The storm had arrived.
It brought ocean currents from the vast blue sea, sweeping over Ohara under the force of howling gales.
Torrential rain poured down, mixing with Sakazuki's cold sweat before dripping into the sea.
He wondered why his usual attack not working.
The move [Dark Hound], developed from his Magu Magu no Mi, was renowned for its impact, extreme heat, and incredible speed, famous for swiftly killing pirates. (T/N: Magma-Magma Fruit.)
By his calculations, Sakura, not being a Logia user, shouldn't have been able to withstand the impact of a volcanic eruption!
'So why was I the one being sent flying by a sword slash now? Was this... right?'
In his stunned state, Sakazuki's narrowed eyes saw the girl standing up within the ashes and sulfurous smoke, bathed in magma.
Those serpent-like crimson vertical pupils held a trace of confusion. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, yet her smile remained. Her black Ninja Bodysuit had a large hole torn in the back, revealing bruised skin.
"Pah!" Sakura wiped her mouth and spat out a bloody glob, "What's happening to me?"
A faint sensation and connection hung high in the sky, as if she could command the world, turning all creation into a weapon, if she so wished.
[Notice, Heavenly Phenomenon Descent (Temporary). Remaining Time: 1 minute 57 seconds... 56 seconds...]
'Even if I'm not entirely sure what's going on, the gist is I've been powered up, right?'
A light sparked in Sakura's eyes. Instinctively, she raised a finger and traced a line through the lightning in the sky.
A bloody trail lingered where her finger passed. In that instant, the piercing screech of falling thunder echoed across all of Ohara.
The violent, storm-like lightning gradually expanded, growing frenzied and restless!
Boom!
Countless bolts of lightning struck down, etching a brilliant, tree-like diagram across the void.
Under the relentless bombardment, Kuzan and the flung-back Sakazuki couldn't even maintain their normal forms.
The moment ice or magma coalesced, it was shattered by falling thunder. But if they didn't use their abilities, they'd be pierced by the rampaging lightning.
For a moment, they were caught in a dilemma.
Easily harnessing the power of the Heavenly Phenomenon Descent, Sakura wantonly unleashed various meteorological disasters.
Hurricanes, hail, torrential rain, blizzards, thunderstorms, tornadoes...
In an instant, Ohara, located in the calm seas of the Four Blues, experienced weather typical of the Grand Line.
However, while meteorological disasters had great destructive power and wide-ranging effects, they were somewhat inadequate when faced against famous powerhouses of the Grand Line.
But when it faces the famous and powerful ones on the Grand Line, it is a little stretched.
Tsk!
Kuzan raised an ice umbrella over himself. Sakazuki seized the chance to reform his body, projecting large amounts of magma to cooperate with Kuzan in creating an obsidian protective shell.
A hard stone shell rose from the icy surface. Then, with dull thuds, the two began to adapt to the frequency of Sakura's attacks.
Using Observation Haki, they continuously locked onto and countered the various meteorological disasters, pressing forward.
"Two monsters..."
Sakura, who was already a little tired, gasped a few times and towards the battleship where Saul and the others were.
Although they were almost out of the range of the Marine cannons, considering there was someone who could freeze the entire sea, she needed to buy them more time.
"You have dangerous abilities, and you're a naturally evil pirate kid. Let me personally..."
Sakazuki, charging forward, clenched his massive magma fist, but his words were cut off by Kuzan.
"Lock her up in Impel Down! Headquarters' policy towards Devil Fruit Users has always prioritized capture and imprisonment!"
Hearing this, Sakazuki snorted coldly. A bloody glint appeared in his pupils as he threw a furious punch at Sakura on the sea.
The violent temperature caused the already boiling seawater to evaporate. Within the billowing, scorching white mist, a terrifying stream of scorching current shaped into a monstrous hound opened its ferocious maw, lunging to bite!
'If she was killed in battle, it wouldn't count as violating Headquarters' policy!'
"Sigh..."
Kuzan's Observation Haki swept over his colleague, who is so intent on exterminating pirates, and he sighed helplessly.
With a twist of his wrist, an ice spear wrapped in Armament Haki coalesced in his hand. He too aimed and threw a brilliant, dazzling streak of light at Sakura!
Learning from their previous experience of having their attacks canceled out, the ice-and-fire duo now used a combination of wide-area attacks and precise sniping.
Their coordination wove a net from which there was no escape.
"Oho, so ruthless!"
Sakura raised her hand, preparing to summon another hurricane to overturn their attacks.
But a line of golden text appeared before her eyes, and in an instant, her connection to the sky severed.
[Notice. Heavenly Phenomenon Descent (Temporary) has ended.]
'System, you motherf-!"
[Notice, It can be reactivated by consuming Achievement Points. Proceed?]
'No! I'd rather work myself to death here, jump off this ice, than buy a single activation from you!'
After mentally cursing out the system's entire extended family, Sakura settled into a preparatory stance, as if gripping a massive club.
'When in doubt, lead with the Ikoku Sovereignty!'
"Everything hinges on this one shot!"
Sakura closed her eyes. The aura of a conqueror surged wantonly around her. A will craving freedom encircled her very soul, vibrating incessantly!
Haki surged, shaking the sea itself.
Kuzan and Sakazuki, who were converging their attacks on Sakura, saw a rainbow light flash in their eyes.
A massive, glowing [Danger] word materialized above their heads.
"Spear of Elbaf: Ikoku Sovereignty!!!"
As the girl's great sword swung down, a massive wave of flying slash, carrying scorching heat, tore through the sea.
Two battleships in its path were utterly destroyed by the spiral shockwave. Kuzan and Sakazuki were also extinguished without a sound under this terrifying crimson light that seemed to pierce heaven and earth.
Annihilated!
Everything standing before this Spear of the Giants was mercilessly annihilated.
It was only after the roar echoed across the sea for the third time that the fierce storm and torrents it had stirred up gradually subsided.
Exhausted, Sakura collapsed onto the ice, tongue lolling out as she gasped for air.
A battered, half-formed Sakazuki crashed down from the sky, gradually becoming whole again as magma spread over him.
He forced himself up, walked over to Sakura, raised a fist dripping with magma, and indifferently brought it down.
Clang!
But then, an ice spear shot over from the distance, blocking Sakazuki's fist.
"Kuzan! Are you shielding a pirate?!"
"She's already defeated. She's a prisoner of war now!"
The two tall men erupted into an argument right in front of Sakura!
Unfortunately, Sakura had already collapsed on the ground and had no peanuts, popcorn, or mineral water in her hand...
"Stop fighting, you two, stop fighting..."
"Hmm!"
Two gazes filled with killing intent turned towards her, making Sakura very obediently shut her mouth.
"Former Roger Pirates' crewmember, Haruno Sakura! You are hereby arrested on charges of attacking government vessels, obstructing the Ohara's operation, and conspiring to acquire Ancient Weapons!"
Kuzan called over a battleship, ordering soldiers forward with Seastone handcuffs to apprehend her, and read out Sakura's arrest warrant.
"Hehe, sorry about that, but I don't plan on ending my journey here!"
Hearing Sakura's words, Kuzan and Sakazuki's pupils contracted sharply. They whirled around.
But the power known as Chakra had already pierced through the constraints of Space-Time, connecting to a kunai engraved with a sakura mark, planted in the cabin of the battleship that had already escaped Ohara's waters.
Whoosh!
A flash of pink light appeared, and the magma and ice spear that arrived a moment later only shattered the ice, finding nothing.
The girl who was supposed to have collapsed there had long vanished, leaving only a faint, lingering echo to mock the two Marine rising stars right to their faces.
"Bet you didn't expect this... I can teleport...."
The two tall Marines fell into a stunned silence, unable to speak for a long time.