Chapter 281: The Power of Magma
The Fleet Admiral's vessel was far larger than Vergo's warship, equipped with immense firepower and manpower, capable of handling any contingency.
Whoosh...
This massive warship moved with surprising speed, quickly arriving alongside Vergo's vessel.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, the Thunder God Swordsman is on the island."
Vergo used Geppo to reach the deck of the larger warship and reported to Sakazuki.
"I can see that."
Sakazuki glanced at him with an expression that clearly said "I'm not blind," then turned his attention toward Rhodes standing on the shore.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, should we commence bombardment?" a Marine officer asked.
"No. Artillery fire would be ineffective."
Sakazuki shook his head.
The battleship's heavy cannons possessed devastating power in large-scale engagements.
But against an individual combatant like Rhodes—especially one renowned for his speed—cannons were practically useless.
"Just observe."
Sakazuki's tone was calm and steady, but Vergo and the other Marine officers could sense absolute confidence underlying his words.
In everyone's eyes, Sakazuki—having just defeated his rival Kuzan and ascended to Fleet Admiral—was undoubtedly at the peak of his power.
"The Thunder God Swordsman..."
Yet Sakazuki himself wasn't particularly jubilant.
Becoming Fleet Admiral was certainly a tremendous achievement.
But the various problems that followed gave him considerable headaches.
Administrative minutiae, internal power struggles... the complexities involved were exponentially greater than during his time as an Admiral.
The most pressing and prominent issue was internal division within the Navy.
There were simply too many officers loyal to Sengoku, Garp, and Kuzan's factions. Most were dissatisfied with Sakazuki's appointment as Fleet Admiral. While they wouldn't openly disobey orders or engage in direct insubordination, a certain degree of passive resistance was inevitable.
Sakazuki desperately needed a decisive achievement to establish his authority!
Therefore, upon receiving Vergo's report, he'd rushed here immediately.
However, Sakazuki wasn't blinded by ambition. He possessed the capability to potentially defeat the Thunder God Swordsman, but if Rhodes—with his superior speed—genuinely wanted to escape, preventing it would likely prove impossible.
So Sakazuki remained rational and had already contacted Kizaru, preparing to combine forces to capture the Thunder God Swordsman.
"Punk Hazard..."
Sakazuki frowned slightly, both surprised and curious.
That catastrophic battle had been devastating enough to permanently alter Punk Hazard's climate. Who would have imagined this island harbored a hidden research facility valuable enough for someone like Rhodes to risk visiting personally?
"This frozen wasteland..."
As the massive warship slowly approached, Sakazuki felt displeasure seeing the icy landscape before him.
Magma and ice were fundamentally opposing elements. Fighting in such an environment placed him at a disadvantage.
With this thought, scorching heat began radiating from Sakazuki's body. As magma churned across his form, he launched countless molten fists skyward.
"Ryusei Kazan!"
As the sky turned dark crimson, magma fists carrying the force of a meteor shower rained down like a devastating storm.
"Opening with a large-scale attack?"
Rhodes was momentarily speechless at the sight. Logia-type users were indeed domineering—even without environmental advantage, they'd forcibly create one.
Still, Rhodes also disliked the frigid environment, so he made no attempt to interfere.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The magma fists relentlessly bombarded the frozen island, their terrifying impact instantly shattering the icy terrain, followed by intense heat that melted everything in their path.
Within a kilometer radius of Rhodes' position, the frozen environment visibly dissolved, billowing white steam filling the air.
Soil and rock were consumed, transforming into flowing magma. Even the nearby seawater began to boil.
"This is Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's power!"
"The Magu Magu no Mi is incredible!"
The Marine officers all displayed expressions of awe—this was essentially one man altering the natural environment itself!
Such power transcended their comprehension.
Vergo, however, remained unmoved, his gaze fixed intently on the white-clad figure across the battlefield.
He watched Rhodes weave through the magma rain, narrowly avoiding the molten fists—like an assassin dancing on a knife's edge. Thrilling and dangerous, yet exuding effortless composure.
When the Ryusei Kazan finally concluded...
Punk Hazard's environment had reversed once more. Lava flowed freely, the sea turned crimson, and waves of heat rippled across the water's surface.
Rhodes, however, stood with hands clasped behind his back atop a massive boulder, his black hair dancing in the wind, his white clothing completely pristine.
He gazed calmly at the distant warships, his expression indifferent yet carrying silent provocation.
"Hmph!"
Sakazuki snorted coldly before leaping into the air. Using Geppo, he crossed over a hundred meters in moments, landing heavily on the island.
"Thunder God Swordsman, it seems you've chosen an appropriate burial ground."
Sakazuki's body surged with magma, black smoke billowing from his form. Even his words carried scorching heat, radiating overwhelming pressure.
"Burial ground?"
Rhodes smiled faintly. "Perhaps someone could kill me eventually—but it certainly won't be you."
"Killing that trash Doflamingo gives you the audacity to directly challenge the Marines?"
Sakazuki's tone was ice-cold despite the magma dripping from his body, pooling and flowing slowly at his feet.
Judging from Rhodes' attitude, he clearly knew the Marines were coming yet hadn't immediately fled—obviously confident in his ability to fight them.
"You talk too much."
Before the words had even finished leaving Rhodes' lips, a massive silver sword slash suddenly erupted, tearing through the earth and carrying an aura of absolute severance as it shot toward Sakazuki.
Hmph!
Facing this attack, Sakazuki showed no fear. He clenched his fist, gathering dark crimson magma around it, and threw a devastating punch.
BOOM!
When the magma fist collided with the sword slash—
An earth-shaking roar erupted across Punk Hazard, like countless artillery shells detonating simultaneously.
A massive shockwave swept outward, sending nearby boulders and trees flying. The ground rumbled and split open, forming terrifying chasms.
BANG!
This sword strike had been casual, devoid of Rhodes' lightning enhancement.
After a brief clash, the magma fist surged violently forward, completely engulfing and incinerating the silver sword energy.
"If this is the extent of your strength, you might as well surrender peacefully."
Sakazuki's right arm remained fully transformed into magma. His expression was impassive, his tone frigid.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki is truly the strongest!"
"The Magu Magu no Mi is invincible! The Thunder God Swordsman only fought Whitebeard one-on-one, but Fleet Admiral Sakazuki nearly blew Whitebeard's head off!"
On the distant warships, seeing Rhodes' sword energy incinerated by the magma fist, the Marines erupted in cheers.
But Vice Admirals like Vergo, standing at the bow, remained silent—because the battle had only just begun.
At the research institute,
The ground trembled violently.
Caesar and the others' expressions changed drastically. Such powerful shockwaves could only mean a Marine Admiral had arrived!
"Hurry up!"
Jinbe urged repeatedly.
Rhodes' unparalleled speed allowed him to fight and retreat at will, but they were different.
If they became bogged down here, it could prematurely trigger a full-scale confrontation.
Although the dimensional gate provided quick reinforcements, Punk Hazard wasn't far from the relocated Marine Headquarters—the Marines wouldn't lack reinforcements either!
If a decisive battle erupted now, Rhodes' faction would definitely be at a disadvantage against the full might of the Marines.
Jinbe and the others understood this rationally. They couldn't remain here and become liabilities.
(End of Chapter)
[Milestone: 500 Power Stones = +1 Chapter]
[Milestone: 10 Reviews = +1 Chapter]
Enjoyed this chapter? Leave a review.
40+ advanced chapters on P1treon Soulforger