Jet-black Armament Haki coated the Flame War Fan, its six comma-shaped jewels flickering with crimson flames as if flowing with hellish magma.
Forming hand seals with one hand, he concluded with the 'Tiger' seal.
A low shout echoed—
"Fire Release - Great Fire Annihilation."
The surface of the Flame War Fan ignited with flowing golden flames, circulating endlessly along its grooves.
The hand seals continued, with nearly invisible hand movements culminating in the 'Dragon' seal.
Following the flames came the wind.
"Wind Release - Great Wind Song."
...
As wind surged and flames billowed, Griffin fiercely swung the Flame War Fan, causing the ground to cave in as violent flames erupted!
"Ninja Art - Sun Halo Severing Mirror!!"
The explosive sea of flames abruptly condensed into a circular mirror resembling the sun.
A blazing white crescent-shaped slash wave rose from below with a shriek capable of splitting heaven and earth, crashing directly into the descending mountain!!
—
—
—
BOOM!!!!!!!!!
Flames and rubble exploded in the deafening blast, scorching heat waves swept in all directions. The entire mountain split down the middle, crashing to the ground in two halves as dust surged like a tsunami!!
The fiery slash tore through the sky, shattering layer upon layer of clouds until it vanished into the infinite heights!!
...
...
The sky was torn open once more with a bright gap. Griffin hovered amidst the flames and debris, the remaining fires on the fan still burning, illuminating his cold red eyes.
...
...
...
Shiki watched the flames disappear into the horizon of the sky, then turned to Griffin, his eyes filled with unparalleled shock.
From their previous battles, he already knew Griffin was a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user with ice attributes.
The seas weren't lacking in strong individuals who could generate flames through their abilities, swordsmanship, or fist techniques—but an ice-attribute user unleashing flames of such intensity...
Even the pinnacle of ice-type Logia users, the Ice-Ice Fruit user, couldn't achieve this!!
"What in the world are you, kid..."
Before Shiki could recover from his stunned confusion, Griffin was already closing in, stepping on falling rubble.
Despite being at a disadvantage throughout the fight, this was already countless times Griffin had taken the initiative to attack.
...
Spring Rain swept down, dispersing icy cold energy and scattering numerous sharp, blade-like ice crystal petals.
Shiki retreated half a step, shattering the ice flowers into countless icy fragments, unable to hold back his words: "How are you doing this! You have way too many messy abilities!!"
...
The ability of the Repulsion Palace Earth Scroll, the regenerative power and mobility of a Zoan-type, ice element usage rivaling Logia types, the realm of a Great Swordsman's Flying Slash, bizarre Armament Haki.
Such powerful, explosive flames...
And those eyes...
Shiki could clearly feel how his movements were being thoroughly dissected by those eyes—his attacks were no longer achieving the results they had two days prior when the battle began.
This completely defied all common sense he'd accumulated over the years.
Even prodigies who could master one aspect of Devil Fruits, swordsmanship, or Haki within a decade or two were considered powerful.
Those who dabbled in everything didn't even qualify to be called strong.
...
Roger possessed no Devil Fruit, allowing him to devote himself entirely to cultivating Haki and swordsmanship to their limits.
Whitebeard fully developed his Devil Fruit ability, attaining the power to destroy the world.
Garp relied on his iron fists honed to perfection to stand among the strongest.
Those who reach a certain level of power understand one truth: greed leads to mediocrity.
Even I, after obtaining the Float-Float Fruit, could only manage to maintain my swordsmanship training while neglecting Haki cultivation. This led to my inability to use Haki after being impaled through the skull by a ship's rudder.
Thinking of this, Shiki couldn't help but advise while defending: "Brat! Your talent is nearly the strongest I've ever seen, comparable to that guy."
"You're on the wrong path!!"
"Swordsmanship, Haki, abilities - with your talent, focusing on any one could elevate you to the highest realm. Even pursuing one primary and one secondary path would work!"
"If you continue scattering your focus like this, you'll likely never awaken your abilities, never reach Haki's limits, and your swordsmanship will stagnate here."
"What a waste!!"
...
...
Griffin expressionlessly swung his blade: "Just because you couldn't do it doesn't mean others can't..."
"It's normal for the talentless to think this way."
...
...
"Truly... such arrogance leaves me speechless..."
Shiki took a deep breath, his throat turning cold: "I've seen many arrogant fools who don't even regard the world seriously, but you've transcended that category."
"You're arrogant to the point of stupidity!!"
——
"Lion's Severing Valley!!"
Amid his furious roar, Shiki's legs kicked in a blur of motion, releasing hundreds of solidified golden sword energies that shot forth like tangible threads.
Faster and sharper than Wave Slashes, they fell like meteor showers upon the earth.
Griffin raised his Flame War Fan to desperately block. The deflected sword energies struck the mountains, cleanly slicing the massive peaks into several segments!
The relentless sword energies poured down like torrential rain, the entire island trembling under his wrathful assault!!
Boom—
Unable to withstand the tremendous impact any longer, Griffin was smashed into the mountain along with his Flame War Fan. Rubble carried the residual shockwaves, forming massive dust clouds.
...
From the bottom of the deep crater, one could almost see the sky through the underside of the floating island.
Griffin leaned against a rock, assessing his physical condition.
Each breath brought searing pain - his lungs had been sliced open.
The muscles in his left arm were torn apart by sword energy, several ribs were broken, his Chakra flow was sluggish and disordered, and he suffered tearing cramps in his abdomen...
Blood trickled from his ears - his eardrums were ruptured.
...
Not critical. His consciousness showed no signs of fading, and he could still stand.
——
Above the crater, Shiki stood silhouetted against the sunlight, his voice indifferent: "Don't bother standing up, boy."
"Save your strength for one last move, or you'll die."
"Only by living will you have the chance to make your boasts reality."
Shiki extended his hand, speaking earnestly: "I've already lost my qualification. I'm willing to entrust everything to you to fulfill my lifelong ambition."
"Come with me."
...
Heh...
Griffin looked up with a light laugh, tossing aside the Flame War Fan to grip his sword with both hands.
Faint flames rose from his feet, shooting straight upward.
...
"Is that so... Then any further words from me would be truly discourteous."
Shiki withdrew his hand, his aura exploding as endless sword energies rained down like a storm.
The sword energies tore through Griffin's skin, his scattered blood instantly shredded into mist.
Crack—
The raised Spring Rain gradually developed cracks amid the vast sword energies, until it shattered, leaving only a small broken blade.
...
Shiki was breathing heavily, this battle had not been easy for him.
Fighting Griffin wasn't like fighting a single person - it was like battling an entire, fully-equipped and exceptionally capable pirate crew.
A true one-man army, without any weaknesses.
If not for the insurmountable gap in their strength, I might not be a match for this guy...
This is the first time since Roger that I've acknowledged someone so completely!
What a pity, such a shame!
Just like Roger, you refuse to follow me!
But...
At least I can kill you with my own hands, unlike Roger who died at the hands of nobodies!!
Shiki watched as Griffin pierced through the storm of sword strikes, covered in wounds yet with unwavering determination in his eyes, and raised Sakura Ten high.
Sunlight reflected off the blade's tip, flashing with blinding brilliance.
"Die!!"
As the raised Sakura Ten began to descend—
Shiki's movements froze as if someone had pressed pause, forcibly stopping.
What is this?!
...
With great effort, he rolled his eyes upward and saw...
In the sky above, a 'sun' was incredibly close to him, practically right before his eyes!
An image formed in his mind.
The retreating flames hadn't dissipated but had instead ignited the cloud layer, gradually forming an 'artificial sun'!
The scorching sunlight shone upon his body, penetrating his skin, illuminating the ice flowers within...
The ice flowers!!
Shiki's mind flashed back to the ice flowers he had shattered earlier in the battle, the scattered ice dust he had inhaled into his body.
[Sunshine illuminates all, ice and snow melt away]
Under the sunlight's irradiation, the ice flowers rapidly melted, transforming into freezing cold energy that solidified Shiki's every blood vessel, freezing his entire body.
...
Shiki forcibly suppressed the stiffness in his body, looking down at Griffin who was approaching like a black streak, and twisted his lips into a grin.
"Ge... gehaha..."
"How irritating... to lose to weather phenomena again..."
"No..."
"You created this weather phenomenon!"
...
...
Griffin remained silent, pouring all his power without reservation into his arm. At the broken blade's tip, a pure black triangular spearhead condensed, wreathed in black and red lightning.
...
Demon Gun!!!
—
—
A black rainbow pierced the sun,
Heaven and earth fell silent.
...
The broken blade plunged deep into Shiki's chest, electric serpents dancing wildly.
—
—
Boom...
The island covered with countless slash marks disintegrated, slowly falling after losing the support of the ability.
...
"Just a bit short..."
Slap—
Griffin's hand weakly released the sword hilt, his body falling weightlessly like the island fragments.
Shiki wanted to reach out and grab him, but he not only had to resist the interweaving of ice and fire within his body, but also the strange Armament Haki slithering like poisonous snakes.
Even maintaining his own levitation was extremely difficult - he was truly at his limit.
...
Griffin raised his hand and pointed upward, his voice soft yet clearly reaching Shiki's ears through the roaring sounds.
"I won't die, just wait..."
"Take good care of Sakura Ten and Withered Tree, I'll come to claim them."
Shiki saw it - the black comma-shaped jewels in those crimson eyes seemed to connect into one in the final moment before closing.
Just for an instant, but it made Shiki's scalp tingle.
His intuition told him that if this guy truly didn't die, he would undergo some terrifying transformation...
...
...
...
After who knows how long, Shiki pulled the broken blade from his chest, gazing deeply at the endless sea.
He sighed silently and drifted into the distance.
—
—
—
New World, unknown waters.
On a massive ship, the lookout raised his telescope to survey the surroundings when he suddenly spotted something. He turned around and shouted.
...
"Old man! There's a person floating in the sea twenty miles due east!!"
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