"Heh heh, heh heh…"
Hundreds of fists tore through the thunderclouds, spiraling violently as silver-white lightning danced between them. Their exaggerated shapes and manic motion truly resembled grinning Sunny Dolls descending from the sky.
"What?!"
Admiral Silver Serpent had not anticipated such outrageous speed. The opponent charged straight through the torrential lightning without hesitation, breaking through the storm like a madman and catching him completely off guard.
"Pfft!"
Still suspended within the thunderclouds, Silver Serpent was blasted backward by the relentless barrage. Blood mixed with saliva sprayed from his mouth as his body was hurled far away, tumbling violently through the sky.
For a brief moment, his vision blurred. Had he not reacted in time, he would have been knocked straight into the sea.
Boom!
Lightning flashed again, and Silver Serpent reassembled his form midair, electricity surging violently around him as he stabilized himself.
"Hiss… you brat, you actually have some skill!"
Rather than fury, his face twisted into excitement. His eyes gleamed as he stared at Luffy, who was swaying freely in the air, riding invisible currents with reckless ease.
"How are you flying?" Silver Serpent demanded, his tone brimming with curiosity. "What kind of Devil Fruit ability is this? Interesting, far too interesting. Are you flying just by running fast?"
"Hahahahaha!"
Luffy floated lazily in the air, arms spread wide. Seeing that the Admiral had stopped attacking and was openly curious, he did not rush to continue the fight. Instead, he laughed loudly, his grin stretching from ear to ear.
"Hehehe! I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit! I'm a Rubber Man! This is my Devil Fruit's awakened state!"
"Gum-Gum Fruit… pfft!"
For reasons Silver Serpent himself could not explain, the sight of this foolishly grinning pirate made his lips twitch uncontrollably. He felt an inexplicable urge to laugh along with him.
"Cough, cough!"
Realizing his composure was slipping, Silver Serpent forcibly suppressed his smile and cleared his throat, restoring his stern demeanor.
"The awakening of the Gum-Gum Fruit can reach this level?" he muttered. "And just now, that move…"
His eyes narrowed as he recalled the earlier exchange. Something about it felt wrong.
"Hm?" he said suddenly. "My lightning didn't affect you?"
Only now did Silver Serpent notice the absence of scorch marks or residual electricity on Luffy's body. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"What the hell?! You're immune to my lightning?!"
White flame-like clouds drifted lazily around Luffy's neck as he spun midair, flexing his arms proudly.
"Of course!" Luffy laughed. "I'm rubber! Rubber doesn't conduct lightning! That's obvious, right?"
"Oh?"
Silver Serpent's gaze sharpened, a dangerous smile creeping across his face.
"So that makes you my natural enemy?"
Luffy's heart thumped loudly as he laughed again, pointing at himself with enthusiasm.
"Heh heh! I already beat a lightning guy once before! Though that guy was…"
Zzzzt!
Before he could finish, a lightning-coated fist slammed straight into his face.
Bang!
Luffy's expression contorted grotesquely as his body was launched backward at extreme speed, slicing through the air and leaving a spiraling cloud trail behind him.
Whoosh!
Bang!
In the blink of an eye, he was sent flying beyond the horizon.
Ding!
Gone.
"Hmph!" Silver Serpent scoffed, lowering his crackling fist. "Natural enemy? You're just resistant to lightning."
His eyes glinted coldly.
"I'm just too lazy to use physical techniques most of the time. That doesn't mean I can't."
Below, Kaido watched the scene unfold, his lips twitching with irritation.
"That idiot," he growled. "Still this careless."
His expression darkened.
"A real battle is not a game. How can he treat a fight where lives are on the line so casually?"
Kaido had grown up amid slaughter and carnage. To him, warfare was simple.
Kill or be killed.
There was no fairness. No honor. Only victory.
Using any method to survive and crush the enemy was justified.
That was war.
This new generation, he thought bitterly, still lacked resolve.
Except for one.
Shirogai.
"Father!" Yamato suddenly exclaimed, standing on her toes and pointing toward the distant sky. "Luffy's coming back!"
Whoosh!
A white blur tore through the clouds, generating a deafening sonic boom.
"Damn it!!! I was careless! I didn't dodge!"
Luffy laughed furiously as he charged back, his voice echoing across the sky.
"Take this!"
His arms stretched backward, gripping the intangible clouds themselves. The vapor surged into his limbs, merging seamlessly and expanding his arms to monstrous proportions without slowing him down in the slightest.
"Gum-Gum White Cloud Giant Punch!"
With a thunderous roar, Luffy swung his massive, cloud-infused fists, coated in Armament Haki, smashing them toward Silver Serpent.
On the opposite side, Silver Serpent gathered crackling lightning into his own colossal fists, electricity roaring violently.
"Tch! You lightning bastard, I'm teaching you a lesson!"
"Heh heh! Straw Hat, let's see who teaches who!"
"Silver Serpent, Giant Thunder God!"
Four colossal fists collided.
Bang!!!!!!
The impact shook the heavens.
This was a rare and brutal close-quarters clash between overwhelming physical force and raw elemental power.
Lightning and clouds exploded outward as terrifying shockwaves rippled through the sky.
Crack!
Veins bulged across Silver Serpent's face as lightning surged uncontrollably from his body.
"You're strong, Straw Hat!"
Luffy's face was equally flushed, his arms trembling violently as he pushed forward with manic laughter.
"You're not bad either, lightning bastard!"
"But!"
They roared in unison.
"I'll win!!!"
Zzzzt!
Silver Serpent poured even more destructive lightning into his fists, doubling their size.
At the same time, surrounding clouds rushed toward Luffy, thickening and expanding his massive fists even further.
The four fists grew so large they seemed to blot out the sky.
Compared to them, Silver Serpent and Luffy looked like tiny figures clashing beneath titanic forces.
"These two idiots," Kaido scoffed from below. "They've found their equal."
His eyes narrowed.
"A primitive contest of strength. Bigger fists, more wasted stamina."
Yet Yamato laughed brightly, gripping her kanabo with excitement.
"Hehehe… but this is how men fight, right?"