Garp, standing nearby, widened his eyes in disbelief. Known as the Marine Hero for decades, he had once personally defeated Pirate King Roger, and his strength had long been considered terrifying. Yet now, compared to Ashveil, it felt almost pathetic.
As everyone's attention remained on the battlefield, the island where Sword Saint Bickley had fallen began to tremble violently.
The observers watched in astonishment as Bickley, who moments ago had been on the brink of defeat, rose to his feet once more.
But this time, his appearance had drastically changed. His hair grew long again, and his muscles swelled to twice their former size. Though the beast-like expression on his face receded, he now bore the terrifying presence of a Demon King.
His eyes glowed green, his mouth twisted into a terrifying grin, and the bridge of his nose appeared severed. Bickley gazed at Ashveil in the sky and laughed maniacally.
"Hmph hmph hmph hmph… Ashveil, I did not expect a mere human like you to reach the level of our God Race!"
"Behold, this is the true form of our God Race!"
"I will kill everyone here! Hahaha! Anyone who has seen the face of God, no matter who they are, cannot be left alive. This is Imu's command!" Bickley bellowed, exuding an aura of pure malice.
The sinister energy radiating from him was unlike anything previously felt from his Holy Sword. It was oppressive, repulsive, and overwhelming.
Ashveil, observing from above, narrowed his eyes, intrigued.
"Impressive… Celestial Dragons can transform into this form," he muttered. "And this aura… it reeks of pure evil."
The Bickley before him no longer resembled a divine descendant; he was a Demon King incarnate. Ashveil's expression grew serious.
"If this is true, then my suspicion holds. The Celestial Dragons are the true usurpers of this world."
"And perhaps this is why they have hidden so much of history… the Final Island may well contain such secrets."
Bickley roared, charging with terrifying speed.
"Roar! Die, Ashveil!"
In an instant, he appeared before Ashveil, swinging his Holy Sword, now ablaze with dazzling light, directly toward Ashveil's head.
The slash tore through the air, leaving a spatial rift crackling with electrical currents. Ashveil's eyes narrowed; Bickley's speed had increased tremendously. His strength had multiplied several times, though his consciousness appeared clouded, perhaps why he had always hidden this form.
Clang! The impact resonated like a bell across the sky, shaking everything below.
Even though Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki Defense absorbed the brunt, the thousand-meter-long slash wave rippled outward, exploding a kilometer away.
Eighteen connected mountains were leveled instantly. Sparks flew from Bickley's Holy Sword as the attack dissipated, yet Ashveil remained unharmed.
"Not bad. Your attack penetrated one centimeter of my Conqueror's Haki. Impressive," Ashveil commented with a faint click of his tongue.
The Super Conqueror's Haki Defense Shield only extended a decimeter around him, so for Bickley's enhanced form to pierce even one centimeter was remarkable.
"What?!" Bickley roared, enraged. This human dared mock him—him, a Celestial Dragon of unmatched pride.
Fury overtook him. He grabbed his greatsword and unleashed a relentless barrage at Ashveil.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Streaks of sword light filled the air. Sparks erupted with each strike against Ashveil's shield, tearing the surrounding space into chaos. Spatial rifts formed, slashing waves collided, and destruction radiated outward for kilometers.
Within a thousand-kilometer radius, traces of devastation marked the battlefield. Fortunately, no settlements lay within the range, or the area would have become a living hell.
Still, people farther away felt the tremors. They peered out from their homes, faces filled with shock and confusion.
"What's happening? An earthquake?" a young man asked, staring at the quaking ground.
"No, this isn't natural… it looks like… humans are fighting?" another replied.
"Could someone be this powerful? A god, perhaps?"