The throne hall shook like the heart of an earthquake. Every clash sent shockwaves racing through the stone, every exchange tore new wounds in the castle itself.
Moria's titanic shadow body loomed like a mountain of darkness, each blow from his fists enough to crush ships whole. His voice was a guttural roar, his laughter now edged with desperation.
"KISHISHISHI! YOU CAN'T BEAT MY SHADOWS! THEY ARE LIMITLESS!"
He raised both massive arms, shadows swelling and twisting, forming a pair of colossal blades. They screamed with unnatural force as he brought them down, aiming to cleave Magnus in two.
Magnus's eyes gleamed like storm-forged steel. His aura surged again, his Advanced Conqueror's Haki exploding outward. The force of his will shattered the ground around him, black lightning tearing through the air like chains lashing the very world.
Shusui hummed, alive in his grasp.
Magnus stepped forward, cutting the darkness with his voice.
"Void Rend!"
The black blade moved in silence, then reality screamed.
The two colossal shadow blades split apart, cleaved cleanly down the middle. The slash tore through Moria's giant frame, unraveling shadows in a storm of black flame. The Warlord howled as his body shuddered, the stolen forms inside him straining to break free.
Magnus did not stop. He advanced, step after relentless step, cutting down every shadow puppet that lunged, every wall of darkness Moria threw before him.
The throne hall was collapsing, the ceiling cracking open, moonlight pouring down like judgment from the heavens.
Moria staggered backward, his grotesque face twisted in rage and panic.
"DAMN YOU! I AM A WARLORD! THIS IS MY KINGDOM! I WILL NOT FALL TO SOME BRAT WITH A SWORD!"
He raised his colossal arms, shadow-forged blades dripping like molten night and brought them down with earth-splitting force.
Magnus did not flinch.
Instead he exhaled slowly, his haki condensing then erupting outward like the birth of a new storm. Advanced Conqueror's Haki burst from his body, not just as lightning but as form.
The air twisted making the shadows recoil from the force.
From Magnus's back, his will took shape of a dragon.
Colossal and jagged, wreathed in blood-red lightning and black flames.
It stretched across the ruined hall, its roar shaking the foundations of Thriller Bark.The beast of haki opened its maw and Moria's swollen eyes widened in sheer horror as the dragon's gaze fell upon him.
"Impossible…" he croaked, sweat beading on his monstrous brow.
The dragon lunged, Its fangs tore through the incoming blades shattering them into sprays of shadow that burned away under the weight of Magnus's will.
The entire throne hall lit with crimson, the
dragon's silhouette blotting out the moonlight through the cracked ceiling.
Outside, The battlefield froze.
Giants and undead hordes stilled as a wave of killing intent crushed down upon them like an ocean of fire.
Bullet's grin split wide, his blood pounding in his ears as he forced himself upright against the weight.
"KAHAHAHA! This pressure! THIS is what I live for!"
Kael dropped to one knee, his spear shaking in his grip."So this… is Captain's true power."
Brogy and Dorry stood shoulder to shoulder, the air around them trembling, their massive frames tense and still, their warrior hearts thundered with excitement. "By Elbaf… this conqueror walks with gods."
Even the zombies faltered, their puppet strings snapping under the suffocating haki. The dead themselves cowered before the dragon born of Magnus's will.
Back at the castle
Magnus raised Shusui high, the blade wrapped in the storm, the dragon swirling down into its edge, black and crimson lightning screaming across its steel.
His voice cut like a death knell.
"Void Rend."
The slash was silent for a moment..,then the world split open.
The dragon surged with the strike, tearing Moria's swollen form in half.
Shadows poured out like black blood, his titanic frame unraveling as he screamed in panic and agony.
The slash ripped through the throne,through the walls, through the very sky above,
splitting Thriller Bark in two.
Moria's massive body crashed to the ground, reduced to his true, bloated form, bloodied and broken amidst the rubble. His voice was a pitiful rasp.
"No… I… am… a Warlord…"
Magnus stepped forward, Shusui dripping with haki, the fading dragon coiling once around him before dissolving into sparks.
His gaze was merciless, his words sharp as the blade in his hand.
"Not anymore."
The silence that followed was deafening.
The outside forces looked to the shattered castle, their breaths stolen by what they had witnessed.
Giants grinned in awe..,His crew felt their blood race like wildfire.