"Ahhh!!!"
"Boom... boom..."
Blood sprayed through the air, mingling with agonized screams.
Even with the enhanced speed of his Ancient Zoan: Pterosaur form, the CPO agent struggled to evade the terrifying wind blades. They tore through the flesh of his wings, forcing him to slow down and nearly sending him plummeting to the ground.
"Forgive me, Sakke!" The other CPO officer, his eyes steely with resolve, cast away his injured comrade, clutching only Saint Rhodys, the Celestial Dragon. Desperately, he flapped his wings to escape El's relentless pursuit.
"Fallen Angel El!" roared Steel Bone Kong from the shore, fury evident in his voice.
"Szzzzzzz..." In his hybrid form, he opened his mouth wide, a powerful bolt of lightning coiling and gathering into a lethal blast aimed at El.
"Damn it… Holy Light Slash!!"
Brilliant, divine light erupted as Saint Howard, fresh from hurling Linlin across the battlefield, seethed with anger and unleashed a devastating holy light slash.
But El, moving at full speed, soared with a velocity beyond their ability to counter.
"Whoosh!" Four wings beat, creating a mighty gust as El evaded both attacks with ease. Thunder and wind wrapped around his form as he pursued the fleeing pterosaur.
"Fallen Angel El!!!" The CPO officer, still in his pterosaur form, stared wide-eyed as El's lightning-clad figure appeared before him.
"Whoosh!" A massive, scaled fist plunged through the air, creating a vacuum. Wrapped in overwhelming Haki and crackling with lightning, it moved with the speed of thunder itself, an unstoppable force.
"Flash Strike!"
"Ahhh!!!"
"BOOM!!!"
In an instant, the pterosaur screamed as the brutal strike crushed it, warping its body into a flattened mass. The Celestial Dragon gripped within its claws was pulverized instantly, without so much as a scream, as they both fell like meteors into the sea below.
"Boom..."
"Splash..." The ocean erupted with a massive wave. From the shoreline, Steel Bone Kong and Saint Howard—who had rushed to intercept—watched in shock and fury as El's strike decimated their allies.
"Damn you!! Fallen Angel El!!!"
They had braced for El's speed, but they hadn't anticipated anything like this. Not even the pterosaur's incredible speed had been able to evade him.
"Divine Judgment!"
Saint Howard, now shining with intense radiance, directed a powerful beam of holy light toward El.
"Hero's Spear!" El's expression was steely as he propelled himself forward, charging his right fist with blazing Haki and lightning. He met the incoming holy light with a punch of sheer force.
"Boom… boom..."
A thunderous explosion rocked the sea, sending waves crashing and an intense flash of light blinding anyone who dared look directly at it. Howard's purifying holy light had been blocked.
"Mythical Zoan Type: Angel Form?"
With flames blazing from behind his head, El's towering, menacing figure radiated an aura of terror, making even the seasoned warriors tremble. He glared at Saint Howard, who shone with a holy, angelic light, and let his murderous intent show. "You're next."
He had observed Howard's clash with Linlin earlier and estimated Howard to be slightly stronger than Iron Claw Hark, yet clearly weaker than Steel Bone Kong. Howard possessed Conqueror's Haki but hadn't mastered its advanced applications. His Angel Form granted him strength rivaling the Navy's legendary admirals and Fleet Admirals, but compared to a true powerhouse like Steel Bone Kong, he fell short.
"Kill me? I am Saint Howard, Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights. I am no weakling like Iron Claw Hark…" Saint Howard, with his pristine wings spread wide, wielded his elegant saber as he glared at El, fury blazing in his eyes. "If anyone's going down, it's you!"
One stood holy and angelic, the other fierce and devilish. They stared each other down, two opposing forces ready to collide.
"Linlin, keep that ape occupied," El said with a fierce grin, never taking his eyes off Saint Howard. "I'll finish things here quickly."
El had already made his decision: he'd take down the Holy Knights' commander first, then join Linlin to handle Steel Bone Kong.
"Mamamama, you're going for the weaker one first? Fine by me…"
On the shore, countless vampire bats gathered, forming a towering figure. Linlin charged toward the furious Steel Bone Kong, who had just stepped forward to engage. She swung her giant sword, Napoleon, with full force. "Hakoku Sovereignty!!!"
Steel Bone Kong's expression shifted, knowing Linlin was powerful enough to require his full attention. Trading blows here risked giving World Government reinforcements time to arrive, which would leave El and Linlin with no choice but to retreat. Their strategy was clear: take down the weaker foe first, and then—if all went well—they might just manage to tackle Steel Bone Kong before the backup arrived.
"Get out of my way!" Steel Bone Kong roared, slamming his fist down in a Haki-infused attack. "King Kong Chariot!!!"
"Boom… boom…"