"Hmph. I alone am enough to stop you."
"Hehe, don't kid yourself, Zephyr. You know very well your strength isn't enough."
"Whether it's enough or not, I have to try!"
Zephyr charged Arton again.
Arton shook his head. "Then let's wrap this up early."
He had a good idea of what was going on. Even if Zephyr didn't say it, Arton could guess he was stalling—for Gion, or worse, for Garp. One wasn't too big a problem. He had his crew to back him up. But if it was Garp, the Hero of the Marines… that would get troublesome. And Arton didn't like trouble.
So it was time to end it.
In the next moment, an overwhelming wave of spiritual pressure poured from his body.
Zephyr's steps froze mid-attack. He kicked the air with Geppo, halting instantly. "What is this?! A stronger form of Conqueror's Haki?"
He could feel the crushing weight pressing into his very core, could see the seawater around the ship boiling under the pressure. His face twisted in shock.
"Not Conqueror's Haki," Arton said coolly. "Reiatsu. And you, Zephyr—you're the first to witness me using it openly in this world. Feel honored."
His eyes narrowed, golden light exploding around him.
"Resurrect… Tiburón."
Buzzing energy engulfed his form. For an instant, Arton vanished within a cocoon of spiritual power. Then—
Shing!
A massive, broad-edged blade slashed out from within the radiance, followed by a cascading surge of blue-white water slicing down toward the deck. Arton's figure reemerged, transformed.
Charlotte Smoothie: "It's here… Arton's Resurrección."
Black Maria: "He already had the upper hand. I can't imagine Zephyr holding out against him now."
Ginrummy: "The power of an Espada's release… and he can command the very sea itself. The world will tremble at this."
Boa Hancock: "Control of water… for Devil Fruit users, that is a deadly advantage."
Stussy: "Once word spreads of this, every Fruit user will see Arton as a threat that must be eliminated."
Viola: "But with his current strength, how many could actually succeed?"
Baccarat: "He'll only grow stronger with time. Eventually, he'll become the nightmare of every ability user alive."
Vivi: "If I could wield that power, I could bring rain to Arabasta… if only."
Sadi: "Arton's ending this fight already. Can Vice Admiral Garp even make it in time?"
Gion: "This is bad!"
The bone mask once covering half his face had mostly shattered away, leaving only fragments along his neck. Blue lightning-like streaks now marked both cheeks, hardening his sharp expression into something colder, more fearsome. His white trousers had reshaped into a bone-plated battle skirt, armor radiating menace. Most striking of all was the weapon in his grip: what had once been a slim short blade was now a hollow, wide-edged double sword, glowing with destructive force.
Zephyr scowled. "Transformed? No… it's similar to before, but… an advanced form?"
Raising his massive mechanical arm defensively, he scanned Arton for an opening.
But Arton was already moving. He lifted the double-edged blade high.
"Let's see how you like being ripped apart by a shark, Zephyr—Trident!"
He swung down. High-pressure streams of water vapor condensed into a savage, slicing blast that tore through the air.
"So fast!" Zephyr's Observation Haki flared. He managed to throw his right arm up just in time—barely intercepting the strike.
When the attack ended, Zephyr stared in shock. A massive gash had appeared across the supposedly indestructible mechanical arm he wore.
Crack!
A sharp noise rang out. The heavy metal arm split further, a deep fracture spreading until it looked ready to shatter.
"How… how is this possible?! This arm was crafted by Vegapunk from the hardest materials known!"
"There's nothing impossible about it," Arton replied coolly. "A shark's bite can tear through even a whale. So naturally, it can rip apart your oversized arm as well. Now—try this next one, Zephyr. La Gota!"
Water burst from the shark-jaw-like ridges of his blade, condensing into high-pressure projectiles that rocketed forward like cannon fire.
Zephyr raised his mechanical arm to block, but the cracks spread wider. Then—
Crunch!
The arm finally broke apart, metal scattering across the deck.
"The power to manipulate water…?!" Zephyr's shock only deepened. He knew full well what such an ability meant in this world.
"That's right," Arton said calmly. "I command the flow of water. Now, Zephyr, without your weapon… how will you withstand this?"
"Cascada!"
Arton could feel that Tashigi within him was nearly at her limit. So he unleashed the strongest technique Tia's template allowed.
He raised his twin blade high. Torrents of water erupted from the weapon, while beneath him, the sea itself surged violently.
A colossal column of water shot upward from the ocean, merging with the streams bursting from Arton's blade. Together, they formed a mountain-sized torrent, a liquid monolith blotting out the sky.
"Incredible… he can control this much water?!" Zephyr's eyes widened, his sense of dread peaking. Yet as a former Admiral, he forced himself calm.
"So what if you can manipulate the sea? I'm no Devil Fruit user. I'll smash apart your waves myself!"
His fists coated in Armament Haki, Zephyr charged.
"Don't underestimate the current I command," Arton said. His blade pointed forward, and the towering column moved like a living beast—a massive shark lunging down at its prey.
"Come!" Zephyr roared, slamming his fists into the descending torrent.
But instead of dispersing, the water pressed straight through his guard. The next moment, the Admiral was swallowed whole, slammed down into the sea with crushing force.
"Urghh!"
He felt something worse than raw impact—an invasive, corrosive energy flooding his body, tearing at his very cells. Pain like fire coursed through him. He tried to punch his way free, but another towering water column surged from below, pinning him between them.
His entire body screamed under the pressure. In the end, his mind shut down to protect itself—Zephyr fell unconscious.
Charlotte Galette: "So strong! Even knowing Tier's power beforehand, seeing Arton wield it firsthand is terrifying."
Doll: "Zephyr… has he been defeated already?"
Black Maria: "Incredible. Even someone like Zephyr is crushed beneath him."
Domino: "And Zephyr isn't even a Devil Fruit user. If this is what happens to him, then for a Devil Fruit user… it would mean instant defeat."
Ulti: "How can such a power even exist? Against ability users, it's just unfair!"
Baccarat: "As expected—Arton is the future. I can't wait to meet you face-to-face, Arton."
Hina: "Zephyr's down… Hina wonders what choice Ain will make now. Hmph. For now, Hina'd best focus on her own matters."
Hibari: "Ain just witnessed Zephyr's future with her own eyes… would she really abandon the Navy because of it?"
Gion: "I need to reach out to Ain. This could get out of hand…"
...
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