"But then again, what are those things?"
A blinding light descended, landing on the massive warship's hull. Borsalino pushed his sunglasses onto his forehead, gazing in astonishment at the specters frantically approaching across the frozen sea.
"They look like humans, but then again, they don't."
"Still babbling! Here they come!"
Sakazuki strode forward, passing Borsalino, as his right arm began to emit thick smoke, and a pungent sulfurous smell immediately filled the air.
He looked up at the sky.
Three figures were falling.
Bullet, leading the charge, had his right arm swollen into a massive mercury sphere, an invisible Haki covering it.
"Mercury Heavy Cannon!!"
A twenty-meter diameter mercury fist descended like a meteor.
"Great Eruption!"
Sakazuki's right arm gathered power, then he abruptly unleashed a forceful punch towards the sky.
His fist at this moment transformed into an erupting volcano, releasing the most powerful force through terrifying internal pressure.
A giant magma fist, no less in scale than Bullet's mercury fist, erupted upwards, violently colliding with the silver-white giant fist descending from the heavens.
Boom!!
Amidst the colossal roar, magma exploded, mercury vaporized, and a violent wind swept across everything.
"That's—"
A Marine Vice Admiral's face changed. "It's the Mercury Logia Fruit! Be careful! Vaporized mercury is highly toxic!"
"Is that a Logia too?"
Borsalino's mouth rounded in surprise. "There are small monsters around the big monster too?"
"Fire Dragon Emperor!"
In the sky, Abel's black wings spread. His incredibly sharp Ame no Habakiri was wreathed in scorching flames. As he swung his blade downwards, a ferocious, claw-waving dragon of fire crashed down.
"Is this one a Logia too?"
Borsalino was utterly astonished. "Didn't they say Logias are the rarest type?"
While marveling, his hands didn't stop moving. Crossing them over his chest, light already began to shimmer. "Yasakani Sacred Jewel!"
Light instantly illuminated the sky, and dense, countless light bullets roared out like a storm, instantly riddling the fire dragon with holes.
Many light bullets even pierced through the flames, scattering directly onto Abel's body.
"Logia, the Glint-Glint Fruit?"
Abel calmly brushed off non-existent dust from his body. "A little painful."
"Ohoho, the attack had no effect at all."
Borsalino pulled his sunglasses back down to his nose. "What's going on?"
"He's a Lunarian!"
A well-informed Vice Admiral stated gravely. "They are said to possess various special racial talents!"
"There's such a thing?"
Borsalino had already transformed into light. The next instant, he appeared opposite Abel, raising a hand to fire a laser. "That's truly scary."
"Oh?"
Abel, who hadn't yet awakened Observation Haki, paused slightly. The laser beam already struck him square in the chest.
Boom!
A massive explosion erupted in the sky.
Meanwhile, Bullet had crashed onto the icy surface in front of the warship, looking up.
Sakazuki stood with one foot on the ship's rail, looking down at the young man in the military uniform below.
Two soldiers locked eyes.
He should be my opponent!
At the same time, the same thought flashed in the minds of two different people.
The next instant, Bullet shot upwards, and Sakazuki leaped down.
Two iron-blooded soldiers were about to engage in a fierce collision like Mars hitting Earth.
"Ohoh, is his defense really that strong?"
Borsalino's expression clearly showed alarm. "How do you even fight an opponent like that?"
In front of him, in the sky, the uninjured Abel flapped his wings, his sword Ame no Habakiri wreathed in flames as thick as magma.
Hiss!
With a sharp screech like a heavy bomber diving, the Pteranodon swooped down.
Its wings were now completely black, and an invisible ripple of Haki shimmered around them.
"Bloody Hand Dylan! Roa's earliest follower! I'll be your opponent!"
A Marine Vice Admiral leaped up, his Haki-clad longblade slashing directly towards Dylan.
However, the Pteranodon merely slashed with its right wing. The moment the two blades met, an overwhelming force instantly caused the Marine Vice Admiral's face to change drastically, and he plummeted.
Boom!
The sturdy warship deck was directly smashed through, and the entire large ship trembled.
"You're not worthy." Dylan's face was calm.
An Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit, freely flowing Armament Haki, exquisite no-sword style swordsmanship—Dylan believed that his strength should be no weaker than Bullet's.
"Kneel, Marines."
His wings suddenly flapped, and massive flying slashes descended like a storm.
"This guy is a monster too!"
The Vice Admirals' faces were incredibly grim. "Block them! You must block them!!"
Block them?
You, with your meager strength, want to block Lord Roa's path?
That great one is destined to destroy the world and then rebuild it!
"Come on! Specters!"
As the Pteranodon dived, figures like mad dogs had also arrived, furiously leaping up and joining the feast.
In the sky not far away, two shadows continuously clashed.
Each collision sent black and scarlet lightning splattering.
With another powerful punch, Roa was sent flying, but Zephyr's expression was grim.
So strong!
This brat is as strong as expected!
And I, on the other hand, am much weaker than I was a few months ago.
Although he could still suppress Roa now, it was only suppression.
That brat's recovery ability was terrifyingly strong; any injury could be quickly healed.
"Haha! Don't stop, 'Black Arm' Zephyr!"
Roa's wings vibrated, and the next instant, he flew back like a meteor.
"Calamity Two-Sword Style: Calamity Fire!"
The twin swords scraped against each other, and as sparks flew, surging flames rose up. The flames mixed with bloodlust, turning into a blood-red aura!
Zephyr's technique had no name; he simply punched with all his might.
But simplicity did not mean weakness. His black fist pierced through the flames. Even the incredibly sharp Hu Po could not penetrate his Armament Haki, and with one punch, he sent Roa flying again.
As he flew backward, Roa took deep breaths.
Truly exaggerated Armament Haki. Every collision feels like my arm is about to dislocate.
Normally, he definitely wouldn't be able to last long.
But there was no help for it; this place wasn't far from the snail fleet. Although the concentration of dark aura had decreased significantly, it wasn't impossible to replenish it.
His stamina and injuries were rapidly recovering.
"I can fight you for a year, Mr. Zephyr!"
Roa laughed again as he attacked.
"Calamity Two-Sword Style: Destructive Wind!"
Two violent tornadoes extended from the two blades, then were forcefully compressed onto the blade surfaces, turning into scarlet whirlwinds!
Boom, boom, boom!
Continuous collisions, amidst earth-shattering sounds, the shockwaves from their clash made the frozen sea tremble constantly, seeming as if it could collapse at any moment.
On the head of one of the snails, Doflamingo had combined a large chunk of Poneglyph and numerous heavy weapons, turning it into an indestructible fortress.
Using the weapons' built-in remote targeting system, he poured firepower onto the distant warships, firing with the strength of several fortresses by himself.
As for the Marine's counter-attacks, Doflamingo simply didn't care. Did they understand the strength of Poneglyph? He could stand there and let them hit him!
He even spared a moment to watch Roa and Zephyr's battle.
"Fufufufu! That bastard Roa is getting quite beaten up!"
With almost every engagement, Roa was sent flying.
"Go for it! Former Admiral whose family was wiped out!"
Zephyr, who was being secretly cheered on by Doflamingo, had an incredibly grim expression at this moment.
Such a prolonged struggle was meaningless; it was only suppression, not victory!
How could he break this deadlock?
Zephyr, a veteran of countless wars, began to ponder.
But Roa's offensive never stopped.
Zephyr was somewhat baffled. What was the point of this seemingly meaningless attack?
Was it just to exhaust his stamina?
If so, then he was truly an idiot.
Zephyr felt he could last for several days in a battle of this intensity.
Roa was, of course, not insane enough to think that a battle of this intensity could take down Zephyr.
He simply wanted to clash with Zephyr's iron fist.
Teacher Rayleigh had said that Haki could only evolve rapidly through battles with strong enemies!
Since leaving the endlessly warring country, Roa had already fought against many monsters.
He felt that his Armament Haki was also due for another step forward.
Dylan had already explained the principle of freely flowing external Armament Haki to Roa.
What he lacked was simply the intensity and control of Haki.
And now, was the time to make up for those two points!
"Keep going, Teacher Zephyr!"
Roa laughed heartily, his offensive like a surging tide.
It wasn't until Roa's use of "Teacher Zephyr" that Zephyr finally realized something was off.
This guy's Armament Haki is becoming more refined, more agile, little by little!
This guy is using me as a whetstone!!
The moment this thought arose, the already surging anger became unstoppable.
"You damned brat! Who do you think I am?!"
The refined Admiral even swore.
Fueled by anger, his punches grew heavier.
Willpower was a real force in this world, truly capable of desperate bursts in critical moments.
"Excellent! Just like that!"
Roa was not alarmed but rather delighted. Zephyr's stronger punches would provide even more pressure!
And so, soon.
Roa clearly felt the change in his Armament Haki.
It wasn't that its intensity had increased, but rather it had become more flexible, more, like an extension of his will.
The Haki hidden in other parts of his body, at this moment, flowed like water, gathering towards his twin swords as he willed it.
"Calamity Two-Sword Style: Thunderfire!"
Thunder and flames surged simultaneously.
Boom!!
Thunder exploded, flames raged, but neither could withstand the all-piercing iron fist. Roa was sent flying again.
However.
"Ugh!"
Zephyr groaned, his face grim.
On his iron fist, a deep wound, visible to the bone, was bleeding.
"Finally, I can hurt you!"
Roa flapped his wings to stabilize himself, speaking with a sigh of satisfaction.
Freely flowing external Armament Haki, got it!
In that case, Hu Po's sharpness could be perfectly unleashed.
"Lesson's over. Now, let the real fight begin!"