"Now, now... 'Thunder God' Enel. Another monster, is it? How terrifying, ne~"
Borsalino spoke in his usual slow, mocking drawl, but his expression grew uncharacteristically grave.
As a top executive of the Chris Pirates and the user of the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Enel's name was well-known within the World Government and the Navy. His threat level was considered second only to a handful of individuals like the Yonko, Aeridar, and Dragon.
In particular, the staggering speed of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was in no way inferior to Borsalino's own Glint-Glint Fruit.
"Since I have a Navy Admiral as an opponent, I, as 'God,' shall deign to play with you!" Enel declared arrogantly.
"Calling yourself 'God,' eh? I hope you truly possess the strength of one!" Borsalino suddenly drew his blade and lunged.
Zzzzt! Crackle!
Arcs of electricity danced across Enel's body. He transformed into a bolt of lightning, appearing instantaneously behind Borsalino. His lightning-clad right leg swept out like a blade of pure energy.
"Lightning Leg: Thunder Blade!!"
"So fast~!"
Borsalino's expression shifted slightly. He spun around, raising his blade of light to block his chest.
CLANG—!
Enel's electrified leg collided violently with the light-sword in Borsalino's hand. The massive force caused the ground beneath the Admiral's feet to shatter instantly, unleashing a ferocious whirlwind.
Borsalino quickly shoved Enel back, countering with a series of slashes from his light-sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Enel swung his golden trident frantically to defend. Both were top-tier speedsters; their exchange of weapons was a blur of motion that would leave any ordinary person dizzy.
The light-based Ama no Murakumo sword clashed repeatedly against the golden trident. Sparks showered the air, and intense gusts of wind rippled outward with every strike.
Unfortunately, while Enel was accustomed to fighting with a weapon, he had always relied on overwhelming speed to crush his enemies. His actual technical skill with the trident was rudimentary, merely basic thrusts and parries.
Borsalino was different. He was a trained swordsman through and through. Beyond his Fruit powers, his physical combat skills came from the tutelage of "Black Arm" Zephyr, and he had studied swordsmanship under renowned masters.
He simply prioritized the development of his Fruit abilities so much that his martial arts and swordsmanship became supplementary to his Glint-Glint powers.
Faced with an opponent of equal speed, Enel lost his primary advantage. He quickly fell into a defensive struggle, nearly having his hands severed by Borsalino's light-sword several times.
Whoosh!
Enel thrust his trident, but it pierced only thin air. The man before him had vanished.
"Young man... speed is weight. Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
A familiar voice whispered behind Enel. A blinding radiance erupted as a right leg, glowing with intense light, swept through the air at an extreme velocity, slamming squarely into Enel's waist.
BOOM!
Enel had just begun to turn for a counterattack when a sharp, agonizing pain surged through his side. He was sent careening horizontally like a black blur, flying for an untold distance.
KABOOM—!
A massive explosion erupted in the forest a kilometer away. Pillars of fire flickered with electricity as the earth shook. A violent shockwave, carrying a wall of dust, swept back toward the battlefield like a gale.
"My... I didn't kick him to death, did I?"
The wind whipped the hem of his "Justice" coat. Borsalino scratched his head, sounding almost apologetic.
Chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp!
Suddenly, the sound of ten thousand birds chirping filled the air. A blinding, searing light exploded from the crash site. Vast amounts of electricity surged forth, forming a gargantuan silhouette. A blue-white lightning giant, standing over twenty meters tall with spiky hair and a protruding belly, materialized.
"200 Million Volts: Amaru!!"
"You bastard! DIE!"
The "Thunder God" Enel let out a deep, muffled roar. A massive, concentrated beam of lightning blasted toward the Admiral in a straight line.
"As expected of the man titled 'Thunder God.' You aren't that easy to kill after all~"
Borsalino's eyebrows shot up. He instantly transformed into photons and ascended into the sky.
BOOM!
The lightning pillar struck the ground, erupting in a flash of blinding white. Along with a deafening roar, the earth trembled and a scorched crater five or six meters wide was carved into the soil.
"Yasakani no Magatama!!"
In mid-air, Borsalino transformed into a dazzling, four-pointed star of light. Countless beads of light rained down like a hailstorm.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A barrage of light bullets slammed into Enel's massive lightning form. The entire area, hundreds of square meters, was blanketed in the dense, explosive bombardment.
The earth shattered, dust billowed, and a terrifying wave of heat and debris swept in every direction.
"Bastard! Bastard! BASTARD! I AM GOD!!"
As his massive Amaru form was blown apart by the endless light bullets, Enel roared in fury, his voice carrying the weight of a physical shockwave.
The next second, the tattered lightning body emitted an even more blinding light. Water-bucket-thick bolts of lightning lashed out, charring the ground black.
The wild electricity began to compress, forming a plasma-like energy that felt almost physical. It solidified inch by inch, repairing the massive Thunder God body and forming a set of armor over its frame.
Enel's lightning form began to swell once again, growing taller and taller until it reached a staggering height of nearly sixty meters.
"Wait, wait, wait... is he a monster?!"
Borsalino's eyes widened in genuine disbelief at the sight before him.
Standing sixty meters tall and clad in armor resembling a Tengu, the giant gripped a literal bolt of lightning in its hand. He looked like Zeus, the King of Gods from myth. The towering figure radiated a crushing pressure and an overwhelming aura.
"1 Billion Volts: True Amaru!!!"
Rumble—!
The once-clear sky was now churning with dark clouds. Snakes of lightning slithered through the gloom, and the constant roll of thunder was deafening.
"You've got to be kidding me! Such a monster exists?"
"That lightning has practically materialized... who could stand against that? Big Mom? Kaido? Red-Hair?"
Malha and Ryūkawa both sucked in a cold breath, staring in awe at Enel's titanic form.
"ROAR—!"
The giant Thunder God roared at the heavens. A shockwave exploded outward, a fierce gale blowing away dust and boulders.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
The massive Thunder God began to sprint, its heavy footsteps causing the island to shudder violently.
"How scary! A real monster! Truly, a 'Thunder God' worthy of the name~"
Borsalino spoke with a heavy, serious expression. He extended his arm, pointing his index finger at the charging giant.
Whoosh!
Light particles gathered at his fingertip. A brilliant golden beam shot out, striking the Thunder God squarely in the chest.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three more laser beams followed in rapid succession, all hitting the massive electrical body.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Hit by four consecutive lasers, a series of massive explosions erupted. Flames soared, engulfing more than half of the giant's torso and forcing the Thunder God's advance to a sudden halt.