A layer of Armament Haki Coating—so dark it seemed to swallow all light—covered Roldy 's fist.
"Army Breaker!"
The hardened Armament Haki shattered Saint Batista's so-called strongest defense in the blink of an eye.
Weapons meant nothing in Roldy 's eyes.
Behind the fragmented shield was Batista's panicked expression.
The force of the punch did not diminish—amplified thirtyfold by the Moa Moa Fruit, it crashed squarely into Batista's face. His features twisted grotesquely as the sickening crack of shattering bone rang out.
His face was utterly crushed.
There was no greater sensation in this world than the feeling of a fist connecting with flesh.
A red gleam flickered in Roldy 's eyes.
He poured even more strength into the blow.
Batista was sent flying downward like a meteor.
Roldy 's strike had come from above, and Batista plummeted toward the ground. Roldy released Geppo and dropped as well, both legs coated thickly in Armament Haki.
This descending strike was like the spear of a war god falling from the heavens—divine wrath made manifest.
The speed was so extreme that sparks ignited at his toes.
Before Batista even hit the ground, Roldy 's foot had already stomped onto his chest.
A suffocating sense of death overwhelmed Batista.
He knew—if this landed cleanly, his chest would be crushed, his heart bursting along with it.
It had to be said—
Mythical Zoans carried real weight.
Despite his injuries and Roldy 's overwhelming speed, Batista twisted his body at the final instant. Roldy 's stomp smashed into his right shoulder instead.
The entire arm shattered—
but his life was spared.
Batista screamed in agony, a raw and inhuman cry.
A Celestial Dragon of such lofty status had never endured pain like this.
"Tsk. You've got powerful presence and solid strength. But your arrogance nearly got you killed. You're hopelessly foolish."
Roldy realized his own mistake.
He had assumed a Celestial Dragon would fight with the same ferocity as someone from the bottom of the world.
In raw power, they weren't far apart.
The Moa Moa Fruit was monstrously overpowered—but Batista's Mythical Zoan was no less formidable.
Roldy 's physical combat and Armament Haki were top-tier.
Yet Batista could easily exploit Roldy 's weaker Observation Haki and use the unique tricks of his Mythical Zoan to wear him down.
The strength was there—
but the combat experience lagged far behind.
"You think you've won?"
Unexpectedly, Batista—pinned beneath Roldy , one arm destroyed—suddenly revealed blood-red eyes.
The dark-golden fur on his body deepened into crimson.
A violent surge of power blasted Roldy backward.
A long, echoing wolf's howl rang out.
Batista's appearance transformed once more.
His fur, now stained in red, radiated murderous intent. His eyes carried the cunning unique to predatory beasts.
Though his limp arm disrupted the image—
he didn't seem to care.
With a flick of his fingers, countless steel fragments rose into the air and enveloped his shattered limb.
Roldy watched clearly as the steel pierced Batista's skin and burrowed into his flesh.
The crushed bones were reinforced—reborn through iron.
Such grotesque methods were eye-opening.
Things were getting interesting.
"You are strong," Batista said calmly, his earlier arrogance gone. "But that does not change the fate awaiting you."
He flexed his newly reconstructed iron arm—
and extended a hand toward Roldy .
"As a benevolent and noble Celestial Dragon, in the great name of Saint Batista, I am willing to grant you mercy."
"Kneel in gratitude. Fake your death. Become my subordinate."
"Your crimes will vanish with your 'death.' Join the World Government. With my backing, you will become a figure of immense influence."
"You will discover that killing with authority is far more satisfying than killing with brute force."
Batista spoke generously—
but everything hinged on one condition.
Roldy had to kneel.
Impossible.
If he knelt, his spirit would be broken.
His pride would never allow it.
And more importantly—
his instincts told him something else.
"Gahahahaha! Not a bad proposal."
"If I were some green rookie, I might've agreed!"
He looked at Batista mockingly.
Batista's expression remained perfectly calm.
"A cunning hunter knows that wolves rely on schemes to hunt efficiently and with minimal effort. It is instinct. It cannot be changed."
Would anyone truly believe the words of a wolf?
Perhaps a fool would.
Roldy was not one of them.
And from the beginning—
this had never been an option.
"You're clever," Batista admitted. "That makes killing you all the more enjoyable."
Without warning—
Batista vanished.
Roldy couldn't react in time.
A heavy punch smashed into his face.
Claws followed, piercing toward his abdomen—only to be caught between hardened muscle.
"Get lost!"
Roldy lashed out with a kick, forcing distance—
but failed to connect cleanly.
Wolves were not creatures to underestimate.
Their speed was terrifying.
And the beastly instincts of a predator amplified Batista's combat awareness far beyond ordinary Observation Haki.
Using that edge, he began to toy with Roldy .
Roldy licked the blood at the corner of his mouth, preparing to counterattack—
When suddenly—
A deafening explosion erupted from the center of the island.
Moments later, thick black smoke billowed into the sky.
Batista's pupils shrank.
His expression changed drastically.
That direction—
wasn't that where the raised platform stood?
PS : I've been consistently releasing chapters for many days now, and If you want to support my work and read the complete fic (all chapters ), you can check out
my P@treon. -> patreon.com/Sagamaster789
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789