"One-Sword Style: Flying Edge!!!"
"One-Sword Style: Mikazuki!!!"
"Mushussu Assault!!!"
"Great Dragon!!!"
"..."
In another part of the battlefield, Cross and Mankervis were locked in a fierce, inseparable battle. The intensity of their fight had completely destroyed buildings and houses within several hundred meters, the pervasive smoke resembling morning fog, then forming rolling pillars that shot straight into the sky.
But not long after, the two sides took their fight from the ground to the sky, transforming it from a ground battle into an aerial one.
Cross's expression was solemn. He wielded the renowned blade Shūsui and rode a majestic bronze griffon. Around him, dozens of Enliven creatures, including a great demon with a goat's head and bat wings, ferocious gargoyles, and handsome giant black eagles, surrounded and ganged up on Mankervis, who was all alone.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
Mankervis roared furiously. He suddenly spun his tail like a top, lashing out and striking the surrounding Enliven creatures with lightning speed.
"Ring of Sky!!!"
Boom boom boom boom... boom boom boom boom...
The rapidly spinning Mushussu's tail, like a sharp blade, instantly shattered or broke the bodies of over a dozen Enliven creatures, cutting through them as easily as a hot knife through butter.
"One-Sword Style: Hawk Attack!!!"
Seeing this, Cross flew into a rage. He leapt directly from the bronze griffon, thrusting Shūsui towards Mankervis. The long blade tore through the air, its sharp intent shocking Mankervis. In an instant, Mankervis suddenly stopped, and with the momentum, whipped his long, tough tail at Cross. It was incredibly fast and urgent, as if it tore the very air apart.
"Great Dragon!!!"
Clang—!
The steel whip-like Mushussu's tail lashed fiercely against Shūsui's blade, immediately erupting in a thunderous roar like clashing metal. It even unleashed a visible, violent shockwave that spread out in a ring in all directions.
Some of the surrounding Enliven creatures swayed precariously in the powerful, gale-force shockwave. If not for their heavy stone or metal bodies, they would have been blown away.
"Damn it..."
Cross's expression was grim, his teeth clenched tightly. He felt Shūsui in his hand vibrate violently, threatening to fly out. The immense force transmitted through the blade also numbed his palm, making it difficult to grip the hilt.
"Hahahaha~"
Mankervis let out a sinister laugh, treading the void as if it were solid ground. He stepped forward, his thick, sharp lion claws reaching for Cross's heart, as if to tear it out. With the Mushussu's ultimate attack, if this blow connected, it might genuinely tear out Cross's heart.
"Kekekeke—"
At the crucial moment, the great demon with a goat's head and bat wings flew in with a cackle, its greatsword of beheading swinging horizontally, striking directly at Mankervis's neck like a phantom.
Instantly, the steel blade collided with the fine golden snake scales, producing a "clink" sound, as if it had struck incredibly solid metal armor, suffering no damage whatsoever.
Fortunately, although this strike didn't wound Mankervis, the powerful force it contained halted his attack on Cross. Cross decisively seized the opportunity, swiftly used Geppo to retreat, and repositioned himself on the back of the flying bronze griffon.
"You bastard!"
Mankervis was infuriated. He raised his hand, grabbed the greatsword of beheading on his neck, and forcefully broke it. Then, he slapped the great demon on the head. Without a doubt, under the immense strength of the Mushussu, the great demon's head instantly shattered, its body falling limply downwards with a "boom" into the ruins of a street house, kicking up a column of dust over ten meters high.
Boom—!
At this moment, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the dark heavens, before a deafening clap of thunder followed.
"Hm?!"
Cross's eyelids twitched. He looked down at the metal griffon beneath him, a slight prickle on his scalp. If he remembered correctly, standing so high in the sky, with a large mass of metal underfoot, he'd be easily struck by lightning, wouldn't he?
The next second, a dazzling flash of lightning once again lit up the sky. A bolt of lightning struck towards Cross with blinding speed. Without thinking, Cross reached out his hand.
Seeing this, Mankervis roared with laughter, mocking loudly, "Hahaha! You bastard, you deserve to be struck by lightning!" However, before he could finish his words, he witnessed an astonishing sight that wiped the smile from his face.
Cross stood proudly on the bronze griffon's back, holding a bolt of lightning in his left hand, as if grasping a spear of thunder. The dazzling lightning illuminated his figure, making him appear incredibly majestic.
"Didn't expect that, Mankervis, hahahaha~"
"Take this, Imperial Thunder: Gungnir!!!"
With that, Cross's expression was wild as he forcefully hurled the lightning in his hand, just like the legendary "King of the Gods," Odin, throwing his unerring divine spear.
"Hiss— Are you kidding me?!"
Mankervis couldn't help but gasp, turning to flee without a second thought.
Who would have expected that this bolt of lightning, streaking across the sky like a meteor, could actually change direction automatically, pursuing Mankervis? It was truly like the legendary Gungnir, which was "guaranteed to hit its target with a single throw."
The next moment, the meteor-like lightning struck Mankervis, directly erupting in a dazzling light that engulfed his figure, even illuminating the entire sky, accompanied by the "sizzling" sound of countless crackling birds.
"Ahhhhhhh—!"
A bloodcurdling scream echoed almost across the entire sky. After a while, the dazzling lightning gradually faded. Mankervis was charred black, falling downwards like a kite with a broken string, just like the great demon whose head he had crushed. He too crashed heavily into a pile of house ruins.
Boom—!
A loud bang, and the force of the airwaves spread, kicking up a towering cloud of smoke and dust. There was no way; no matter how fast Mushussu was, he was certainly not faster than lightning.
"I can actually Enliven lightning... It seems I couldn't infuse fire with life before because my understanding and development of my Devil Fruit ability weren't enough!" Cross's heart swelled as he looked at his hands, guessing aloud, "The fact that I can Enliven lightning now is probably because of those three months I spent in seclusion!"
"That's right. Since I can even give life to something as intangible as shadows, then fire and lightning, being forms of energy, naturally aren't exceptions. It was just a blind spot; I hadn't thought of it!"
At this, he looked up at the dark clouds in the sky, watching the lightning snakes crisscrossing within them, and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Hehehe~ Am I like a male version of Big Mom?!"
"Oh, right, what should I call this Apostle next?"
"Marduk? Or Odin?"
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