Dense magma and lightning intertwined throughout the void, creating endless sparks.
The ground of the deserted island had already become a scorched mixture of black and crimson.
At this moment, both men unleashed devastating wide-range attacks. Lightning and molten fists filled the sky in overwhelming numbers as they blasted toward one another. It could be said that every single attack possessed destructive power that neither side could afford to ignore.
Kojin's expression was grave, with both of his arms raised defensively before him while his entire body was coated in Busoshoku Haki.
Sakazuki had unquestionably developed the Magu Magu no Mi to its utmost limit. Its power had increased enormously, to the point that even Kojin could not underestimate it.
Even elementalization could not fully defend against magma of this level.
No wonder the man had been capable of battling the aged Whitebeard to that extent during the Summit War.
Among the three newly appointed Admirals besides himself, Sakazuki was undoubtedly the fiercest and strongest.
With his field spread across the entire island, Kojin could clearly observe every magma fist shooting through the air, tracing elegant arcs before homing in on him like guided missiles.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Their power was tremendous. Every chunk of magma produced horrifying burning force and impact, causing his body to tremble continuously.
Likewise, the lightning striking Sakazuki caused his body to convulse as charred black wounds spread across him.
Suddenly, the space ahead distorted, and five figures appeared out of nowhere.
The instant Kojin saw the face of the man standing in front, his pupils shrank violently.
Dressed in a white robe, bald-headed, wearing glasses, and wielding a samurai sword… It was none other than the Warrior God of Finance among the Gorōsei.
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro!
The moment he appeared, icy killing intent flashed beneath his glasses as the blade in his hand slashed out instantly.
"This is the best opportunity… Cut off his arms first!"
The other four figures also moved immediately and for the first time, Kojin was completely caught off guard… he was even shocked.
Because he had already spread his sensory field across the entire island and detected no one at all.
How exactly had these five concealed themselves?
The Gorōsei appeared with incredible speed, and their actions were swift and decisive to the extreme. In almost an instant, their forms underwent massive changes as their human bodies transformed into bizarre monstrous creatures.
Mythical Zoan Awakenings?
The thought had only just flashed through Kojin's mind when instinctively he tried to evade.
But at that very moment, Sakazuki intensified his assault.
The dense barrage of magma fists erupted like a volcano at its most violent peak.
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro's gaze turned icy cold as his figure flashed above Kojin's head, his sword slashing downward in a brilliant arc.
A dazzling streak of light illuminated the void.
Slash!
In that instant of lightning speed, Kojin's forearms were severed and fell to the ground.
Drip.
Blood splattered onto the earth, staining the scorched soil crimson.
"Hold him down!" Someone roared loudly.
The four gigantic monsters charged toward the seemingly stunned Kojin.
But in the very next second… It was as if time itself froze.
BUZZZZZ!!
Violent black-red lightning exploded outward from behind Kojin. Half the sky was instantly engulfed in thunder and lightning as countless natural bolts spread like branching roots, rumbling across the heavens.
"Heh heh heh…"
"Good!"
"Excellent!!"
Terrifyingly sharp light burst from Kojin's eyes, while his face twisted into an expression of utmost savagery and fury.
His shoulder twitched slightly, but what remained there were only bloody stumps.
The sight was horrifying.
"So this is your scheme?"
"The Gorōsei… Sakazuki. You planned to eliminate me here!"
Kojin spoke in a icy cold voice.
Almost simultaneously, endless lightning spread across the sky above the deserted island. The very color of the surrounding world seemed to shift into black and crimson as a horrifying aura descended.
"Kill him! His arms are gone… this is the perfect opportunity!" Topman Warcury roared.
The four massive figures instantly arrived before Kojin and attacked together.
Violent, overwhelming, terrifying pressure swept over Kojin in an instant, distorting even the airflow around him.
"You naïvely think you can kill me here?" Kojin growled.
"You think we would act…without absolute certainty?" Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro swung his blade and replied coldly.
Almost at the same moment his words ended, another figure suddenly appeared before Kojin.
CLANG!
The sound of metal colliding rang out as a pair of shackles locked around Kojin's legs.
In an instant, the power of the Goro Goro no Mi throughout his body suddenly vanished.
At the same time, his entire body became weak and powerless.
His figure swayed slightly… But he regained control almost immediately.
His right leg kicked forward violently toward the figure that had appeared out of nowhere. Black-red lightning exploded outward as terrifying force surged forth, ruthlessly smashing into the man's head.
BANG!
A dull sound echoed out as the unfamiliar figure was blasted away.
While still in midair, his skull and neck shattered with a crack, twisting grotesquely like a wrung towel.
The man was dead beyond any doubt.
"So this was your plan?" Kojin lowered his head and looked at the shackles around his legs, his voice ice-cold.
His eyes had become gloomy to the extreme.
First they launched a surprise attack to sever both his arms.
Then they suddenly restrained his legs, weakening his abilities.
"You think this is enough to kill me?" Kojin slowly raised his head and sneered.
Even though the Seastone shackles were constantly weakening his strength, he could still move. With Haki at its peak combined with monstrous stamina and physical conditioning, he could still unleash terrifying power even now.
"Kill you?"
"That was never part of our plan. We only need to restrain you and imprison you within Impel Down."
"Five years. Eight years. Ten years. Twenty years. Fifty years. Or even a hundred years. By then, all of your ambitions will have turned to nothing."
Marcus Mars said coldly.
"Kojin, you should understand better than anyone what you've been doing all these years."
"You kidnapped Vegapunk and secretly sheltered the surviving scholars of Ohara."
"You transformed the Marines of West Blue into your own private army while recruiting and gathering a group of ill-intentioned people."
"These are precisely the reasons why we cannot tolerate your existence."
The icy words entered Kojin's ears, causing his heart to sink.
Clearly, the Gorōsei's operation today had been planned for a very long time. It could even be said that they had already made complete preparations long ago.
"Back at the Holy Land Mariejois, the five of us carefully tested you. Though you are powerful, you are not impossible to deal with. Compared to our understanding of you, the information you possess about us is far too little. The balance between us has never been equal and that is precisely why victory today belongs to us." Marcus Mars said calmly as he slowly approached Kojin.
"Using an Ability User capable of concealing themselves and avoiding detection from your Goro Goro no Mi senses, we hid in advance. Then, with Sakazuki's cooperation, under a sudden assault, your lack of Kenbunshoku Haki made it impossible for you to react in time."
"First sever your arms, then restrict your legs and eliminate both your mobility and the escape abilities of the Goro Goro no Mi."
"With a surprise attack like this, our chances of success were extremely high."
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn said indifferently.
The five figures completely sealed off every direction around Kojin.
At this moment, all five had transformed into hideous, gigantic monsters.
"In eight hundred years, you are the only person who has forced us to devise such a meticulous plan."
"We even had to personally unleash our full strength."
"You should feel honored… Kojin."
The chilling voices swept across Kojin's body, causing his expression to darken to the extreme.
Blood still dripped continuously from the severed stumps of his arms, while every aspect of his condition had been restricted and weakened. Under the encirclement of the five Gorōsei alongside Sakazuki, even committing suicide would likely be nearly impossible.
Without question, this was the most dangerous moment of his entire life.
"What should I do now?" Kojin muttered softly.
For a moment, the overwhelming pressure caused even his thoughts to stagnate, leaving him dazed and momentarily lost.
At that same instant, the five gigantic monstrous figures moved.
In the blink of an eye, they had already arrived before him.
Kojin suddenly raised his head.
The confusion in his eyes instantly vanished, replaced by madness and savagery, while a grin spread across his face.
"You've made the blood in my body start boiling!"
BOOM!!
Violent Haoshoku Haki erupted completely at this moment.
Like an untamed wild beast breaking free of its restraints, it surged outward overwhelmingly, released without the slightest restraint. In an instant, that terrifying aura swept outward for ten thousand meters, fifty thousand meters, a hundred thousand meters.
The black-red atmosphere altered the very heavens themselves, causing lightning to flash across the sky as darkness descended overhead.
"Even without my arms, I still have my legs!"
"And even without my legs, I still have my teeth!!"
"And my head as well!!"
His savage roar shook the void.
At this moment, golden sakura-like petals flowed and danced around Kojin's body. Then, in the very next instant, black-red lightning burst forth explosively.
"This man's Haki!!"
"It's virtually unparalleled in this world!!"
Even the Gorōsei were shaken at this moment. It was also the first time they had witnessed Kojin unleashing his power so completely.
No…
At this very moment, he was still far from reaching the peak of his true full power. This was merely the strength he displayed while heavily weakened.
BOOM!!
Kojin raised his leg, unleashing a massive flying slash that instantly collided with Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro's samurai blade, erupting into brilliant electric arcs.
Then his figure vanished once more.
When he reappeared, he was already above Sakazuki's head.
"Your despicable nature truly deserves death."
A deep voice echoed out.
Kojin's right leg slammed downward directly onto Sakazuki's head.
CRACK!!
Violent Haki exploded completely at that instant.
Sakazuki's expression changed drastically as blood vessels burst throughout his eyes, and even his skull began cracking apart.
Immediately afterward, Kojin twisted his body once more.
Blood sprayed from the severed stumps of his arms as his other leg lashed outward like a blade.
"Rankyaku!"
(End of Chapter)
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