His burning life force surged upward like a blazing fire reaching toward the heavens.
"What kind of power is this?!" Garp exclaimed in shock.
"His physical strength just multiplied several times in an instant!"
"Hahaha... Tremble in fear to your heart's content!"
Vladimir laughed loudly. He moved swiftly, closing the distance to Garp, and thrust his right fist forward with full force.
Instead of retreating, Garp charged straight to meet the attack.
"Take this! Armament Haki — Hardening!"
In the blink of an eye, his right fist was coated in a dense layer of black armor, colliding violently with Vladimir's strike.
BOOM!
Space itself trembled as shockwaves rippled outward. Where the two forces met, sparks and flashes of light erupted, as if the very fabric of matter was being crushed and shattered.
"Incredible Armament Haki!"
Vladimir raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. He was no stranger to Garp; they had clashed before when he was in his Sea Dragon form.
But back then, Garp's Armament Haki was clearly not as powerful as what he was seeing now.
Similarly, Garp was equally astonished.
"What terrifying brute strength! No Haki, just pure physical power... This guy's body is even more monstrous than Kaido's!"
The impact forced both combatants to step back.
At that moment, Sengoku leaped high into the air. A massive golden palm descended rapidly, striking down from above.
As it fell, it radiated blinding light, detaching from his body to manifest as a colossal hand in mid-air. It appeared benevolent, yet carried the force of divine judgment.
"Great Buddha Palm!"
BOOM!
The strike crashed down, landing squarely on Vladimir's body.
"Hmm? Why has everyone gotten so much stronger?"
Caught off guard, Vladimir was blasted down from the sky.
Simultaneously, Lieutenant General Tsuru rushed forward.
As if she had anticipated this exact moment, she stretched her right arm out and swept it horizontally the instant Vladimir fell.
THWACK!
"Let me give you a good washing!"
Tsuru spoke calmly and softly, then shouted sharply as her arm swept across Vladimir's chest and abdomen.
In the next second, Vladimir's body shifted and changed.
He lost his solid form, his power faded away, and as if pulled from a three-dimensional world into two dimensions, he transformed into a single, glittering garment.
"My apologies, Great Demon Lord," Tsuru said quietly. "I am the user of the Wash-Wash Fruit. How does it feel? Do you sense the darkness in your heart fading away?"
As she spoke, Garp and Sengoku quickly moved in to stand guard protectively in front of her.
They stared at the object lying on the ground before them: Vladimir, now reduced to a limp pile of clothing.
"Heh heh heh..."
Laughter echoed out. Vladimir's tone carried a hint of praise.
"Not bad at all. The power of the Wash-Wash Fruit... quite interesting. You actually managed to touch upon the fundamental laws of reality. Anyone 'washed' by you loses their physical form, becomes unable to access their abilities, and turns into an item of clothing."
"Speak plainly: did Phantom send you here?" Sengoku demanded sternly.
"You really think the three of you can defeat me? Don't get ahead of yourselves!"
Vladimir scoffed disdainfully. "Self-Destruct!"
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the air. Violent energy swept outward.
Sengoku and the others paled in alarm, retreating rapidly over a hundred meters before finally escaping the range of the blast.
When the smoke and shockwaves cleared, the entire training ground had been flattened. In the center, a massive, deep crater had been carved into the earth.
"Is he dead?" Tsuru murmured. "He just blew himself up? How is that even possible?"
"No... his aura is still there," Garp said gravely. "Far from fading, it feels even stronger than before!"
Suddenly, Vladimir's voice rang out again.
"Have you ever witnessed the art of Resurrection through a Drop of Blood?"
The voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once, making it impossible to pinpoint his location.
But up ahead, amidst a pool of spilled blood, a single drop suddenly emitted strands of black smoke and began to expand rapidly.
Before their eyes could register exactly what was happening, Vladimir had already reformed and reappeared in his original form.
"Heh heh heh..."
He rolled his shoulders, looking at them mockingly. "You think the three of you can suppress me? Let me make this clear: I possess Resurrection through a Drop of Blood. As long as even a single drop of my blood remains in existence, I am immortal and indestructible!"
"Resurrection through a Drop of Blood?!"
The three of them were horrified to the core.
Just what kind of monster is this?! It was even more terrifying than the elemental transformation of Logia users!
"I was merely playing around with you for a moment."
Vladimir spoke with amusement as he slowly extended his right hand, fingers spreading wide.
"But this... is the true power of... Fear Scale!"
SWOOSH!
A wave of terrifying power surged outward, instantly engulfing Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru completely.
In that split second, the world around them changed. Demons and monsters materialized everywhere.
____________________
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