"Petrification Arrows!"
"Compressed Air Cannon!"
A storm of pink, stone-turning arrows and invisible shockwave palms shot across the sky, sealing off the path where Souta Kiryuu dropped at high speed. They couldn't allow even the Red Count to fail at stopping this marine powerhouse—someone who could exchange blow for blow with the Azure Dragon.
"Even Roger and Whitebeard wouldn't dare take this move head-on!"
"This technique is called—Scarlet Fate!"
Ryudolph Lyderfield's body had transformed into the form of a vampiric noble. The elegant sword in his hand erupted in a brilliant, blood-red radiance, as if fresh crimson mist spread to fill the heavens.
The Red Count's Conqueror's Haki burned in a deep scarlet hue, coating the blade. Sparks of red lightning cracked and spat off the sword like a living storm.
Since obtaining the Mythical Zoan Vampire Fruit, his Conqueror's infusion had taken on an eerie, seductive, and sinister edge.
A slash of blood-red sword aura roared forth, suffused with terrible demonic force. It tore through the air like it was crossing dimensions, appearing before Souta Kiryuu in an instant.
"Just a combination of Conqueror's Coating and a Mythical Zoan ability."
"Let me show you what real power looks like."
Origin Burst!
A domineering force erupted from Souta's body—one that even the Red Count had never witnessed. It collided against Scarlet Fate in a direct contest of will and strength.
Boom!!
The Red Count's eyes widened. His most refined technique—shattered in a frontal clash.
Before gaining the Vampire ability, this same strike was enough to defeat Steelbone Kong.
Now, even more empowered—and yet this marine broke it.
For a moment, the Red Count wondered whether eating a Devil Fruit had actually weakened him.
But Souta was not unscathed. The Scarlet Fate slash had consumed a shocking portion of his Origin Force.
And the moment he punched through the Red Count's blockade, the sky and sea ahead churned with more incoming attacks: more Petrification Arrows and more Air Paw Cannons.
Souta had no choice but to burn even more Origin Power to resist these overwhelmingly troublesome Devil Fruit abilities.
The Sweet-Sweet Fruit and Paw-Paw Fruit were among the most advanced in existence—almost unfair.
Only high-level Haki and pure Origin Force could withstand them.
Souta's Origin aura formed a protective barrier, tanking waves of pink arrows and shockwave palms, as he continued diving toward the sea below.
But his slowed descent gave the Azure Dragon enough time to catch up.
"Slow-Light Beam!"
"Lateral Gravity!"
"Shatterquake!"
…
As Souta broke through the arrow and shockwave barrage, attacks of all kinds rained in from every direction—further consuming his Origin Force and suppressing his descent.
"I miscalculated—!!"
His expression darkened. A terrible sense of danger clawed up his spine.
From a rift of distorted space along the shoreline—two familiar shadows emerged.
His pupils contracted.
They had been captured.
The Azure Dragon had turned them into puppets.
"Great Eruption!!"
"Thousand-Cut Valley!!"
A mountain-sized fist of molten magma blasted upward, striking straight toward Souta.
Behind it, countless golden sword waves howled.
"Sakazuki!! Shiki the Golden Lion!!!"
Souta's roar shook with disbelief.
The Azure Dragon had even seized a Marine Admiral and a Pirate Legend.
How?!
A Devil Fruit?
Vegapunk's technology?
The answer remained hidden behind the raging battlefield.
Boom!!!
The magma fist slammed into Souta, and a torrent of golden slashes tore into him. His Origin Force plummeted again. His descent halted entirely.
"Grahahahaha!!! You thought I didn't prepare?"
"Divine Dragon Tail Strike!!"
The Azure Dragon shot downward, his massive draconic tail wrapped in raging Conqueror's Haki. It struck Souta like swatting an insect, smashing him back toward the G1 Fortress.
"You think you can just dive into the sea every time things go south?"
Thunder-Dragon Descent Strike!!
The Azure Dragon shifted into his Thunder Dragon Torch Form, hurling himself downward.
Souta had believed the Red Count and the others were backup.
He had never expected another layer of backup behind the backup—Akainu, Shiki, the Tyrant, even the Pirate Empress.
The Azure Dragon had simulated this trap dozens of times to ensure one thing:
Souta Kiryuu would not escape into the sea.
Today, at G1 Fortress, that trap finally sprung.
Boom!!
The colossal thunder dragon jaws clamped around Souta. Conqueror's Haki, lightning, flame, and crushing force hammered against his Origin Shield.
"Your power is refined. But your quantity is pitiful."
"You thought mastering Origin Force meant you could just fight me, run away, come back, and keep playing these games?"
The Azure Dragon laughed wildly.
Souta struggled, body trembling, Origin Power draining fast.
"Wait—fine! You win!"
"We'll continue the deal. You give me clean blood, and I'll give you the method to cultivate Origin Forms."
But only seconds passed before Souta's resistance weakened. His earlier clash with the Red Count had already drained him heavily.
He couldn't outlast this monster.
"Grahaha! Now you want to talk?"
"What I want—I'll take myself."
The Azure Dragon intensified his assault.
Lightning, fire, radiation, poison, raw Conqueror's Haki, and brutal physical force—every type of power crashed against Souta's Origin.
He had once considered cooperation.
Souta ruined that chance.
Now the Azure Dragon planned to take everything—including Souta's memories.
Easier. More complete. No lies. No hidden contingencies.
When this battlefield concluded, he would head to the G-18 Fortress next.
He hoped Souta Kiryuu would die slowly enough for him to arrive in time.
Meanwhile, elsewhere—Blackbeard Teach waited for his chance to claim the Quake Fruit.
The board was set. The endgame had begun.