"Boom—!"
"Boom—!"
The clash between Fenric and Kizaru was earth-shattering. Explosions tore through the skies, fire and thunder roared, and the island beneath them was reduced to rubble.
The devastation was worse than two modern armies colliding.
Yet, despite their relentless attacks, neither side could gain the upper hand. Kizaru's blinding speed, coupled with his keen Observation Haki, allowed him to evade Fenric's strikes. Fenric, however, possessed overwhelming offensive power and a wide arsenal of abilities. Their duel had turned into a grueling war of attrition.
In such a contest, endurance mattered most. Whoever broke first would lose.
But for Fenric, attrition was dangerous. He wasn't only fighting Kizaru—behind the admiral stood the full might of the Navy Headquarters. Even if he managed to defeat Kizaru, draining too much of his strength would leave him vulnerable to the Navy's counterattack.
"Shhh!"
With a sharp whistle through the air, Kizaru lunged with his Ama no Murakumo, aiming for Fenric's chest.
Fenric's eyes flashed. Instead of dodging, he raised the Empyrean Divine Sword and thrust forward, meeting Kizaru head-on.
"Trading injury for injury, Mundo?" Kizaru sneered. "A pity—my reach is longer than yours!"
Certain of his advantage, Kizaru drove his blade forward with all his strength.
But just as the Ama no Murakumo was about to pierce him, Fenric's lips curved into a calm, confident smile.
Savage Charge—activate!
A shimmering barrier of invincibility erupted around him.
"Clang!"
The Ama no Murakumo struck as though it had hit an alloy hundreds of times stronger than steel. The tip pierced Fenric's clothes but went no further.
"!!!"
Kizaru's eyes widened in shock.
"Got you, Kizaru!!"
Fenric's voice thundered as his aura exploded outward. The power of his skill locked Kizaru in place, binding him with invisible force.
The Empyrean Divine Divine Sword swept down.
"—!"
Kizaru's pupils contracted. It was too late to raise his blade in defense.
"Pshhh!"
A clean slash rang out, and blood sprayed into the air.
Kizaru staggered, dropping to one knee. He gripped the Empyrean Divine Sword with trembling hands, but the tip had already pierced his chest.
"Careless…"
Coughing blood, Kizaru looked up at Fenric.
"Mundo… what was that just now?"
Fenric gave a faint smile. "Think of it as absolute defense. But it's not something I can use often."
It was a trump card, pulled out solely for this duel.
"You monster…" Kizaru muttered, his voice bitter.
He had lost. Not from lack of strength, but from underestimating his opponent. Arrogance and ignorance had left him wide open.
Fenric's abilities were unpredictable, endless—far beyond what anyone could expect in a world where most people had only a single Devil Fruit power.
If Kizaru had been more cautious, the fight might have dragged on. But as a long-standing admiral, he had grown used to victory. He had also judged Fenric by his image from ten years ago—an upstart, nothing more.
Underestimating one's enemy was a fatal mistake in a battle between masters.
Fenric had exploited it perfectly. Kizaru could only accept defeat.
"…Mundo, what do you intend to do with me?"
The admiral's voice was weak. His chest wound was severe, draining most of his combat strength.
"Don't worry," Fenric said coldly. "I won't kill you yet. I want you alive—to witness the destruction of Navy Headquarters with your own eyes."
Kizaru scoffed despite his injuries. "Defeat me if you will, but don't think that means you can scorn the Navy."
Fenric only smiled, offering no reply.
At that moment, Rayleigh finally arrived, his expression grave as he surveyed the battlefield.
"…Monsters, both of them," he muttered.
But when he saw Kizaru kneeling in blood and Fenric standing with only a shallow wound on his shoulder, Rayleigh's heart trembled. The outcome was undeniable—Fenric had won.
"Mundo, you're truly extraordinary," Rayleigh said.
As a former legend of the seas, he knew well how powerful an admiral was. Few men in the world could stand against one, let alone defeat them.
Even for the current Rayleigh himself, fighting Kizaru meant survival at best—not victory.
Kizaru's face darkened at Rayleigh's words. His pride as an admiral burned, but his body was failing him. Without his Devil Fruit's resilience, he would already be dead.
"Mundo, what are your plans?" Rayleigh asked, then added with concern, "Perhaps you should be satisfied with this. Defeating a Marine admiral is enough to make your name resound across the Grand Line. Beyond this lies the New World—your true stage."
Fenric gave a faint smile. He understood Rayleigh's good intentions.
Were he a true pirate of this world, he might have taken that advice, risen as a new "Fifth Emperor," and ruled the seas.
But Fenric's purpose here was different. He had a mission—a higher goal.
"Thank you for the suggestion, Mr. Rayleigh," Fenric said calmly. "But my pursuit is not One Piece."
Rayleigh nodded. He wasn't one to nag. Seeing Fenric's determination, he let the matter rest.
"So… what comes next?"
"I will challenge the Navy Headquarters."
Rayleigh blinked, then burst out laughing. "Ambitious, indeed!"
"Mr. Rayleigh, this island will soon become dangerous," Fenric said. "Perhaps you should leave."
Rayleigh shook his head with a grin. "No. I'll stay. I'd rather not miss the chance to witness a miracle."
Fenric chuckled. "Very well then—watch closely."
With that, he retrieved a wooden box from the distance and approached the unconscious Sentomaru. The man had been struck down earlier and had yet to wake.
"Fwoom."
Flames ignited in Fenric's palm as he pressed it close. The intense heat jolted Sentomaru awake.
"M-Mundo…?" His face drained of color when he recognized Fenric. He stumbled back in fear. "Uncle!" he cried, seeking Kizaru.
"Don't call for me," Kizaru rasped. "I can't protect you now."
"!!!"
Sentomaru's eyes widened as he turned to see his uncle's bloodied state.
"Uncle, you're injured?! Mundo—did you do this?!"
Fenric ignored him and tossed the wooden box at his feet.
"Take this to Akainu," Fenric ordered coldly. "Tell him he has three days. If he doesn't come, the other two Celestial Dragons—and Admiral Kizaru—will remain here forever."
Sentomaru hesitated, then lifted the lid. His breath caught. Inside lay the severed head of Charlotte Saint.
"You… you lunatic!!"