Bang!
A deafening explosion and surging currents of air merged with the Huā Lā La of seawater churning in reverse to create a cacophony of sounds that filled everyone's ears with a buzzing, leaving them momentarily deafened.
The G-18 Fortress, shaped like a ring, shattered violently. Its foundations crumbled, and massive stone blocks floated upward, ascending into the sky alongside the Golden Lion.
Marines struggled to maintain their footing and screamed in terror as they desperately grasped at anything around them. Yet they tumbled uncontrollably, plummeting with the debris into the seawater below.
Everything was overturned!
"Jihahahaha! Are you still hiding, Kojin?" Shiki roared with laughter.
"Vice Admiral Kojin isn't here! We won't let you wreak havoc here! Golden Lion Shiki!" Buggy bellowed.
Smoker and Aroshu appeared behind him with grim looks on their faces.
The three of them had serious, burning-with-fury expressions on their faces.
G-18 Fortress had been their home for the past few weeks. Yet, in the blink of an eye, it had been utterly destroyed by their enemy. Battleships struggled to escape the churning waves below as their Marines desperately rescued their comrades.
"Let's take him down! I don't care if he's the Golden Lion or Roger!" Smoker roared.
Aroshu silently drew his military sword from its scabbard.
The next instant, the three men charged forward, their figures flickering after only a dozen meters.
Soru!
Almost simultaneously, they materialized around the Golden Lion, Shiki: in front of him, behind him, and to his right. Their long blades flashed in perfect unison.
This seamless teamwork momentarily stunned Shiki. Then, crimson light flared in his eyes, and his body blurred, leaving trails of afterimages in the void.
"Insolent whelps," he sneered. "Do you think you can challenge me?"
Narrowly evading their combined assault, the Golden Lion abruptly raised his right foot.
The long blade in his hand flashed, splitting Buggy in two. Smoker and Aroshu raised their own blades in an attempt to block the powerful strike, but the force of it sent them flying backward.
"Hmph!" Golden Lion snorted.
He slammed his hands downward again.
"Lion Majesty: Earth Coil!"
The ground surged upward, instantly engulfing and burying the trio up to their necks.
"Damn it! Let me out!" Buggy roared.
Since joining Kojin, he had endured hellish daily training that had reshaped his personality. Seeing his subordinates slaughtered today filled his heart with hatred and fury.
"Your era hasn't arrived yet! Stay put and be quiet!" Golden Lion Shiki snarled.
The two swords he had replaced as his legs were planted into the ground, narrowing his gaze as he locked onto the hulking figure ahead.
"Douglas Bullet! It seems all the former Roger Pirates crew members have flocked to Kojin's banner!"
"Where is he?"
"I came here specifically to get my revenge on him!"
Bullet snarled, his face twisted into a cold sneer. His aura radiated icy malice, and his killing intent was completely unrestrained.
As one of Kojin's subordinates and the highest-ranking official in charge of the military system, Bullet had long been promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.
He usually oversaw the training of these "little pups," and after spending so much time with them, he had grown fond of them. As the chief instructor of G-18 Fortress, Bullet was incandescent with rage at the sight before him.
"I don't need him. I can take you down myself!" Bullet declared coldly.
In a flash, he appeared before the Golden Lion.
His eyes widened fiercely.
Buzz!
A burst of Conqueror's Haki erupted from Bullet, causing Shiki's golden hair to fly wildly upward. Bullet raised his right leg high and brought it crashing down in a devastating kick.
"Tempest Kick!"
A massive, crescent-shaped arc of energy hurtled downward. Shiki deftly sidestepped, narrowly evading the strike.
A mocking glint flashed in his eyes as he rapidly kicked out with both legs.
"Lion · Thousand Slice Valley!"
A dense barrage of razor-sharp blows charged forward, hurtling directly toward Bullet. Bullet raised his arms, his body trembling with power.
"Tekkai!"
"Busoshoku (Armament)!"
The strikes slammed into him with a metallic clang and erupted into sparks on impact. Despite his defensive techniques, the force of the attacks sent Bullet skidding backward.
"Young pup!" Shiki sneered. "You're just a lackey on Roger's ship, yet you dare raise a fist against me?"
Before coming here, Shiki had carefully considered his options.
Originally, he had planned to recuperate and accumulate sufficient strength before seeking revenge on Kojin.
But he quickly dismissed that idea.
As time passed, he would age rapidly; his strength had already diminished after losing his legs. If he waited any longer, until he was old and frail, he would have an even smaller chance of defeating that boy.
Thus, after making thorough preparations and seizing control of multiple island chains, he finally arrived.
Bullet remained silent, charging forward and unleashing a rapid flurry of punches.
Shiki glided effortlessly from side to side, dodging Bullet's attacks with ease.
"So eager to flaunt your strength?" he sneered. "Too bad this era doesn't belong to you yet, young brat!"
With a cold laugh, Shiki floated backward. The ground beneath him churned rapidly, coalescing into a colossal lion that roared and lunged at Bullet.
Shiki glanced around, his gaze turning icy once more. "Let's collect some interest first," he murmured.
His figure flickered, distancing himself swiftly from the shattered remains of the G-18 Fortress beneath his feet. He tilted his head back and gazed up at the enormous shadow looming overhead.
"I'll show you the ruthlessness of a Great Pirate in this era, you brat! Jihahahaha!"
Shiki let out a thunderous laugh and violently yanked his hands downward.
Boom! Rumble!
The enormous island above plummeted toward the G-18 Fortress below, crashing down with an earth-shattering force. Bullet snapped his head upward, his pupils constricting sharply. The surrounding Marines panicked and leaped from the crumbling fortress in terror.
The sea surged and crashed, roaring thunderously.
Eveya tilted her head back, her entire body trembling as she gazed at the awe-inspiring spectacle.
"Is this the legendary Great Pirate?" With trembling hands, she dialed the Den Den Mushi in her grasp.
The Den Den Mushi connected almost immediately.
A gentle voice answered from the other end:
"Vice Admiral!"
Far above Skypiea, Kojin continued his discussions with Vegapunk about the technologies of Devil Fruits and Lineage Factors. In his view, scientific advancements would play a decisive role in bolstering his faction's power.
They discussed using electrical energy to improve the lives of ordinary citizens and envisioned a cascade of new technologies for civilian use.
Vegapunk was thrilled by this prospect because his true passion was benefiting the common people.
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi in Kojin's pocket rang.
"Vice Admiral! The Golden Lion is here! G-18 Fortress has been destroyed, and we... have sustained heavy casualties!"
In an instant, Vegapunk saw the leader's expression transform drastically.
Without saying a word, thunderlight erupted from Kojin's body.
A towering pillar of thunder shot toward the sky.
Amidst the blinding light, Vegapunk faintly glimpsed five thunder drums, each etched with a magatama symbol, materializing behind the figure. With a deafening roar of thunder, the drums transformed into intricate markings connected by arcs of purple lightning.
The figure's black hair grew rapidly, cascading down to his waist and crackling with electricity. His eyes turned purple, and electric arcs flashed within them. His angular face softened and became almost delicate. Streamer-like ribbons of lightning trailed from the nape of his neck.
A Qilin, stepping on clouds, materialized on his chest, surrounded by crackling arcs.
Blue arcs of Conqueror's Haki enveloped his entire body.
Then, the thunderlight vanished, and the figure disappeared in an instant.
"What was that?!" Vegapunk trembled violently, his entire body convulsing with shock.
Though he had only caught a fleeting glimpse, the terrifying pressure and sudden surge in heat sent tremors through his soul. His gaze fell upon the ground where Kojin had stood moments before; it had melted into magma.
"The true power of a Devil Fruit . . .?"
Vegapunk murmured, his body trembling uncontrollably and his eyes blazing with feverish excitement. He realized that he had underestimated the mysterious Devil Fruit, which had existed in the world for countless years.
Legend held that devil souls resided within Devil Fruits, and consuming one meant making a pact with a demon. But he didn't believe such myths. To a scientist, everything required proof.
In the void, an arc of electricity extended forward at an utterly terrifying speed.
Its velocity had reached the absolute limit of true lightning, approximately half the speed of light.
At that moment, Kojin had truly become lightning incarnate.
In just half a second, he traveled from Skypiea across the Calm Belt to the skies above West Blue. A third of a second later, he stopped.
Then, he used his field radiation to discern his direction.
Instantly, light flared once more, and he vanished.
Fast! Too fast!
Kojin unleashed the full power of the max-level Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit), demonstrating terrifying speed approaching that of light itself.
In an instant, he appeared before Golden Lion Shiki.
Boom! Crackle!
Countless bolts of lightning crashed from the sky, striking all around them.
"Shiki!" A frigid voice hissed from Kojin's lips.
With those two words, thunder roared through the void as if the heavens themselves responded to his fury.
"Kojin!?" Golden Lion Shiki's pupils contracted.
Unlike their battle at Marineford, the Kojin before him was completely different. His waist-length hair crackled with electricity and whipped wildly in the storm.
His eyes had turned purple, and four thunder drum markings emblazoned his back. Circular arcs of Conqueror's Haki-infused lightning crackled around his arms and legs.
This spectacle stunned Shiki at first glance, sending a strange tremor through his heart.
Boom! Crackle!
A faint, thunderous roar reverberated across the heavens and earth, causing everyone's hearts to pound violently.
"Have you developed your Logia powers to a new level?" Golden Lion Shiki asked gravely.
Kojin didn't answer. Instead, he raised his right hand toward the sky.
Szzzt!
Thirty-meter-long lightning guns crackled into existence, wreathed in intricate lightning patterns. Crimson-black bolts of lightning, infused with Conqueror's Haki, erupted from them.
"Did you come here to die, Shiki?" The icy voice cut through the air.
Kojin gripped the spears tightly, his wrist flicking in a graceful arc.
Behind him, thunder roared and violet-blue lightning arced across half the sky, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
The sea instantly calmed, and the Marines on the battleships stared wide-eyed at the godlike figure dominating the sky. Their excitement and awe were palpable.
"Vice Admiral..." Eveya's voice trembled, tears of excitement welling up in her eyes.
Buggy struggled fiercely, craning his neck upward and shouting wildly. Smoker and Aroshu were shaken to their cores; their hearts pounded with exhilaration.
"Longinus Spear!" A deep voice boomed.
Kojin's Thunder Spears flashed in his hands, cutting through the phantom and erupting in a blinding flash of light as they roared forward.
These Thunder Spear moved with a speed beyond description, utterly impossible to evade.
Golden Lion's eyes blazed crimson as he activated his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) at full power. Yet, his reaction was still a split second too late.
Pfft!
The Thunder Spears pierced his abdomen and dragged his body across tens of thousands of meters. After being flung that distance, Shiki roared in agony. He clamped his right hand onto the spears, yanked them out, and hurled them far away.
Bang!
As the Thunder Spears plunged into the sea, a deafening explosion vaporized a layer of seawater within a ten-kilometer radius, turning it into a white mist.
Seeing this, Golden Lion's pupils constricted.
Had it not been for his Armament Haki, he would have been electrocuted into ash the moment he touched those Thunder Spears.
'This guy has really gotten stronger!' Golden Lion thought, his heart pounding with shock.
Fortunately, Armament Haki had an astonishingly suppressive effect against Devil Fruit powers. His body shuddered, and a manic glint flashed in his eyes.
"This battle is my battle for revenge! Either you die or I perish!" With a thunderous roar, Golden Lion shot skyward.
He stretched out his hands and summoned the Thunder Spears, tugging them downward toward the figure below with great force.
Rumble!
The massive island and several surrounding medium and small islands plummeted toward Kojin.
In that instant, the island became a weapon in Golden Lion's hands.
Kojin looked up, his eyes blazing with thunder light.
Compared to the towering islands above, he seemed as tiny as an ant, his body a mere speck of dust.
But then...
"2 billion Volts… Thunder God!!!"
A deafening roar of thunder erupted as Kojin's body swelled explosively, radiating an astonishing blue light.
Myriad lightning bolts converged upon his form, while the five Thunder Drum marks on his back rapidly trembled, emitting a thunderous drumbeat and unleashing torrents of electricity.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the blink of an eye, his body had grown to over a hundred meters tall, its surface resembling liquid energy, seething with boundless, overwhelming power.
Kojin's jet-black hair had already shot skyward.
At that moment, his body seemed to swell, overflowing with crackling lightning energy.
In the blink of an eye, he had grown to a kilometer tall, towering over the world.
The terrifying aura of lightning raised the temperature within tens of thousands of meters by twenty to thirty degrees Celsius.
And this was only because he had perfect control over the lightning, preventing its destructive energy from leaking outward.
Then, Kojin tilted his head back and slowly extended his hands.
Under the astonished gaze of Golden Lion Shiki, those hands slammed down onto the island below.
Buzz!!
A shockwave rippled outward, transforming into a gale that roared into the distance.
"He... he caught it!!!"
Below, the Marines erupted into wild cheers.
At that moment, Vice-Admiral Kojin had become a god in their eyes!
(End of Chapter)
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