"Sky Dragon Slayer Magic!"
Nami thrust both hands downward with force, stirring a violent tremor in the air.
The dense elemental currents above exploded outward in all directions, then quickly twisted into a raging cyclone.
A violent tornado formed in the sky, surging down toward Robin like a wrathful dragon.
Whoooosh!!!
The roaring tempest engulfed Robin in an instant. Razor-sharp wind currents whirled tightly around her, cutting through the air like blades.
The tornado's savage force raged unchecked, tearing the very earth up into the sky.
Embedded with sharp stones, the air itself became a deadly weapon, increasing the storm's lethality.
"Yohohoho~ Nami-san is truly impressive!"
Brook planted his sword into the ground to stabilize his swaying skeletal body and spoke with astonishment.
Luffy tugged at his cloak, which was flapping wildly in the wind. He gave a quiet chuckle but said nothing.
Hovering in midair, Nami stood firm. Her flowing hair danced in the storm, and her eyes shimmered with the glow of magic and authority. She stared intensely at the purple mass at the center of the vortex.
The purple light spread slowly, gradually seeping into the whirlwind, purifying its chaotic rotation.
The twisting storm, once a frenzy of elements, was now tinted entirely in violet flame.
Nami's expression suddenly grew strained, the glimmer in her eyes beginning to tremble.
From within the storm, three elegant wings wrapped tightly around Robin, shielding her completely.
From the feathers, bullets of violet flame shot outward, striking the spinning wind-blades with precision.
Some were shattered, others consumed. The violet flames disrupted the cyclone's rhythm.
Wind-blades tainted with purple fire spiraled through the sky, each streak carrying the mark of Robin's magic.
Before long, the tempest Nami had summoned was no longer a dragon of wind, but a vortex of fire, still swirling in place.
At its heart stood Robin, her eyes aglow with cosmic light. Her aura suddenly sank, power no longer flaunted, but honed, and then,
BOOM!
With a deafening roar, the purple whirlwind exploded, dissolving into a billow of flames, then slowly fading from view.
"Tch…"
The sudden eruption disrupted Nami's control over the spell. The backlash from the scattered air nearly sent her plummeting.
Luckily, years of meditation allowed her to stabilize herself midair. After a brief stumble, she regained her footing.
In the sky, Robin spread her folded wings with a rustle. Untouched, serene, and wearing a subtle smile, she emerged from the six glowing wings of an angel. She looked divine, too perfect, almost heartbreaking.
But the vision shattered in the next moment.
A cold frost swept across Robin's face. A pulse of violet flame burst forth, and her angelic wings grew twice as large, stretching majestically through the sky.
All six wings fully unfurled, casting a shadow that covered a large part of the sky.
A chill entered Robin's gaze.
At the ends of her wings were slender, finger-like blades, as sharp as swords.
Up close, one would feel a terrifying sense of dread. Eerie. Unnatural. Unforgettable.
The wings bent, and their razor-sharp tips locked onto Nami. Under the sun, they shimmered like cold stars.
Swish!
Without warning, the wings lunged toward Nami, trailing streaks of pale light through the air.
TSSHH!
Wings met the barrier of wind, a violent clash of spear and shield.
Sparks flared where they collided.
"Hah!"
With a wave of her hands, Nami sent a shockwave of wind pressure to temporarily push Robin back.
She leapt forward, riding the wind, darting straight at Robin.
Robin's wings retracted and stabbed forward like spears, launching a storm of attacks.
Nami twisted through the air with agility, her small frame allowing her to evade every strike.
A surge of magic gathered in her palms. Two invisible blades formed in her hands.
Slick!
Nami charged in without hesitation, thrusting both blades at Robin's chest like lightning. The air parted around her, offering no resistance.
CLANG!
Robin caught the wind blades with the tips of her upper wings, producing a sharp ringing sound.
Her lower wings morphed into blades and slashed viciously toward Nami's waist.
SHING!
Nami was equally swift. With a rapid swing, she blocked the strike, matching the wings with her own blade of air.
At the same time, she enveloped herself in razor-sharp currents, both for protection and offense.
BOOM, CLANG! CLANG! CRASH…
The sky echoed with an endless stream of clashes.
The rapid pace of the fight left Bell-mère and the others below completely unable to follow.
Two nearly invisible figures flickered across the sky, only the constant sound of impact confirming the battle continued.
Wind and cloud. Magic and will.
Robin and Nami fought without mercy, crossing from one end of the sky to the other, neither yielding an inch.
But slowly, their expressions began to soften.
Robin's strength impressed Nami, and Nami's unrelenting Mental Power moved Robin.
Nami could tell, even now, Robin was still holding back, not using her full power.
But she…
CLANG!
With a harsh metallic screech, Nami stumbled back, dropping from the sky to the ground. Her legs buckled, nearly sending her crashing down.
Robin also returned to the ground, wings gently beating, but she made no move to strike a weakened Nami.
"She's… so strong…"
Drenched in cold sweat, Nami's eyes were starting to lose focus.
She was out of magic, completely spent. She could no longer fight.
And yet… she still wanted to win.
She rallied the last bit of magic within her, pouring it all in, holding nothing back.
"Dragon Slayer Ultimate Art…"
A massive magic circle formed beneath Nami's feet, intricate, powerful.
The remnants of magic from the sky began to pour into it, forming a vortex that showed just how powerful the spell was.
"Sky-Piercer…"
"Sixty-Petal Bind: Hooked Chains!"
Dozens of chain-like arms burst from the circle's edge, wrapping around Nami and freezing her in place. She couldn't move.
The magic circle, cut off from its source, began to dim and dissolve. The coalescing air currents faded with it.
"I… lost…"
Bound in chains, Nami gazed up at the sky, dazed.
The flames of battle had gone out.
For a moment, the world fell into silence.
Robin looked uncertainly at Luffy.
They had planned to invite Nami to join their voyage, but the battle had spiraled beyond Robin's expectations. She'd fought seriously, even used some of her true power.
Now that Nami had lost, Robin didn't know what to do.
Luffy gave her a slight shake of his head and turned to speak to Nami, but before he could, he froze.
BOOM!
A sound like distant thunder echoed above.
"Lost? No, I can't lose! I won't lose! I have to go to sea. I… I want to WIN!!!"
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE…
The clear sky rippled violently.
Nami's eyes began to glow blue, a deep, sky-colored light.
Air currents surged toward her, not guided by magic, but as if summoned by destiny. Pure energy poured into her.
CRACK,
The chains restraining her shattered, turning into petals and vanishing.
White feathers began to emerge from one side of Nami's body.
Her delicate hand grew larger, fingers twisting into a claw. White energy coated it.
A human hand had become a beast's paw, gleaming with lethal sharpness.
"Rrraaaah!"
A bestial roar, not human, escaped Nami's mouth, startling everyone.
She swung her claw, savagely ripping the last chains from her body.
Her once-bright eyes were now sharp and feral, stripped of all humanity.
Desperate for victory, Nami had surrendered her body to the Dragon Slayer Magic Crystal within her. In search of greater strength, she had lost herself.
Like a beast, she locked eyes on Robin, kicked up a cloud of dust, and lunged, claws raised in a vicious strike.
She moved so fast Robin couldn't react in time.
"Brook!!!" Luffy shouted.
"At once, Luffy-san!"
Whether by instinct or preparation, Brook was ready.
He gripped his sword and predicted Nami's trajectory.
With a swift slash, icy energy from the abyss surged toward her.
Focused entirely on Robin, Nami didn't even notice. She charged straight into the freezing wave, like it had been choreographed.
Her feral form froze in an instant, locked in ice.
Her body slowly reverted to normal. A final flicker of light passed through her eyes before she collapsed, unconscious.
=============
150+ Advance Chapters Available on Patreon! Patreon.com/Veltoria