The wind fell silent.
Griffin halted his steps, his brow subtly raised as a flicker of amusement passed through his pupils.
A smile crept from the corners of his eyes, as if he were looking forward to the entertainment to come.
...
Even the biggest fool could tell that Beckman's words were a provocation.
"Dare you?"
What you really mean is: your combined attack has no certainty of hitting me!
...
Griffin laughed.
"Ah... how should I praise you, Beckman."
He spread his arms wide, as if inviting a long-awaited friend for an embrace.
"You guessed right..."
"I'll give you time to unite your forces, and I won't dodge!"
The smile faded as Griffin slowly raised his hands to form seals before his chest, the invisible flames around his body igniting once more.
...
...
The anger in Beckman's eyes dissipated, becoming calm as still water.
"Shanks, you know when to strike. Give it everything you've got, hold nothing back!"
"Understood." Shanks took a deep breath, holding his cutlass upright before his chest, his aura restrained and eyes closed.
In this stance and pirate attire, he resembled a noble knight lost at sea.
Perhaps... that was indeed the truth.
...
"Hancock, if you're willing to help, just unleash your Conqueror's Haki at full power. We'll guide your energy."
A flicker of hesitation passed through Hancock's eyes before she nodded.
"Yasopp, load the final round."
"Roger that!"
...
"Limejuice... Hongō..."
...
After arranging everything, Beckman took one last drag of his cigarette, his gaze complex as he looked at Griffin.
"Even as an enemy... I genuinely respect your Haki."
"If you die, I'll give you a funeral worthy of your status!!"
...
Griffin remained silent, merely crooking two fingers in a beckoning gesture.
Click—
The trigger was pulled!
A deep purple thread, dark as the abyss, slowly emerged from Beckman's gun barrel.
Simultaneously.
Shanks opened his eyes, a compressed and refined Conqueror's Haki slash extending from his blade tip. Where the sword aura passed, space itself seemed to emit faint cracking sounds.
Hancock's freely released Conqueror's Haki, Yasopp's ultimate explosive round, Limejuice's fist wreathed in bright yellow electricity...
The deep purple thread traced an exquisitely perfect arc, like stitches sewing together fate itself, actually absorbing, entwining, and twisting together these vastly different powers!!
...
Griffin's eyes lit up.
This shared remarkable similarities with his ocular techniques. Beckman, relying on his supremely refined control of Armament Haki, temporarily served as a vessel for various powers, maximizing the attack's force.
So similar, so perfectly tailored for me it's as if it were developed specifically for me!
As if reading his mind.
Beckman softly said: "Before I could only coordinate with Shanks. Your techniques gave me inspiration."
"Even if we can't match your growth speed... don't think we'll remain stagnant!!"
"Without companions, you absolutely cannot block this strike!!"
...
The torrent was born.
Colors swirled chaotically yet maintained an inexplicable order, solidifying as they advanced and gradually twisting into a spiral of chaotic light.
It was a torrent of energy, a combined assault of absolute power!
The crackling arcs of Conqueror's Haki declared absolute, magnificent force!
...
The calculation was complete.
The power of this strike undoubtedly surpassed Griffin's previous attack!
——
Variegated light shone in Griffin's eyes.
The crimson of his Mangekyo flowed and burned like blood, the sinister rings spinning madly.
Before the attack fully formed, he had numerous ways to evade.
Even now, using Izanagi with a single Three Tomoe would effortlessly nullify this strike.
...
But...
He truly didn't want to betray such a beautifully willed strike.
Just this once, he'd use a bit more Eye Power. Really, just this once...
...
...
"Susanoo!!"
——
A low roar erupted from the depths of his soul.
A tangible torrent of dark purple energy surged violently from Griffin's body!
Bones, sinews, flesh...
The profound purple deepened to near-black as energy instantly constructed a colossal skeletal half-giant.
The ancient martial god, Susanoo, manifested!!
An aura blending extreme ominousness and majesty billowed forth. Amid crimson arcs, a massive mirror shield coalesced on the giant's left arm, swirling with black turbid currents.
And then...
"Heavenly Jar Star - God-Forged Armament: Mirror of Netherworld Protection"
A divine artifact forged primarily through Armament Haki, perfectly harmonizing with Susanoo's power - an absolute defensive technique!!
...
You guessed wrong about one thing, Beckman.
I am invincible in both offense and defense!!!
The opening you were hoping for never existed from the very beginning!!!
...
There was no time to marvel at the demonic giant.
Beckman's entire body trembled violently, using all his concentration just to maintain the force's trajectory.
The next moment...
The continuously twisting torrent formed a spiral drill that collided violently with the black turbid mirror!
BOOM————————————————!!!!!!!
Spear and shield - an indescribable roar devoured all other sound.
At the collision's epicenter, space itself seemed to distort and shatter, while multicolored arcs scattered wildly, lashing everything around them and creating a dead zone of silence.
...
Even Wang Zhi and the others, locked in their life-or-death struggle, couldn't help but pause and look toward the island where...
A turbid black sun was rising!!
...
Wang Zhi gasped heavily, his foul mouth whispering incessantly.
"Why... why do you youngsters possess such power..."
"Why can even a brat achieve Fruit Awakening, why can a mere Marine... why..."
"This isn't fair!!!"
"It's too unfair!!!!"
...
"Then strive for a better rebirth in your next life."
——
"Naturally, no one can compare to that man!"
Whoosh-whoosh——
Lucci and Doll struck simultaneously, their black fists and gleaming claws filling Wang Zhi's vision.
——
——
An unknowable amount of time passed.
The chaotic torrent exhausted itself, slowly dissipating.
What remained standing was a shield-bearing demon god bathed in lightning and flames.
A faint cracking sound came from the black mirror shield before it exploded into scattered energy fragments.
The Susanoo dissipated with the wind as Griffin landed quietly, virtually unscathed except for a single trail of blood tracing from the corner of his eye.
Witnessing this scene, Shanks and the others felt nothing but absurdity—it was too unreal.
...
Their strongest strike, poured with all their heart and soul…
Had it truly been completely ineffective?!!!
...
...
His chest burned with pain, his bones were riddled with cracks, his eyes ached unbearably, and his Eye Power was so depleted that he had to deactivate the Mangekyo…
Despite all this, Griffin remained utterly composed as he watched Shanks and the others overwhelmed by frustration.
Slowly raising his hand, an ice spear condensed in his palm.
...
"I've had my fill."
"A rather splendid feast. I won't forget you all… probably."
Whoosh—
The ice spear shot straight toward Shanks' forehead, carrying a sharp, murderous intent!
The previous strike had drained everyone's stamina, leaving them without even the strength to cry out—they could only watch helplessly…
Was this the end?
Shanks didn't use his last ounce of strength to roar or curse. Instead, he closed his eyes and let out a soft laugh.
A fair and square defeat—he had no complaints.
If his journey had to end here…
So be it. It wasn't a bad way to go.
——
——
Clang—
The ice spear shattered, exploding into a shower of icy fragments.
...
"That's enough, Marine."
A figure appeared before Shanks as if she had been standing there all along, not even stirring a single gust of wind.
She emerged in the gap between life and death.
Tall and slender, she wore her hair in a high ponytail adorned with a gilded flower ornament on one side, her attire exquisitely luxurious and heavily armed.
It was the Divine Rider who had appeared during the battle of Dressrosa—Saint Miya!
...
That arrogant gaze that looked down on all others as if they were not her equals, and that exquisite attire seemingly beyond mortal craftsmanship, made Hancock tremble instinctively.
...
No mistake…
She was a Celestial Dragon!!!
——
"Mission target located—…"
"Hunting difficulty—Extremely High Risk Level!"
...
Miya gently brushed aside a stray lock of hair, her tone calm but dripping with condescension: "I've already forgiven you for ignoring orders in Dressrosa last time. This one is not for you to touch—there are greater matters at stake here."
"You'll receive the rewards you deserve from above. Let this operation end here. You've done well… White Hound, was it?"
Did Miya not know the code name the Marines had given Griffin?
No, she knew.
She was reminding Griffin to recognize his place and not overstep.
...
Buru buru buru…
Griffin's Den Den Mushi began to ring.
"It's a call from the Five Elders. You should answer it." Miya watched Griffin with interest, a faint smile curling her lips. "We have high hopes for you. Perhaps you are worthy of joining us."
...
So this is where it ends…
Griffin lowered his head, his black hair falling to conceal the smile at the corner of his mouth.
No…
Rather… this is an unexpected delight!!
He let out a soft sigh. "Since the esteemed ones above have spoken, I naturally—"
Shoom—
His voice cut off abruptly. Griffin's pupils contracted sharply as he stared in disbelief at the bloody hole in his chest.
...
Thwack!!
A hand firmly grasped the spear that had pierced through Griffin's chest, its owner's snow-white hair flowing like a radiant stream, tracing a rainbow arc.
...
Kari raised the spear high, bathed in blazing flames.
"You are…"
Miya's beautiful face was filled with shock and horror. Before she could even raise her gun, an excruciating pain erupted in her chest.
The spearhead plunged deep into her heart, and scorching flames burst from the point of contact, instantly engulfing Miya!
The violent wave of fire sent everything in the vicinity flying!
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