As time passed, these electrical currents grew increasingly intense, their radiance ever more dazzling.
Eventually, all the currents converged, coalescing into a massive, blindingly bright ball of lightning held between Lancelot's golden dragon claws.
The moment this lightning sphere took form, the terrifying, raw energy contained within could no longer be restrained.
Thick, "sha," bolts of electricity began spreading wildly in all directions from the lightning sphere's center, like vicious silver snakes dancing recklessly through the air.
Even more astonishingly, these electrical currents actually connected and intertwined with the raging thunder in the heavy black clouds overhead, creating an extremely spectacular, world-ending scene.
"Thunder Dragon!"
Lancelot's eyes widened as he let out an earth-shattering, draconic roar.
Immediately after, the muscles in his scaled arms bulged violently as he summoned all his strength, hurling the two dazzling lightning spheres he held.
Like arrows released from their bowstrings, the lightning spheres cut through the curtain of rain, racing directly toward Crocodile, who remained trapped and exposed in the torrential downpour.
The moment the lightning spheres left his hands, something miraculous occurred—the two spheres seemed drawn by an invisible force, rapidly converging and merging in mid-air, transforming in the blink of an eye into an even larger, colossal lightning sphere.
Simultaneously, from within the heavy, gloomy clouds above, a ferocious, continent-sized dragon head formed entirely of raging, crackling thunder emerged.
The dragon head appeared vividly lifelike, radiating a heart-palpitating aura of pure terror.
Its pair of lightning-filled dragon eyes locked firmly onto the rapidly flying lightning sphere below, as if it weren't a ball of energy, but rather its own dragon pearl.
"BOOM..."
Accompanied by world-shaking roars, the next second saw the thunder dragon hidden within the clouds violently swing its thick, powerful tail.
Trailing a series of dazzling electric arcs, it shot out from the depths of the clouds at lightning speed, closely following the lightning sphere in a devastating dive toward the ground.
"Damn it!"
Crocodile, positioned below and soaked to the bone, turned deathly pale at the sight of such a terrifying, apocalyptic spectacle.
His eyes widened into perfect circles, his gaze revealing unprecedented fear and gravity.
At this moment, his heartbeat accelerated violently, as if it were about to burst from his chest.
Because he had only once before witnessed such world-destroying power—from the legendary pirate who shook the Four Seas, Whitebeard Edward Newgate.
It was normal for Whitebeard to possess such might; he was universally acknowledged as the world's strongest man.
But how could this kid before him, this upstart Marine, have such power? How?
And judging from their earlier confrontation, even with the trump card of his Mythical Zoan dragon form, he shouldn't be this powerful.
His age was right there!
No matter how strong a genius, he couldn't be this strong.
The most renowned genius in a century, Red-Haired Shanks... he had only reached Emperor status at the age of 33.
And Shanks at 33, though he had become an Emperor, still hadn't reached the level of rivaling an old monster like Whitebeard.
So what exactly was going on with this guy?
Now Crocodile was desperate... having lost his greatest reliance, his Logia intangibility, yet facing what looked like one of the world's strongest attacks.
"BOOM..."
The next second, the lightning ball slammed fiercely into him, followed immediately by the colossal thunder dragon, which dived down and completely engulfed him in a blinding, deafening explosion of pure elemental fury.
When everything returned to calm, the lightning had vanished, and the heavy clouds in the sky, their purpose served, had dispersed.
A large, blackened, and smoking crater appeared on the ground where Crocodile had stood.
He himself lay at its center, in a wretched, unmoving state.
His entire body was charred black, with occasional, faint arcs of electricity still flickering across him.
Tendrils of black smoke rose from his gaping mouth.
His eyes had lost all focus, even turning an ashen gray.
Were it not for the faint, shallow rise and fall of his chest, one might have thought him dead.
"Hehe..." Lancelot, hovering above, sneered as he reverted to his human form.
If this strike had been unleashed elsewhere, on a clear, sunny day, it would never have possessed such destructive power.
After all, his current strength was far from reaching such a level.
But here, both timing and terrain had been perfectly on his side.
For instance, the area was thick with dense, natural fog.
Without this mist, his rudimentary, newly-acquired Devil Fruit ability could never have generated such an extensive, heavy cloud layer.
And without such vast clouds, he could never have summoned such powerful, natural lightning to augment his own.
In any other location, he could have exerted at most twenty to thirty percent of this attack's full force.
"You can only blame your misfortune," Lancelot said, landing near the crater.
He then turned his gaze to the other side, where Lina, Zoro, and Moria had been fighting.
By now, Moria, already injured and facing two powerful swordsman had also fallen, his massive body lying unconscious on the ground under the combined assault of his two subordinates.
....
A day later, Lancelot looked upon the shackled forms of Crocodile, Moria, Absalom, and Perona—all now fitted with Seastone cuffs—with great satisfaction.
Even better, through the Den Den Mushi in his hand, Princess Vivi had already made contact with her father, Nefertari Cobra.
Cobra's voice, though strained, was regal.
"Vivi and Igaram have told me everything. Since they, representing the kingdom, have agreed to your terms, we will not go back on our word. The two Devil Fruits will be sent directly to your base in the East Blue."
Lancelot immediately understood Cobra's implication—he did not wish to be openly associated with him or this... transaction.
This was exactly what Lancelot wanted as well.
So, he nodded. "Acceptable."
After all, the two Devil Fruits were merely an addition to the reward.
What followed was the crucial part.
There was a long silence on the other end of the line.
Then, Cobra continued, his voice barely a whisper.
"To obtain an Ability User's power... one must thrust a blade into their heart, allowing the heart's blood to splash onto a piece of nearby fruit. That fruit will immediately transform into a new Devil Fruit. The guardians of my kingdom have always passed down their Devil Fruits through this method... this inheritance... when they grow old."
He paused briefly before adding a heavy warning.
"I have told you this method. But I advise you to use it... with caution."
Hearing this, Lancelot fully grasped his meaning. "Rest assured, Your Majesty. I'm not foolish."
If he were to kill a captured Ability User and immediately have another underling gain that same power, it would quickly draw the unwanted attention of the Five Elders and Sengoku.
After all, those guys were shrewd, every last one of them.
And if he were exposed, Cobra's side—and the secret of Alabasta—might also face the risk of discovery.
That was not something Cobra wanted to see.
Cobra's voice returned, "What about Vivi and Igaram..."
He left the sentence unfinished, but the implication was clear.
'The reward has been given. Shouldn't they be allowed to return now?'
Before he could finish, Lancelot spoke bluntly. "Don't worry, I'll personally escort them back."
But Cobra shook his head. "The commotion you caused was too big this time—taking down two Shichibukai at once. Crocodile is one thing. I'll report that matter directly to the highest authorities, and you might even get another promotion out of it."
"But Moria..." Cobra sighed. "He didn't violate his alliance with the World Government or the Marines, yet you eliminated him anyway. To give the other Shichibukai a proper explanation... you'll likely have to return the way you came. So this trip to the Holy Land to deliver the tribute will probably be cut short. I suspect the Holy Land or Marine Headquarters will send someone to... take over... from you."
Lancelot's lips curled into a cold smile.
'Take over?' he thought. 'What could they possibly take over?'
'Ah. The Berries.'
Not only was he likely barred from coming to the Holy Land himself, but they also wanted his three billion Berries.
How... fucking... shady.
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