Rowen couldn't fathom what it felt like to ingest Raigo – Thunder Greeting, but as a Logia Ability user, he knew he'd be fine. However, for someone without Logia powers, the consequences of consuming it would undoubtedly be severe… Very severe indeed.
In an instant, Jack's body was enveloped by lightning-like blue patterns, and his facial orifices shone as brightly as flashlights. The surging power of lightning erupted within him, causing his belly to swell like an overinflated balloon, ready to burst!
Rowen withdrew, and Jack cried out in agony as radiant beams shot from his mouth.
Then…
Zap! Crack! Boom!
In a moment, an explosion occurred!
Even Whitebeard couldn't react in time, and the shockwave surged at thousands of kilometers per hour, instantly sweeping across the entire battlefield.
Anyone, whether they were Marines or pirates, whose strength didn't reach a certain level, found themselves paralyzed by the electrically charged particles remaining in the wake of the surge, causing them to fall to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, the sea around G-5's Marine Branch seemed to have been cleansed, and even the air became exceptionally fresh. But right after, the seemingly tranquil sea erupted violently, akin to boiling water, with enormous waves forming instantly.
These waves dwarfed even the "Aqua Laguna" of Water 7. Apart from their colossal size, these waves were also filled with surging high-voltage electricity, and within the sparkling currents, fish and shrimp floated belly-up, making for a breathtaking yet horrific scene.
Observing this spectacle, Akainu, on his battleship, displayed a mix of astonishment and contemplation. He lowered his head, studying his own hands, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"It seems I can develop a technique that forces opponents to ingest something…"
His magma was virtually invincible against ordinary people; even being grazed by it would scorch an opponent to death. However, the various monsters in the New World could easily defend against it.
To them, the peculiarities of the Magu-Magu No Mi represented a threat, rather than an absolute death sentence.
As the waves rippled outward, the sea suddenly became chaotic! Whitebeard and Red Hair intervened, containing the alarming surges, but tons of seawater still crashed onto the "spectator stands." Instantly, cries of distress filled the air.
In the aftermath, those who had come to secretly observe the battle suffered more than three parts of their forces!
Capitalizing on the minimal damage to their battleships thanks to the firmness of the ships, the Marines retreated ten kilometers under Tsuru's command, avoiding the aftereffects. She then turned to Akainu and shouted, "Akainu, get ready!"
"Hmph, I know," Akainu responded with a grunt. He lifted his head to gaze at the sky.
"King the Conflagration!"
At this moment, high in the sky, "King the Conflagration" unfurled his wings and tightened his grip on his weapon.
"So, this is how it ends for Jack…"
He had foreseen Jack's defeat but never expected it to be so swift! He hadn't even had the chance to employ his strongest form; he had been obliterated by Rowen after consuming a Raigo – Thunder Greeting black sphere… It was indeed a novel method of demise!
"Very well!"
"The reputation of the Hundred Beast Pirates is not something anyone can trample upon!"
Clang!
The sound of a sword being drawn resonated through the air as Rowen sensed the scorching heat behind him and immediately turned.
"Oh? Finally, you're making a move?"
Facing King's attack, Rowen didn't dare to be careless. This was a monster worthy of his full attention!
Cremation·One Blade Style!
High in the sky, King descended with his blade, and an unknown famed blade enveloped in a blaze of orange brilliance, surged like a fiery dragon slicing through the heavens. The terrifying heat emanating from it was unbearable to even look at. It seemed as if it could reduce a person to ash by merely gazing upon it.
This move was half an ambush; King had confidence that he could eliminate Rowen with it and wash away the shame the Hundred Beast Pirates had brought upon themselves!
The fiery dragon descended at lightning speed and reached Rowen in an instant, igniting flames so intense that they parched his mouth and sent sparks flying from his clothes.
As King swung his sword, he leaned downward, holding the blade at his waist. Rowen, being a Logia Ability user, knew that the crimson dragon was a feint, and the true attack would come after.
However, he couldn't deflect the fiery dragon, and the interference from the attack left Rowen unable to defend against the follow-up strike.
Confronting this potentially lethal combination of moves, Rowen clenched both fists, channeling the power of thunder into his right hand. With a resounding shout, he stepped forward and unleashed his punch.
200 Million Volt·Thunderlight Penetration Cannon!
Buzz…! Boom!
In the blink of an eye, a blue and a red beam clashed in mid-air, creating a massive energy turbulence that enveloped the entire G-5 Marine Branch, turning it into a chaotic sandstorm.
King, who was rushing down, tilted his head back to avoid the collision of the beams. He then abruptly halted his charge, staring at Rowen with a surprised expression on his face.
"How is this possible!"
The mask on his chin shattered into fragments, revealing the lower half of his lips. His skin was covered in burn scars that wound like earthworms, making his face grotesque and terrifying.
"Yet another unfamiliar technique!" In Mary Geoise, Lirisk was feeling somewhat numb. He rolled his eyes like a dead fish and muttered in frustration.
He had initially believed that the gap between him and Rowen wasn't that significant. Their previous battle had pushed Rowen to his limits, and another round would have been a matter of life and death. That's why he had agreed to the idea of a draw.
However, both the previously unleashed Electromagnetic… Sword? and the current Thunderlight thrust were attacks he couldn't defend against. Although he had some trump cards left unused, it seemed the gap between them couldn't be bridged.
With a sigh, Lirisk suddenly remembered something. He turned his head towards a corner of the video feed.
"Wait a minute, why do I feel like Jack isn't dead?"
Having narrowly escaped being blown to bits himself, Lirisk had some sympathy for Jack's situation.
He didn't know the specifics of how Jack had survived, but he wouldn't have given Rear Admiral Scante an opportunity if it were easy to kill a Zoan user. He knew that Zoan users were exceptionally resilient.
As he spoke, a sudden gust of wind whipped up on the screen, and a colossal figure burst forth from the dust and debris. There was a resounding "crash" as they collided.
Thud! Thud!
Watching as both Rowen and Lirisk were sent flying, Lirisk shut his mouth and turned his gaze towards the dust.
"Did you just hear something?"
"What? My lord, what are you talking about?"
The survival instinct was strong!
Satisfied with this reaction, Lirisk nodded.
…
Neither Rowen nor King had anticipated the intervention of a third party. Focused on their own battle and wary of each other's moves, they were caught off guard and sent flying in an instant.
However, Rowen's Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) was slightly stronger than King's. While he hadn't anticipated a third-party attack, he had detected the movements of the third party slightly earlier.
He quickly flipped in mid-air and landed on the ground. Apart from the ground being shattered where he landed, he hadn't sustained significant injuries.
Raising his head and staring at the center of the dust and debris, Rowen took in a sharp breath as he spoke.
"Jack?!!!"
Moo!!!
A deafening roar accompanied by hurricane-force winds erupted in the surroundings as a colossal mammoth-like elephant, over 50 meters tall and at least 30 meters wide, raised its massive forelimbs, its trunk curling before its forehead as it bellowed in fury.
Thud!
The elephant's foot descended, resembling a falling meteor. The ground crumbled instantly, and the intense shockwaves spread along with the sound waves, causing Rowen to feel a heavy pressure on his chest.
"He's not dead?!!"
Even King was astonished at this moment. Although Raigo – Thunder Greeting was a bit slower, its destructive power was unquestionable.
With Rowen's current control over thunder and lightning, releasing Raigo – Thunder Greeting, condensed into a thumb-sized glassy sphere, should have been enough to obliterate not just a mere body but even Seastone, without a doubt.
Naturally, upon contact with Seastone, the most likely outcome was for Raigo – Thunder Greeting to dissipate with a soft "pop."
Yet, the unthinkable had happened— Jack had survived?!!
Exhaling sharply, the mammoth elephant's foot hit the ground, causing the earth to crack and dry out. At this moment, Jack truly lived up to his moniker "Jack the Drought."
Staring at those eyes filled with brutality, devoid of any connection to humanity, and utterly devoid of reason, Rowen stood up and spoke to Jin in the sky.
"It's tragic; he's not dead!"
"You should be relieved, Vice Admiral Rowen…"
King slowly raised his head, gazing directly at Akainu, who was approaching him using Geppo. There was a hint of vigilance in his eyes.
"Megu Megu No Mi (Lava-Lava Fruit), Mera-Mera No Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit)… It seems like there's a bit too much power to control flames in this sea."
Akainu, now in close proximity, snorted and glanced down at Rowen on the ground. He noticed that Rowen had only suffered some stamina depletion, with no external injuries, proving that he had successfully countered the attack.
Nodding in acknowledgment, Akainu shouted loudly, "Rowen, I'll leave Jack to you. This guy is mine!"
While ordinary soldiers were there mainly to deal with the potential reinforcements from the Hundred Beast Pirates and, incidentally, to rain cannon fire down, it was akin to a lottery. What if something unexpected occurred?
But when facing a combatant like Jin, who could fly, the true determination of the battle's outcome relied on the clashes between the top-tier combatants.
Jin's proactive strike was an opportunity, a heaven-sent chance to engage in an all-out battle!
Meigo – Nether Hound!
(End of this chapter)
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