章節 72: Unleashing Full Power, One Billion Volt Judgement!
The red lightning of Conqueror's Haki entwined around Shiki the Golden Lion's swords, Kiku and Yamaoroshi, under his feet. This was an advanced form of Conqueror's Haki, the same "Divine Avoidance(Kamusari)" technique used by legends like Gol D. Roger and Red-Haired Shanks. Sanders wasn't surprised that Shiki could wield such an advanced technique.
As Shiki charged, Sanders scanned his Haki foresight list, finding that he could soon grasp the technique of Conqueror's Haki infusement. For now, he focused on maximizing his Armament Haki, layering his lightning blade with the strongest form he could muster, honing its projection to perfection.
Bang!
Their weapons clashed mid-air, separated only by the fierce energy that blazed between them. Shiki's strike carried his full force, sending Sanders flying from the impact. Not giving him a moment's rest, Shiki pursued his airborne figure and unleashed another slash.
"Thunder Flash!" Sanders quickly activated his Thunder Flash technique, dodging the terrifying blow as it cleaved the ground in two, leaving a deep trench dozens of meters wide.
"Gyahahaha!" Shiki laughed, taunting, "So, you can dodge after all! Thought you'd just keep taking it head-on."
"Picking on me because I haven't learned Conqueror's infusion yet, huh?" Sanders scoffed, spitting to the side in disdain. As he glanced at the progress bar for mastering Conqueror's infusion, he grinned; he was almost there, all thanks to Shiki.
Shiki raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "You're aware of Conqueror's Haki infusion? According to my intel, you've never been to the New World. And even there, few can wield it. How do you even know about it? The Marines don't teach that stuff."
"Since you know it exists, let's see if you can master it!" Shiki sneered, lunging at Sanders with a series of ferocious attacks. Sanders matched him, undaunted. Though Shiki's infused Conqueror's Haki attacks were powerful, he was no longer in his prime. With the rudder in his head and the loss of his legs, his full strength had diminished just enough that Sanders could endure.
The two exchanged blows, strikes fierce enough to shake the island. Shiki threw every technique at his disposal, but Sanders remained unharmed, only growing stronger as the battle wore on. Shiki felt a chill as he realized that Sanders had gotten even stronger than when the fight had begun, meeting his Conqueror's Haki techniques as an equal.
The bright moon now hung high in the sky, casting its soft glow over the land as Shiki and Sanders fought on through the night.
"You monster! Just what are you?" Shiki gasped, breathing heavily in frustration.
Sanders, just as winded, chuckled, "Old lion, you're not bad yourself! Losing your legs, a rudder stuck in your head, and you still fight with admiral-level strength."
However, Shiki the Golden Lion, even now, was likely the weakest among the top-tier fighters. Being as injured as he was, it was already impressive that he could retain such power.
"Thanks for the lesson, old lion!" Sanders grinned, and now, alongside the blue lightning of his Thunder Blade, red lightning crackled as well. He had finally mastered the technique of Conqueror's Haki infusion after hours of intense battle.
"You…!" Shiki looked at the red lightning with a heavy expression. He couldn't believe that Sanders had learned yet another skill from their fight.
"In gratitude for your guidance, let this island be your final resting place, Shiki the Lion King!" Sanders shouted.
"Are you kidding me? I'm Shiki, the Golden Lion!" Shiki's golden hair billowed like a lion's mane, his imposing aura undeniable. He couldn't end here—not when his grand plan was still unfulfilled.
Lion's Slash!
Lion's Thousand Slice Valley!
Lion's Might – Imperial Roll!
Lion's Might – Shogunate Roll!
In that moment, Shiki seemed to return to his peak, unleashing a series of devastating attacks. The two clashed, tearing the island apart, with fragments falling from thousands of meters high, creating enormous waves below.
As the fight continued, Sanders noticed Shiki retreating toward a specific direction. Eventually, they reached the sea. Indeed, the island Shiki controlled had water, entirely kept afloat by his powers. Suddenly, Sanders realized Shiki's plan.
Lion's Might – Shogunate Roll!
In an instant, Shiki used his signature move, transforming the endless seawater into a massive water lion that lunged at Sanders, aiming to trap him.
"Out of tricks already, Shiki?" Sanders sneered, recognizing the ploy to restrict him with seawater.
"Gyahahaha! This is part of my power, Sanders!" Shiki cackled, unbothered. "Besides, I'm a pirate! We do whatever it takes to win!"
The torrent of seawater engulfed Sanders, suppressing his Devil Fruit abilities. However, Shiki hadn't anticipated that the seawater would have minimal effect on Sanders—he could still use his powers underwater.
Seeing Sanders ensnared, Shiki didn't hesitate to launch several massive slashes, aiming for a serious blow.
"Thunder Flash!" Sanders shot through the water, dodging Shiki's slashes with ease.
"What?!" Shiki's eyes widened in shock. It wasn't unusual to see Sanders withstand his attacks with Haki, but using Devil Fruit abilities underwater was unheard of!
In just a moment, Sanders escaped the seawater and returned to the ground.
"It's useless, Shiki—the sea can't confine me!"
"What's the matter with you?!" Shiki the Golden Lion's face was filled with shock and confusion. What Devil Fruit user could use their abilities underwater?
"There's a lot you don't know!" Sanders smirked. "I'm not like you, who had to crawl out of Impel Down after losing your legs. I fought my way out fair and square." Taking a quick glance at the progress of mastering the Float-Float Fruit, he grinned. Two days of fierce fighting with Shiki hadn't been for nothing—just a few more hours, and the power of the Float-Float Fruit would be his!
"You little brat, don't underestimate me!" Shiki's face darkened. He might not understand what Sanders was, but he knew that if he didn't go all out, he'd die here at this young upstart's hands. Sure, he could try to run—but he was Shiki the Golden Lion, once a rival to the Pirate King Roger. Running away like a beaten dog would be worse than a valiant death.
"Come on, kid! Show me everything you've got—let's see if you can reach the peak by stepping over my dead body!"
The two clashed again. This time, after the intense exertion, Shiki was clearly weakening, his strength waning by about 20%. Sanders also held back; he didn't want to finish Shiki off just yet, not while he was on the verge of claiming the Float-Float Fruit's power. They fought through the night until morning.
The sun rose high, casting light over the fierce battleground.
Not far away, Nami hovered in the Thunder God, watching the scene unfold. "They've been fighting for nearly three days, and they're still going! Aren't they tired?" She sipped a glass of juice through a straw.
"Uncle Issho, do you think Sanders will win?" she asked, curious.
"Sanders will win." Even from this distance, Issho could sense that Shiki was reaching his limit, while Sanders retained his strength. Yet, something puzzled Issho: the two still appeared evenly matched. Was Sanders… toying with Shiki? That didn't sound like him, and they had no personal grudge between them.
Issho speculated that Sanders' actions might have something to do with obtaining the Float-Float Fruit. The day before, Issho had noticed that Sanders' swordsmanship had reached the level of a grandmaster swordsman. His technique had improved at a frightening pace, even resembling Shiki's own style. Issho had reason to believe that Sanders had a rare gift for mimicking or rapidly learning others' abilities.
So, did Sanders prolong the fight not just to learn swordsmanship, but also the Float-Float Fruit's power?
Although this theory was far-fetched—no one had ever heard of someone being able to learn a Devil Fruit power—Issho's intuition told him this might indeed be the case.
Shiki, meanwhile, had clearly noticed that Sanders wasn't rushing to end the battle. His eyes were bloodshot, and he felt humiliated.
"Sanders! What's your game?!" he shouted, furious. "If you're going to kill me, just do it! What's with all this toying around?!"
Hearing the pain and anger in Shiki's voice, Sanders paused, a serious look crossing his face. He glanced at the now fully mastered Float-Float Fruit ability and responded firmly:
"Shiki!" Sanders called out, his voice filled with resolve. "Thank you for all you've taught me! Now, I'll send you off with everything I've got."
In gratitude for Shiki's unintentional instruction and out of respect for his strength, Sanders had decided it was time to end the battle.
"You damn brat—you've been holding back this whole time!" Shiki roared, his face twisted with both fury and resignation. "Fine, show me your true strength!"
Thunder roared from the darkened sky above. Countless bolts of lightning began to converge, casting an ominous glow across the battlefield.
"One Billion Volts: Heaven's Wrath!" Sanders unleashed the full power of his Rumble-Rumble Fruit for the first time. Against Aokiji, he had never gone this far, holding back from delivering a fatal blow. But this time, with Shiki, there would be no restraint.
Hovering in the air, Sanders looked like a god of thunder descended upon earth, lightning swirling around him and merging into a massive, towering hand.
"Ka-ha-ha-ha! So this… this is your true power, Sanders!" Shiki's mad laughter filled the air, tinged with a rare sadness. "So, my era… has finally come to an end, eh?" He knew, as he gazed at the destructive power Sanders wielded, that his time had passed.
"Come on, then!" he shouted, using his last ounce of strength. "Lion's Might: Earth's Roar!"
The ground shifted, forming a massive stone lion that rose to meet the thunderous giant hand from the sky. This final clash of titans would end in either complete destruction or a victory that would mark the dawn of a new era.
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T/N:
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