These biological weapons, created from the genetic blueprints of the world's top-tier powerhouses, had yet to develop full combat capabilities—but the raw energy within their bodies had already reached saturation.
Three of them—along with more than half of Slime Kaido—held such an immense concentration of energy that they actually managed to fill the miniature black hole generated from the explosion.
The gravitational pull of the black hole began to stall—and finally collapsed into the Liberation Phase of the Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit).
Unlike Blackbeard's own version of this ability, what the black hole expelled was not undigested limbs or gore—but pure, raging elemental fire.
This time, it truly became a genuine, catastrophic explosion.
A violent blast wave of fire erupted from the black hole's core and detonated outward in all directions!
The force was so intense that even Roya had to shift into a spatial-displacement state, completely avoiding any of the destructive fallout.
From the monitoring chamber above, the female researcher let out an ecstatic scream of delight.
The life-force being pumped in from the black mountain below grew even more frenzied.
Slime Kaido's body suddenly expanded, forming a giant slime net that caught and trapped all the raging fire energy within.
The fire scorched the slime, but the black mountain's life-source endlessly replenished and regenerated the damaged material.
Thus, within Slime Kaido, life and death, destruction and rebirth played out in an unceasing cycle.
Gradually, his lifeform began to evolve—into something even Roya could no longer sense or predict.
Eventually, as if the black hole's capacity had reached its limit, the fiery eruption ceased entirely.
At the same time, the energy Roya had planted—used to balance fire and darkness—was fully released and merged with Slime Kaido.
Slime Kaido's form finally began to stabilize.
Fire and slime entered a strange equilibrium, while within that balance lurked a dark force—constantly absorbing and releasing energy.
His body twisted, expanded, contracted—again and again—before finally settling.
What remained was a singular, massive dragon claw.
The black slime that once made up his entire form had been completely absorbed into the claw.
The claw was pitch-black—glossy and crystalline like onyx—and enveloped in a thin, flickering flame that lent it an eerie, divine presence.
"Oh ho ho! Lord Roya, your energy really is as mysterious as it is powerful," the researcher laughed gleefully.
"To think it could trigger such a miraculous fusion and transformation!"
"If you'd only lend me your support, I swear—within three years, I could create a body fit for a god!"
But before she finished, the onyx dragon claw suddenly turned into a black lightning bolt, striking straight toward Roya!
"Delusional nonsense."
Roya snorted coldly and raised his right arm without hesitation.
"If you know how powerful my energy is, then you should've realized—I'm the one who controls it."
The black lightning coiled around his right arm, and the searing light died down.
When it did—his entire forearm had been encased in a dragon-scale gauntlet that stretched up to his bicep.
The gauntlet was made of the same onyx-black material, each scale flawless and interlocking perfectly, yet so flexible it didn't hinder movement at all.
Traces of lightning danced constantly across the gauntlet, signaling it held some unique hidden abilities.
At the same time, the entire gauntlet radiated an intense, scalding heat, warping the air around it—clear evidence of its terrifying temperature.
Up in the observation room, the female researcher's expression darkened.
"As expected of Lord Roya—the one who so effortlessly defeated Prototype No. 1…"
"At present, I truly don't have any 'works' strong enough to properly entertain you."
"Luckily, Akainu's fanaticism and bloodthirst never disappoint me."
"So—will you continue your tour of my little laboratory?
Or rush back to save those burdens you call subordinates?
The choice is yours, Lord Roya."
Roya's brow furrowed slightly as a monitor screen descended from the ceiling gap.
The image showed a towering magma giant wreaking havoc on an island.
Just one look at that familiar, seething magma, and Roya knew—
The giant was none other than Akainu in his magma form.
And the town beneath his feet?
It was Dressrosa—currently under Roya's protection and military garrison.
On screen, Akainu's magma giant had leveled half of the Corrida Colosseum with a single step.
The solid stone bricks of the colosseum had melted into magma, becoming part of the giant's body.
Seeing this, Roya's frown deepened.
Akainu's magma had undergone a fundamental transformation since their last encounter.
It now truly behaved like natural magma, possessing the ability to melt and consume anything in its path.
Which also meant—his regeneration and endurance had improved dramatically.
At this level of power, Akainu was far beyond what Squard and the others could handle.
Only Roya could stop this.
The real issue, however, was that Vegapunk clearly possessed the ability to rapidly transfer his consciousness between cloned female bodies.
Defeating one clone and expecting it to be the end was naïve.
Likewise, the black mountain below wasn't something that could be handled in a single visit either.
Fortunately, this trip to Mary Geoise had already yielded enough information.
Once he dealt with Akainu, it would be time to march on the World Government,
and wipe out this corrupt nest of evil at its roots!
Resolved, Roya didn't hesitate another moment.
He raised his right fist and smashed it down on the floor!
The black dragon-scale gauntlet flared to life—scales lifted, and searing jets of heat erupted from the seams.
The resulting thrust force boosted the punch's power by at least double!
The metal floor—made of an unknown alloy—shattered like brittle tofu beneath the strike.
But the raw force of the punch didn't stop there—
It plunged downward, piercing through the body of the black mountain below.
The flaming, violent energy burned a two-meter-wide hole clean through the creature!
Even with its immense regenerative power, the black mountain was unable to heal.
Every inch of attempted recovery was immediately incinerated by the lingering energy Roya left behind.
Within moments, Roya had already punched through multiple levels, diving straight into the cold ocean waters below.
The residual energy of his strike exploded in the fuel layer, setting off a chain reaction far from over...
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