Cyrus's foot that had pierced Kizaru's chest turned into flames and exploded.
The explosion blew Kizaru's body to pieces.
The space distorted at the moment of the explosion.
From the outside, even the giant fireball seemed to swell violently for an instant.
Cyrus didn't think for a moment that this could kill Kizaru; it would be difficult to even injure him.
His Observation Haki searched for Kizaru's figure.
Then, a beam of light shot from outside the giant fireball, piercing straight through the flame-filled space.
Cyrus looked down at the large hole pierced through his own chest, then turned his head to look outside through the channel that had been bored through his Flame Domain.
Kizaru was floating outside, a blinding light glowing in his hands.
As expected, even after expanding the range of his flames, it was impossible to trap Kizaru within a certain area with his current methods.
In fact, there was probably no one on these seas who could trap a Kizaru who wanted to leave.
The guy's light could be reflected, and he could even use the reflected light to move.
Cyrus suspected he could even use the refraction off the sea's surface to move.
Another beam of light shot over, and half of Cyrus's head vanished under its observation. Flames burned at the edges of the vanished part.
The moment the light beam pierced Cyrus's head, Kizaru's body instantly appeared beside him.
His right leg, transformed into light, swept horizontally, kicking toward Cyrus.
"Fading Sun Hell Garment!"
Almost at the same time his head was pierced, Cyrus directly unleashed his own technique.
Flames blazed on his body.
Under the enhancement of Armament Haki, the flames formed a high-temperature flame shield around Cyrus's body.
The leg of light vanished before it could even reach Cyrus.
The next moment, Kizaru's body disappeared again, reappearing outside the Flame Domain.
"How scary. If that kick had landed, my leg might have been gone."
Kizaru pouted with his hands in his pockets. He sounded like he was joking, but his eyes were grave.
That wasn't an exaggeration.
The temperature in that instant was so high that even if he had coated his leg with Armament Haki, he probably couldn't have blocked it.
This guy's flames were even stronger than Akainu's.
The Haki enhancement had only lasted an instant, but in that instant, Cyrus also felt a massive drain on his Armament Haki.
The vast Flame Domain began to shrink, converging on Cyrus's body.
The retracting flames kicked up a hot wind that blew in all directions.
The trees and buildings on the island below burst into flames under the high temperature.
...
Underground, Robin, who had long since sensed the huge commotion outside, did not rashly leave her subterranean location.
Although she was also a Devil Fruit user, a battle with Cyrus that created such a disturbance was clearly not something she could interfere in.
Rather than going out and distracting Cyrus, it was better to wait in the underground factory for the great battle to end.
But it was impossible not to worry.
His opponent seemed incredibly strong!
"Cough, cough!"
The sound of someone coughing violently rang out.
Robin whipped her head around, looking toward the passage leading outside.
She spread her Observation Haki and immediately saw who was making the sound.
It was a man charred black from head to toe.
He was now lying motionless on the ground.
'He came from outside.'
Robin's expression grew wary, but she didn't approach rashly.
Her eyes locked onto the direction of the fallen person, and she crossed her arms over her chest, ready to strike at any moment.
...
Outside.
The endless flames were all retracted.
Flames coiled around Cyrus's body, the flowing, dancing fire moving as if it were solid.
The space around Cyrus distorted under the scorching heat.
Since the Flame Domain couldn't trap Kizaru, there was no point in maintaining it.
It was better to retract and compress the flames to deal with this powerful opponent's attacks.
The light attacks didn't do much damage to Cyrus.
But if he failed to use Elemental Transformation in time to dodge an attack coated in Armament Haki, he might lose a lot of health.
Cyrus didn't plan on activating Indomitable this time.
So he could only defend with high-temperature flames.
His main strategy was: if you hit me, you won't get off easy either.
Kizaru's eyes sized up Cyrus.
Cyrus's strength had indeed exceeded his expectations.
But if he went all out, he could definitely take him down.
But it wasn't worth it.
After all, this mission wasn't about taking down Cyrus at all costs.
"Swish!"
A Flying Slash flew straight at Kizaru.
After the slash, amidst a flash of fire, Cyrus's body transformed into a mass of flames that was difficult to discern as a human figure, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of Kizaru.
"Stroke Cut!"
Slash after slash.
Kizaru, cut in half at the waist, separated into an upper and lower body.
The two passed each other.
Light converged where Kizaru had been severed, and his lower half turned into light and returned to his body.
He kicked at Cyrus, who was passing by, his leg clad in Haki.
Bang!
The blade of Flame and the incoming kick collided, sending a shockwave expanding in all directions.
...
The sea below was churned into giant waves by the shockwave.
The giant waves spread rapidly.
The ship that had already turned to leave bobbed in the massive waves, looking as if it would capsize at any moment.
Violet and the others on the ship watched the scene in the distant sky with horror.
Everyone was desperately trying to get away.
Tears fell from Violet's eyes.
It wasn't caused by emotions like sadness, but because her eyes had been stimulated by the intense light when she used her Glare-Glare Fruit ability earlier.
Admiral Kizaru!
Violet had seen Kizaru's figure and recognized his identity.
Her heart was now filled with worry.
She had placed her hopes on Cyrus.
With the strength Cyrus was currently displaying, he might really be able to defeat Doflamingo.
But now, Admiral Kizaru had actually come here.
If Cyrus was no match for him, he might be killed or captured.
Violet didn't know Cyrus's current situation; she could only guess based on a normal scenario.
After all, as the Navy's highest combat power, the Admirals were incredibly, incredibly strong.
The others on the ship desperately controlled the vessel, quickly moving away.
...
The fight between Cyrus and Kizaru progressed rapidly in the air.
'Flame' and Kizaru's Ama no Murakumo clashed hundreds of times in the blink of an eye.
A large number of aftershocks from the slashes flew in all directions.
Clang!
The two swords clashed, locked in a struggle for dominance.
Kizaru, holding his sword with both hands, stared at Cyrus, who was in the same posture opposite him.
The oncoming high temperature made Kizaru frown.
'What a pain.'
'I must get a bonus for this field mission!'
This thought popped into Kizaru's mind, and his body, along with the sword in his hands, turned into light and retreated.
But this time, Cyrus didn't pursue, his eyes locked onto Kizaru.
"The Fleet Admiral really gave me a huge problem. Are you sure you won't stop what you're doing?"
Kizaru asked Cyrus, one hand in his pocket.
"If you want to fight, then fight!"
Hearing this, Cyrus was in no mood to waste words with Kizaru.
This full-power use of his Devil Fruit Ability and Haki was continuously draining his health.
Even though his health regeneration was fast, it was still steadily decreasing in the face of such consumption.
Hearing Cyrus's impolite words, Kizaru frowned, then pushed up the sunglasses on his nose.
Being spoken to like that by a brat, even Kizaru was a little annoyed.
But he had no intention of continuing the fight.
He had originally treated this as a minor matter, but it had turned out to be this troublesome.
Considering Sengoku and Garp's attitude toward Cyrus that time, going too far here might also be a mistake.
'Well, I tried.'
Thinking this, Kizaru glanced at Cyrus one last time, and his body flashed into a golden light, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.
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