As the blinding light faded, Borsalino stood his ground, his slightly dimmed light sword, the Ama no Murakumo, firmly blocking the raging energy blast. The rock beneath his feet, however, had been transformed into a boiling, churning pool of lava. A distinct numbness spread from his right arm, which now trembled uncontrollably from the sheer force of the impact. His gaze toward Takero had shifted from shock to a profound dread, as if he were staring into an unspeakable abyss.
"Ka… me… ha… me… ha?" He struggled to repeat the strange syllables, his mind clouded with a storm of doubts. This was no ordinary energy blast. Its terrifying density, its explosive power, and its overwhelming destructive capability… it was truly horrifying. The raw force was almost on par with his colleague who commanded magma.
What kind of deranged organization could possibly create such a terrifying "experimental subject"? Vinsmoke? Some other secret group? Names flashed through his mind, but none of them perfectly matched the abilities of the small, tailed monster standing before him. This was a headache, an unprecedented headache. The mysteries surrounding this kid were more complex and turbulent than the currents of the New World itself.
"Heh, you actually blocked it? You're as strong as they say!" Takero grinned, his golden eyes showing no fear, only a burning battle intent that grew even more frenzied. "The warm-up is over! Round two… begins now!"
Boom—!!!
His dark-red aura surged once more like a volcanic eruption, enveloping his entire body and making him look like a burning god of war. The ground beneath his feet exploded as he launched himself forward, transforming into a crimson comet that tore through the air, charging directly at the now-serious Vice Admiral.
The true battle erupted in an instant. The light sword and shadowy fists intertwined as golden flashes and dark-red auras collided violently. Borsalino had completely shed his usual laziness, pushing the speed of his Glint-Glint Fruit and the cutting, burning power of his light to their absolute limits. The Ama no Murakumo traced deadly golden arcs through the air, complemented by tricky light-speed kicks and instantaneous movements using his "Yata no Kagami" for refraction. His offense was like a torrential storm.
Takero, on the other hand, relied on his raw Saiyan combat instincts and violent ki to meet the assault head-on, mixing in various energy techniques. Although he was slightly outmatched in pure skill and speed, his absurdly tough body and his willingness to trade blows made him an incredibly troublesome opponent even for Borsalino. The battle quickly intensified. The surrounding ruins were ravaged even further until the entire area looked as if it had been repeatedly bombarded by meteors.
Unable to gain a decisive advantage, Borsalino's desire to capture the boy alive grew stronger. In a brief lull following a high-speed exchange, he saw his opening. Exploiting the momentary stiffness in Takero's body after unleashing another ki blast, the Vice Admiral's figure instantly dissolved into particles of light.
Whoosh!
He didn't teleport away. Instead, he used his "Yata no Kagami" ability to create multiple light refractions high above the battlefield. Takero's ability to sense "ki" was instantly confused by the countless interfering points of light. Just as Takero instinctively looked up to search for him, a golden beam of light, condensed to the extreme like a spear of judgment, shot out from a blind spot in the shadows behind him. Its speed surpassed the limits of nerve reactions.
Pfft—!!!
The golden light spear pierced precisely through Takero's back, just below his right shoulder blade. The scorching high temperature instantly carbonized the edges of the wound; blood didn't even have time to spray out before it was vaporized. A sharp pain accompanied by an intense burning sensation swept through Takero's entire body, causing his violent aura to falter for a moment.
"Ugh!" Takero let out a pained groan. His body staggered forward several steps, and his right arm hung limply at his side. The wound was charred black, and golden photon energy clung to it like maggots on bone, continuously eroding his body from the inside.
Borsalino's figure re-formed from light particles nearby. Looking at Takero, who was now kneeling on one knee with a chaotic aura, he finally breathed a small sigh of relief. Although he hadn't hit a vital spot, an injury like that was enough to severely wound his opponent and cripple most of his fighting power. Such a penetrating wound, combined with the continuous destruction from the light energy, would be unbearable even for him.
"Finally…" He habitually reached up to push his sunglasses, preparing to deliver some kind of victory speech.
However, before he could finish, his pupils suddenly constricted in shock. He saw Takero, still kneeling, pull out an emerald-green bean with his left hand. Without even looking at it, he popped it into his mouth and swallowed it with a crunch.
The next moment, a terrifying regeneration that completely overturned Borsalino's lifelong understanding of the world unfolded before his very eyes. The gruesome, charred, penetrating wound on Takero's right shoulder—a wound where bone fragments had been visible—began to wriggle and regenerate at a speed he could see with his own eyes. Charred dead skin peeled off as tender new flesh grew in its place. Broken bones reconnected. In just a few breaths, the wound, which would have been fatal to any ordinary person, had completely recovered. Not even a scar remained.
Not only that, but all the other bruises and scrapes on Takero's body from the intense battle also vanished in an instant. Even more terrifying, the dark-red aura surrounding him surged violently, like a fire that had just been doused with oil. Its color became deeper, and its presence became fiercer, more violent. A powerful sense of pressure, even stronger than before, washed over Borsalino.
"Ha—!!!" Takero suddenly stood up and stretched his perfectly healed right arm. Instead of pain, his face showed an ecstatic battle intent, the kind born from breaking through one's limits. "That was invigorating! Let's go again!"
Borsalino's jaw nearly dropped to the ground. His sunglasses were knocked askew. No… wait a minute?! Which one of us is the Logia-type user here?! Is there any justice left in this world?!
He stared intently at Takero, then at the small pocket from which the boy had pulled the bean. An even more horrifying, strategically significant thought flashed into his mind like lightning: Instant healing of fatal wounds! Complete recovery of all stamina! And he even gets stronger afterward?!
If… if miraculous beans like that could be mass-produced? If the Marines—no, if the World Government—could master that technology and equip it to CP0 or their elite units… what kind of terrifying, nearly immortal army would that create? Its strategic value would far exceed even the Pacifista project. It would be enough to completely overturn the balance of power in the entire world.
A chill shot up Borsalino's spine. This was no longer as simple as capturing an experimental subject. This kid and the secrets he held were a mobile Pandora's Box, capable of triggering a world war.
"My, my~ this is beyond 'terrifying'…" Borsalino murmured to himself as the urge to retreat surged like a tide. The Celestial Dragons had been rescued. He had gathered intelligence on the enemy. And most importantly—it was time to clock out.
A monster of this caliber, carrying secrets that would shock even the Gorosei… this was no longer something a mere Vice Admiral who just wanted to punch the clock could handle alone. He had to return immediately—at light speed—and report this to Fleet Admiral Sengoku. He would let those old men at the top deal with the headache themselves. No amount of overtime pay would be worth this kind of mental damage.
"Little brother, I had a lot of fun today, but…" Borsalino's body had already begun to turn into light, preparing to make a quick escape. "This old man's clock-out time has arrived, so maybe next time we can—"
"Takero!!! You bastard!!! What exactly have you done!!!"
At that moment, a roar filled with explosive anger suddenly erupted from high above the battlefield.
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion