Douglas Bullet's confidence was not entirely unfounded.
His thundering blow had not yet landed, but Rosen had already foreseen through his Observation Haki that Susanoo's second form would be shattered. Immediately, Rosen released more Armament Haki to reinforce and reshape the second form of Susanoo.
He now wore heavy, ferocious armor, holding the Yata Mirror in his left hand and the Totsuka no Tsurugi in his right. Supported by his massive reserves of Armament Haki, Susanoo not only advanced straight into its third form but also wielded both shield and sword crafted from that same Haki. Then, in a motion that defied human anatomy, the arm holding the Yata Mirror reached behind Rosen's back, using it to block Douglas Bullet's Haki-charged heavy artillery—an attack capable of shattering solid ground.
At the same time, Rosen's right hand also bent backward unnaturally, and the Totsuka no Tsurugi flared like a raging flame before stabbing rapidly toward Douglas Bullet's chest.
Bang!
Douglas Bullet stepped on the void, performing the impossible feat of climbing the air as if stepping on stairs. But just as the Totsuka no Tsurugi was about to reach him, its fiery blade suddenly extended like a divine spear, catching up to him mid-step.
In a split-second reaction, he twisted his body, throwing himself sideways in the air. His right foot shot out like a compressed spring, crackling with black Conqueror's lightning, and kicked hard at the Totsuka no Tsurugi.
Bang!
The clash of foot and blade, both wrapped in Haki, released a shockwave that tore three feet deep into the ground below. After a brief stalemate, Douglas was knocked back, his body tracing a parabola through the air. Although he failed to shatter the Totsuka no Tsurugi, his kick diverted it enough to avoid being pierced and to prevent further pursuit.
However—
Rosen's thoughts moved like lightning. Susanoo's third form suddenly shed its heavy armor. Where once it had only an upper body, it now grew a lower body and legs, its height and bulk increasing again. Douglas Bullet had been trying to use the recoil to widen the distance, but with Susanoo's transformation into the fourth form, it rushed forward, instantly closing the gap once more.
More importantly, unlike the third form, which was slowed by heavy armor and limited to two arms, the fourth form donned a lighter Haki battle suit and now wielded all four arms freely.
"In addition to the third form… this construct of his Armament Haki can actually evolve further."
Douglas Bullet's expression shifted sharply mid-air as he witnessed Susanoo's transformation.
"It seems your Observation Haki is far from complete… Bullet. You can't even see the future."
Rosen read the change on Bullet's face. He knew Bullet's Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and physical skills were fearsome, but his Observation Haki was lacking.
This didn't surprise Rosen. Even prodigies like the Demon's Heir weren't omnipotent. In truth, no figure in the current seas was truly complete in every combat system—Devil Fruit mastery, swordsmanship, all Three Forms of Haki, physical skills, archery, and more.
The three Marine Admirals—Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan—excelled in multiple disciplines but lacked Conqueror's Haki. Roger, Shanks, and Garp possessed unmatched Three Forms of Haki and physical skills but never ate a Devil Fruit, let alone awakened one. Sengoku, Kaido, and Whitebeard had Three Forms of Haki and top-tier Devil Fruits, but each was missing mastery in some other field—swordsmanship, physical combat, or awakening.
Perhaps only Joy Boy, eight centuries ago, came closest. Yet even he might have had shortcomings—otherwise, he wouldn't have been the one to lose. In eight hundred years, no man at the top of the seas had been perfect in every discipline.
"Damn it…" Douglas Bullet muttered, glaring at the towering fourth form of Susanoo. Regret flickered across his mind.
When the Roger Pirates once faced Gol D. Roger himself, Observation Haki had been useless. The Pirate King's killing intent rendered even top-level foresight—such as Redfield's and Queen Otohime's—meaningless. For that reason, Bullet had focused on physical skills, Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and Devil Fruit abilities, neglecting Observation Haki ever since.
"Yasaka no Magatama!"
Rosen called out. The fourth form of Susanoo extended its two free arms. Between its hands, purple magatama formed, connected by a rope of condensed Haki.
Whoosh!
The moment the Yasaka no Magatama took shape, Susanoo thrust it forward. The eight magatama blazed across the sky like streaking thunder, instantly reaching Bullet.
A blinding flash of violet—then all eight struck him in rapid succession.
BOOM!
A deafening detonation followed as they exploded together, forming a massive sphere of purple energy that swallowed the Demon's Heir whole. The shockwave blasted upward, churning the sea of clouds above into a colossal vortex.
When the smoke cleared, Bullet plummeted from the sky like a bird with shattered wings, crashing into the side of a mountain and embedding himself deep into the cliff face.
Phew…
His body trembled, and blood mist escaped his lips. Only his devil form—fused with both Armament and Conqueror's Haki—had allowed him to survive such a blow.
For a weaker opponent, especially anyone below vice-captain level, the Yasaka no Magatama would have been fatal.
But Bullet was different. Despite his injuries, his limbs strained against the rock until he tore himself free. He had no time to breathe—Rosen was already charging.
The fourth form of Susanoo moved like a war machine, executing the Hi-Ren Kick—a physical technique Rosen had developed and infused with Armament Haki. Every inch of Susanoo's enormous body, including the Yata Mirror and Totsuka no Tsurugi, was forged from Haki, allowing it to unleash the same techniques Rosen could use in person.
This meant Susanoo, larger than a giant, had mobility and speed surpassing all giants—and rivaling even Gear Fifth Luffy's giant form.
Crack!
Bullet burst from the cliff like a cannonball, only for Susanoo to follow instantly. With one sweeping slash of the Totsuka no Tsurugi, it unleashed a blade of killing intent so sharp it split the hundred-meter mountain clean in two.
...
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