Chapter 25 - 26
One by one, the magma bullets transformed into massive lava tigers, their bodies shrouded in thick black smoke as they pounced toward the Kuja Pirates.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Giant molten claws slammed into the warriors, flesh and bone shattering on impact. Blood sprayed in all directions.
"What—!"
"Ahhh!"
"Bang!"
"Help—!"
"Urghh!"
Splurt!
The devastating force crushed most of them instantly, reducing bodies to nothing more than blood mist.
A handful managed to react in time, coating their bodies in Armament Haki, but the impact still sent them smashing through layers of the ship's deck.
The magma tigers had no intelligence, only an instinct to pounce and charge forward relentlessly. They would only stop if destroyed or if they left Sakazuki's area of influence. Within seconds, the Kuja Pirates' ship was in ruins, its crew suffering heavy casualties.
Jasmine, the Empress of the Kuja Tribe, felt rage boil within her. A surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from her, sweeping forward like an invisible wave. The magma tigers at the ship's bow momentarily froze, disrupted by her will.
Seizing the opportunity, the surviving warriors fired a volley of black arrows, each one reinforced with Haki.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions erupted, blasting the magma beast's head apart. For a brief moment, relief flickered through the crew—until a blinding red light surged from the decapitated remains.
A scorching wave of heat surged toward them.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Like volcanic bombs, molten lava burst from the fallen beasts, raining down across the deck. Thick smoke filled the air as flames spread uncontrollably.
Some of the lava splattered onto the three giant serpents towing the ship. They thrashed wildly in pain, their massive bodies writhing. The ship rocked violently.
Then—
A powerful burst of Conqueror's Haki, laced with pure killing intent, crashed onto the serpents. Terror overpowered their pain, forcing them into silence.
"Put out the fires! All of you!" Jasmine's voice was sharp, her fury barely contained as she ordered her crew.
Without hesitation, she leaped forward. Sonic booms cracked beneath her feet as she shot through the air, heading straight for the marine warship.
Raiding ships was nothing new to the Kuja Pirates. Even when surrounded by marine fleets, they had never suffered losses this great—never been so utterly humiliated.
To her, the Empress of the Kuja Tribe, this was unforgivable.
From afar, Sakazuki watched as Jasmine closed in, her movements swift and precise, resembling a user of Geppo.
His voice was indifferent.
"Did escaping the Marines' grasp a few times make you think we have no one left?"
The Marines hadn't ignored the Kuja Pirates out of incompetence; they had simply been preoccupied elsewhere. After all, the Calm Belt held only one island nation—conquering it served no real purpose. Transporting supplies was a logistical nightmare, and Sea King attacks were an ever-present threat.
But that was no excuse for a mere pirate nation to act so brazenly.
With a single step, Sakazuki shot forward. No need for Geppo—he closed the distance instantly. Tilting his body slightly to the right, he coated his right arm in Armament Haki and threw a punch.
Clang!
Above the ocean, Jasmine's right leg, wreathed in Conqueror's Haki, collided with Sakazuki's fist. A metallic crash rang out as the two clashed, locked in a deadlock.
The force of their clash rippled downward, shaking the ocean below. Like torpedoes detonating beneath the waves, towering water columns erupted into the sky.
Zzz—Zzz—!!
Black lightning crackled where their attacks met. Moments later, a figure was sent flying.
Jasmine's body rocketed backward, smashing into the massive Sea King carcass floating hundreds of meters away. With a thunderous impact, her body crashed through the creature's massive spinal spines, snapping them apart one by one.
Boom!!!
Sakazuki's figure followed closely, descending from the air. Magma flowed around his right foot as he stomped toward the Kuja Empress' position.
Jasmine planted her left hand on the flesh beneath her and rolled aside just in time.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted as magma burst from beneath Sakazuki's foot, surging outward like an erupting volcano. Before Jasmine could regain her footing, the molten tide was already rushing toward her.
Pushing off the flesh below with her arms, she propelled herself into the air, stepping rapidly against the sky to retreat.
"Magma Spire!"
Sakazuki melted into the surrounding magma. Using Observation Haki, he anticipated where Jasmine would land.
A towering peak of molten rock shot up from below, aiming to engulf her. Jasmine's legs pulsed with Haki as she stomped down hard, instantly shattering the upper half of the magma peak.
But then, an endless surge of magma erupted from the remaining base, shooting straight into the sky. The massive impact sent Jasmine flying higher, toward the peak of the molten wave.
Sakazuki's upper body reformed in human shape while his lower half remained fused with the magma. A magma pillar surged upward from beneath him, lifting him at breakneck speed toward his airborne opponent.
"Hound Blaze."
Sakazuki's voice was devoid of emotion. One of his arms turned to magma. His fist morphed into the head of a snarling hound, its gaping jaws lunging at Jasmine's throat.
Clang!
A metallic clash rang out as Jasmine drew her sword in a blur, coating the blade in Haki to block the attack. Using the impact's force, she pushed herself backward.
While still airborne, her blade crackled with Conqueror's Haki. She swung downward.
Several massive crescent-shaped slashes formed, slicing toward the Sea King's corpse below. The colossal carcass, spanning hundreds of meters, was instantly reduced to fragments. Chunks of magma-coated flesh sank into the depths, the battlefield beneath them rapidly disappearing.
Jasmine landed on one of the remaining floating chunks, the only part untouched by magma. Her gaze locked onto Sakazuki, still hovering above. Tightening her grip on her sword, she gathered her strength.
Sakazuki paid no heed to the vanishing battlefield beneath him. Bringing his hands together, he pulled them apart—summoning a three-meter-long blade of molten rock.
Gripping the hilt, he coated the magma blade in Armament Haki. Then, he dove down from the sky.
The enormous black sword slashed toward Jasmine with overwhelming force. Her blade crackled with spiraling Conqueror's Haki as she met the descending strike head-on.
Clang!
Steel clashed violently. Then came a deafening explosion. A massive shockwave burst outward, ravaging everything in its path.
Zzt—! Zzt—!!!
Black and red lightning crackled where their blades clashed.
"Raahhh!!!!" Jasmine roared, unleashing her full power.
For the first time, a flicker of solemnity crossed Sakazuki's face. He responded with a surge of raw strength.
Boom!!!
A violent eruption.
Under the immense force, their swords veered uncontrollably. One slash cut downward. The other cleaved skyward. Two boundless arcs of sword energy—one horizontal, one vertical—split the sea and sky in half.
The resulting blast sent them both hurtling away.
Jasmine tumbled onto a massive chunk of flesh, her body jolting from the impact.
Sakazuki steadied himself mid-air. His expression remained unreadable.
The battle was far from over.
Jasmine gripped her sword with both hands, her expression solemn as she stared at Sakazuki, who hovered slightly in the air.
With a slight movement of his right foot, a deafening sonic boom erupted, yet Sakazuki remained suspended, gazing downward.
Bang!
The sharp crack of the sonic boom tore through the battlefield, accompanied by a rush of air. In an instant, both figures vanished from sight.
Blades clashed repeatedly, their strikes seemingly lagging behind their movements. The two warriors flashed and collided, sometimes in midair, sometimes atop scattered chunks of flesh.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ocean churned violently, towering pillars of water shooting skyward. When the two reappeared, their weapons were locked in a fierce struggle.
Clang!
Sparks crackled as a sudden force sent Jasmine flying backward. Her body streaked through the air, leaving afterimages in her wake, before crashing onto the Kuja Pirates' ship
Boom!!!
"What was that?!"
"Huh?!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Catch her!"
"Hurry!"
The crew gasped as they saw a figure hurtling toward them. Realizing it was their empress, they rushed to intercept her.
The moment they made contact, an immense force overwhelmed them. A deafening sound echoed as several of them were sent crashing into the ship's cabin alongside Jasmine.
"Urgh..."
"Hiss…"
"Where's Her Majesty?!"
"Ahem!"
"Cough... cough..."
Pained groans filled the cabin. Ignoring their own injuries, the crew scrambled to check on their leader.
"Cough... I'm fine," Jasmine's voice rang out as she used her sword to prop herself up. Her face was pale, a trickle of blood running down the corner of her lips. Her right hand, still gripping her weapon, trembled slightly.
The gap in strength was overwhelming. Every clash sent shockwaves through her body, as if she were being struck by an erupting volcano. The impact numbed her hands, robbing them of all feeling.
Sensing something, she looked up. With a forceful step, she shot out of the cabin.
From the sky, Sakazuki's cold voice echoed down. "Great Eruption."
A colossal magma fist, several times larger than the Kuja Pirates' ship, came crashing down.
At the same time, a crescent-shaped sword aura shot up from the ship, slicing cleanly through the molten mass. The severed halves fell to either side, sending waves of searing heat across the deck.
Then, Jasmine's furious roar followed. "Enough, Marine!"
Standing on the deck with her sword raised, she glared at Sakazuki, who hovered in midair using Geppo. "This time, we admit defeat. Take all the treasure on this ship."
Sakazuki merely gazed down at her indifferently, his voice cold. "You think this is some child's game?"
Clap!
High above, he pressed his palms together. The two halves of the magma fist, still falling, suddenly twisted and reshaped into massive molten hands. Magma gushed from their backs as they moved inward, threatening to crush the ship between them.
Boom!
The colossal magma hands collided with a deafening explosion. Molten rock erupted, spreading rapidly. Within moments, a small island of magma had formed, only to sink shortly after. Aside from the thick steam billowing into the air, the ocean's surface was left eerily empty.
On the marine warship, soldiers erupted into shocked, awe-filled discussions about what had just transpired.
"Whoa!"
"Did you see that?!"
"Incredible!"
"Those magma hands were unstoppable!"
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki!"
"He's back!"
Sakazuki landed on the deck, his justice cloak billowing. Ignoring their injuries, the marines scrambled to their feet, admiration burning in their eyes.
Sweeping his gaze over them, Sakazuki spoke in his deep, commanding voice. "Enough. Go tend to your wounds. Get some rest."
The marines, still brimming with high spirits, responded in unison.
"Yes, sir!"
Sakazuki then strode to the highest deck railing and activated his Devil Fruit. His arms transformed into thick, smoke-spewing magma that pooled onto the deck.
Raising both arms, he aimed at the sky. "Meteor Volcano."
Like a barrage of rockets, numerous magma fists shot upward, piercing the cloud layer before vanishing from sight.
Boom! Boom! Boom!...
The attack continued for five full minutes before finally ceasing. Sakazuki's arms returned to their normal state, and without another word, he turned and walked into his quarters.
……
Deep beneath the ocean's surface, a hundred-meter-long serpent, its body covered in burns, swam frantically forward. Clinging to its massive scales were over a dozen female figures.
The eruption had annihilated most of the Kuja Pirates along with their ship and belongings, reducing them to ashes. Only this serpent and the survivors on its back remained, fleeing in sheer desperation.
After traveling an unknown distance, Jasmine finally considered surfacing for air.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
The sound of water evaporating on scorching metal filled the depths. Jasmine's pupils shrank sharply as she looked around. One after another, massive magma fists, each several meters wide, plummeted into the ocean.
Thick smoke and intense heat churned the sea, sending bubbles surging to the surface amidst deafening explosions. The water boiled at an alarming rate.
The suffocating heat made the serpent twist in discomfort. Jasmine ordered it to surface.
The moment they broke through, before anyone could catch their breath—
Boom!
An explosion tore through the air. The sickening sound of magma corroding flesh followed. A single magma fist struck the serpent's massive head, obliterating it on impact. Molten rock corroded its flesh, spreading like wildfire.
The once-mighty serpent stopped moving. No more writhing, no more resistance. It simply floated, lifeless, on the water's surface.
The remaining survivors, now without their mount, had no time to grieve. They could only stare in horror at the scene before them.
Above them, the sky burned blood-red, an endless sea of fire-lit clouds. Magma fists tore through the sky, shrouded in thick black smoke, crashing into the ocean like meteors of the apocalypse.
Beneath the waves, countless bubbles burst. The sea churned and boiled violently. Dead marine creatures floated to the surface in droves, turning the ocean into a vision of hell.
"That's...!"
"Run! Hurry!"
"Quick—!!!"
Boom!
A colossal magma fist plummeted from the heavens, landing in the middle of the survivors.
The one who noticed it barely had time to cry out before it struck. The explosion swallowed everything.
Thrown into the sea, Jasmine used Haki to cover herself and swam upward.
Suddenly—
"Roaaar!"
A deep, ancient cry echoed through the ocean, laced with panic. The sea raged violently as a monstrous force surged through the depths.
Fighting to steady herself, Jasmine's eyes widened in terror as she spotted a massive shadow below.
She tried to flee. But the shadow grew at an impossible speed. In an instant, her entire field of vision was consumed by it. Despair and unwillingness filled her eyes as she stared at the oncoming darkness...
BOOM!!!!!!!!
A colossal Sea King, as large as an island, burst through the surface, its body marred by magma burns. Towering waves, hundreds of meters high, crashed outward in every direction.
ROAAAAAARRRR!!!!
The ancient cry, filled with panic, echoed once more.
BOOM!!!!!
With another earth-shaking roar, the behemoth dove back into the depths, vanishing into the distance…
Days passed. No one knew how many sunrises and sunsets had come and gone.
The once-apocalyptic waters were now eerily calm beneath a cloudless sky. A few seagulls drifted lazily overhead, undisturbed. The only remnants of the chaos were the countless, bloated corpses of sea creatures dotting the water's surface.
……
At the edge of the Calm Belt.
After days of emergency repairs, the marine warship was finally operational.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki. The engine room has been fully repaired." Carlo reported to the figure standing at the front of the ship, his justice cloak billowing behind him.
*
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