Although Haxorus's axe-like fangs were technically teeth, their hardness had long surpassed that of ordinary metal. As battles went on, Haxorus's axe-like fangs would grow even sharper.
The axe blades on Ulti's forearms were weapons derived from those fangs. In her Human-Beast form, the axe-like fangs fixed to her upper jaw could be used in even more ways.
This was part of the power granted by Arceus. Among Zoan-type fruits, such transformations were perfectly reasonable; after all, in the original timeline, Sasaki's triceratops could spin his bone armor like a propeller, and King could use his face as a slingshot, claiming it was the ancient pterosaur's way of hunting.
At times, Zoan-types possessed powers even more absurdly unrealistic than Paramecia-types.
Clang! Clang!
With two crisp sounds, Bastille's Shark Cleaver was instantly interrupted by Ulti, leaving two nicks on the edge of the zanbato.
"How is that possible?! I used Haki—"
Through the holes in his mask, Bastille could clearly see the damage on his weapon.
His Shark Cleaver wasn't a Famed Sword, but it was a finely crafted weapon forged by Marine Headquarters' logistics division. With Haki reinforcement, it was more than enough in the New World.
If it had been after an extended, high-intensity fight, that would be understandable, but this was only their first clash, and his weapon was already breaking.
In truth, it wasn't just him. Ulti was also dissatisfied.
"Tch, didn't cut it clean through? Guess Headquarters' Vice Admiral's got some skill after all."
The axe-like fangs in her hands were far sturdier than any blade. Like King, she was a weapon destroyer; though King seized weapons with his serrated sword, while Ulti preferred sheer destruction.
Failing to shatter Bastille's Shark Cleaver in one strike didn't hinder her follow-up attacks. Ulti and Page One had no obsession with fighting 1 on 1; they didn't mind ganging up two-on-one.
The instant Ulti knocked Bastille's weapon aside, Page One was already on the move. Using his devil fruit's power, he transformed into his Beast Form, completely reversing their size difference.
Aside from not knowing Dragon Dance, Garchomp's combat traits were extremely well-rounded; strong in both close and ranged combat, with speed and defense to match.
His twin fins acted as sharp axes as Page One swung both arms toward Bastille with tremendous force, driving him back several steps and trapping him completely within Page One's tempo.
Under the relentless flurry of Page One's attacks, Bastille could only barely defend himself, having no chance to counterattack.
Nearby contestants were also caught up in the exchange; from time to time, someone would be thrown off the arena in the aftermath.
Although Bastille currently served as Fujitora's adjutant and was by no means weak in combat, his greatest strength didn't lie in personal strength. It was his command and leadership ability.
The Marines under his command were among the most spirited in all the Marine forces. Because he led from the front and treated his subordinates well, many Marines followed him into battle without fear of death.
Fujitora's Observation Haki was exceptional; his blindness didn't hinder his movements, but the daily inconveniences meant that Bastille often handled much of the troops' routine affairs in his stead.
He was the best commander among the fighters, and the best fighter among the commanders. Yet when faced with a troublesome enemy alone, his weakness became apparent, let alone when it was a one-versus-two.
"Pay-tan, duck! Guillotine!"
Bastille was quickly forced to the edge of the arena by Page One, and with no room to retreat, he was unable to gain the advantage in the struggle with Page One, instead giving Ulti the final opportunity.
At Ulti's shout, Page One quickly ducked his head. Leaping from his back, Ulti's twin axe blades gleamed with dazzling white light as she descended in a pincer-like motion, slashing straight toward Bastille.
Guillotine — one of the moves that Haxorus can master. Its accuracy was extremely low, and it required a long period of charge before activation. However, if it managed to hit the opponent, it could inflict a truly devastating amount of damage.
In the games, it was a special move capable of instantly knocking out any Pokémon with a lower level than the user, but reality wasn't a game. There were no limitations like levels or HP bars.
Guillotine could only be considered an immensely powerful attack, nothing more.
Suppressed by Page One, Bastille had already become a stationary target. Under Ulti's assault, an X-shaped wound deep enough to reveal bone appeared across Bastille's chest, and over half the arena was completely destroyed in the wake of the attack.
"See how powerful I am now, idiot? You actually dared to lay a hand on my Pay-tan!"
"Sis, you actually held back. I thought you were gonna straight-up kill him."
"…"
Ulti suddenly went silent. From the look on her face, Page One seemed to understand. His sister hadn't learned restraint; she had simply gotten too caught up in the heat of battle to notice.
To prevent any embarrassing situation from happening next, Page One stomped the ground, completely destroying the remainder of the arena, leaving only him and Ulti suspended in the air above it.
"Match in G Block is over! The winners are Ulti and Page One! Since the arena's been destroyed again, the matches will pause for 15 minutes. Please wait patiently, everyone.
Rescue team! Get moving! Don't let these guys die here, or it'll cause trouble for His Majesty!"
This time, the arena's destruction was even worse than before. Page One's Earthquake had nearly destroyed the foundation itself. If not for Pica's ability to easily manipulate stone, rebuilding the arena would've been a monumental task.
During the reconstruction, it was Gatz's job to fill the downtime. Though there was no match taking place, he didn't just sit idle. He chatted casually with the audience instead.
"Seven matches have already concluded, and among the fourteen who've advanced, four are members of the Beasts Pirates! As the current strongest pirate crew on the seas, it seems they're determined to claim victory."
"But how will the others face their sharp blades?"
"Will the Beasts Pirates prove worthy of their title as the strongest, or will the Whitebeard Pirates once again reclaim their former glory?
Will the mysterious Red seize the devil fruit, or will the Sweet Commander Katakuri forge a new, unbroken legend?
Today's battles have been nothing short of spectacular. I can't even imagine what the finals will look like! But before that, let's finish the H Block's match.
This is today's last match, and it features the top-seeded fighter of the day.
The final representative of the Beasts Pirates, their Eldest Princess - Oni Princess • Yamato!"
As the arena was restored, the H Block match began right on schedule.
"Without a doubt, H Block is the true Group of Death. The other seven blocks each have two advancement slots, but for everyone else in H Block, there's only one.
Not because of any special arrangement, but because of Oni Princess's strength. With a bounty of 2,963,000,000 berries, the fourth-highest among the Beasts Pirates, her strength is beyond question. Let's observe a three-second silence for her unfortunate opponents."
Gatz's commentary on Yamato contained far more praise than usual; not because anyone told him to, but because the facts themselves warranted it.
Whether it was her bounty, her record, or her identity, Yamato was easily the most extraordinary contestant of them all.
And aside from her, there was only one other contestant in H Block worth introducing.
"Unbelievable! Today's Dressrosa truly lives up to its excitement! H Block also features an even more remarkable contestant. He is perhaps not as strong as the Oni Princess, but his identity is the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff, Sabo!"
Pop.
The sound of a bursting snot bubble echoed through the stands as Luffy and Ace opened their eyes at the same time.
The Monkey family's inherited ability. Falling asleep anytime, anywhere. Whether they're fighting, eating, or even drinking water mid-sip, they can fall asleep in an instant.
Perhaps from spending too much time with Garp, or maybe because of being around Luffy for too long, Ace had picked up the same habit.
The fifteen-minute break felt unbearably long for the two of them, so they simply decided to rest and conserve their energy.
Even Gatz's booming voice couldn't wake them, not until the word "Sabo" was spoken.
That name seemed to hit a switch deep in their minds, instantly snapping them both awake.
"Sabo... Ace, I dreamed of Sabo! I heard someone shouting his name..."
From excitement to despair, Luffy suddenly remembered. His other brother, Sabo, had died long ago, killed by a Celestial Dragon's cannon fire when he first set out to sea.
"Me too... If he were still alive, then maybe—"
Bonk! Bonk!
This time, the sound wasn't of something breaking, but of heavy impacts striking their heads. Hercules hovered just above them, both arms wrapped in Haki.
If it didn't do that, it really couldn't land a solid hit on these two idiots: one made of fire, the other of rubber. Physical blunt force wasn't exactly effective against either of them.
"Heraaacross!"
Hercules looked exasperated, then pointed down toward the arena, and there, standing in the arena in a suit and top hat, holding a metal pipe, was Sabo, waving in their direction.
A flame-shaped scar marked his forehead; the mark of that bombardment long ago. His outfit was nearly identical to what he'd worn as a child, just scaled up to adult size.
"Yo! Long time no see, Ace, Luffy! You two look like you've been doing pretty well!"
"Sabo?!"
"A living Sabo?!"
Ace and Luffy exchanged a glance, and then, without a word, each swung a punch at the other. With Armament Haki coating their fists, both ended up with matching black eyes... yet neither could stop smiling.
The next moment, they were about to rush toward the arena, but Marco grabbed them by the collars, holding them back with one hand each.
"You two, calm down! The match isn't over yet! Whatever this is, deal with it after the fight! You two know him that well? He's the Revolutionary Army's rising star, and only recently started making waves across the seas.
No one expected the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army to be someone that young."
Marco tossed aside the pineapple leaves in his hand. Sure, he ate pineapples without peeling them, but he didn't chew the leaves. Judging by Ace and Luffy's reactions, their relationship with Sabo was anything but ordinary.
"Of course! He's my brother! I knew it… I knew Sabo was still alive!"
"And who was it that cried for days back then?"
"Ace, you were crying too! You cried even harder than me, I saw it!"
TN: Hey guys, I've picked up a new One Piece novel. You can search it: One Piece: The Undying King.
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