Bullet's "Devil Form" was devastatingly powerful. By channeling his Haki into his body, he gained immense strength, speed, and defense. The two combatants traded blows for an extended period, but Luffy began to show signs of exhaustion while Bullet's attacks only grew more intense.
Luffy's expression darkened as he realized he was losing ground to Bullet's overwhelming state. When Luffy attempted a "Jet Gun" strike, Bullet lunged forward and delivered a powerful punch directly to Luffy's face. Luffy was sent flying, spurting blood, but he recovered mid-air using Geppo. Biting his thumb, he blew air into his body to activate his third-gear technique, merging it with his second-gear speed to double his striking power.
"Gomu Gomu no... Jet Gigant Gun!"
A massive, Haki-coated rubber fist materialized before Bullet, smashing him into the air. He tore through countless trees before becoming embedded in a massive boulder. Luffy spat out blood, relieved; Bullet's previous punch had nearly knocked him unconscious, and he knew he had narrowly avoided defeat.
Bullet pulled himself from the wreckage, coughing up blood with a feral grin. He felt he had suffered a minor setback, but the challenge only fueled his excitement. After twenty years of isolation in Impel Down, he had been desperate for a true opponent; he had dismissed the other Emperors, only admiring Whitebeard—the man who once stood equal to Roger. Since Whitebeard was now old, Bullet had set his sights on the new generation, specifically Luffy. He had expected the "thin monkey" to be weak, but Luffy's strength had proven him wrong.
"Hahaha! Straw Hat Luffy, I am totally pumped!" Bullet roared, lunging forward once more.
The two continued their brutal exchange, relying on raw physique, martial skill, and Haki. While Luffy utilized his Devil Fruit abilities, Bullet refrained from using his own "Gasha Gasha no Mi" awakening for the time being. The observers watched in disbelief, their understanding of power pushed to the limit.
"Oh, these two guys are truly scary!" Kizaru sighed from the warship.
Fujitora, whose Observation Haki allowed him to "see" the battle more clearly than anyone else, agreed solemnly, "Indeed. They possess top-tier strength; we might not even win if we took on one of them together".
Kizaru shrugged, suggesting they wait for both fighters to exhaust one another before intervening to arrest them—a tactic he deemed necessary for peace, regardless of morals. Fujitora remained silent, gripping his blade, ready to strike.
Nearby, Crocodile watched with a sour expression. Mr. 1 asked with genuine curiosity, "Boss, did you really have a 50/50 relationship with this guy back then?".
Crocodile glared at him, arguing, "That is natural! But twenty years have passed, and Bullet has simply grown faster than I have". Mr. 1 didn't seem to notice his boss's frustration and continued watching the fight with interest. Crocodile considered docking his pay but realized he couldn't afford to lose his only remaining subordinate.
The battle had escalated to a point of no return, where only victory—or death—would end it. Luffy cycled through his Gears, outputting his strongest Haki, while Bullet countered by manipulating the terrain to create weapons. After two hours of relentless combat, the island was left in ruins.
Luffy's chest heaved like a bellows, his stamina rapidly depleting as he relied on Third Gear to contend with Bullet's Devil Form. Bullet, too, was feeling the drain of his sustained transformation. It had become a pure contest of endurance. To Bullet's surprise, despite the energy-heavy nature of Luffy's attacks, the boy refused to fall. They remained perfectly matched until, as the second hour passed, Luffy's gears faltered and Bullet's Devil Form began to flicker.
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