Chapter 85: The First Battle
The elevator, having completed its transport mission, retracted upward along with its cylindrical shaft to avoid interfering with the battle.
"It's over a kilometer to the surface from here. Digging such a deep cave... are you a goblin?" Tatsumaki remarked after sensing the area with her Psychic Power.
"Say whatever you want, Dwarf Young Miss."
Aokiji's body began to swell rapidly, and a tail larger than Tatsumaki's entire body lashed out behind him.
Cold air, mixed with fine ice particles, rose like steam.
The Hassaikai(Kanabo) gradually condensed in his hand, formed from ice countless times harder than alloy steel, and was quietly entwined with deep, majestic Haki.
"You really have some nerve... pervert."
Tatsumaki's tone wasn't loud, yet it was like underground magma accumulating immense heat and kinetic energy, on the verge of erupting.
"Let's get started. You shouldn't need any preparation."
Adjusting his state to its peak, Aokiji felt a surging Battle Intent rise within him.
Having obtained two templates and Trained for so long, Aokiji wanted to see what level his current strength had reached.
The two, vastly different in size, faced each other from a distance of over ten meters.
Without any warning or sign...
The battle erupted with a roar!
The floor instantly collapsed and shattered!
The white air barrier was forcibly broken through!
Aokiji gripped the Hassaikai(Kanabo) with both hands and raised it high, his dragon-scale-covered muscles bulging to their limit as explosive power concentrated!
His massive frame became a blur due to his extreme speed.
The Hassaikai(Kanabo) swung down violently!!
Slamming down along with leaping black and red lightning!!
At the center where the two met, the special alloy Materials instantly buckled into a giant semi-circular crater!
As if at the epicenter of an earthquake, everything was shaking and shattering violently!
Except for that seemingly thin, glowing green barrier.
Though ripples surged across it, it undoubtedly blocked the strike.
"You, your progress is a bit fast," Tatsumaki said, her eyebrows arching in surprise.
She still remembered the attack intensity Aokiji had shown when he first revealed his new abilities.
Back then, she had been hiding nearby, sensing the source of the enemy's Mental Energy, and had incidentally sensed Aokiji's combat fluctuations as well.
The increase in destructive power was actually this obvious.
BOOM——!!!
A heavy explosive roar followed immediately after!
The venting aftershock of power whipped up an incredibly powerful impact, shattering the surrounding dented alloy once again!
The Psychic Power barrier also fluctuated violently.
Suddenly, Aokiji's movement as he prepared to swing his club again paused.
An airwave exploded beneath his feet.
His figure turned into an afterimage to evade.
In the next instant, two massive alloy plates rose up to flank him!
"You can even dodge that?"
Tatsumaki stretched both hands straight forward.
Psychic Power swept out like a tsunami!
Forcibly lifting the alloy that made up the floor, numerous massive fragments dozens to hundreds of meters long floated in the air.
Like broken floating islands...
...they fell rapidly from the sky!
"Stat-padding Monster," Aokiji took a deep breath.
Countless giant wind blades composed of icy crystal frost erupted!
A Move amplified by the Freeze-Freeze Fruit——
Ice Storm: Demolition Wind!!
The ultra-hard alloy, specifically provided for Training and combat...
...was first lifted and thrown by Psychic Power, and then sliced to pieces by countless Ice Storm: Demolition Winds!
"Try this then!"
Tatsumaki extended a slender finger forward lightly.
The two massive alloy plates that had been lifted earlier were now twisted and compressed into a spear larger than a landmark skyscraper!
With a speed completely inconsistent with its volume, it instantly pierced toward Aokiji!
Rather than a pierce, it was more like a violent collision!
——Observation Haki: Future Sight!
Aokiji acted a step ahead, sensing her offensive and already taking his stance.
The head of the Hassaikai(Kanabo) pressed against the ground.
His dragonized foot stepped forward.
From bottom to top, he swung a semi-circular crescent!
The moment the giant spear flew in, he struck the bottom of it with majestic force!
He forcibly deflected its direction of attack!
It flew toward the upper diagonal, embedding itself deep into the underground rock layers!
The carried potential energy and massive volume pushed and squeezed the rock layers!
In the Old City District above...
The citizens, confused but practiced, moved toward open areas.
"Hey, hey, it's an earthquake!"
"Why wasn't there any warning? Is the detection department on holiday?!"
"...I remember I didn't park my car on top of a rockery??"
"That's a protrusion from the ground being squeezed!"
"Why didn't you say so sooner! No wonder I didn't remember a cone-shaped rockery being there!"
"Tsk." Aokiji withdrew his gaze from above.
"I should have aimed downward; I'll have to deal with the aftermath and compensation later."
"Small fry, that has nothing to do with me," Tatsumaki laughed mockingly.
The image of an arrogant brat was on full display.
The Hassaikai(Kanabo) swung leisurely with a whistle as Aokiji walked toward her across the shattered floor.
"Be serious. I'm hoping to use this battle with you to achieve a Breakthrough."
"What?" Aokiji also flashed a provocative smile. "Reluctant to be too rough with me?"
"Hmph! You self-important pervert!" Tatsumaki unnaturally averted her gaze and gritted her teeth.
"Since you're begging to be beaten by me, then come on!"
BANG—BANG—BANG—!!
The ground and air exploded repeatedly!
Without any hesitation, Aokiji charged out!
The terrifying pressure he emitted seemed to make his frame even larger!
The space was dyed a different color by the overflowing, spreading Haki!
Countless purple lightning bolts leaped wildly behind him!!
"Great Majesty: Thunder Bagua!!!"
The Move landed on the Psychic Power barrier, and a thunderstorm erupted!
The incredibly violent strike and the lightning scattering in all directions ruthlessly ravaged and destroyed everything around them!!
Inside the barrier, Tatsumaki's hair and skirt fluttered together.
The immense energy contained within her petite body vented frantically!
"Heh—not bad!" Tatsumaki couldn't help but let an excited smile rise.
This was a real battle!
The Monsters of the past were, at most, just bugs that could be crushed with a pinch.
In that case... "Then you should be fine with this Move."
Aokiji was still fiercely pouring his strength onto the barrier.
His Observation Haki, stacked by two templates, clearly foresaw the next attack.
However, it was impossible to dodge!
HUMMM————!!
HUMMM————!!
A massive area centered on Tatsumaki...
...the gravity suddenly increased by several hundred times! And it was still intensifying!!
The air instantly became exceptionally heavy and sluggish!
The alloy floor within the massive range suddenly collapsed and was flattened!
Aokiji's whole body sank; the gravity coefficient that had suddenly increased by hundreds of times caused even him to be affected.
The Psychic Power forming the barrier instantly transformed into a massive, majestic impact, blowing him away!
The giant, heavy blow carved a deep and wide trench into the ground!
Like a giant ocean liner dragging across the earth!
The trench extended for several kilometers until it hit the end of the training grounds!
"Whew—" Tatsumaki's Battle Intent was high as she let out a soft breath.
It was rare to be able to vent so freely!
This guy makes a pretty good sandbag.
Tatsumaki floated up, looking toward the end of the trench from afar.
Dozens of seconds passed leisurely, yet there was still no movement.
"Did I... go too heavy?" Tatsumaki pursed her lips, a trace of emotion fluttering in her heart.
Probably not... that guy is clearly very durable, and his body is ridiculously strong; he should be able to take just one Move... right?
The trace of emotion expanded, making Tatsumaki's mind gradually become a bit uneasy.
Just as she frowned and prepared to fly over to take a look...
...in the deep pit at the end of the massive trench...
...Aokiji, whose oppressive Aura was inexplicably even more terrifying, stepped out slowly.
Wild black and red lightning was like armored pauldrons, continuously covering the surface of his body!
His surging muscular frame was compressed; his height, nearly that of a building, remained unchanged, but he appeared more refined.
In addition to the dragon horns, curved giant horns grew from both sides of his forehead.
Draped in the black and red lightning armor, he emitted a ferocity like that of an oni!
"I really did develop it," Aokiji marveled.
"Kaido's—Oni Dragon Form!"