Chapter 125: Overwhelming Power
Cold sweat beaded on Caesar Clown's forehead. "Eh?! Gas Gastino: Vacuum World! Gas Gastino: Vacuum World...!" He unleashed his ability repeatedly, a growing panic in his voice as he began to suspect his own powers were failing.
"It's useless. I know your capabilities, Caesar," Ian stated calmly. "My body can survive for extended periods in an oxygen-deprived environment. If you continue, the one who will suffocate to death is him." He gestured towards Vergo, who was already showing signs of distress.
Caesar Clown's eyes widened as he realized that his continuous use of the ability was indeed affecting his 'ally' more than his enemy.
Ian, meanwhile, looked at the fruit in his hand. "Does this thing come with a box? It's really awkward to carry in a pocket."
Caesar, momentarily flustered, almost replied, "Let me look for the box, I... I'm not looking for anything!" Catching himself, he shifted to another attack. "Gas Castanets!" CRACK!
The special mechanical castanets in his hands clapped together, triggering a powerful explosion within the laboratory. Caesar didn't care about Vergo's well-being; his sole focus was on killing Ian immediately.
As the dust from the explosion settled, Ian walked through the smoke completely unscathed, flexing his wrist. "You know, I saw you were about to destroy this fruit, so I rushed over in a hurry. My cameraman isn't even in position yet..." He sighed. "Ah, forget it. A live broadcast of corpses will have the same effect. Are you two ready? Let's welcome death together!"
WHOOSH!
From outside the circle of smoke, a black bamboo staff, sheathed in Armament Haki, shot towards Ian's back. It was impossible for a normal person to react to an attack from two sides so quickly.
Vergo's proudest and most successful fighting technique was his supremely powerful Armament Haki. With his entire body hardened, he refused to believe he would lose to Ian so easily. The other man had only recently been promoted to Vice Admiral. According to official records, his best feat was killing a Supernova with a bounty just over 200 million Berries. He had fought 'Drought' Jack and been beaten half to death. (In Vergo's eyes, the still-obscure Blackbeard was an insignificant character). But a mere Finger Gun... had actually left a penetrating wound on him! This was completely inconsistent with the official reports!
CLANG!
The bamboo staff in Vergo's hand stabbed sharply at Ian's back. But... it just poked him. The weapon, infused with a massive amount of Armament Haki, was utterly incapable of breaking through Ian's Haki defense. It didn't leave so much as a scratch or a dent.
"Vice Admiral Vergo, I heard you were quite satisfied with your level of Haki?" Ian's voice was laced with contempt. "This kind of domineering power, where you can stand there and let someone hit you, but still fail to hurt them... what is there to be proud of?"
His words sent a shiver down Vergo's spine. Having infiltrated the Marines for years, Vergo believed that among the Headquarters Vice Admirals, he was far from weak; he could even be ranked near the top. Such combat power and Haki training... and he couldn't inflict a single injury on Ian? Just how strong was this kid?!
Seeing his first attack fail, Vergo used Moon Walk to create distance. But then a scene that shocked him to his core unfolded. A giant arm dispersed the explosion's smoke and caught up to his retreating form in an instant. It made a brutal, unrestrained grabbing motion towards his rapidly moving body.
BOOM!
BOOM!
Vergo attacked at high speed, raising his Armament Haki to its absolute limit. He charged out with both fists, striking the fingers of the giant hand, trying to use the impact force to delay Ian's attack.
CRREEEAK!
"Ugh...!"
The Haki-laced attacks Vergo had once been so proud of had no effect whatsoever. The giant hand ignored his blows and grabbed him with ease.
The gap in their Haki levels was immense! What Vergo didn't know was that after his second-stage Awakening, Ian's physical stats surpassed his even without using Haki. The sheer toughness of his body was more than enough to make Vergo submit.
"A giant? What kind of monster is Jock Ian?" Caesar Clown stammered, terrified. "A cyborg? Or... is this also an ability of the Human-Human Fruit? Damn it... How could Joker provoke someone like this?!"
He was utterly horrified. Making ordinary people into giants was a difficult problem the World Government hadn't solved in a century. Why was the Jock Ian before him so proficient in this skill? There was no such record in the data on the Human-Human Fruit! Even in this dire situation, Caesar Clown's mental state was... commendable. It was fine to cause trouble, but if something went wrong, it was always someone else's fault. Never blame yourself.
Seeing Vergo captured, Caesar Clown abandoned all thought of fighting back. He immediately transformed into his gaseous element, turning into a swirling cloud of gas and floating towards the door. Escape was paramount; everything else could be discarded.
"Did I say you could move?" Ian's scolding voice carried an oppressive weight that made Caesar Clown freeze in his tracks.
"Human Fist: Giant's Fire!"
The giant palm holding Vergo heated up rapidly. Waves of intense heat caused Vergo to scream in agony, the Armament Haki on his body visibly weakening. After his second Awakening, Ian's control over his body's temperature had broken through human limits. Combined with his Haki, he could now manifest two extreme temperature states: "Extreme Heat" and "Extreme Cold."
By the time Caesar Clown turned to look, the giant fist holding Vergo was already coming down on him.
BOOM!
BOOM!
...!
The scorching flames ignited the dense gas. At the doorway of the secret laboratory, an explosion erupted that reverberated throughout the entire building. Building B shook and trembled violently.
The three women, who had been searching for their way around a distant corner, finally found the right direction after hearing the noise.
"Over here! The explosion came from this side!"
"Finally found it! Lieutenant General Ian is so willful! He didn't explain anything and just rushed off on his own!"
"Hurry, let's go see! Be careful not to get hurt... Gasp! What in the world happened here?"
"..."
The three women rounded a dark corridor and were met with a vast sea of fire. Getting to Ian's side quickly was not going to be easy.
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