Without hesitation or banter, Finn opened the Eighth Gate.
The limits of the human body shattered instantly.
As Finn's aura surged, Shanks' expression shifted to one of shock.
The energy surrounding Finn was on an entirely different level.
Last time in Windmill Village, Finn had only opened the Seventh Gate. Back then, Shanks had believed that was Finn's strongest form.
But now, Finn's power had escalated beyond anything Shanks could have imagined.
How does he keep changing so rapidly?
Finn leaped into the air, his form becoming a blur as he shot upward.
"Armament Haki!"
Finn shouted, and his body erupted with swirling, jet-black energy.
Shanks' own Armament Haki was powerful, but Finn's was different. It coiled around him like dark, horned dragons, their forms shifting and twisting.
"This is…?" Shanks muttered, wide-eyed.
He'd heard rumors that advanced Armament Haki would manifest in strands, but this was something else entirely. Finn's Haki had evolved into something more monstrous. How far had his training gone?
Shanks couldn't even begin to comprehend it.
With a swift movement, Finn clenched his right fist, and a red mist swirled around it.
"Elephant! First speed!"
Finn's fist struck forward, and in an instant, an air cannon shaped like an elephant's foot formed, the air around it collapsing as if sucked into a vacuum.
But that wasn't all.
The horned dragons of Finn's Haki wrapped themselves around the cannon, amplifying its power.
The world seemed to pause, the air vibrating with an unnatural tension.
Everyone instinctively turned toward Finn, mesmerized by the sight of the elephant-footed cannon and the swirling dragons of Haki.
"What... What kind of attack is this?" someone whispered, awe-struck. "It feels like it could destroy the world…"
The cannon shot out, its speed overwhelming. It reached Shanks in the blink of an eye.
With no time to hesitate, Shanks poured all his strength into his sword, Griffin, coating it with his own Armament Haki.
He raised the blade with both hands, slashing at the incoming attack with all his might.
"What!? Shanks is using both hands!?"
"I've never seen him go this hard!"
"This is insane!"
Everyone gasped as Shanks unleashed his full force.
"God Falls!"
With a roar, Shanks' blade collided with Finn's air cannon.
Boom!
The explosion was deafening, a shockwave that ripped through the air, throwing pirates and Marines alike off their feet.
The strong retreated immediately, knowing that the aftermath of this battle was too dangerous to stay in range.
In the midst of the chaos, Finn remained calm, standing in the air like a god of war.
As the air cleared, Shanks was revealed, still gripping his sword with both hands. He was breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face. His expression twisted with determination as he glared at Finn and chuckled, "Heh... Is that your strongest blow, Finn? To me, it seems like that's all you've got."
Shanks' left arm was glowing with strange patterns, pulsing with power.
But Finn smirked, unfazed. "Sorry, that wasn't my strongest attack. Not even close."
He raised his fist again, a confident smile spreading across his face. "Let's see how you handle something stronger."
Finn unleashed his next attack.
"Evening!"
A second elephant-foot air cannon appeared, this one even more powerful than the first. The air crackled with energy as it coiled around Finn's body, the jet-black dragons intensifying the force.
The onlookers gasped in horror, feeling the immense pressure of this attack from even a distance.
Shanks' expression darkened.
There's something even stronger!?
His eyes blazed with determination as he rushed to meet the attack.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his entire body tensed with effort as he pushed every ounce of strength into his sword.
The ground beneath his feet began to crack and sink as he pushed against the immense pressure.
"Fight!" Shanks shouted, his body trembling as he struggled to hold his ground.
With a massive roar, Shanks' sword collided with the air cannon.
Boom!
The resulting explosion sent shockwaves that threw the surrounding soldiers to the ground. Sakazuki, caught in the blast, barely managed to brace himself against the ground to avoid being thrown.
"Look! Shanks is... is he defeated?" someone murmured in disbelief.
"This is the new Marine Marshal? His strength is... overwhelming..."
Shanks slowly rose to his feet, his face a mask of pain.
It was clear he couldn't take much more of this.
But Finn, having the upper hand, wasn't in a rush. He observed Shanks, his tone calm yet piercing. "Shanks, I'm curious. What's your connection with the World Government? Why do they give you so much help?"
Shanks sneered, his lips curling into a scornful grin. "Heh. You won't get anything from me."
Finn raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you won't tell me, I'll just ask the CPOs later."
Shanks scoffed, "Don't bother. They aren't worthy of knowing my secrets."
"Interesting..." Finn mused, his smile growing. "It seems you're hiding something deep."
Finn then shook his head slightly. "But since you won't tell me, I'll just send you to meet your fate, along with your secrets."
With that, Finn readied himself for the final blow.
But suddenly, someone shouted, "Finn! What this world needs is balance! The World Government exists to maintain that balance. What you're doing is throwing everything into chaos!"
Shanks looked at Finn with intensity. "What nonsense are you spouting? Without the World Government, the world would fall into disorder!"
Finn sneered, his voice cold. "Shanks, don't try to impose your naïve ideals on me. Without the World Government, and without pirates, this world would finally be at peace."
With those words, Finn unleashed his third punch.
"Elephant! Third speed!"
Boom!
Shanks had no time to react as the attack slammed into him, blasting him into the ground.
A notification rang in Finn's mind:
Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have acquired: Flying Thunder God Technique!