Sizzling... sizzling...
The snow lion and the flame dragon collided, their conflicting forces continuously dissipating. A substantial amount of water vapor rapidly formed, clinging to the airborne sand and stones. The stifling pressure steadily increased.
"Fruit user?"
Shiki secretly speculated in his heart that such formidable fire power couldn't be solely attributed to racial talent. He assumed that Atlas must also be a Devil Fruit user, but he remained uncertain whether it was a Paramecia or Logia type.
Zoan didn't fall within Shiki's considerations. While he observed Atlas's exceptional physical prowess during their brief encounter, he detected no indications of a beast transformation.
"You figure it out!"
Atlas had no intention of explaining to Shiki. He swiftly descended to the ground to face him. Although fighting in mid-air with could provide a positional advantage, the physical exertion was evidently much greater compared to Shiki's use of the fruit. Even Garp wouldn't opt for this method.
"You'll spill the beans once I beat you!"
Shishi Odoshi: Gosho Chimakin (Lion's Menace: Imperial Palace Thousand Rolls)
Boom!
Suddenly, a violent tremor erupted beneath Atlas's feet. Four lion heads, crafted from rocks, materialized around him in an instant. They were expansive enough to obscure the sky and sun, steadily closing in on Atlas at a deliberate pace.
Atlas roared angrily, his body suddenly lifted up, and all the muscle textures on his body were revealed. The thick latissimus dorsi muscles were exposed to the air. The muscles like marble sculptures rapidly swelled and compressed, and so on, and finally a ferocious face appeared. Grimaces gathered on the back.
The Haki, a mix of black and red, swirls persistently, weaving through every muscle fiber, forming a protective armor on the body. Intricate patterns adorn the entire form. A dark line starts at the corner of the eye, merging onto the forehead, exuding a potent and commanding strength!
Seimei Kikan Bushintai (Life Return Martial God Body)
"Tekken Bakuhatsu Saidama" (Iron Fist Explosion Shattered Jade)
Escape seemed impossible, as the colossal lion head nearly covered the entire sky. Even if Atlas attempted the to evade from above, he'd find himself in a helpless position due to the lack of a solid point for leverage.
Fist shadows filled the sky, repeatedly striking the massive lion's head. Rocks were dislodged, causing the once towering Lion Rock to diminish in size gradually.
"What a challenging devil fruit power!"
Atlas felt a bit frustrated. Shiki's fruit had complete control over everything on the island. Even if he blasted the island into pieces, it could still be reconstructed under the influence of the devil fruit ability. That's the catch.
It's unfortunate that while his armament Haki is top-notch, his skills in internal destruction are a bit lacking. Otherwise, it would be much easier to break through these obstacles.
"Decent power, but what's the point, Shihahaha!"
Shiki was mildly surprised. Atlas tore through Lion Rock quicker than anticipated, but it made no difference to him. This place... was his home turf!
Clenching his fist again, the devil fruit ability was activated, and the rock blocks originally scattered on the ground took shape again. The lifelike lion head was like a silent mockery of Atlas.
"Bakuhatsu Chosoku Soru!" (Explosion Superspeed Shaving)
Atlas didn't want to be consumed alive by Shiki like this. Even though he had no fear of attrition due to his physical strength, it was still a bit annoying.
Boom!
The armament Haki above his head intensified, and the profound Haki almost solidified. Combined with the potent explosive force, he charged directly towards Shiki. Despite Shiki continuously using the devil fruit ability to raise lion mountains one after another, attempting to halt Atlas, he pressed forward, setting the pace.
But without exception, they were knocked out into large craters. Although smashing a lion mountain into pieces was a bit troublesome, creating a hole with a direct hit was still an easy task.
Boom!
When Atlas sent the last Lion Rock flying, he indeed plunged into the seawater that had long been suspended behind the mountain.
"Shihahahaha! You're such an innocent Marine. How can you lecture me on your observation Haki..."
Before Shiki could revel in his pride for a moment, the sight in front of him nearly made his eyes pop out.
Atlas didn't become limp and powerless in the seawater, as Shiki expected. Instead, a considerable amount of seawater was vaporized into nothingness, and a dense mist emanated from Atlas' body!
"Skocked, huh? Shiki!"
Atlas laughed fiercely, and simultaneously, the rocks under his feet exploded, and Kaminari around his waist was unsheathed!
There was a thunderous roar, and a chilling light suddenly appeared, as if a thunder god had taken charge of destruction!
Fast! Accelerating to ultimate speed!
In the blink of an eye, the sharp blade of the sword was thrust toward Shiki, and the formidable air pressure resembled a dragon with teeth and claws, rushing towards Shiki!
"Shihahahaha!"
A ferocious glare flickered in Shiki's eyes. Who is he? How could Shiki, the Golden Lion who roared across the world and conquered nations, be intimidated by pressure of just a sword?
Though surprised that Atlas, as a devil fruit user, wasn't restrained by seawater, Shiki remained Shiki. Apart from a bit of misfortune in this encounter, his combat prowess and experience were unmatched. He reacted almost instantly and levitated into the air.
However, Atlas' blade was ultimately one step faster!
Clang!
The Kogarashi and Oto beneath their feet happened to collide with Atlas's Kaminari!
Atlas applied force from his waist, twisted his wrist, and a potent energy was unleashed, transmitted to Shiki through the weapon!
Fortunately, with the aid of the Float-Float Fruit, Shiki didn't get thrown back in embarrassment, but his expression soured a bit, and there were tingles in his severed limbs. Whether it was the thunder and lightning conveyed by Kaminari or simply the formidable strength of Atlas, the cause remained uncertain.
"This feeling of strength..."
The young Marine in front of him brought him too many surprises today!
Atlas disregarded the Shiki's astonishment and continued to thrust the blade forward. Wherever the blade passed, there were bursts of thunder and arcs of electricity.
"Ryubi!" (Dragon Tail)
Sparks electrified the air, the blade almost turned into an afterimage, and every collision produced a deafening sound wave!
Clang!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks electrified the air, the blade almost turned into an afterimage, and every collision produced a deafening sound wave!
Finally, in the last slash, the Kaminari in Atlas's hand moved upward, generating fierce sparks, and the target was right between Shiki's legs!
Although Shiki dodged in time, Kaminari, being a long sword, still struck his thigh. However, it lacked the usual sensation of the blade piercing flesh. Instead, it resounded with a crisp and metallic clang!
Atlas took a closer look and noticed a dark Armament Haki exposed from the torn clothes! There was a small streak of flesh and blood on it!
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Read 35 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari