Carl, now in his Moon form, was completely different from before. Darian, who had initially been relaxed, gradually became serious.
Each of Carl's attacks was infused with violent electric currents, forcing Darian back step by step. His hand instinctively reached for his waist, only to remember he hadn't brought his sword. Darian had assumed he wouldn't need it against Carl and had no intention of fighting him to the death.
However, Darian hadn't expected Carl to transform, his strength far surpassing earlier expectations.
The massive courtyard had been reduced to ruins from their battle, yet no one had come to investigate.
Carl leaped into the sky, releasing thick silver streaks from his fingertips. On the ground, Darian evaded, with Carl's attacks leaving charred craters in their wake.
Frustrated by his missed strikes, Carl's fury intensified, and darkness gathered behind him, forming a tornado that barreled toward Darian.
The dark vortex unleashed terrifying gravitational force, pulling and tearing apart everything in its path. Darian, gritting his teeth, unleashed a scarlet aura, red and black lightning crackling around him.
As a member of the Figarland family, Conqueror's Haki was his birthright.
Facing the oncoming storm, Darian rushed forward and threw a punch that cleaved the air.
"Swordless Style: Sovereign Authority!"
With a deafening boom, Darian's Conqueror's Haki surged forth like a tidal wave, obliterating the dark tornado. Carl was thrown back by the overwhelming force, crashing to the ground.
Momentarily regaining his senses, Carl wiped the blood from his mouth, then charged at Darian, his body a blur of silver light. Darian's fists, still crackling with Conqueror's Haki, met him head-on.
Though Carl had the advantage earlier, after his transformation, he found himself on the defensive. Yet he fought recklessly, numb to the pain, which made Darian hesitant to go all out.
Each punch that connected with Carl's body caused Darian to wince. Not out of compassion, but because in his eyes, Carl's body belonged to him, and he didn't want to damage it.
Darian began pulling his punches, but he failed to notice a small flame sparking at the nape of Carl's neck.
As the flame grew, Carl's defense increased dramatically, and Darian's strikes echoed with metallic clangs upon contact.
Realizing something was amiss, Darian increased his strength, but Carl barely flinched. The latter, who occasionally dodged attacks, now stood his ground, taking Darian's blows head-on.
Carl only felt an intense itching on his back, as if something was about to burst forth.
Growing impatient, Darian grabbed Carl's fist and landed a punch to his abdomen, sending him soaring into the sky.
As Carl ascended, he tried to stabilize himself using Geppo, but the discomfort on his back became unbearable. When he began to fall, something incredible happened.
Tear!
The sound of fabric ripping filled the air, and Carl groaned. In Darian's astonished gaze, a pair of massive black wings unfurled from Carl's back, allowing him to hover mid-air.
As the wings emerged, the flame at Carl's neck erupted into a blazing inferno.
Carl's expression shifted into surprise—his Lunarian bloodline had finally awakened!
His transformation continued, and in his Moon state, Carl's black wings turned pure white. He now resembled a celestial being, hovering above Darian, with flames radiating intense heat.
Darian's initial shock gave way to excitement as he yelled, "It's perfect! This body is mine!"
Consumed by madness, Darian charged toward Carl, who was now descending like a meteor, engulfed in flames.
Darian was swallowed by the fiery inferno as Carl landed, his gaze fixed on the burning scene.
Suddenly, a ball of blood emerged from the flames, morphing into a grotesque, bloodied mouth lunging at Carl.
"I can't wait anymore! Give me your body now!"
Carl's face paled. He had no idea what other powers Darian's Blood-Blood Fruit possessed, and hastily prepared to enter his divine state again.
But before he could act, a figure appeared in front of him—Garling.
Garling, cold and composed, drew his sword and unleashed a powerful slash, cleaving the blood in the air.
Darian's body disintegrated into droplets of blood, splattering across the ground.
Moments later, the blood droplets coalesced back into Darian's form. His face twisted in anger as he glared at Garling.
"Garling, this is my son! Why are you interfering?"
Garling ignored the outburst, focusing on Carl. Observing the wings, he nodded. "It seems Vegapunk was right. Combat truly does trigger your awakening."
Garling had sensed Darian following Carl but didn't intervene earlier. He believed the fight would help Carl unlock his Lunarian bloodline, and it had worked beyond expectations.
With Garling now present, Carl's tension subsided, and his Moon form faded. His body felt weak, having exhausted its strength during the battle with an emperor-level opponent like Darian.
Garling caught Carl as he staggered, supporting him as they prepared to leave. But Darian, ignored and enraged, yelled again, "Garling! Don't interfere!"
Boom!
A powerful sword slash from Garling struck the ground in front of Darian, carving a deep trench. Without looking back, Garling calmly warned, "Don't make me kill you."
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+86 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg