Kong seemed confident in Sengoku's ability to handle himself, his focus shifting away from the clash between Sengoku and Whitebeard Newgate. His expression was cold as he locked eyes with Brook and Redfield—two criminals guilty of slaying Celestial Dragons!
Kong had personally cleaned up the mess in the Sabaody Archipelago, a task that cost him time and earned him grief from various Celestial Dragon families. The root of that chaos stood before him now: these two pirates.
"You slaughtered the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons. Your crimes are unforgivable. Only your deaths will quell their wrath!"
Kong's fists clenched, a surge of Armament Haki bursting forth. This was the pinnacle of Haki emission, a technique mastered only by the sea's mightiest warriors.
Wano's Ryuo Haki was merely an advanced application of Armament Haki, a skill even weaker Haki users could learn to strike at a target's core. But Kong's mastery was on another level.
"Yohohoho! If you're hunting us in the name of Navy justice, I've got no complaints. But if you're just a lapdog for the Celestial Dragons' whims, let me make one thing clear: next time I see one, I'll kill them again!"
Brook didn't waste breath on Kong. He struck first, his attack a battle cry that rallied Redfield, Shiki, and Linlin to unleash their own ferocious assaults!
Kong, a man destined to become Commander-in-Chief of the World Government's forces, was unwavering in his loyalty to the Celestial Dragons. Unlike pure martial artists with their straightforward honor, Kong's intelligence and charisma were unmatched.
Even after losing a one-on-one duel to Redfield in the future as Navy Admiral, he'd climb to Commander-in-Chief with ease. His strength, cunning, and unshakable devotion to the Celestial Dragons made it possible.
Brook's defiance sparked a flicker of anger in Kong's iron-clad composure. This pirate dared threaten the Celestial Dragons again?
Unforgivable. Today, the Hell Pirates would be eradicated, leaving no loose ends!
"Brook, you're as stubborn as that brat. But there won't be a next time for either of you. Today, you fall!"
Kong launched himself like a cannonball toward Brook, intent on crushing the ringleader with unrelenting force.
Golden Lion Shiki flicked his wrist, summoning a massive earthen hand from the ground to seize Kong. But Kong shattered it in an instant, barreling toward Brook undeterred.
A thunderous dragon and a stone lion charged from the front, conjured by Redfield and Shiki. Kong met them head-on, his fists unleashing shockwaves that obliterated both constructs in a blast of raw power.
"What terrifying physical strength!"
Brook knew he couldn't take a hit like that. One punch might shatter his bones beyond even his undead revival's limits!
"You're a physical juggernaut with no Conqueror's Haki. Let's see how your soul holds up!"
Brook assumed his iaido stance, vanishing in a flash. A trail of icy mist marked his path. By the time anyone blinked, he reappeared far behind Kong.
Even Kong, charging full-tilt at Brook, hadn't registered the move. Brook had slipped through his perception, his technique too swift to track!
Schwing!
Kong felt a tear in his chest muscles, blood spraying outward. The wound was superficial—minutes would heal it.
But then, a searing pain tore through his mind, a soul-deep agony that made even a battle-hardened admiral cry out. He froze, staggered by the sensation.
In that split second, Redfield's lightning-charged spear pierced Kong's side, unleashing a torrent of electricity to fry his organs. Shiki followed, driving his swords into Kong's flesh.
Charlotte Linlin sealed the combo, her thunder-and-fire-infused fists slamming into Kong's chest. The impact caved in his torso, hurling him into the earth with a thunderous crash.
The Hell Pirates' four-man assault was seamless, a whirlwind of precision designed to cripple their foe in one devastating sequence.
...
Kong's scream—the first ever heard from the admiral—shocked even Rear Admiral Sengoku. Distracted for a moment, he took a Ryuo-charged fist from Newgate square to the face. The Haki reverberated through his skull, nearly knocking him out.
Only the Buddha Fruit's indestructible resilience saved Sengoku, but he was still sent crashing through a building, buried in rubble.
Brook peered into the crater where Kong lay. The admiral's aura had barely weakened. Had their perfectly coordinated, surprise assault failed to seriously wound him?
Seimei Kikan!
Kong's body glowed red, steaming with white vapor. Brook's slash, Shiki's twin sword wounds, Redfield's lightning spear, and Linlin's chest-crushing blow—all healed in moments.
His physique rivaled that of a Mythical Zoan. The Navy's ultimate Rokushiki technique was terrifyingly potent!
Kong's murderous gaze fixed on Brook, his vision still slightly blurred. He'd never encountered a soul-targeting attack before. Only rumors of Vice Admiral Tsuru developing techniques to manipulate a soul's morality came close, but Brook's soul-slicing strike was unprecedented.
He'd underestimated Brook and overestimated his own physical defenses. From now on, he'd dodge every one of Brook's attacks. The others' strikes he could handle—it was Brook's soul attacks he feared.
"Linlin, hold off on Zeus and Prometheus for now. Wrap your fists in soul energy instead. We'll chip away at Kong's soul!"
Brook sensed his techniques dealt the most damage to Kong. The admiral's body was a fortress—impenetrable defense, rapid recovery.
But his soul? A chink in the armor. Without Conqueror's Haki, Kong was vulnerable to Brook's soul-based assaults, unless he could evade them entirely.
"Hmph, Brook, you think soul attacks make you invincible? I was careless before. As long as I maintain my Armament Haki emission, your sword aura won't pierce my three-foot Haki barrier. No barrier, no soul damage!"
Kong had tanked Brook's iaido slash with his steel body, expecting a physical cut. He hadn't realized the true strike was a soul-severing blow!
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+188 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg