"Damn bastard! Cough!" A massive figure emerged in the smoke and dust of the explosion—it was Queen, already shifting into his beast form.
Though he was somewhat transformed, his entire left mechanical arm was exposed. Since his mechanical modifications had fused with his body, the explosion was internal, causing him even greater damage.
Queen's expression turned grim. Not only was he seriously injured due to his carelessness, but he also realized his opponent's abilities countered his technological enhancements!
His dinosaur body, fortified by his mechanical upgrades and Devil Fruit powers, was rendered useless against Shin's Munch-Munch Fruit abilities, which dismantled any modified part he used. Even an average pirate might have had better odds; the Munch-Munch Fruit's power was limited against living beings unless they offered no resistance or were entirely swallowed. Otherwise, even if Shin's strength was inferior, he couldn't alter them directly.
"Damn it, it's absurd! A Devil Fruit ability that counters my mechanical modifications." Queen's face darkened, abandoning his usual mocking expression for a flash of rage. "It seems I'll have to bring out my trump card."
"Let's see how you handle my newly perfected virus bomb!"
Without hesitation, Queen opened his mouth and fired a small missile. It detonated mid-air, filling the area with thick, dark green gas.
"Yahaha! This isn't just any poison—it's a potent biochemical virus. Once it contacts water in the body, it causes evaporation, turning you into a shriveled corpse!"
Shin noticed tiny mildew spots spreading across his skin but showed no signs of panic. Instead, he opened a sealing scroll and swallowed an array of weapons.
As the weapons merged within his body, transformed by his Devil Fruit ability, Shin's body gained a semi-metallic sheen, which slowed the spread of mildew to a near halt.
"Can't fully suppress it, huh? Makes sense. My body may look metallic but still flesh and blood—a carbon-based life form, so I'll still feel its effects."
Muttering, Shin focused his chakra and emitted a blue light from his hand. "Poison Extraction Jutsu!"
Within moments, he purged all the viruses from his system. Queen, who had been sneering, assuming Shin was struggling, felt his confidence wane.
Queen's pride depended on his mechanical modifications and deadly viruses, which earned him the epithet "The Plaque". Yet Shin's Munch-Munch Fruit abilities neutralized the former, and his medical ninjutsu countered the latter. A sense of dread crept into Queen's heart.
If it came to close combat, Queen knew he couldn't compete. Even Jack, who lacked much intelligence, would likely overpower him without his technology and viruses. Self-proclaimed as a cunning pirate, Queen had to admit he couldn't match Jack's raw strength.
But retreat wasn't an option. Not now, not with Shin watching him.
For a long time, Shin hadn't encountered any worthy opponent. While training with Ace or Yamato offered pressure, it wasn't the same as fighting a real enemy where life was at stake.
Facing someone as strong as Queen, yet so perfectly countered by his abilities, ignited Shin's fighting spirit.
Shin's fist, covered with haki, shot forward instantly. As a man yet to name his techniques, he used only raw, direct attacks, but that didn't detract from his power in the slightest.
Shin's fist had pierced Queen's defenses within a few moves, leaving him bleeding. Queen's reliance on technology had weakened him against Shin, and his lack of agility became an evident disadvantage.
However, Shin's attacks mainly were surface damage to the thick-skinned Queen. After the initial onslaught, Queen regained his balance, and his confidence slowly returned.
Even though Shin restrained his technological equipment and virus attacks, Queen's raw strength still placed him in the ranks of the high-ranking members of his crew. Victory against Shin was uncertain, but Queen had no intentions of letting up.
Left to a straightforward brawl, Shin could win, but only after an extended clash that could last days.
Queen, however, wasn't limited to ordinary techniques. Neither was Shin.
"Take this! Brachiosaurus Headbutt!" Queen transformed his head into a brachiosaurus shape, using it like a war hammer, slamming down on Shin. Shin met it with a solid punch, though the impact forced him back a few steps.
Blood oozed from Queen's forehead, his bones visible beneath the scars. But as an ancient zoan-type user, such injuries were trivial, igniting a fierce glint in his eyes.
"The new generation of pirates sure is powerful. It's been ages since I've encountered someone like you," he growled.
"But if you think I'm all technology and viruses—"
Shin smirked as he interrupted, "Hey, Queen, have you heard the saying?"
"Villains talk themselves to death!"
"Earth Style—Headhunter Jutsu!"
The Headhunter Jutsu, a low-level earth release technique, was basic in Shin's world. Any experienced chunin would easily anticipate and counter it. Yet, in this world of pirates, it was unheard of, leaving Queen wide open.
During their scuffle, Shin first created an Earth Clone and took advantage of a moment when Queen was distracted. The battlefield, littered with fractures and upturned soil, allowed Shin's technique to pull Queen into the ground effectively.
Yet Queen was too massive, and his half-human, half-beast form only sank as far as his chest.
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BONUS CHAPTER SINCE WE REACHED A REVIEW MILESTONE.
Review status: [8/10]
For each power stones milestone—50, 100, 150, and beyond—I will release a bonus chapter.
If you would like to gain early access, you can join me at www.patre on.com/bookbattalion
Chapter 85: A Father's Resolve is now available.