Akainu's eyes burned with rage as he glared at Gion.
A Navy traitor. And now she had eaten the invaluable Devil Fruit they couldn't afford to lose.
"I'll deal with you first, then I'll take care of that Kuke scum," Akainu growled as the ground beneath his feet slowly melted into magma.
At that moment, in Akainu's mind, Gion had become a bigger threat than Kuke. Besides, Chaton was already handling Kuke. He had no chance of escape.
Akainu had gauged Kuke's strength during their brief clash. Stronger than Chaton, sure, but not by enough to make defeating him possible anytime soon.
"You hurt Kuke," Gion said coldly, her eyes filled with nothing but an icy glare.
Akainu sneered, "You're worried about him being hurt? How pathetic. None of you are leaving here alive today."
Gion's eyes began to change. The scarlet hue deepened into a crimson red—true phoenix eyes. Her feet transformed into talons, and bright, fiery red feathers sprouted from her body. Her whole form radiated a fierce heat.
Like the Azure Dragon's hot breath, the Phoenix Form could channel intense heat, making her entire body burn with flames capable of scorching everything around her.
Doflamingo and Bartholomew Kuma, once the center of attention, had now become mere bystanders.
Doflamingo clenched his fists in frustration. His gaze lingered on the discarded Devil Fruit core, but there was nothing he could do. Both Gion and Akainu were far too dangerous to provoke.
"Heh, what a joke! The Marines, with their stupid plan, actually let someone eat the fruit! What a waste," Doflamingo couldn't help but mock Akainu.
What a pointless trip this had been. Now he'd have to face Kaido's wrath—all because of the Marines' idiotic plan. Even Doflamingo wouldn't have used such a foolish strategy.
Akainu shot him a cold, murderous glance.
When the time came, Akainu wouldn't mind wiping out every pirate on this island, including Doflamingo.
Doflamingo's smirk faded as he realized the danger. Staying here was becoming increasingly unwise.
"I'm not interested in playing with you anymore," Doflamingo spat, taking to the air and flying away at full speed.
From the distance, he looked back at Gion and Kuke, who was still facing off against Chaton.
They looked like dead men walking.
"What's the matter? Hurt and scared?" Chaton taunted as Kuke stood up from the rubble. "You're walking right into your own death. You've brought nothing but misery to Gion, and I won't let you off."
Meanwhile, part of Kuke's attention was focused on his system panel, watching his combat power rise rapidly.
[Combat Power +52,936]
In an instant, his power had skyrocketed by over 50,000, thanks to Gion. The moment she consumed the Phoenix Zoan fruit, her strength surged, and Kuke had gained an equivalent boost in power.
His total combat power now exceeded 260,000.
[Physique +28]
His physique had also improved, now reaching 50. He could feel his bones and skin strengthening in an instant. His raw physical strength now surpassed many of the sea's most dangerous creatures.
This improvement in his body enhanced his recovery and vitality. Minor injuries healed in an instant, and for the first time, Kuke felt truly powerful.
After taking a moment to feel the changes within him, Kuke shifted his gaze back to Chaton, who was still hurling insults his way.
"Pathetic?" Kuke's eyes sharpened as he raised his massive blade.
"I've been wanting to beat you down for a long time," Chaton snarled, his body crackling with energy, his ugly face twisting into a fierce expression.
"Same here," Kuke replied.
Chaton scoffed, "Don't think just because you've gotten stronger that you can beat me. I've got thirty years of combat experience—you can't compare."
From their brief exchange earlier, Chaton had been able to gauge Kuke's strength. He was strong, sure, but not so strong that he couldn't be defeated.
Boom!
Both Kuke and Chaton disappeared at once, and the ground beneath them cracked and split apart. The air around them roared as they collided with immense force.
"Ghost Energy: Yama King Descends!"
"Cannon Fist!"
The ground erupted beneath them, creating a deep chasm. Kuke's powerful sword energy tore through the air, colliding with Chaton's punch. In disbelief, Chaton watched as his Haki-infused fist was sliced open, the skin splitting apart, and the bones beneath cracking under the pressure.
"This can't be!"
Chaton couldn't believe it.
"How has your strength grown so much?!"
Kuke didn't bother answering. Instead, he unleashed his full strength.
Boom!
A towering wave of sword energy shot from the ruins, stretching all the way to the mountain a kilometer away. The mountain was split in half by the force of the attack.
Amid the destruction, a figure staggered out, bloodied and battered. Chaton was missing most of his right arm—it had been completely severed. That arm was gone for good.
"Why… how?" Chaton mumbled, shaken to his core.
"You scum," Chaton snarled, his face twisted in anger. "You were holding back when you fought with Admiral Akainu and me, weren't you? You tricked me… let me lower my guard so you could land a fatal blow."
Not far away, Akainu was locked in battle with Gion.
Akainu had the upper hand. Although Gion's power had increased dramatically after consuming the Phoenix Zoan Fruit, bringing her combat power to over 210,000, she was still no match for Akainu. In time, she could grow to be as strong as, or even stronger than, Akainu, but for now, she wasn't quite there.
Still, Akainu couldn't defeat her quickly, and he had to spare some of his attention to monitor Chaton's battle.
When he saw what had happened to Chaton, his eyes widened in shock.
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P.S.: This story was never completed, and I want to finish it. If you'd like to help me financially so I have the time to translate it as fast as possible, you can join me on my Patreon at Patreon. com / Emik01 and you can read up to chapter 45.
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