Byrnndi World's punch collided with Garp's chest, but Garp's Armament Haki was as solid as iron, and he didn't seem fazed by the blow. At the same time, Garp's own punch slammed into World's chest. World, who also had his Armament Haki activated, managed to withstand the impact, but both men were sent flying. Garp's figure blasted through the dark smoke and crashed back onto the warship deck, skidding a few steps before stopping and cracking the wood beneath him. He patted his chest and cursed, "What a solid punch."
Claudius ignored Garp's remark and instead focused on World, noticing a thin line of blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. Clearly, World wasn't as sturdy as Garp. It confirmed Claudius's suspicion, while World was indeed strong, he was not quite at Garp's level. In terms of sheer strength, World fell just short of that peak tier.
With that in mind, Claudius wondered why they needed to push him to the island at all. Why not just take him down right here and now?
"Seriously, Marines and their elaborate plans. If it were up to me, I'd just split into two teams and crush them head-on," Claudius thought to himself.
But he understood why things were this way. The Marines always erred on the side of caution. Pushing World onto the island would almost guarantee his capture or defeat. Claudius, on the other hand, preferred more straightforward approaches—direct and effective. If a problem could be solved with sheer power, why complicate things?
As Claudius mulled over these thoughts, Garp was already on the move, charging back into the fray. Collecting his focus, Claudius knew what needed to be done.
No matter the approach, whether taking down World here or forcing him to the island, World's escape had to be blocked first.
"Enel!" Claudius called out.
"Yes!" Enel, who was standing nearby, responded promptly.
"Time for one of our combos!" Claudius said, a grin stretching across his face.
A similar look of excitement flashed across Enel's features. He raised his hands, and an immense surge of electricity crackled from his fingertips, shooting into the sky. Within moments, the clear skies turned heavy and dark, clouds shifting from white to ominous black as lightning bolts crackled across the sky.
Claudius lifted his arms as well. They twisted and transformed into swirling currents of air. As he added more power, fierce winds roared across the sea, stirring up the waves and making the once-calm ocean an unstable battlefield.
"Lightning walks with me!" Enel murmured, his voice low but commanding.
"And the storm listens to my orders!" Claudius shouted, a fierce energy in his voice.
As the two of them combined their powers, the weather around them shifted dramatically. A storm burst forth, and bolts of lightning shot through the darkened sky, encircling the entire sea area. The only clear path left was the one leading straight to Cyborila Island.
In the heat of battle, World, who was trading blows with Garp, noticed the sudden change. His eyes narrowed, bewildered. What in the world was happening? Why was the weather turning against him?
Garp laughed heartily. "Claudius, you really do have a bag full of tricks. Using the weather itself to box him in, huh?"
Realizing that he might be walking into a trap, World decided to switch tactics. He dodged Garp's next punch, grabbed a nearby cannonball from his ship's deck, and shouted, "Moa moa—ten times the speed!"
With that, he propelled himself at incredible speed toward Garp's dog-headed warship, leaving Garp's punch striking empty air.
World's plan was simple: if he was in a trap, he needed to break it. Destroying Garp's warship would disrupt their strategy and put the advantage back in his hands. If needed, he could make his escape.
Flying mid-air, he hurled the cannonball with a sneer. "Moa moa—hundred times the cannon!"
The moment the cannonball left his hand, it swelled to a massive size. If it hit the warship, it would obliterate it.
But just as he thought victory was in his grasp, Claudius sprang into action. He unsheathed the sword at his waist, the demon blade Shindō, and slashed at the oncoming cannonball. A cloud of white mist enveloped his blade as he swung with immense force.
"One Sword Style—White Frost Dance!" Claudius whispered.
The instant the blade met the cannonball, the blackened metal turned a frosty white. The slash didn't just cut it in half; it shattered it mid-air into a shower of icy fragments, scattering harmlessly across the deck.
World's eyes widened in disbelief. What kind of power was this?
Before he could process what had happened, he saw Claudius make another move. Claudius raised his sword and launched a powerful air slash.
"Storm!" Claudius yelled.
The blade of air shot forward, twisting into a cyclone mixed with the sharpness of the slash and hurtling straight toward World.
"Moa moa—thirty times the speed!" World muttered, launching himself into the air to evade the attack. The cyclone missed him by a hair, and he reappeared on the deck of the warship, ready for more.
Without hesitation, World lunged at Claudius, aiming a punch directly at his head.
Claudius stood firm, making no move to dodge. The demon blade Shindō blurred as he spun it in his hand and aimed for World's chest.
"White Lotus!" Claudius said under his breath.
World was momentarily caught off-guard. This man was really willing to trade blows? But he wasn't intimidated. His chest darkened as Armament Haki spread across it, reinforcing his defenses. He calculated that while he might take a hit, it wouldn't be fatal. His fist, however, would crush Claudius's head, allowing him to gain control of the battle before Garp could react and destroy the warship.
But in that moment, his calculations failed him.
Just as his fist was about to make contact, a bolt of lightning flashed, and a long golden staff, coated with Armament Haki, appeared. The tip of the staff connected with World's fist, not enough to block it entirely but enough to push it off course.
The redirected punch grazed past Claudius's head, sending his hair flying from the force of the wind, but missing its mark. Claudius grinned. Enel had come through.
In the next instant, Shindō slashed across World's chest. The blade's frost-coated edge clashed with his Haki but managed to freeze a thin layer of skin and armor on contact. The impact of the slash sent World flying, smashing him into the bow of Garp's warship.
World hit the deck hard, feeling a numbing cold spread across his chest. Part of his skin had gone completely numb, deprived of sensation by the freezing slash.
Rolling to the side without even glancing at his wound, World used a quick maneuver to put some distance between himself and his previous position.
And not a moment too soon. Garp's massive frame landed where World had just been, his fist smashing into the deck with such force that it punched a hole straight through.
***
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