"To think there's actually a little bug capable of flight. How amusing!"
A deep, gargantuan voice boomed through the air. The Red Dragon stared with its amber, slitted pupils, carefully sizing up the "speck" hovering several hundred meters away.
The dragon, stretching over a hundred meters in length, was like a floating mountain. Aeridar, by comparison, looked like a mere ant. The disparity in their sizes was so vast that even if Aeridar were to transform into a literal giant, he would still be dwarfed by the beast.
Fortunately, in this world, power was not strictly dictated by scale. While the massive possessed great strength, the small could be equally formidable.
Whoosh—!
Suddenly, the Red Dragon opened its maw and unleashed a torrent of scorching flames. The sea of fire surged forward, painting the sky a vivid crimson and causing the very air to warp under the intense heat.
"Crap!"
Aeridar cursed. He had been planning to strike up a conversation to fish for the guy's identity, but the dragon wasn't interested in talking.
Aeridar instantly wound up and threw a punch. The massive impact displaced the air, creating a gargantuan, ring-shaped shockwave.
BOOM—!
The shockwave collided with the sea of fire in a thunderous explosion. A howling gale swept across the sky, instantly scattering the flames into a million sparks that flickered and died in the wind.
"A shockwave?!"
The Red Dragon blinked in surprise, taking a second, more focused look at the "ant" before him. After all, there were very few people in the world capable of producing a shockwave of that magnitude.
"That look... you're 'Golden Ring' Aeridar!"
The dragon recognized him quickly. Its amber pupils contracted, and a few sparks of destructive energy flickered within them. Even a recluse would recognize the name of a top-tier pirate who shook the very foundations of the world.
"Hey, big guy. Who are you supposed to be?"
Aeridar grinned, posing the question while carefully observing the creature. This dragon was far more massive and majestic than the one he had encountered on Punk Hazard.
Compared to this beast, the dragon Vegapunk created was like a chubby toddler standing next to a hulking, battle-hardened warrior.
"So, you're the man Saint Aldrich and those five old geezers keep talking about. I finally get to see you today!" the dragon rumbled, its voice sounding like claps of thunder.
Aeridar frowned. The "Saint Aldrich" mentioned was likely the high-ranking Celestial Dragon he had a blood feud with, and the "five old geezers" undoubtedly referred to the Gorosei.
Given the dragon's lack of respect and indifferent tone, Aeridar strongly suspected this was indeed the individual from CP0 who held the title of the "Strongest Shield of the Celestial Dragons."
"Those five old men spend all day talking about how powerful you are. How much trouble you cause."
"Saint Aldrich curses your name daily, too!"
"Since I've run into you today, I might as well resolve this headache right now!"
The Red Dragon flapped its massive wings, locking its gaze onto Aeridar. Cold, murderous intent dripped from its golden eyes.
"You want to kill me?"
Aeridar's brow arched. He hadn't expected the dragon to jump straight to execution.
He let out a cold, mocking laugh. "There are plenty of people who want me dead. Let's see if you actually have the strength to pull it off!"
"ROAR—!"
Enraged, the Red Dragon let out a heaven-shaking roar. The sound materialized into visible ripples of sonic energy that blasted outward.
The next moment, the dragon beat its wings. Its mountain-like body launched forward like a guided missile, accompanied by a terrifying gale of razor-sharp wind. It crossed the distance of several hundred meters in a heartbeat.
Feeling the biting wind, sharp enough to cut skin, Aeridar's expression turned grim. He swung his fist again, striking the very air in front of him.
The raw physical force, combined with the terrifying power of his shockwaves, surged outward. A white halo of light bloomed as a massive, ring-shaped shockwave erupted with reckless abandon.
BOOM—!
The incoming Red Dragon was hit head-on. The sheer force of the impact sent the massive beast tumbling through the air, flipping several times before it could regain its bearings.
"Dammit! That hurt!"
The Red Dragon cried out in pain, flapping its wings desperately to stabilize its body.
Such incredible defense! Aeridar thought, internally stunned. His attack hadn't even managed to crack a single dragon scale.
"You bastard!"
The Red Dragon roared again and dove. It swiped downward with a massive claw, the talons tearing through the air with a high-pitched shriek. The dragon's claw blotted out the sun, casting a shadow that spanned ten meters around Aeridar, effectively sealing his escape routes.
"Whoa~ a 'claw-from-above' style, huh?"
Aeridar looked up, a feral grin spreading across his face.
He took a deep breath and threw a punch so fast it broke the sound barrier. A thunderous CRACK echoed as a sonic boom exploded, sending out a ring of white vapor.
Like an ant defying a human, Aeridar's fist slammed into the dragon's descending foreclaw.
BANG—!
A sound like a muffled thunderclap erupted. A massive ring of white vapor expanded outward, followed by a visible tremor that physically disintegrated the surrounding thick clouds, leaving a vast, empty void in the sky.
The Red Dragon pulled its claw back as if it had touched a live wire. Its hundred-meter-long body was actually shoved back a considerable distance.
"Such... such power... Is this the ability of the Impact-Impact Fruit?!" The dragon was horrified. Its right foreclaw was still trembling uncontrollably.
Ever since he had eaten the Dragon-Dragon Fruit and gained the ability to become a Red Dragon, he had never imagined anyone in the world could push him back with raw strength alone. It was as if an ant had just flipped an elephant.
"I don't care what you are. When it comes to a contest of strength, I don't fear anyone!" Aeridar laughed savagely, licking his lips with a bloodthirsty intensity. A terrifying aura radiated from him, cold enough to make the local temperature drop.
The awakening of the Impact-Impact Fruit had granted Aeridar the strength to topple giants and trade blows with Kaido. Even against a legendary dragon, he could hold his ground.
Pop~!
The air shivered, and Aeridar vanished, reappearing instantly.
BAM—!
The dragon's pupils shrank. A surge of agonizing pain erupted from its jaw. The sheer force snapped its head back, sending the entire beast reeling.
Aeridar, standing exactly where the dragon's head had just been, looked at his fist in surprise. He muttered to himself, "It's several times heavier than a Sea King of the same length. As expected of a legendary dragon, your body density is out of this world!"
Several hundred meters away, the dragon flapped its wings frantically to stabilize itself.
Then, the dragon's massive body began to shrink rapidly. Within heartbeats, it had transformed into a middle-aged man draped in a red coat with flame patterns. He had short, fiery red hair and a muscular chest with well-defined abs. He stood barefoot, suspended in the air.
The only draconic features remaining were a pair of scaled, bat-like red wings protruding from his back, flapping steadily to keep him aloft.
"I am Saint Aeolus Amphitrite. You have earned the right to know my name!"