Chương 718: Immortality
Kurozumi Orochi used the Yamata no Orochi fruit as a sacrificial tool. Aside from experiencing multiple ways of dying, it served no real purpose. However, Hydrachton is different.
Its defensive power wasn't extraordinary. Unlike Tyranitar, it doesn't have an armored shell like a heavy tank, nor does it possess Emboar's powerful fighting moves. However, it has its own unique trait—an incredibly powerful regeneration ability.
After being modified, Yamata no Orochi's ability changed. If you cut off one of its heads, a brand new one would grow in no time. The surrounding seven heads weren't its weak points, and as long as it had stamina, it could practically regenerate indefinitely.
To kill it, you had to cut off its middle head eight times in a row.
Outsiders didn't know about this weakness. To them, Hydrachton's ability was almost like immortality.
Exhausting its stamina and killing it eight times in succession was the only way to kill it.
But discovering this secret was no easy task.
Let alone the difficulty of killing it eight times in a row, draining its stamina was something only a rare few, who were considered monsters themselves, could achieve.
"This guy... how many abilities does it have?!"
Lightning, fire, regeneration, and poison—so far Hydrachton had displayed four abilities, and it was also a behemoth capable of flying. Associating it with the prior intel about Beasts Pirates, Momonga could only feel a headache coming on.
Normally, when an equipment starts being deployed on a large scale and appears openly in front of the enemy, it means the enemy's labs have already produced an even stronger specimen.
This was already the third behemoth from the Beasts Pirates that had appeared in their intel, and it was deadlier than the previous two. Emboar and Tyranitar couldn't fly, so tracking them was relatively easy.
Hydrachton, which can fly, was undeniably the most dangerous bio-weapon so far.
"I don't know, but Vice Admiral Momonga, we have no choice but to face it head-on."
Bogard threw his hat down. Although he had just decapitated one of Hydrachton's heads, it was a sneak attack made after gathering his strength. What followed was sure to be a tough battle.
"I'm not sure what kind of creature this is, but its thinking seems highly unified, and it's very intelligent. Be careful."
When speaking with Bogard, Momonga didn't show the typical attitude of a superior. He knew very well that if Bogard wanted to, he could have been promoted to Vice Admiral long ago.
However, he had always stayed by Garp's side. Since Garp was a Vice Admiral, it wasn't in line with regulations for his Vice-Captain to hold the same rank.
Because Garp refused to become an Admiral, the ranks of those close to him were generally lower by one level, but no one doubted their strength or status.
Though the two of them hadn't coordinated much before, the two showed the Marine's trademark synergy as they used Geppo to attack Hydrachton from both sides.
Deino and Zweilous may lack vision, but Hydreigon is different. In the Pokémon world, Hydreigon has even become less adept at fighting in the dark after regaining its sight. At night, it will often retreat when facing Noivern.
Hydrachton's dynamic vision sharply locked onto Momonga and Bogard's figures. After a few brief clashes, it stopped attacking and instead flapped its wings to soar into the sky.
Geppo allowed humans to stay airborne, but it was fundamentally different from flying. In short bursts, Geppo could even surpass flight in speed, but in terms of altitude and stamina, it was no match for true flight.
Even though it couldn't die, their attacks were still painful for a "newborn." It wasn't like Kaido, who enjoyed tanking hits with his body.
"This monster... it's too smart..."
Geppo has its limits; they couldn't just strap on an oxygen tank, step on their own feet, and run into space. By now, Hydrachton had already ascended beyond the reach of Geppo's effective combat range.
In their previous battles, their opponents were always human, so they didn't have to worry about such issues. Now, facing an entirely non-human opponent, they found themselves in an awkward situation.
Even though Hydrachton had temporarily disappeared from their sight, both Momonga and Bogard remained tense, their Observation Haki fully activated. They didn't believe that creature had fled; a monster out of sight only made them more nervous.
"It's coming!"
From the clouds, Hydrachton revealed itself once again. The central head was now surrounded by an octagonal energy ring, an upgraded version of Tri Attack—Octa Attack.
Different types of attacks blended together, and as they fused, they exploded in the sky, creating a brilliant halo of light. Unfortunately, this halo symbolized destruction.
Momonga's Justice Coat had already fallen from his back. After working together with Bogard, he had barely managed to block the attack. Momonga took advantage of the moment to stab Hydrachton, but such a wound wouldn't take long for Hydrachton to completely heal.
What made things even worse was that Hydrachton didn't stick around for a prolonged fight; it once again soared into the sky, relying on its flight ability to harass them with hit-and-run tactics.
Momonga and Bogard couldn't afford to dodge. If they did, the ones to suffer would be the regular Marines below. While Momonga had sacrificed some of his men to gather intel on Hydrachton's abilities, now that he had taken action, he had to bear the responsibility.
He could sacrifice a few soldiers for information, but he couldn't abandon his position at this moment.
"I already sent a request for backup to HQ. They should be arriving soon."
"Then we'll just have to give it one more try."
Bogard removed his tattered jacket, revealing his well-toned muscles, and prepared for a final, desperate fight.
"Roar!"
"Come on!"
...
"Garp... you better... get serious! Playtime is over!"
Hydrachton wasn't sure exactly how powerful it was, but Kaido knew that a typical Vice Admiral couldn't handle it. To keep it occupied, at least two Vice Admirals were needed.
Moreover, without the right abilities to counter it, they wouldn't be able to stop Hydrachton. After all, Kaido had fought it once himself, so he felt confident about the fight on that front—as long as Garp didn't interfere, Hydrachton was practically unbeatable.
The rule of thumb for an old fisherman is to show off his catch, but never lose it. That's a basic principle.
Kaido had originally planned to simply act as a spectator while showing off, but Garp's appearance changed his mind.
He thought he'd get another chance to fight to his heart's content, but Garp wasn't playing along. Garp kept focusing on the other battlefield.
At first, he thought Garp was testing him, but now it was clear that Garp's mind wasn't even on him. That earlier remark about sending him to Impel Down was just a distraction, meant to divert his attention while Garp seized the opportunity to support the other side.
"Kaido, you ba*tard…..why did you attack this place out of nowhere?"
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