Logia-type Devil Fruit users are not only powerful in combat but also excel at survival.
The very fact that they can phase through physical attacks—such as sword slashes—makes them a nightmare for taijutsu users who don't wield Haki.
However, Susanoo is not a purely physical construct. It's formed from chakra energy, meaning a Logia user's intangibility can't completely nullify its damage. This was one of Madara's key advantages.
Even without going all out, Madara easily "toyed" with Akainu. Sword marks from Susanoo and scorched lava burns littered the ground and fortress walls around them.
At the Marine Headquarters stronghold, atop a high balcony stood two men clad in Admiral cloaks.
They watched the intense battle unfold below in silence. Even as the shockwaves reached them, only a faint tremor passed through the stone tiles beneath their feet.
"That guy down there—using all kinds of weird abilities to fight—he's the one you said broke into Impel Down, right? Man, he's scary... But Kizaru, you're really not going down there?"
The speaker was a mustached man in a yellow-and-white striped suit, wearing sunglasses and speaking in a slow, exaggerated drawl that made him sound completely unconcerned.
Next to him, Aokiji leaned lazily against one of the fortress's stone pillars, his signature green sleeping mask pushed up. If he weren't talking, he might've been mistaken for already asleep.
"Yeah, that's him. Haven't seen him in three years, and he's clearly gotten stronger. No wonder he had the guts to charge into Navy Headquarters alone."
"You going in? Akainu looks completely outmatched. If you wait much longer, Sengoku's gonna yell at us again."
Kizaru lit a cigarette, squinting as smoke curled around him.
That finally got Aokiji moving. He stood up, pushed aside his mask, and looked down at the battlefield with a flash of icy intent in his eyes.
Last time, he'd nearly captured this criminal—only for him to slip away. When he got back, Sengoku had chewed him out for a full hour.
"Not this time... Kizaru, don't look him in the eye. He has a genjutsu that can trap you in an illusion instantly."
With that warning, Aokiji launched himself from the fortress roof like a cannonball, hurtling straight toward the fight below.
"No eye contact, huh..." Kizaru took a drag from his cigarette.
Then, in an instant, he vanished—becoming light itself.
Pika Pika no Mi — Glint-Glint Fruit.
One of the Logia Fruits, allowing the user to become light and move at the speed of light.
When he moved, time seemed to freeze. In a literal flash, he reached the battlefield and appeared behind the massive Susanoo.
Exhaling smoke, Kizaru asked lazily:
"Speed is weight, you know... Hey, have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
Golden photons condensed around his right leg, a blinding light flared—and then vanished.
In the next moment, a devastating laser blast struck Susanoo's back with unrelenting force.
The sky dimmed. A deafening explosion followed as Susanoo was blasted forward several dozen meters before grinding to a stop.
As the smoke cleared, the only visible damage was a hairline fracture on Susanoo's back—and even that regenerated in the blink of an eye.
"Is that all?" Madara smirked.
Light-speed was no illusion. But Kizaru hadn't actually moved at light-speed—rather, he'd become light and traveled at light-speed.
If it were true light-speed combat, even a pebble could destroy a planet.
But this was simply moving at light speed and using laser-like attacks. Potent, yes—but not unstoppable.
After all, the intensity of a flashlight and a laser rifle vary dramatically in energy and destructive power.
"Light-speed? I've seen things faster than that."
Madara stood calmly within his Susanoo, arms crossed.
He didn't move a muscle.
But suddenly—behind Kizaru, Aokiji, and Akainu—the air shimmered.
Out of nowhere, attacks burst forth: a fiery dragon, a razor-sharp windstorm—each assault crashing down on the Admirals.
All three sensed danger just before impact, their Observation Haki warning them. They acted quickly, blocking the surprise attacks.
But even so, their hearts trembled.
What the hell kind of attack was that? There had been no warning signs at all!
In another world—gray and ethereal—unseen to the naked eye or Haki, three pale white figures of Madara floated behind them... each grinning maniacally.
"Don't say I'm being unfair. There are three of you. I've got three shadows. That makes the game even."
Not far away, the real Madara's Rinnegan glowed silently.
Limbo: Hengoku
Like the Mangekyō Sharingan, Madara's Rinnegan also had a unique ability—Limbo: Hengoku
It created shadow clones similar to the Shadow Clone Technique.
But these shadows possessed near-equal strength to Madara himself. They could use all his jutsu and had even tougher bodies than the original.
More importantly, because they existed in Limbo's dimension, they couldn't be seen or sensed in the real world.
In some ways... the Limbo clones were even more dangerous than Madara himself.
Currently, Madara could summon four Limbo clones. Though they only lasted for a limited time, during that span his combat power soared dramatically.
"Well then—let the game begin."
His calm voice rang out.
In mid-air, three fully-armored Susanoo suddenly materialized, each brandishing enormous swords and charging at the Admirals.
Since stealth had failed—thanks to their Haki and intangibility—it was time to go all-in. Even a head-on clash held no fear for him.
Of the three Admirals, only Kizaru—with his unmatched speed—was able to instantly retreat.
The other two were directly overwhelmed by the clones and couldn't break free.
Seeing this, Kizaru turned back into light and flashed up to the fortress balcony.
He flicked away the half-burned cigarette.
"This fight's never going to end like this..."
"Relax. All you have to do is deal with that giant blue one. Lure them away from Marineford's center and we'll wrap this up fast."
A burly old man with graying hair stepped out and clapped Kizaru on the shoulder. Despite only holding the rank of Vice Admiral, Garp acted as if military rank meant nothing to him.
"Can't believe this guy interrupted my nap."
---
Inside the fortress, in the unseen world of Limbo, one of the pale-white Madara clones strolled leisurely through the corridors.
Passing by a window, he glanced out at the raging battle, the corner of his mouth curling upward.
He hadn't come to this pirate world just for vengeance.
"Hm... where are they storing those Devil Fruits and treasures? Let me guess..."
~~~
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