The reef beach that Rocks mentioned wasn't exactly close to Fullalead Island, but it wasn't hard to find either.
Following the direction Rocks pointed out, Nereus soon spotted the reef beach that had been exposed by the low tide from midair, and arrived there ahead of time.
There's a big difference between hovering and true flight. While Rocks could hover, he couldn't truly fly in the strictest sense, so he wasn't as fast as Nereus.
On the whole of Fullalead Island, only Shiki, the Float-Float Fruit user, could barely keep up with Nereus' agility in aerial combat.
"I won't be holding back, Nereus!"
Hot on his heels, Rocks had already drawn the long saber hanging from his waist, and his terrifying Conqueror's Haki was swirling around the razor-sharp blade as if it were tangible.
They called it a spar or a contest, but in the eyes of any outsider, they were clearly acting with the intent to kill the other.
A massive slash wave, imbued with an immensely dense Haki, viciously cleaved toward Nereus.
As the slash wave shot forward, the very air around it seemed to be forcibly torn apart, and even the calm sea below was split open by the shockwave, leaving a large, abyss-like rift in its wake.
Facing such a fearsome attack, Nereus didn't dodge or evade at all, allowing the fierce slash to cut right through his body, wreaking havoc on the sea behind him.
The gruesome wound almost split Nereus in half, but Rocks showed no hint of regret; if anything, he seemed used to it.
The very next moment, that gruesome wound healed at an astonishing speed, as if nothing had happened.
"Vohahahahahaha! Still got that terrifying regeneration. Your nickname as an immortal creature is well-deserved."
I've read the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. To develop this fruit to this extent, from ancient times till now, you're the only one."
Bat-Bat Fruit • Mythical Zoan • Model: Vampire. It's a Devil Fruit that appeared in Trans Town, and in the game storyline, it belonged to Red Count Redfield.
As a Mythical Zoan, its powers included not only enhancing physical abilities but also absorbing lifespan and restoring youth. But, that's only part of it.
This terrifying regeneration is part of its power as well.
Logia-types use elemental transformation to evade attacks by turning their bodies into elements. If an attack can harm their physical form, the wound remains.
But it's different with a Mythical Zoan. Nereus's ability is somewhat similar to Marco's Phoenix Fruit. Attacks without Haki can't hurt him, and even injuries caused by Haki can be healed with his powers.
"Xebec, if this is what you meant by 'wanting to see what going all out looks like,' then it's a bit disappointing."
Nereus ignored Rocks's compliment.
Under the effect of his Devil Fruit ability, Nereus's hands became slender, and his nails were as sharp as blades.
His wings grew wider, and his muscles became even more developed and defined.
While in Redfield's hands, the wings created in Vampire's Human-Beast form were joined with the arms as wing membranes.
But for Nereus, they were independent wings. Zoan transformations always have unique variations, and can even be affected by drugs. This change was the result of Nereus's own mastery of the fruit.
Nereus himself wasn't in the habit of using weapons. His hands were his favorite weapon.
At this moment, he clasped his fingers into a fist, and a surge of Conqueror's Haki, no less intense than Rocks's, and even more condensed and focused, instantly wrapped around his sharp fingertips.
"Hell Thrust."
In an instant, Nereus's body seemed to transform into an unstoppable spear, charging straight at Rocks at a speed too fast for the eye to catch.
Clang!
Facing Nereus's fierce assault, Rocks reacted instantly, swinging his saber horizontally in front of himself.
With a blade hardened by Armament Haki and also wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, he solidly blocked Nereus's savage thrust.
"Don't hit my face, you b*stard! I don't have your regeneration. What if it leaves a scar?!"
Blocking with a weapon already showed how seriously Rocks was taking the fight.
For most people who have merely awakened Conqueror's Haki, this power can usually only be used to intimidate others with their aura, or to clear out small fry.
However, for top-tier fighters like them who have mastered the advanced usage of Conqueror's Haki—knowing how to infuse and wield it—Conqueror's Haki can become both an offensive spear and a defensive shield.
If the opponent's Haki isn't strong enough, they can't even break through the invisible barrier formed by the Conqueror's Haki.
Even if Rocks just stood still, weaker enemies wouldn't be able to inflict any effective damage on him.
On this vast sea, the powerhouses capable of truly achieving this can be counted on one hand, and Nereus and Harald are undoubtedly the standout figures among them.
"Didn't you block it just fine?"
"You're right. But from here on out…it's for real! Pandemonium!"
Before he finished speaking, Rocks twisted his wrist and deftly flicked away Nereus's thrust, then followed up with a powerful downward slash, the saber making a whistling sound as it came down.
Nereus's body instantly turned into a bloody mist, vanishing on the spot, only to reappear and reform not far away.
He twisted his torso, and though he wasn't using an actual weapon, his arm sliced through the air with a whistling sound like the sharpest blade.
"Crescent Moon!"
Boom!
Rocks changed his movement midway through the downward slash, switching to a swift sideways cut.
The saber and hand blade didn't make direct contact. Even at several feet apart, the overflowing torrents of Haki from both of them clashed violently in the air.
The thick clouds in the sky were violently torn apart by this invisible force, while the seawater beneath their feet frantically receded into the distance, forming a massive depression.
Countless shoals of fish swimming in the sea and seabirds flying overhead instantly fell unconscious under the impact of these two supreme Conqueror's Hakis, then were mercilessly blasted far away by the powerful shockwaves.
The rocks underfoot shattered from the impact, riddled with cracks. Even on Fullalead Island, one could sense this terrifying aura.
At Nereus's camp, his subordinates looked out toward the sea—not with worry, but with admiration.
"Has Boss gotten even stronger again?"
"Of course! That's why he's our leader!"
Meanwhile, the young man from the pub, who had wanted to witness the demeanor of a true powerhouse, had just rushed to the shore. The torn sky above seemed to be telling him what truly powerful are like.