOOM!
Locked tightly in Xiano's grasp, the two of them shattered the ice, vanishing beneath the towering geyser of seawater as they plunged into the depths!
...
Meanwhile.
Under the moonlight, at the southeastern edge of the vast battlefield, a burst of azure lightning exploded across the ice, gradually coalescing into a humanoid shape.
Or rather, something barely resembling one.
Enel knelt on the ground, battered and bloodied, his chest heaving violently. His golden trident lay shattered, and the Thunder Drums behind him had been utterly destroyed.
His eyes, filled with the first traces of fear, were locked onto the towering figure emerging from the icy mist.
"Damn Blue Sea dwellers... damn Blue Sea dwellers!!!"
He gnashed his teeth, his voice hoarse with fury. "Do you have any idea—this is blasphemy against a god! Blasphemy!"
Where...
Where had the Marines even found this monster to recruit as a Warlord of the Sea?
For a moment, Kuma was at a loss for words. After a brief pause, he shook his head and said earnestly, "Enough meaningless talk. Your strength doesn't match your arrogance."
"Silence, mortal!"
Enel shrieked in rage—but when Kuma took another step forward, his body trembled, and he instinctively scrambled backward on his hands.
His peripheral vision instinctively glanced toward the other directions.
Kizaru and Xiano were nowhere to be seen, the two Master Swordswomen were still clashing in a flurry of steel, and the remaining Marine forces, despite their overwhelming numerical advantage, were clearly on the verge of collapse…
Time to go!
He wasn't allied with these Marines—no reason to throw his life away for unrelated mortals.
The only reason he had agreed to come was Kizaru's promise to connect him with the world's best shipwright as payment.
With that thought,
Enel hesitated no longer, transforming into a streak of lightning that shot straight into the sky!
He just… ran away?
Kuma looked up, frowning at the rapidly retreating bolt of lightning. He hadn't expected this outcome.
Well, if he fled, so be it.
Kuma shook his head slightly. He wasn't familiar with this newly appointed Warlord of the Sea and had never heard of any particularly vile deeds associated with him, so he felt little killing intent.
If Enel was willing to withdraw like this…
Kuma turned away, striding off to reinforce the others on the battlefield.
Finally free to act. With his intervention, the already retreating Marines would collapse even faster.
Whoosh—!
Enel streaked across the night sky as lightning, wiping blood from his lips, his heart burning with humiliation and fury.
Just wait, you oversized brute. A god cannot be defiled. Sooner or later…
Hm?
He suddenly noticed something, his gaze snapping to the lower right.
There, atop Dressrosa's massive cliffs and walls, a crowd had gathered—most of them staring up at him.
"It's because of these worthless mortals that I was humiliated…"
Enel gritted his teeth.
If he recalled correctly, this entire war had been sparked by these people, hadn't it?
And yet now?
Why were they allowed to sit here, safe and sound, watching the spectacle, while he had to flee for his life—his pitiful state laid bare before their eyes?
A surge of malice rose within him. Abruptly changing direction, he soared high above Dressrosa, spreading his arms as thunderclouds gathered overhead, crackling with violent electricity.
"Still watching? Still watching?"
"Lowly insects of the Blue Sea! Since you dare defile a god with your filthy eyes, then feel the wrath of divinity!"
"Thunder Welcoming: Divine Punishment!"
BOOM!!!
A terrifying pillar of lightning, hundreds of meters wide, descended from the heavens, striking straight toward Dressrosa!
Yet, the instant before it could land—
"Bonney!"
Kuma's enraged figure suddenly appeared directly beneath the lightning, his massive palms thrusting upward.
A nearly transparent shockwave in the shape of a bear's paw erupted, colliding head-on with the lightning pillar!
KABOOOM!!!
The sky itself seemed to tear apart as shockwaves and lightning intertwined, forming a storm of energy. The thunderclouds above Dressrosa were completely dispersed, moonlight once again spilling over the land.
The remaining force of the blast slammed squarely into Enel's chest.
Thud— A dull impact echoed as Enel, mid-laughter, instantly rolled his eyes back, consciousness fading as he plummeted from the sky.
Snap.
Kuma's massive hand caught him, then clamped around Enel's throat. His furious expression gradually calmed, replaced by a cold glint in his eyes.
He could have spared Enel.
And he had.
And the result?
It only fueled the other's malice to grow even more rampant, to the point of venting his fury on innocent civilians—even his own daughter, Bonney, was among them.
Such actions had crossed his bottom line.
Just like that king from his hometown...
Unforgivable!!!
...
Thud!
Thud! Thud!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In the depths of the ocean, Xiano released Kizaru and unleashed a relentless barrage of punches, striking him with the fury of a storm.
His fists moved faster and faster, each blow wreathed in black-red lightning, erupting in blinding flashes through the dark waters.
The surrounding fish, and even a few small Sea Kings that had been swimming nearby, fled in terror at the sight.
They could escape, but some couldn't.
As a Devil Fruit Ability User, Kizaru was utterly defenseless in the deep sea.
Like a tattered sandbag, he was pummeled relentlessly by the overwhelming force. His bones groaned under the pressure, cracking one by one, while blood gushed from his mouth and nose, staining the water crimson.
"Gurgle..."
As time passed and they sank deeper, Kizaru struggled to release a stream of bubbles, his eyes rolling back.
His consciousness... was fading fast...
(End of Chapter)