The fact that it had detected their approach yet chosen not to flee meant one thing, it had absolute confidence. And now, standing before it, were none other than the world-renowned Akainu, the elusive Kizaru, and the mysterious, formidable former and current Chiefs of CP0.
So the question was, On what basis?!
Gulu gulu…
Molten magma poured from Akainu's shoulders, wrapping both his hands in blazing lava. The stench of sulfur filled the air, his very presence suffocating.
"I didn't abandon the frontlines just to play games with you, Sea King! You have one last chance to surrender, order the Sea Kings to halt their assault immediately, or else…"
Ka-cha, ka-cha…
The ground beneath them cracked with scarlet fissures, jagged lines spreading outward in every direction. A wave of imminent danger surged forth, forcing Bald Zero and the others to frown as they silently stepped back.
BOOM!!
Sure enough, the very moment they retreated, the fire-scorched earth erupted. Endless magma geysered up from below, painting the dawn in molten red.
Standing in the middle of the blazing pool, Akainu radiated pure killing intent.
"…Then die!"
"Fleet Admiral… terrifying, truly terrifying! But I agree with this approach." Kizaru muttered quietly to the others, his tone light yet sharp: "In a moment, I'll coordinate with the Fleet Admiral and sweep the island clean with our fruit abilities. The rest will be up to you."
The other two gave no reply, only silent nods of agreement.
As Akainu had said, they hadn't come here to play games with a Sea King.
Break through levels to reach some hidden palace in the center? Whoever wanted to play at that nonsense, let them! So long as the enemy was anchored to this island, the battle would turn in their favor.
After a brief pause, the Talking Serpent's eerily human face remained unchanged. It answered in a calm, steady tone:
"Interesting."
"I told you before, if you can make it through… go ahead and try, Akainu. Let's see if you can break my rules."
"Ridiculous!"
That arrogance drove Akainu into a seething fury. Dragging twin rivers of magma along the ground, he thrust both hands forward.
"Awakening: Lava Hell!!"
Hissss…!
So this was what he had been preparing all along?!
Feeling the very earth quiver, Masked Zero's eyes widened.
Akainu's earlier eruption hadn't been posturing; it had been a setup for this very move!
Awakened powers, the kind that could shift heaven and earth, were never so simple to unleash. Even Rowen's Black Prison Thunder Realm required time to charge.
"The times have changed… even Akainu has learned to scheme…"
Masked Zero sighed softly, then vanished into the void with a swipe of his hand. The others responded in turn, one refracting into countless light particles using Yata no Kagami, the other stepping weightlessly into the sky, as though gravity itself obeyed his will.
And then, BOOM!!!
A heaven-shaking tremor exploded outward. The sea frothed and surged like a boiling cauldron as magma cleaved the island apart and hurled itself skyward.
It was as though a colossal bridge of molten fire had risen to pierce the very heavens. Before such a terrifying eruption, the world itself seemed insignificant.
Half the island was instantly obliterated, magma consuming everything in its path. The Talking Serpent, used as a mouthpiece by the Sea King, let out an agonized shriek as it was engulfed, its cries echoing through the trembling heavens, as though the world itself wept at the sight of such destructive power.
"As expected… to defeat Ao…kiji… this power… when I chose… to retreat before, it was… without doubt… the wisest decision…"
The human-faced serpent's words broke apart in halting gasps, its expression eerily calm even as its body melted away within the lava, a chilling, grotesque sight.
"But… things are different now…"
At last, the serpent was consumed completely, the stench of roasting flesh rising thick in the air. Yet Akainu felt no satisfaction. His brow furrowed sharply as magma burst beneath his feet, propelling him into the sky.
The instant he left the ground, the lava pool erupted. From below, a monstrous set of jaws burst upward, snapping shut with crushing force.
"This is…!!" Akainu's pupils shrank, horror flashing across his face as he saw the upper and lower jaws closing in from both sides.
"It's an Island-Devouring Crocodile!!" Masked Zero exclaimed in shock: "I thought that species was extinct?!"
"No… I think what stunned the Fleet Admiral wasn't that…" Kizaru's dry voice cut in. Twisting midair, he dove downward at light speed.
"Light-Speed Kick!"
"Meigō – Nether Hound!!"
Back-to-back, the two unleashed their ultimate moves, magma and lasers colliding against jaws the size of the Gates of Justice themselves. The impact shook the beast, making it howl as its enormous body faltered, if only for an instant.
Kizaru seized the opening, spinning as he lifted his leg in a sweeping kick. Akainu decisively stepped onto it, using the momentum to hurl himself outward.
"Roar!!"
Enraged at its prey's escape, the monstrous maw bellowed, snapping shut again with terrifying force despite its wounds.
BOOM!!
The atmosphere itself convulsed as the world seemed to cry out under its power.
Akainu stomped into the air with Geppo, propelling himself higher. His expression was dark, eyes cold.
"Busoshoku Haki… Armament Haki!"
That was the true reason behind Akainu's shock.
It wasn't about whether the creature's species had been extinct or not. With so many varieties of Sea Kings hidden in untouched regions, verifying extinction was nearly impossible.
What shook him was the fact that this beast, this mere animal, was using Busoshoku Haki.
And not the basic form, but advanced Armament, hardening with entwined flow, a mastery difficult even for elite warriors.
Given the Sea Kings' naturally vast size and terrifyingly powerful bodies, once they mastered Armament Haki, their destructive force would dwarf that of any human countless times over.
Why was Elbaf, the "Nation of Giants", known as the world's greatest military power?
It wasn't only their warrior culture. It was their size, their strength, and their destructive might. When that natural power was paired with mastery of Haki, their champions could contend against massive sea beasts themselves. That was why they stood as the strongest.
But now, that glory of the Giants had found a new heir.
The Sea Kings, an even more terrifying species, were taking their place!
"No wonder Aokiji lost so badly. Facing a swarm of Sea Kings like this, even the Hie Hie no Mi (Ice-Ice Fruit) couldn't stir up any waves."
Shua!
Kizaru, wearing his ever-lewd pout, appeared at Akainu's side, yet his eyes carried a heavy seriousness.
"The sea… this is the Sea Kings' home turf!"
"Wait a second… what did you just say?"
Masked Zero suddenly turned, the corner of his mouth twitching. "A swarm?"
Kizaru: "..."
Akainu: "..."
Bald Zero: "..."
"Don't you dare jinx us at a time like this, asshole!!" Masked Zero roared furiously, his fangs bared.
And with his shout, the island beneath them exploded apart, rising out of the sea.
It was a colossal, ultra-large Sea King, its massive body covered in coral reefs and seaweed, its true form obscured by the ocean's adornments. At its center stood a pearl-studded palace inlaid with Dials, encircled by hundreds of amphibious Sea Kings, each the size of an island itself.
And swarming still further were countless more Sea Kings in every direction, surging through the depths with violent, feral eyes fixed calmly upon the four figures standing above the waves.
Only then did the four finally grasp the truth, the place they had landed earlier, that so-called "island," had been nothing more than a mere scrap of land beside the palace itself.
The vast stretch of ground Akainu's magma had obliterated, so enormous in their eyes, was, to this titanic Sea King, no bigger than a human fingernail.
This was the real reason the Sea Kings had remained hidden here!
To reach the palace, one would have to pass through an endless tide of Sea Kings, this was the true trial.
"Heh… stunned, are you? You humans know far too little of the ocean." The Sea King's voice echoed from nowhere, reverberating as though the world itself carried its weight.
"This world has never belonged to you. If you had been more observant, you would have realized, the Sea Kings I sent to the Red Line to awaken Yama-ancestor were all crustaceans. Within their bodies flows his ancient bloodline. They share a bond of heritage, making them the most suitable for the task."
"And they are nothing but the tip of the iceberg of the ocean."
At those words, all four faces darkened to the extreme.
Shirahoshi… no, what the Sea King had just revealed was something truly ominous.
The legend of Yama-ancestor… like Pure Gold, it wasn't just some bedtime tale!
"Ahhh, I really wish Rowen were here… With him around, he'd surely come up with some way to stop these beasts."
Pressing down his pounding heart, Kizaru shrugged his shoulders in that same sleazy fashion.
"What's the point of talking about that now?"
Bald Zero drew in a deep breath. His once polite, refined demeanor vanished in an instant as his muscles bulged violently, stretching skin and fabric alike.
"Kill!!"
(End of Chapter)
This novel is finished, and I have posted all the advanced chapters on my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395