Chapter 287: Escape
Crackling sounds filled the air...
The overburdened island finally succumbed, and terrifying abyssal fissures spread outward like a spiderweb, extending all the way to the ocean's surface.
Splash!
Seawater rushed in, colliding with the falling lava and instantly creating towering geysers of steam that filled the surrounding area.
The island's tremors affected the sea, whipping up massive waves. Only warships built to withstand such conditions could remain steady on the surface.
"What's happening?!"
"Pull back! Punk Hazard is sinking!"
Someone shouted, their voice filled with terror.
The sinking of a large vessel would create whirlpools in the surrounding water—let alone an entire island about to sink beneath the waves.
At this moment, Sakazuki and Kizaru remained composed. The sinking of a mere island wasn't enough to threaten fighters of their caliber.
"What's his plan?"
Sakazuki and Kizaru wondered. Once the island sank and they lost their foothold, Rhodes would only be defeated faster.
Perhaps he was trying to eliminate the effects of the lava's extreme temperature?
The two pondered but didn't delay their assault, unleashing a series of devastating attacks at Rhodes.
Rhodes' speed and reflexes were exceptionally sharp. Although he was no match for their combined force, he fought while retreating—and the situation wasn't yet dire.
However, it was clear to everyone that if the battle continued, Rhodes would inevitably lose.
Therefore, Sakazuki and Kizaru remained cautious, holding back slightly, unwilling to be dragged down by Rhodes in a mutual defeat.
The roles of prey and hunter seemed to have reversed.
Sakazuki remained confident—Rhodes was merely the strongest rookie. The consequence of provoking the Marines was death!
There were no exceptions!
In the midst of crisis, Rhodes remained calm and moved swiftly, soon reaching the island's edge, where towering waves and swaying warships could be seen battling the turbulent waters.
Bang!
The air seemed to solidify as Rhodes used Geppo to launch himself skyward.
"Taking to the air? Utterly foolish!"
As Fleet Admiral, Sakazuki was also proficient in Rokushiki and followed using Geppo.
After Kizaru transformed into his elemental form, aerial flight became even easier—no less graceful than Shiki the Golden Lion's flight ability.
"It's the Thunder God Swordsman! All Vice Admirals, follow me to assist Fleet Admiral Sakazuki!"
Sakazuki's adjutant commanded.
Immediately, Vice Admirals Vergo and the others leaped into the air using Geppo, unleashing a barrage of ranged attacks from considerable distance.
These included sword slashes, ranged Rokushiki techniques like Shigan, and even some Devil Fruit abilities.
They didn't expect to harm Rhodes—merely to distract him slightly.
Among them, Vergo fought with the most desperate fervor.
"Die, die! Doffy, Diamante, Pica... I've avenged you!"
Vergo roared inwardly as he fired a Shigan projectile.
But at that moment, he suddenly froze, feeling a chill race down his spine to his brain—as if being stared down by an apex predator, a tremor running through his very soul.
He raised his gaze slightly and met a pair of eyes gleaming with brilliant intensity.
Even amidst the chaos, Vergo had the unsettling certainty that the owner of those eyes was looking directly at him!
Buzz!
An overwhelming sense of danger surged through Vergo's body, his blood running cold as his eyes tracked a silver lightning bolt streaking across the sky.
"It looks like... a lightning spear?"
With a soft thud, Vergo was pierced through by the lightning spear, blood erupting outward before the construct exploded.
BOOM!
Vergo didn't even have time to scream as his chest and throat exploded open, the gaping wound horrifically exposed—the injury far too severe.
"Vice Admiral Vergo!"
A nearby Vice Admiral rushed over, but upon seeing Vergo's wound, immediately knew there was no hope of survival.
To the Marines' astonishment, despite such catastrophic injuries, Vergo remained alive. His eyes darted around, still fixed on Rhodes' direction, his lips moving silently as if trying to express something.
He wanted to witness Rhodes' death!
The obsession with revenge sustained him.
"Damn you!"
Sakazuki roared in fury, never expecting Rhodes would still have the presence of mind to target a Vice Admiral amidst their combined assault.
This was blatant contempt!
Kizaru remained silent, but a flicker of anger appeared on his usually lazy expression.
The anger of a normally indifferent man was especially dangerous.
Rhodes was struck directly by a magma thrust and a laser piercing his shoulder, leaving a gaping hole—though no blood oozed out, as the wound was instantly cauterized by the searing heat.
"Tch."
The price of forcibly eliminating Vergo had been steep. Rhodes was seriously injured, but his expression remained unchanged—calm and composed throughout.
"Nitōryū: Sōryū!"
Rhodes wielded both swords, one to the left and one to the right, simultaneously unleashing twin thunder dragons.
BOOM!
The thunder dragons roared, their immense power temporarily forcing back Kizaru and Sakazuki.
"You can't escape."
Kizaru's tone turned cold as he and Sakazuki surrounded Rhodes from front and back. Whichever direction Rhodes tried to break through, he would face devastating attacks.
"Death is your only fate!"
Sakazuki was now truly enraged, his eyes brimming with molten fury, looking utterly terrifying.
He threw a punch, and magma surged forth, roaring toward Rhodes.
Kizaru moved in tandem, unleashing powerful laser beams, their energy surging outward with astonishing destructive force.
"That's enough for today."
Facing such magnificent attacks, Rhodes' expression remained serene, his words carrying only to Sakazuki and Kizaru.
Just as they wondered what he meant, they saw Rhodes deflect with both swords, simultaneously using the momentum to retreat.
Swoosh!
His figure moved with lightning speed, appearing mere meters above the ocean surface in the blink of an eye, churning white waves beneath his feet.
"No need to see me off, you two."
Rhodes waved to Sakazuki and Kizaru, then vanished beneath the sea in a flash, disappearing amidst the raging waves.
Almost instantly,
Kizaru and Sakazuki arrived at the spot, their faces turning grim upon seeing Rhodes submerged and gone.
At that moment, they finally understood why Rhodes had claimed that only all three Admirals together could possibly capture him.
Without Kuzan's ice powers to seal the ocean, Rhodes' escape into the sea left them—one a Magu Magu no Mi user, the other a Pika Pika no Mi user—completely helpless.
Kizaru considered using Yasakani no Magatama, but ultimately abandoned the idea, knowing it would prove ineffective.
His weathered face contorted in frustration, revealing an unprecedented look of vexation:
"He really isn't a Devil Fruit user..."
As Rhodes' lightning powers grew stronger, everyone had assumed he possessed a Devil Fruit ability—but judging from the current situation, that clearly wasn't the case.
"..."
Sakazuki remained silent, but the magma flowing from his body continued churning, splashing onto the sea with hissing sounds.
Kizaru could clearly sense Sakazuki's body trembling slightly—a sign of extreme fury.
But he couldn't show it openly. He had to suppress it because he was the Fleet Admiral, and many subordinates were watching from a distance.
In the distance,
Vergo, supported by Vice Admirals, witnessed this scene and revealed an unprecedented expression of resentment.
He never imagined that Rhodes could escape from such a deadly predicament so easily, suffering only moderate injuries.
Intense hatred and resentment surged into his heart. Vergo's eyes bulged outward, bloodshot and straining—and he actually died from sheer rage and fury.
Of course, even if rage hadn't killed him, given his catastrophic injuries, he wouldn't have survived regardless.
"The Thunder God Swordsman... escaped."
The Marines all wore expressions of profound awe.
This battle—sinking an island, facing the combined might of a Marine Admiral and the Fleet Admiral himself, and departing so decisively—if word spread, the Thunder God Swordsman's reputation would likely eclipse even the Blackbeard Pirates!
A deathly silence fell over the scene.
All eyes remained fixed on the area where Rhodes had entered the sea.
It was as if they were witnessing the rise of a future Yonko—an emperor about to reign supreme over the seas.
(End of Chapter)
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