Simultaneously glared at by two top-tier powerhouses, Leo, hovering in the air, grinned with sheer delight. "Kizaru, Garp, let me show you something interesting."
As he spoke, Leo held the Demon Splitter horizontally! The crisscrossing cracks on the blade began to glow with a blue light! With a crisp sound, the Demon Splitter shattered into countless fragments, suspending in the air.
At the same time, a brilliant silver light erupted from Leo's body, arcs of electricity dancing wildly around him. The myriad fragments, as if drawn by an invisible force, coalesced into the form of a giant serpent, slithering and coiling around him. Endless silver lightning climbed up this form, crackling and spitting, covering it from head to tail. The giant silver serpent seemed imbued with life, its vertical pupils suddenly igniting with light.
A hundred-meter-long silver serpent, hissing, now loomed menacingly around Leo.
Second Form of the Demon Splitter: Forest Anaconda!!!
Leo gently stroked the serpent's body, infusing it with high-density Armament Haki: Flowing Sakura. A new, darker hue gradually surfaced on the serpent's scales. Lightning power, Flowing Sakura, the Demon Splitter... all of Leo's offensive capabilities, save for pure swordsmanship, were now fully displayed in this terrifying amalgamation.
A cold smirk played on Leo's lips as he stared down at Garp and Kizaru. "Let's fight!!!"
As if receiving his command, the hundred-meter silver anaconda opened its cavernous maw and let out a ferocious roar, charging at Garp and Kizaru with earth-shaking momentum. The path it carved was filled with the rolling boom of thunder, resonating through the very heavens!
Garp clenched his fists, an ocean-like surge of Armament Haki swirling around him. He charged towards the giant serpent with an unstoppable momentum. These were the very fists that had once chased the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, across the seas. Did he have any reason to fear a mere beast?
Compared to Garp, Kizaru's expression was undoubtedly more grave. The reason was simple: Garp specialized in physical combat and Haki; his offensive and defensive capabilities were absolutely top-tier. Kizaru, however, relied too heavily on his Devil Fruit, and his Haki development paled in comparison to Garp's. Armament Haki: Flowing Sakura posed a lethal threat to him.
"Leo, you cannot be allowed to live today!"
"Ama no Murakumo!"
No longer slacking off, Kizaru gripped his golden photon sword, locked onto the serpent's vital spot with his Observation Haki, and flashed forward at high speed.
"Bring it on!!!"
"Thunder Dragon's Wrath!!!" Leo's eyes blazed with fighting spirit.
The serpent's massive mouth emitted a draconic roar! A portion of the blade fragments, mixed with furious lightning, spun at high speed, forming a tornado that shot towards the incoming Kizaru with immense tearing force.
The next second, the intertwined trio of powers clashed head-on with Kizaru's Ama no Murakumo without yielding an inch.
"Dammit!!" Kizaru gritted his teeth, parrying with his sword. His tall, lanky frame was forced back continuously, leaving a deep trench in the ground. He had lost all his earlier nonchalance and now felt like cursing out loud. The power to destroy everything with lightning, Flowing Sakura, and a famous blade that could reassemble at will—were these really the abilities a rookie pirate should possess?!
Simultaneously, Garp arrived, fist first. It was a simple, unadorned punch, but like Mihawk's casual slashes, a single blow from him was enough to split mountains and shatter rocks.
"Leo, DIE!!!" Garp roared, his eyes wide with fury. His iron fists broke the sound barrier. His grandson's humiliation, the lives of dozens of Marines, the threat to justice—for any one of these reasons, he would not allow Leo to see tomorrow.
"Garp, don't celebrate too soon!!" Leo retorted with a cold sneer. He swung his right hand, and the dozens-of-meters-long,狰狞 (ferocious) serpent's tail thrashed wildly, sweeping horizontally towards Garp. Wherever the tail passed, fierce winds arose, and the ground cracked layer by layer.
The silver-and-red scaled tail met Garp's iron fist without fear. The two forces wrestled mid-air, erupting in waves of incredibly powerful shockwaves that疯狂席卷 (madly swept) outwards in all directions. The area within a kilometer of the trio's battle had become a veritable zone of death. Even the residual shockwaves could easily eliminate a pirate with a bounty over a hundred million.
For Leo, simultaneously facing two Admiral-level combatants was the most exhilarating fight he'd had since setting sail.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Garp's face was contorted, his fists a blur of afterimages. Leo refused to be outdone, continuously channeling his Armament Haki into the giant anaconda. In a war of attrition, he was invincible! It was a pity he hadn't mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion yet; otherwise, he could finish off this old fossil directly!!
The more Garp fought, the more alarmed he became. Controlling such a massive serpent while employing multiple abilities should consume a staggering amount of stamina. Yet after fighting for so long, Leo showed not the slightest sign of fatigue; if anything, he seemed to be growing stronger and more vigorous. What kind of monster is this guy?!
"Kizaru, keep it busy! I'll finish this beast!!" Garp's face turned cold as he shouted to Kizaru not far away. With that, he shot into the air like a cannonball.
Kizaru's face soured, but his movements didn't slow. In battles between powerhouses, hesitation was not an option. A single second could decide the outcome. Slacking off was one thing, but against Leo, he didn't dare make the slightest mistake.
"Hehehe... Leo, to have forced Vice Admiral Garp to this extent... you can be proud!!" Kizaru blocked the serpent's tail as it tried to pursue Garp, leaping high into the air and crossing his arms, forming his signature hand seal once more.
"Yasakani no Magatama!!!"
Leo looked up. Dense clusters of light projectiles descended from the sky, shooting towards the hundred-meter serpent from all directions. He could clearly sense that each projectile was wrapped in high-density Armament Haki. Their power was on a completely different level compared to the previous barrage.
However~
A faint smile touched Leo's lips. He raised his arm. The hundred-meter serpent took a deep breath, as if intending to swallow the entire sky. It puffed its cheeks and unleashed a roaring draconic cry! Terrifying lightning, imbued with the power of Flowing Sakura, surged outwards in all directions, its resonance traveling ten thousand meters.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
As expected, all the golden projectiles were detonated by the lightning, plunging the sky into a sea of fire once again.
"KIZARU, MOVE!!!"
At that moment, from above the sea of fire, a terrifying aura erupted—so powerful it gave even Leo pause.
Kizaru secretly sighed in relief, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.
"LEO, PREPARE TO DIE!!!"
"GALAXY IMPACT!!!"
An enraged Garp tore through the sea of fire, descending from the heavens. Black and red energy currents intertwined and coiled around his body. Garp swung his iron fist, sheathed in both Armament and Conqueror's Haki, falling like a meteor as he smashed down towards the giant serpent below. This was one of his signature moves, immensely powerful. Garp had used it to defeat many famous and powerful pirates in the past.
Even from a distance, Leo could feel the intense pressure of the punch's wind force.
"So this is Conqueror's Haki Infusion?!" Leo licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with unconcealed greed. This is the true mark of a top-tier fighter!!
Garp's face was ferocious as his attack arrived in an instant. "BREAK!!!"
The hundred-meter serpent raised its head and shot skyward, crashing violently into Garp's fist.
BOOOOM!
The moment they collided, an explosive roar shook the heavens. A visible shockwave of energy erupted and rapidly expanded outwards.
RUMBLE~
RUMBLE~
Wherever the shockwave passed, the ground shattered layer by layer. The tall structures within Enies Lobby crumbled one after another, turning into ruins. Everything in its path was pulverized into dust; nothing could withstand it for even a second.
"Cough, cough, cough~" Kizaru flashed to Garp's side, waving a hand to disperse the smoke and dust. "Vice Admiral Garp, is the brat still alive?!"
Garp's face was slightly flushed. He expanded his Observation Haki to probe, his expression grim. "Leo has that teleportation ability. He won't die that easily." He hadn't expected to kill Leo in one blow; his goal was simply to destroy that damned serpent. It was just too damn annoying. Ordinary methods were useless against it.
"Not bad, Hero Garp. That move certainly packs a punch." Before Garp could even catch his breath, a mocking voice sounded behind them.
Both men's pupils constricted violently as they spun around. There stood Leo, strolling towards them as if taking a leisurely walk, the hundred-meter serpent once again coiled menacingly at his side.
"I... @#%!!" Kizaru finally lost his composure, cursing outright. So Garp just wasted his energy for nothing?!
Garp's face also turned ashen, his back molars grinding together in fury. Were they just making a fool of him?!
Leo snapped his fingers, a slight smirk on his lips. "A serpent without a true physical form can be instantly reconstituted no matter how many times you shatter it. If you're done with your turn... now it's mine!!!"
Leo gripped the Demon Splitter's hilt, recalling half of the blade fragments, which reassembled into a complete sword. Simultaneously, the remaining fragments began to spin at high speed, splitting into hundreds of smaller, several-meter-long serpentine projectiles. All were propelled by lightning and Flowing Sakura.
In unison, the hundreds of smaller serpents opened their狰狞 (ferocious) mouths and shot towards Garp.
Garp's hair stood on end as he hurriedly defended. It wasn't the snakes he feared, but the concentrated Flowing Sakura power on their bodies, combined with the lightning force. Even he couldn't afford to take them lightly.
Kizaru's face grew even more grim, because Leo had now turned his gaze towards him.
Leo, holding the sword formed from half the fragments, pointed it at Kizaru from across the distance, grinning widely. "Kizaru, now it's your turn."
Leo leaped, propelling himself dozens of meters into the air, his muscles coiling.
"Lion's Barrage: Thousand Rending Valleys!!"
With a low shout, a golden light erupted from Leo's body, merging with the silvery-white lightning. Over a dozen powerful aerial slashes shot out simultaneously, aiming for Kizaru. Using the Demon Splitter as a conduit, each wave of sword energy was infused with lightning power, Flowing Sakura, and swordsmanship at the level of a Great Swordmaster. Each slash carried the force to easily slice through a mountain. The sword energy swept over the land, carving fierce gashes into the hard ground.
"This is... the Golden Lion's swordsmanship!!" Kizaru gritted his teeth, his expression grave. Without time to ponder, Kizaru swept his hands through the air, immediately forming the Ama no Murakumo... He employed his Glint-Glint Fruit power and Armament Haki, using every means at his disposal to destroy Leo's slashes one after another. But the force of the attacks pushed him back relentlessly, his hands trembling as he gripped the photon sword.
"BREAK!!!" Kizaru's eyes bulged, straining with all his might to shatter the final slash.
However, just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, his Observation Haki screamed a warning. He spun around sharply, only to see Leo's cruel grin right before his eyes.
"Flying Slash: Severing Wave!!!" Leo gripped his sword with both hands and brought it down in a mighty overhead slash!
SWOOSH—
A flying slash dozens of meters long roared forth, reaching Kizaru almost instantly.
Kizaru's face drastically changed. His Observation Haki was more agitated than ever before.
Death. He smelled death!!!
"GET AWAY FROM ME!!!" Instinct took over. Kizaru raised the Ama no Murakumo to block in front of him.
The next second, the slash struck the photon sword directly. Under the tremendous force, Kizaru plummeted from the sky like a meteor, crashing into the ground with a thunderous BOOM and sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air.
"KIZARU!!!" Garp cried out in shock and horror, trying to disengage from the swarm of serpentine projectiles to go to his aid. But the hundreds of smaller serpents clung to him like maggots on a bone, attacking from all sides and giving him no opening. Even when he destroyed them, they would instantly reform. It was endlessly frustrating. There were only two ways to deal with them permanently: kill Leo, or wait for Leo's stamina to run out. However, every time Garp tried to go for Leo, the young man would simply teleport away, leaving Garp grasping at air. As for the latter option... it felt even more hopeless. Leo seemed like a perpetual motion machine, his stamina apparently limitless. After fighting for so long, even Garp was breathing heavily, while Leo still looked as composed as ever. Garp's morale was truly on the verge of breaking. He had never fought such an infuriating battle. Kizaru, you're on your own now.
Leo cast a brief glance at Garp. It wasn't that he didn't want to finish the old man off. But Garp's defense was too strong; Flowing Sakura alone wasn't enough to deliver a fatal blow. He had to settle for the next best target: Kizaru. This was the consequence of not heeding "the teacher's" advice and relying too heavily on Devil Fruit powers.
Below, the dust was still settling. Leo expanded his Observation Haki, searching for Kizaru's presence.
"Found you!!!" Leo's gaze sharpened, locking onto a spot near a pile of rubble.
"Cough, cough, cough~" Kizaru emerged from the rubble, having transformed into golden particles to escape. Compared to before, he looked rather disheveled. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. His once-pristine yellow suit was now in tatters, and one lens of his sunglasses was missing. His aura felt significantly weaker and unstable.
"LEO!!!" Kizaru's eyes were bloodshot as he glared furiously at his opponent. How many years had it been? He had almost forgotten what it felt like to be injured. Even when facing a Yonko, he could always retreat unscathed. To think he'd been wounded by a brat who hadn't even been at sea for two months! This was utterly unforgivable!!
"LEO! IF I DON'T KILL YOU TODAY, I DON'T DESERVE TO BE AN ADMIRAL!!!"
A powerful aura erupted from Kizaru as golden light wreathed his body. The next instant, one Kizaru after another separated from his main body. In moments, ten identical Kizarus stood in the air.
A ability of the Glint-Glint Fruit. Not only could it create clones, but these clones even possessed a degree of combat awareness and could use the Glint-Glint Fruit's abilities to attack.
All ten Kizarus crossed their arms in unison, their fingers glowing with golden light. The air for hundreds of meters around began to sparkle with dense clusters of golden particles.
Leo stared at the ten Kizarus in the sky, narrowing his eyes slightly. Yasakani no Magatama again? Is the Admiral's move-set really this limited?!
Kizaru might be at his wit's end, but Leo still had a stronger move!!
Leo tightened his grip on the Demon Splitter, raising the blade high. The Armament Haki within him erupted like a volcano, pouring relentlessly into the sword. The Demon Splitter hummed and vibrated, as if transmitting signals of excitement to Leo.
In this moment, Leo held nothing back. He might not be able to kill Garp today, but Kizaru... the chance was high! He wouldn't strike unless he could do so with overwhelming, thunderous force, aiming to annihilate his target in one blow!!!
Leo took a deep breath, mobilizing every ounce of his power, channeling it all疯狂 (madly) into the Demon Splitter.
"LEO, PREPARE TO DIE!!!"
The ten Kizarus moved in sync. A sky full of golden light projectiles descended, guided by precise Observation Haki, all shooting towards Leo. Simultaneously, all ten Kizarus summoned their Ama no Murakumo, preparing for any sudden teleportation assault from Leo. Kizaru was truly afraid now!!
"KIZARU, TAKE THIS!!!" Leo's gaze sharpened. His Observation Haki locked onto Kizaru's true body as he swung the Demon Splitter with all his might!
"NATION SHATTERER!!!"
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T/N :
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