Chapter 398: Raimei Hakke!!!

"Go—"

"Kyahaha…"

Seeing the Five Elders held back by Fallen Angel El, their Observation Haki discovered things weren't going well for John, Silver Axe, and Wang Zhi in the island's center. They were surrounded by Fleet Admiral Steel-Bone Kong and many other World Government powerhouses. Had they not come with enough subordinates, they'd likely be in dire straits already.

Hence, whether it was Rocks or Whitebeard and the others, none of them hesitated. They sprinted toward the island's center. Golden Lion took to the skies via his Float-Float Fruit powers.

"Golden Lion, you're not getting through!"

But as he was about to leave that portion of the battlefield,

Saint Dennis—commander of the Holy Knights, currently in half-beast form with the Mythical Zoan Thunder-Bird power—beat his wings and shot into the air. Bathing in powerful currents of electricity, he opened his beak and unleashed dazzling lightning straight at Golden Lion.

With Steel-Bone Kong available to handle the terrifying monster Rocks, Saint Dennis didn't worry about that. His aim was to pin down Golden Lion.

"Kyahahaha, you think you can stop me? …Lion: Slash Surge!!"

Golden Lion gave a sinister laugh.

He gripped his sword, "Oto," in his right hand and struck mightily.

"Crack—"

A brilliant, enormous slash tore forth.

"Boom… BOOM…"

Meanwhile, on another side, Steel-Bone Kong sensed what was happening. Without hesitation, he left a few Holy Knights plus CP0 elites to hold back Silver Axe, Wang Zhi, and the rest, and he led additional forces in a charge.

"Rocks—!"

Transformed into a savage man-beast form, Steel-Bone Kong roared.

With unparalleled ferocity, his fists crackled with lightning as he hammered mercilessly at Rocks.

"Yahahahaha, Steel-Bone Kong—you, the Fleet Admiral, will stay here today!"

Rocks let out a vicious laugh.

He refused to yield, swinging his sword in a heavy slash. He had just finished a quick mental exchange via Observation Haki with Fallen Angel El, reaching an agreement: El would occupy the Five Elders while Rocks and the Rocks Pirates would do their utmost to wipe out the CP0 and Holy Knights.

He had no qualms about permanently eliminating this Fleet Admiral on the spot. Not only would that severely weaken the Navy and World Government, but he might also acquire any valuable Devil Fruit powers in the process—a double gain.

Of course, if circumstances allowed, Rocks wasn't against slaying the "New World tyrant" El. Yet he knew El had always been shrewd and devious. Better to let the Five Elders probe El's depths first. Ideally, the World Government and Fallen Angel El would maul each other. Then he could come out on top.

"Crack—"

In a flash, that sword blade—wrapped in both Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, gleaming cold—collided midair with Steel-Bone Kong's jet-black fist, thunderously swinging in.

"Boom… BOOM…"

"Bori… bola…"

The ground rumbled violently. Powerful shockwaves split the earth, while two enormous Conqueror's Haki auras clashed, shaking the island to its core and rending the sky anew—a truly staggering scene.

"Huff… huff…"

"Damn it—"

At some unknown point, the figure of Saint Figarland Garling had changed drastically, now with an alpaca-like torso but a human upper body, two goat horns adorning his head in a devilish shape. Hooves pounding the ground, he came charging over in outrage:

"How did this happen?"

He had never imagined that the supposed Logia Glint-Glint Fruit he'd eaten wouldn't grant him those powers at all—but instead would turn him into this monstrosity. If it were at least a Mythical Zoan, so be it, but his strength didn't seem any greater, and his fellow "winners" had also changed into strange forms. Others who'd eaten them were simply cackling nonstop.

All signs pointed to one conclusion: these weren't real Devil Fruits at all but rather the artificial ones developed by the Fallen Angel Pirates, sold covertly over the years. Even the World Government had secretly purchased many for research and to cultivate artificial Devil Fruit soldiers. So Saint Garling recognized them right away. Plainly, the World Government's carefully prepared prizes had been swapped out under everyone's noses. Either the Fallen Angel Pirates had done it, or the Rocks Pirates had.

"Damn pirates, I'll kill you all!!"

His eyes burned with fury.

He brandished a splendid rapier, fully infused with formidable Haki, emanating a menacing killing aura. He slashed viciously at Whitebeard leading the charge.

"Clang!!!"

Sparks flew.

Whitebeard gritted his teeth, raising his blade to block the incoming strike. Looking at Saint Garling's bizarre form, practically the same as Saint Nasujuro's earlier transformation (minus that one's tall stature or swirling flame clouds), Whitebeard noted with surprise:

"Hey, hey, that devilish shape…another Mythical Zoan?"

"You bastard—!"

Saint Garling's face flushed red, veins bulging as he glared daggers at Whitebeard. He felt utterly insulted. Regardless of whether the sabotage was done by the Rocks Pirates or not, their attack forced him to eat this worthless Fruit prematurely. Otherwise, he'd have discovered something amiss and never have eaten it.

"Die!!"

With goat-like horns, a human upper torso, and goat legs—a devilish hybrid—Saint Garling unleashed a fearsome aura. Despite being so young, he displayed impressively strong swordsmanship, ceaselessly assaulting Whitebeard with thrusts and slashes.

"Clang… clang…"

"Gurara…"

Whitebeard refused to back down.

His naginata deflected each blow in turn. Meanwhile, his left fist clenched tight, gathering a blinding glow—he hurled a crushing strike.

"Thud!!"

The very atmosphere cracked, splitting visibly in front of them. Realizing danger, Saint Garling swiftly retreated, yet a tremendous quake wave slammed forward.

"Boom… BOOM…"

Meanwhile, at the center of the island—

Kaido, a young Marine vice admiral, had finished whisking the Celestial Dragons away. Seeing Silver Axe and Wang Zhi caught up by CP0 and Holy Knight elites, his eyes lit up, brimming with fighting spirit. With a grin, he dove into the fray:

"Kuhahaha—"

He brandished his spiked club without mercy, charging in. As though he teleported, he vanished and reappeared behind Captain John:

"Raimei Hakke!!"

The barbed club, wreathed in Haki, whipped forth at lightning speed.

"What!?"

Captain John's face froze, every hair standing on end.

He spun and raised his sword just in time to block Kaido's blow:

"Clang!!"

~~~

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