Chapter 286: The Island Will Sink
The brilliant yellow flash gradually dissipated, revealing a tall figure draped in a coat of justice.
It was none other than Admiral Kizaru Borsalino, who had rushed all the way from the new Marine Headquarters.
"How terrifying! Is the battle this intense?"
Seeing the nearly fractured Punk Hazard, Kizaru's weathered face contorted. In the past, saying "how terrifying" was usually just his trademark phrase, but now it came from genuine concern.
Punk Hazard was no small island—it had withstood a ten-day, ten-night battle between Sakazuki and Kuzan, which demonstrated its resilience.
But now, looking around, it was riddled with fissures, seawater flooding through cracks, lava flowing freely, and fractures everywhere—making one wonder if the island would split apart and sink into the sea at any moment.
"It's really too dangerous being a Marine Admiral. I wonder if I'll even live to retire..."
Kizaru sighed inwardly.
Previously, things had been manageable. Fleet Admiral Sengoku's policy focused on maintaining balance across the seas, and major battles rarely erupted. But now that Sakazuki held power, the situation had changed dramatically. It was foreseeable that a major conflict with the pirates would almost inevitably break out in the future.
These thoughts flashed through his mind as Kizaru narrowed his eyes, observing the two combatants in the lava field who had paused their battle at his arrival. Then he was surprised to discover that Sakazuki was actually... at a disadvantage?
At least judging from the extent of his injuries.
"Could it have been a sneak attack?"
Kizaru wondered.
As Sakazuki's colleague, although he disagreed with his philosophy of absolute justice, Kizaru still recognized his strength.
Apart from speed, he was far inferior to Sakazuki in terms of physique, Haki, and physical combat, considering himself slightly weaker overall.
"That youngster from back then... has he become this strong?"
Kizaru slowly descended to the ground, his body radiating brilliant light, his Observation Haki locking onto Rhodes.
Thick smoke billowed from Sakazuki's body as lava flowed around him, also releasing a powerful aura focused on Rhodes.
The combined presence of these two peak-level fighters made the air thick with killing intent. An ordinary person standing here would likely collapse from fear alone.
Every peak-level fighter had risen through endless battles and bloodshed. Even though Sakazuki and Kizaru, both Marines, lacked Conqueror's Haki, their aura remained formidable—a single glare from them could easily terrorize someone into submission.
"What a shame..."
Rhodes sighed inwardly upon seeing Kizaru's arrival.
He understood his own limitations.
Even a Yonko-level fighter would struggle against the combined power of two peak-level opponents, let alone someone slightly below that threshold.
Especially with Kizaru's speed advantage—that made things even more troublesome.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Kizaru and Sakazuki erupted almost simultaneously, unleashing terrifying auras as they charged toward Rhodes.
"Meigo!"
"Light Speed Kick!"
Magma and flashes of light created dazzling, earth-shattering energy fluctuations.
From a distance, the Marines could only see the combatants as dark silhouettes moving through the air with incredible speed and lightning-fast movements.
"Die!"
Blood gushed from Sakazuki's mouth and nose, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. His power exploded beyond its limits—the dark red magma, tinged with black, seemed to emerge from the abyss itself, ready to incinerate everything.
Kizaru's expression was equally serious. Despite his complaints before arriving, he proved equally ruthless in battle, determined to stop Rhodes here.
In a sense, Rhodes was the only person in this world who could truly threaten him. As for others, even the Four Emperors—Kizaru could come and go as he pleased, advancing and retreating at will.
BOOM!
The air exploded.
Their attacks were too violent—the resulting shockwaves blasted away magma and earth from the ground.
"The two Admirals have joined forces! The Thunder God Swordsman is finished!" The Marines all showed expressions of certainty.
Vergo sneered continuously, as if he could already envision Rhodes' defeat and capture.
He even began fantasizing about finding an opportunity to torture and kill Rhodes in Impel Down.
In the battlefield,
Faced with the combined assault of Sakazuki and Kizaru, Rhodes knew he couldn't win through direct confrontation. He reacted the instant they moved.
Whoosh!
He stomped the ground, unleashing terrifying force, and retreated at incredible speed.
"So decisive—trying to escape?"
Kizaru's expression remained unchanged as he fired three laser beams.
Swoosh!
The lasers pierced through the ground in a triangular pattern, covering hundreds of meters instantly.
Rhodes sensed the attack through Observation Haki, but his expression remained calm—neither disturbed nor elated. No matter how fast he was, he couldn't match laser-based attacks.
Rhodes slashed with his sword at an incredibly precise angle, intercepting all three laser beams simultaneously.
BOOM!
Rhodes already knew Kizaru's lasers could explode, so he remained composed, using the momentum to continue his retreat.
Whoosh!
Sakazuki closed in, his magma transforming into a dark red, gaping, ferocious hound that tore through the air toward Rhodes.
Facing this attack, Rhodes' expression remained unchanged. His blade gleamed with silver-black light as he slashed fiercely at the hound's head.
BOOM!
The sword collided with the magma construct, producing a violent explosion.
In a one-on-one fight, Rhodes would have definitely shattered this vicious hound with a single strike, but he couldn't afford to commit—Kizaru was nearly upon him.
Bang!
Using the rebound force from the impact, Rhodes evaded Kizaru's light-speed kick with a swift maneuver.
The tangible yellow flash struck the last remaining hill on Punk Hazard—its terrifying power shattered the mountain, sending rocks tumbling down as the island groaned in agony!
"What a nuisance."
Rhodes shook his head inwardly. If it were any other peak-level fighter, he could have used his superior speed to hold his ground.
Unfortunately, it had to be that old monster, Kizaru.
"Your life ends here!"
Sakazuki roared, stomping the ground and unleashing his magma power to its fullest extent, influencing the surrounding molten rock.
"Ryusei Kazan!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Countless pillars of magma erupted skyward from all directions, piercing the atmosphere. Scorching heat swirled in every direction as terrifying waves of thermal energy descended—as if the entire battlefield had transformed into a world of magma!
Rhodes' expression shifted slightly. These magma pillars themselves posed no direct threat—their speed made it impossible for them to hit him.
However, they artificially created obstacles, drastically reducing his room to maneuver.
His Armament Haki couldn't withstand the terrifying temperature of the magma indefinitely.
Moreover, this technique raised the ambient temperature to an even more lethal level.
"That's ruthless."
A bead of sweat appeared on Kizaru's forehead. He was also affected by the extreme heat, but Rhodes was suffering the most.
"Looks like you're finished today."
Kizaru's tone carried slight complexity. He had been the first of the three Admirals to encounter Rhodes and understood him better than most.
Rhodes was completely different from traditional pirates and criminals—he had never harmed civilians.
Unfortunately, weakness was a sin.
And excessive talent was also a sin. The World Government wouldn't tolerate Rhodes' continued growth. Dressrosa had merely been the trigger.
"That remains to be seen."
Rhodes licked his dry lips and smiled.
"You have nowhere to escape!"
Sakazuki sneered.
"I'm a user of the Pika Pika no Mi. You'd better not even think about escaping through the air."
Kizaru's tone was calm.
He was content to converse with Rhodes. In this high-temperature environment, every second spent here would significantly deplete his body's water and stamina.
Rhodes knew Kizaru spoke the truth.
On land, Rhodes could compete with Kizaru in speed, but in the air—where he only knew Geppo—he couldn't possibly outrun him.
Kizaru's aerial speed was evident from today's support operation. The new Marine Headquarters claimed to be relatively close to Punk Hazard, but that was subjective.
Yet Kizaru had traversed a vast expanse of ocean in mere moments, arriving with frightening swiftness.
The speed of a Pika Pika no Mi user was undeniable.
"Don't be so certain..."
Rhodes chuckled.
"If all three of your Admirals had arrived, I might have had difficulty escaping. But with just the two of you? You're far from capable of stopping me!"
With that declaration, he stomped his foot, unleashing a surge of immense power and crackling lightning that shook the earth and affected the entire island.
(End of Chapter)
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