"Shunpo!"
In the next instant, the sound of wind howled.
'Whoosh—' With a press of his foot and a flap of his wings, El's massive, ferocious form became a swift blur, like a ghostly shadow. He relentlessly pursued the airborne Iron Claw Hark, who had been sent flying and was still struggling to regain his balance.
'Crackle, crackle...'
Flames roared into the sky as waves of heat surged outward. The surrounding air sizzled, bubbles bursting, and the moisture in the ground evaporated instantly, igniting the trees around them. El's fiery fist, wreathed in flames and coated with advanced Armament Haki, lunged forward with terrifying heat and power.
"Flash Strike!"
Like prey targeted by a beast, Hark's pupils contracted, his body tensing in alert. His half-beast form, shrouded in black flames, moved with lightning speed. Just before El's devastating blow could land, he vanished, narrowly dodging the lethal strike. But Hark was merciless, immediately launching a counterattack.
"Slash!"
Hark reappeared behind El in a flash. His claws, sharp as scythes and infused with powerful Haki, slashed toward El's head, neck, and shoulders. However, as a Lunarian fully committed to offense, El's reaction was instantaneous. Using his unique Observation Haki, he predicted Hark's intent, evading the attack with precision.
'Boom… boom…'
"Is this the best you can do?" El taunted, his energy radiating overwhelming confidence. He didn't even glance at the ground, which had been ripped apart by Hark's failed strike. His jet-black fists, bulging with veins and radiating intense heat, burned with flames, causing the air around him to shimmer. With unstoppable force, he charged toward Hark.
"Armament Haki: Hardening!"
Having been mocked repeatedly, even the usually composed Iron Claw Hark couldn't suppress his pride as a Navy Admiral. Surrounded by black flames, his figure exuded lethal intent. His fists, encased in Haki, met El's attack head-on.
'Bang! Bang!'
A fierce battle erupted on the Sabaody Archipelago, engulfed in fire and smoke. The two terrifying figures clashed with earth-shattering force, exchanging blow after blow. Yet, in terms of raw strength, Hark was completely outmatched. Each impact sent him flying, the ground beneath him cracking as he was pushed further and further back.
In mere moments, dust filled the air as Hark was thrown dozens, if not hundreds, of meters away. His feet dug deep into the earth, leaving behind two long, jagged trenches.
'Ugh—'
Hark's face turned pale, his fists scorched and bloody. Sweat poured from him as his body felt like all its moisture had been sucked out by the intense heat. His burned arms trembled, numb from the force of El's attack, as though they were about to snap.
"What a monster…"
Realizing he couldn't match El's strength, Hark shifted to dodging and weaving, using his agility to evade direct confrontation. His scythe-like claws flashed as he attacked from blind spots, seeking an opening.
"It's useless; your fate is sealed!" El shouted, his movements sharp as he continually predicted Hark's path and countered. He moved at lightning speed, parrying and striking back with unrelenting force.
'Clang! Clang!'
Sparks flew as their weapons clashed, the sound of metal against metal echoing across the battlefield. Both fighters moved so fast they were nearly invisible to the naked eye. Each clash sent out waves of pressure, tearing apart trees and collapsing buildings in the area.
Although Hark's arms had been burned and torn in the initial clash, his Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit power had fully awakened. His accelerated healing allowed his wounds to scab over rapidly, showcasing his monstrous resilience.
'Bang… bang…'
Time passed as the two fierce opponents battled on, exchanging blows with incredible ferocity. Their relentless fight carried them from Island No. 1 to Island No. 5 and beyond to Island No. 13. Everywhere they passed was left in ruins, the ground scarred and broken, sending chills down the spines of onlookers.
El, relying on his mastery of 'Life Return: Paper Drawing Martial Body' combined with the Lunarian's most aggressive form, dominated the physical battle. Though his speed lagged slightly behind Hark's Zoan-enhanced abilities, the gap was small. El handled Hark's attacks with ease, and the tide of the battle began to shift in his favor.
'Slash!'
At that moment, Hark found an opening. Like a ferocious beast, he pounced with blinding speed. "Dragon Claw: Scythe!"
'Sching—'
His claw, sharp as a blade and brimming with power, struck El's right side. To his shock, the claw couldn't penetrate El's tough skin, merely pressing into it as though it had hit solid steel.
'Boom!'
The force of the blow sent El flying backward, his internal organs churning. He spat out blood but immediately retaliated.
"I've got you now!"
Even as he flew backward, blood dripping from his mouth, El's eyes flashed with fury. His right leg, coiled with Haki, lashed out like a shadowy rocket.
"What!?"
Hark's eyes widened in terror as he tried to dodge. But it was too late. El's foot slammed into Hark's stomach.
'Bang!'
The kick was devastating, collapsing Hark's abdomen and causing his internal organs to shift painfully. Blood spurted from his mouth as he was sent hurtling through the air, his eyes locked on El in disbelief.
'Boom… boom…'
Hark's body crashed through trees, smashing them like twigs, before slamming into a pile of rubble. But even in this beaten state, Hark dragged himself from the debris, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Not bad for a Navy Admiral," El muttered, wiping the blood from his own lips. Despite his overwhelming advantage, the battle wasn't easy. Only someone as monstrous as El could endure a fight like this, matching Hark blow for blow without using his full power.
Though he had sacrificed some strength for speed, it made his organs more resilient. Still, the force of Hark's strikes was nothing to scoff at.
'Crack—'
A sudden burst of sound drew El's attention. From the direction of Island No. 35, a signal flare soared into the sky, releasing a cloud of red smoke.
"Hmm?"
Glancing at the flare, El paused, a smile forming on his lips. "Finally getting serious, are we?"
Meanwhile, out at sea, a large naval warship was in chaos, with swarms of bloodthirsty bats attacking the soldiers aboard.
"Heh, time to start, I suppose," a blood-red demonic face laughed from above, eager for the coming battle.
"Fallen Angel El—"
At the same time, on the devastated Island No. 2, Hark, covered in blood and fury, let out a thunderous roar as he charged forward once more. His figure, wreathed in black flames, was terrifying, his eyes filled with murderous intent as he glared at El.
'Clang!'
Sparks flew as their weapons clashed again, the sound sharp and grating. El easily blocked Hark's scythe-like claws with his Haki-infused arm.
"Awakened Ancient Zoan users have impressive recovery powers," El remarked coldly, as Hark glared at him, trying to suppress his rage.
'Roar—'
Suddenly, El's body began to shift and grow. Hark's eyes widened in shock as El transformed, his already terrifying form growing even more powerful.
"You're finally using your Devil Fruit abilities?"
Sensing a surge of danger, Hark immediately retreated, his body tense with caution. This Lunarian monster had already pushed him to his limit without even using his fruit powers—now things were about to get much worse.
"This is what you wanted, isn't it?"
Now towering over Hark, El had fully transformed into his Zoan form, a fearsome creature with golden horns, scales, wings, and a long, snake-like tail.
Staring down at Hark, El's gaze was cold, filled with killing intent. "Thanks to you, I now understand—Navy Admirals are nothing special after all."
"But the warm-up is over… It's time for you to die!"
"Arrogant bastard!"
'Boom—'
~~~
1/8 Bonus Chapters this Week