He'd assumed extracting an SSSS--rank Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) would, like before, take three hours.
But when he triggered the extraction, the system chimed: "Ding—Target: Sakazuki. Extracting SSSS--rank Busoshoku Haki. Estimated time: 30 minutes."
"What, only thirty minutes? Why? …Is it because my overall strength broke through to SSSS--rank?"
Creed blinked—and then it clicked.
Back at SSSS+, pulling SSSS--rank took three hours. Now that he himself was SSSS--rank, that time slashed down made perfect sense.
"In that case, I just have to tangle with him for thirty minutes. Hm. Since it's magma, it's perfect to hone my ice sword intent."
Pleased, Creed settled on his approach.
Even with Sakazuki stronger than before, Creed was confident he could finish him quickly. But with an extraction running, he chose not to go all-out. Besides, blazing magma made a fine "whetstone" for tempering his ice-aspected kenki.
His Pika Pika no Mi (Glint-Glint Fruit) and Ope Ope no Mi (Op-Op Fruit) were both close to initial awakening, but pitting "almost awakened" against a fully awakened Magu Magu no Mi (Magma-Magma Fruit) was still a gap.
Suddenly—
"Inugami Guren (Fang-Gnawing Crimson Lotus)!"
Rumble!
Akainu struck first. Both arms jolted—two massive hounds of roiling magma howled forth, snapping down toward Creed.
Sakazuki ground his teeth. The first time he'd gone to discipline this pirate, Momousagi had stepped in; the second, at Mary Geoise, he'd lost face and caught a scolding from the Government. A turncoat who'd left the Marines only to found a pirate crew beside Enies Lobby, slapping Marine prestige in public—stack insult upon insult, and Akainu's killing intent burned white-hot.
"End it here."
"Hyozan (Ice Slash)!"
Rin'ne trembled in Creed's hand; a crescent of frigid light rang out, freezing the charging magma hounds mid-lunge.
"You think you can freeze me? Even Kuzan, who outclasses you, couldn't stop my magma!"
"Dai Funka (Great Eruption)!"
Akainu roared. His forearms swelled into titanic molten fists that launched like volcanic blasts.
This strike shattered and vaporized colossal icebergs in an instant; when those fists burst, they became a storm of volcanic bombs—each one strong enough to obliterate a super-dreadnought.
Heat boiled the heavens. Crimson bled across the sky; the very light seemed to warp. In that killing temperature, even without being struck, a man would desiccate—perhaps ignite.
The awakened Magu Magu no Mi bared its fangs.
"Hyōten Sekai (Frozen Heaven Realm)!"
Creed's swordlight condensed, scattered, and detonated—white arcs cleaving the crimson dome, ushering in marrow-biting cold. Snow whirled; profound ice accreted.
Boom!
For thousands of meters around, the world split into two realms—ice to the left, fire to the right. On one side, snow danced and chill raged; on the other, flames straddled the sky and magma roared.
Creed's blade intercepted Akainu's ferocious fist.
Sword against fist, they traded dozens of punishing blows in heartbeats; fire and black ice stitched a tapestry across the firmament.
Yet magma and flame held the edge. The field of ice shrank by degrees.
With a Logia's "ever-present" nature magnified by awakening, the Magu Magu no Mi overwhelmed the merely "incipient" state of Creed's other powers. As moments passed, the battlefield swelled like a volcano on the verge of eruption, hoarding terrifying force.
Creed slipped to a disadvantage, forced at times to juke with Raishin (Lightning Flash) and Pika Pika's elementization to evade the crush.
For now, ice could not fully suppress magma.
Far astern, watching Marines exhaled in relief.
"Since becoming an Admiral, Lord Sakazuki has never tasted defeat!"
"His death-driven training paid off—this time Creed won't escape."
"So this is an awakened magma fruit… Terrifying. Wherever he goes, it's a moving volcano—enough eruptive force to unmake the world."
"Once Admiral Aokiji arrives, we'll combine to seize Redfield."
"Bagging Creed—forget the thirty-billion bounty—even a second-class merit will be ours."
"Since the World Government's founding, he's the most heinous madman; in Marine history, the first great traitor, the first to wreck Impel Down. If we take him here, everyone present deserves a gilded commendation!"
On Redfield's helm, Robin's worry deepened as Creed ceded ground. "Uncle Redfield—should we help the captain shake that accursed Akainu off?"
Redfield shook his head. "The captain is holding back. He's reserving something."
"Holding back?"
Robin blinked, but she trusted Redfield; she tamped down her anxiety and kept watching.
Not only Redfield had noticed—Akainu had as well. "Creed! You dare hold back while crossing fists with me?!"
Insult burned him raw.
"Keep it up and you'll die!"
Rrrruuumble!
Akainu's body became pure magma—an ever-boiling inferno. Flames and lava flared across sky and sea, answering his will; smoke towered, heat surged.
For a moment, Creed felt he was facing not a man—but a volcano set to blow.
Akainu was going all-in.
If he could sustain this for a dozen minutes, even Creed would have a headache. Among Logias, the magma fruit's burst power ranked top three—perhaps top two.
"Good. Then today, I—Creed—bestow upon you, Sakazuki, a defeat."
Thunder avalanched off Creed. In a blink he became a towering Raijin (Thunder God); one hand gripped Ame-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi (Heavenly Gathering Clouds Sword), the other lifted Rin'ne, its ice sword intent spearing the sky—both blades sheathed in murderous lightning.
The SSSS--rank Busoshoku extraction clicked complete; there was no reason to waste another breath.
Ni-tōryū (Two-Sword Style): Raijin—Ame-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi; Hyōtō no Kenki (Ice-Blade Sword Intent).
Then—Ni-tōryū: Kyokuaku to Shizen (Extreme Evil and Pure Good)!
Lightning, sword-light, and laser-bright radiance burned the heavens. A thunder god strode forth—swords sweeping the eight directions.
"Die!"
"Ryūsei Kazan (Meteor Volcano)!"
Akainu bellowed. A deluge of magma meteors—colossal fists by the hundred, by the thousand—erupted from his arms like a sky-wide meteor shower.
A world-blotting barrage—no path to dodge.
All the long-banked magma and fire joined in, uprearing as cyclopean pillars from every quarter to pen the thunder god in.
Boom—BOOM—BOOOOOOM!
They collided head-on. Vital force exploded outward; unmatched pressure hammered the sea flat for kilometers, punching it down by dozens of meters into a vast, lightless pit.
Tiered tsunamis wheeled out in all directions. A Marine warship disappeared beneath the walls of water.
The scale rivaled Creed's prior clash with Kaido.
"Admiral Sakazuki!"
Marines shouted, faces tight.
On the other side, Robin's hands clenched white—but Redfield remained placid, eyes like cold wine.
(End of Chapter)
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