Chapter 464: Volume 3 – Chapter 107: Think You Can Run?

At those words, Shiki's eyes filled with a web of bloodshot veins, and the veins on his forehead bulged with rage.

An overwhelming fury surged from his chest, roaring like a tidal wave—uncontainable, feral.

"You're dead meat, Marine brat!!"

With a screech, the Meito Oto in his left hand lashed downward with violent force!

Clang!!

Steel met steel as the gleaming Meito crashed against Daren's obsidian dragon claw.

BOOM!!

The instant they collided, sparks erupted in a storm, flaring against the night sky and lighting up the Vice Admiral's wild, twisted grin.

But in that very moment, Shiki's expression shifted.

This power… something's off.

He'd fought Daren before—on Coin Island, in the Marineford assault. Back then, his overwhelming dominance had crushed the brat without effort.

But now?

Now, Daren's strength was on a completely different level.

It wasn't just stronger—it was monstrous.

As they clashed in raw force, Shiki felt like he was wrestling a top-tier warrior from the Giant Tribe!

What the hell had this Marine brat gone through!?

This growth... was insane!

How long had it been since their last battle?

Half a year?

And already this?

Just from this brief exchange—and with his veteran's eye sharpened by years sailing the Grand Line—Shiki could tell at a glance:

Daren had stepped into Admiral-class power.

He was no longer a contender.

He was one of the sea's true monsters now.

Something's not right...

But Daren gave him no time to think.

With his left hand, he formed another dragon claw and struck viciously—straight for Shiki's groin!

The black claws sliced through the air with a piercing shriek, radiating the power to tear through steel.

Shiki gritted his teeth, a sudden chill shooting through him.

This devious little punk!!

Clang!!

Kogarashi reversed and blocked downward just in time, absorbing the blow.

But his reaction was a fraction late.

Daren smirked.

A faint current of electricity flickered between his fingers...

Shiki's pupils shrank.

That aim—!

It wasn't for his groin.

It was the ship's steering wheel—lodged in his skull!

Invisible magnetic force rippled outward. The surrounding air crackled as arcs of electricity sparked to life.

Daren's grin widened.

He'd won.

All he had to do was use the power of the Jiki Jiki no Mi to rip that steering wheel out—and with a wound like that, even if Shiki didn't die instantly, he wouldn't last long.

From the texture and gleam of it, that steering wheel was definitely metal.

Arcs danced around them in the air.

But just as Daren moved in for the kill, the sight before him made him freeze.

A dense, liquid-like blackness surged over Shiki's skull, tightly enveloping the steering wheel.

That wasn't just any defense—

It was Haki.

Heavy, concentrated Armament Haki—layered like armor.

"Jihahahaha!! I'm no idiot like Roger!!"

Shiki let out a mad, triumphant laugh.

"Your Devil Fruit ability is weird, brat. But don't forget—powerful enough Haki can override any Devil Fruit effect!"

And in that instant of Daren's hesitation, Shiki struck.

His leg lashed out, wrapped in Haki—like the blade of a grandmaster swordsman.

Shiki wasn't just a dual-blade master—he was also a fearsome kicker, his technique honed to perfection.

The kick sliced through the air like a blade—

—and carved straight into Daren's chest!

Shhk!!

A deep gash ripped open across his torso. Daren froze in place, stunned, unable to believe what had just happened.

Scalding blood erupted from the wound like a geyser.

It splattered across Shiki's face—twisting his cruel, feral expression into something even more savage. Even more unhinged.

"Your strength may have improved quickly... but listen, Marine brat. Real power isn't just about piling on brute force!"

"It's about fusing every skill and ability into your core—and unleashing them at 120%!"

"You want to kill me? You're still decades too early!"

Shiki sneered, then slashed down with brutal force!

The golden blade dragged a line of blood through the air, transforming into a massive slash that sent the Vice Admiral crashing straight into the wreckage of a pirate ship below.

Shhk!!

The sword aura spread wide, tearing open a crack hundreds of meters deep across the sea, stretching over a kilometer—an awe-inspiring, devastating sight.

Daren's body smashed into the deck like a cannonball, another deep gash torn across his chest as blood spewed violently from his mouth.

"Daren!!!"

Far off, Sengoku—leading the fleet's encirclement of the Roger Pirates—caught sight of the blow. His face twisted in shock as he roared, eyes red with fury.

He moved to act—but before he could, a figure cloaked in black-and-red lightning surged forward.

"Looking around in a fight? That's a bad habit, Sengoku…"

The aura radiating from the newcomer hit Sengoku like a hammer—dense and overwhelming.

Golden light burst from Sengoku's body. He expanded into a towering golden Buddha over ten meters tall and struck out with a palm—without even glancing.

BOOM!!

A slash wrapped in Conqueror's Haki clashed against the Buddha's palm, erupting into a violent shockwave.

They split apart in an instant, both blasted back several meters across the deck.

"Dark King… Rayleigh!"

Sengoku's expression turned grave as he recognized the attacker.

But he couldn't worry about that now—his eyes remained locked on Daren.

...

"Jihahahahaha!!"

"This is the end for you, Marine brat!!"

Up above, Shiki wasn't letting up. One solid hit wasn't enough—he never gave his enemies a chance to recover.

With Oto and Kogarashi reversed in his hands, he leapt back briefly...

Then launched himself forward like a mad, flying lion, killing intent pouring off him.

He dove.

Like a meteor crashing from the heavens—

Faster.

Faster!

Faster still!

From a distance, Shiki seemed wrapped in a vortex of flame, twin blades pointed downward, plummeting at a speed beyond reason.

This was his killing blow.

"Die!!!"

In Shiki's feral eyes, the image of the bloodied Vice Admiral was reflected. He grinned viciously.

"Shishi: Ryūsei!!"

He brought both swords down.

...

Just then, a streak of black light shot upward toward him.

"Think that'll work?"

Without even glancing, Shiki swung a blade—knocking Enma clean out of the air.

But in that tiny opening, Daren clenched his jaw, lightning sparking between his fingers.

With a burst of movement, he shifted sideways by several meters—

Just in time to dodge the lethal strike.

BOOM!!

The floating wreckage of the pirate ship exploded apart, blasted into thousands of fragments that rained through the air, clouding all vision.

...

A second later, Shiki burst from the debris like a demon, his savage eyes locked on Daren's fleeing back.

A cold smirk curved across his lips.

"Running now? You think you can get away?"

He soared into the sky again, chasing the heavily wounded Daren at full speed.

"Borsalino!!!"

Sengoku shouted, his voice tight with urgency.

"I got it…"

A flash of gold shot skyward and instantly formed a humanoid figure.

Borsalino spread his arms, unleashing a volley of light bullets.

"Yasakani no Magatama!"

"Jihahaha!! Still haven't learned your lesson, little yellow monkey!!"

Shiki roared with laughter, slashing through the air.

The sea erupted beneath him as waves surged upward, forming a massive lion of water that slammed head-on into the rain of golden light bullets.

BOOM... BOOM...

Explosions ripped through the sea, fireballs bursting beneath the surface.

The intense heat vaporized seawater by the ton, cloaking everything in a thick mist.

...

Seconds later, countless photons gathered into a figure aboard the warship. Borsalino stared at the now-vanished Shiki and let out a helpless smile.

"He blocked everything. Can't catch up now…"

Sengoku froze, then clenched his teeth in frustration.

"Damn it!!"

Still, he didn't have time to dwell on it. All he could do now was trust Daren's words—that he could handle this.

"Surround them! Wipe out the Roger Pirates!!"

He shook his head, buried the unease in his chest, and shouted with steely resolve.

But even as he barked the order, a nagging doubt crept in.

Didn't that punk Daren have an "Indestructible Body"?

How'd he get so badly injured by Shiki?

And that amount of blood…

Something didn't add up.

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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