When Shiki first appeared, his face was full of rage. Upon seeing Taro and the other two, he showed a hint of shock, which then turned into disdain.
"So it's you. The little brat from back then dares to call himself 'old man' now?" Shiki looked at Akainu and chuckled lightly, "How laughable."
Akainu stared at Shiki, his eyes burning with fury. However, before he could act, Sengoku spoke first.
"For twenty years you've been silent. I once thought you were dead. It seems your fantasy of toppling the world hasn't been abandoned, Shiki!"
Looking at Sengoku, Shiki recalled the time he heard the news of Pirate King Roger turning himself in and charged alone into Marineford. A look of reminiscence appeared on his face.
"Oh, it's Sengoku. I heard you've become the Fleet Admiral. Where's that 'marine hero' Garp?"
Golden Lion replied indifferently, then cast a contemptuous glance at Akainu and Taro.
"This time you brought these two brats, thinking they can stop my plan?"
Akainu couldn't tolerate being called a brat by Shiki twice. His right arm had already transformed into billowing magma, which he swung out with full force.
"Great Eruption!"
Taro also whispered to Sengoku, "Fleet Admiral, let's defeat Shiki first, then talk."
Sengoku nodded, then looked towards the two combatants.
"Wave Slash," Shiki floated up lightly and kicked out a Sword Qi with the blades on his feet.
The Sword Qi was astonishingly powerful, directly cleaving a trench in the ground. Akainu's magma was also split apart, exploding in mid-air as meteor-like fragments rained down upon the ground.
[Wave Slash learned successfully]
Having his attack easily blocked in one Move didn't discourage Akainu. Clenching his fists tightly, he suddenly punched towards the sky. Countless gigantic fists of magma surged into the air and then rapidly plummeted down.
"Meteor Volcano"
Akainu roared angrily.
[Meteor Volcano learned successfully]
Just as Taro succeeded in learning it, Shiki also made his Move. He swiftly floated around, dodging Akainu's attacks while rapidly kicking out with the blades on his feet.
"Lions Share"
Dozens of Sword Qi slashes shot towards Akainu at extreme speed. Akainu remained calm, transforming his entire body into magma. Shiki's slashes passed right through him without causing injury, instead slicing the peak off a distant mountain.
[Lions Share learned successfully]
This exchange between the two was spectacular. Finally, another person ran out from Shiki's palace.
Dressed in a white lab coat, with blue hair, making a'squelch-squelch' sound like flatulence when walking.
Dr. Indigo, the ship's doctor of the Golden Lion Pirates, and Golden Lion Shiki's right-hand man.
Hearing his walking sound effect, Taro's mouth twitched. This duo, one clanging metal, the other farting, was truly a perfect match!
After emerging, Indigo didn't speak, just kept gesturing. Taro initially thought he was performing some kind of dance, but then he suddenly spoke up.
"Ah, Lord Shiki, why are there Marines on the island!"
Taro: "..."
Soon, Indigo assessed the situation. He removed his gloves, rubbed his fingers together, quickly producing small blue fireballs, then waved his hand and uttered a low cry.
"Chemical Juggling Balls"
The small fireballs flew straight towards Taro.
[Chemical Juggling Balls learning failed]
[Insufficient chemistry knowledge reserves, unable to learn]
This time, before Taro could ask, the System answered first. Taro was a bit dumbfounded. Did the System mean he was illiterate?
Indigo's attack was imminent. Taro casually drew his sword and swung it a few times, shattering these juggling balls.
Since he couldn't learn the opponent's Move, Taro didn't waste words. He directly unleashed a "Mihawk Slash," sending Indigo flying.
After all, he was a researcher. His physical constitution was really quite poor.
Having dealt with Indigo, Taro turned his attention back to Akainu and Shiki. The two were still locked in a fierce battle.
Just as Taro was hesitating whether to join the fray, Sengoku, who had somehow already transformed into his Great Buddha Form, boomed out.
"What are you standing around for? Attack together, let's capture Shiki first!"
Justice three-on-one?
I like it!
As a top-tier expert in the pirate world, Shiki immediately sensed the intention of Taro and the other two to attack him together. He let out a loud shout.
"Lions Might: Earth Roll"
Instantly, the earth shook and mountains trembled, dust clouds rose, and the ground was torn up in massive sheets.
Soil and rocks compressed and reshaped into over a dozen lion-head formations, surrounding Taro and the other two, then rapidly crushed inwards.
[Lions Might: Earth Roll learned successfully]
This Move had excellent visual impact, but posed little real threat to the trio. The moment the lion heads converged, Sengoku in Great Buddha Form, from his commanding height, struck the ground with a palm strike from above.
A tremendous shockwave erupted from beneath his palm, rapidly expanding and forming a powerful blast wave that instantly shattered all the surrounding lion heads.
Having his attack easily neutralized, Shiki floated higher into the air, intending to wear down Taro and the others from above.
Sengoku clearly understood Shiki's tactic. He glanced down at Taro and Akainu.
"Take advantage of him being airborne and less guarded against us. Our next combined attack must defeat him!"
"Otherwise, with his Float-Float Fruit ability, if we get bogged down in a protracted fight, his stamina consumption will be much lower than ours, putting us at a severe disadvantage!"
Akainu's eyes deepened, but he said nothing. Taro, however, cooperatively nodded and grunted in agreement.
Sengoku grabbed a huge boulder with one hand, hurled it into the air, then leaped up, landing on the boulder. Using it as a springboard, he jumped even higher and struck out with his palm.
Simultaneously, half of Akainu's body turned to magma as he charged towards Shiki with billowing smoke. His left hand clenched into a fist, instantly transforming into molten rock. A bright black sheen appeared on its surface, giving the entire fist a black-red hue.
"Nether Dog"
[Nether Dog learned successfully]
Taro no longer hesitated. He crouched down forcefully with both feet.
"Second Gear"
Internal Energy surged throughout his entire body into his internal organs, was rapidly compressed and concentrated, then released to every part of his body.
Then he transformed into a Falcon, shooting straight into the clouds, instantly flying to a point high above Shiki.
"Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"
Bluish-white Armament Haki enveloped Taro's fists. Countless Internal Energy, almost materializing into solid form, transformed into fist shadows that blasted towards Shiki.
Boosted by Second Gear, Taro's speed doubled. Starting last, he arrived first. The attacks of all three men almost simultaneously locked onto Shiki.
Shiki now sensed the danger, but when he tried to evade, the shockwave from Sengoku's Great Buddha palm seemed to solidify the air, making his movements unbearably sluggish.
Akainu's attack was also right before him. Shiki only had time to summon several large boulders to block in front of himself.
Akainu's strike shattered the boulders. Without their protection, Taro's torrential barrage of fist shadows pummeled his body.
"Cough, hack"
Shiki coughed up a large mouthful of blood, his body instantly suffering grievous injuries as he crashed heavily into the ground.
"Shiki, you've lost!"
Taro, having landed, said calmly.
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