However, the moment he fixed his gaze on Whitebeard, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the high platform—Akainu's figure had vanished into thin air.
This discovery made his eyes narrow slightly.
He knew all too well that his flamboyant entrance had drawn the attention of everyone present.
And Akainu must have seized this opportunity to secretly sway "Squard."
At this very moment, he absolutely couldn't allow anyone's attention to shift away from him!
The thought flashed through his mind, and in the next instant, his body underwent a startling transformation.
His head slowly sprouted a pair of fierce horns, and in the blink of an eye, his hands transformed into sharp dragon claws, while his body became covered in a layer of golden dragon scales.
Especially under the sunlight, those scales shimmered with a dazzling golden light, impossible to ignore.
Not only that, but around him also swirled a mysterious flame, black with hints of gold, as if burning with boundless power.
This series of transformations made him stand out prominently among the crowd, as if he were the absolute focal point of this battlefield.
'Hiss...'
When everyone witnessed Lancelot's transformation, they collectively drew a sharp breath, as if an invisible force had seized their throats.
The reason was simple: most of those present knew that Lancelot was also a Zoan Ability User, and his ability was similar to Kaido's.
Yet, no one had ever seen this sight with their own eyes.
Now, this scene had finally unfolded before them, and its impact was beyond words.
Especially the mysterious black-and-gold flame swirling around Lancelot left them stunned.
Anyone with even a bit of knowledge could understand what this meant—it was the mark of a Zoan Devil Fruit Awakening.
It was worth noting that even someone as powerful as Kaido hadn't managed to develop his Devil Fruit ability to the level of Awakening.
And most of those present had only heard of Zoan Awakening but had never witnessed it.
It must be said that this appearance delivered a double shock to everyone there.
Boom!
The next second, Lancelot's foot stomped down on the ground with thunderous force.
That terrifying power erupted instantly, like a volcanic explosion.
With a deafening roar, the ground shattered under the impact, sending countless rocks and dust flying in all directions.
Lancelot himself, using the powerful recoil force, vanished from his original spot like a bolt of lightning, moving at an astonishing speed.
His figure was as swift as lightning, ghostly and impossible to track with the naked eye.
Or rather, he had entered a state of high-speed movement, a speed so fast it was almost unimaginable.
Among those present, only a handful could barely catch glimpses of his figure in motion.
For example, Whitebeard, Mihawk, Marco... at the very least, they had to be at the Sweet Commander Level.
However, even for those at the Sweet Commander Level, it was difficult to fully perceive Lancelot's movements.
Only those at the Vice-Emperor Level or above could completely keep up with his speed.
This alone showed just how fast Lancelot was at that moment.
Swish...
Just as Lancelot thought that Marco would once again be the one to stop him, something unexpected happened.
As he swept past "Flower Sword" Vista like a gust of wind, a powerful force suddenly struck from the side.
Lancelot glanced to the side and saw that the one who had struck was none other than "Flower Sword" Vista, who had originally appeared motionless!
"Flower Sword" Vista's sword moved with lightning speed, striking toward him with precision and swiftness.
Faced with this sudden attack, Lancelot's expression shifted, but his reaction speed was equally swift. In an instant, he raised his hand, blocking Vista's strike.
However, this was no ordinary blow.
It must be noted that he was currently in a state of high-speed movement, and the impact generated under such conditions was immense.
Combined with Lancelot's own terrifying strength, the resulting force was enough to instill despair.
The moment Lancelot blocked the strike, a powerful force from "Flower Sword" Vista surged forth like a tidal wave.
He felt a numbing ache in his arm, nearly unable to withstand the impact, and his sword almost slipped from his grasp.
In the face of absolute strength, offense and defense reversed.
...
"Hiss…"
Accompanied by this sharp intake of breath, "Flower Sword" Vista's face filled with shock.
In his understanding, such a reversal of offense and defense typically only occurred in battles with a significant disparity in strength.
He'd only experienced such a profound feeling when facing the old man.
Yet, at this very moment, he was experiencing the same terrifying power in his clash with Lancelot. This left him speechless.
While reeling from the shock, he was still enduring the impact brought by Lancelot.
Vista exerted all his strength to barely withstand this formidable force.
His body, however, was continuously pushed back, his feet scraping two deep trails across the icy surface.
It was evident just how much force he'd endured in that single collision.
This breathtaking scene drew the attention of everyone present.
After all, one side was an Admiral Candidate of the Marines, while the other was a world-renowned Great Swordsman.
Such a clash of titans was undoubtedly the focal point of this battle, successfully capturing everyone's attention.
When the onlookers saw Vista immediately fall into a disadvantage under Lancelot's attack, their expressions shifted.
However, the reactions differed: the members of the Whitebeard Pirates wore expressions of shock and awe.
The Marines, on the other hand, were overjoyed.
Their morale, which had been dampened after Whitebeard's strike sent Lancelot flying, instantly surged.
As for Lancelot, his gaze was now fixed on "Flower Sword" Vista like a falcon's.
His eyes grew increasingly sharp, as if they could pierce through Vista's body and perceive every subtle fluctuation within his heart.
"'Flower Sword' Vista…"
Lancelot murmured the name softly before whispering to himself, "A Dual-Wielding Great Swordsman, captain of the 5th Division of the Whitebeard Pirates. Within the entire Whitebeard Pirates, his combat prowess ranks among the top five."
At this point, the corner of Lancelot's mouth lifted, forming a faint, enigmatic smile.
However, this smile vanished in an instant, and his expression turned serious as he declared.
"Using you to establish my authority is perfect!"
Before the words had fully faded, Lancelot's hand fell upon the hilt of the sword at his waist.
The moment Lancelot's hand grasped the hilt, an overwhelming aura surged from him like raging waves.
This aura was akin to a drawn blade—cold, sharp, and unstoppable, as if it could sever everything in its path.
This astonishing scene was captured entirely by Mihawk, whose eagle-sharp eyes gleamed with intensity.
A trace of anticipation surfaced on his typically indifferent face.
For a Great Swordsman like Mihawk, a true opponent was a rare find.
And now, in Lancelot, he sensed an unprecedented threat, filling him with eager anticipation for the battle to come.
In contrast, although "Flower Sword" Vista was also a Great Swordsman, in Mihawk's eyes, Lancelot clearly posed a greater challenge.
After all, anyone capable of leaving a scar on Kaido was a force to be reckoned with.
As for "Flower Sword" Vista himself, the instant he saw Lancelot's hand on the hilt, his heart tightened.
He knew full well how formidable this man before him was.
Aside from Oden, Lancelot was the only one who had ever managed to leave a scar on Kaido!
As a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, Vista was intimately familiar with the strength of their former Second Division Commander, Oden.
By comparison, Lancelot's swordsmanship was top-tier. How could Vista afford even the slightest carelessness?
With both hands gripping his twin blades tightly, he forced his still-trembling hands to steady.
"Spinning Slash!"
With a furious roar, "Flower Sword" Vista struck like lightning.
His wrist flicked sharply, his longsword tracing an arc through the air before swinging down with thunderous force.
A brilliant slash shot forth in an instant.
This slash streaked like a meteor across the night sky, swift as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, it swept forward like a whirlwind.
Yet this was only the beginning. Vista didn't stop; he immediately swung his blade again, unleashing another equally powerful slash.
These two slashes, one after the other, roared like two ferocious dragons, baring their fangs and claws as they lunged toward Lancelot.
Their speed was astonishing, as if they'd traversed space in an instant, arriving before Lancelot in a flash.
Faced with such a fierce assault, Lancelot showed no fear. His eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on Shusui.
Suddenly, his arm flicked, and Shusui shot from its sheath like a bolt of lightning.
In that instant, an awe-inspiring, colossal slash erupted.
Towering twenty meters high, it stood like a mountain, carrying an unparalleled imposing force as it charged straight toward Vista's two slashes.
A deafening crash echoed as Lancelot's slash collided violently with Vista's sword light.
Sword energy scattered in all directions, shockwaves roiled, and the very space seemed to tremble under the immense power.
Yet, to everyone's shock, Lancelot's slash only hesitated for a moment before effortlessly cleaving through Vista's two sword lights.
Then, like thin paper scattered by a hurricane, they vanished without a trace. Yet Lancelot's slash continued unabated, surging forward with undiminished force.
Where it passed, the hard ice was cleaved apart as easily as tofu, leaving behind a deep trench.
This trench stretched dozens of meters long, as if the very earth had been forcibly torn open—its terrifying power was breathtaking.
"Hiss…"
Those witnessing this scene all drew in sharp breaths in unison.
Their eyes widened, faces filled with astonishment as they stared at the sight before them, as if unable to believe what they were seeing.
This was no longer an ordinary battle—it was clearly a one-sided crushing!
Although both were Great Swordsman-level powerhouses, the difference in their strength was now plain to see.
If in their previous clash, Lancelot had relied on the enhancement of his Zoan Devil Fruit to gain the upper hand in raw power, then now, the strength he displayed was a complete suppression of "Flower Sword" Vista in the way of the sword.
On the side, Hawk-Eyes Dracule Mihawk's eyes lit up, because Lancelot's strike was no less formidable than the slash he himself had just unleashed.
This made him increasingly intrigued by Lancelot.
In contrast, "Flower Sword" Vista was in no mood for such thoughts.
Directly facing this slash, his expression shifted dramatically.
He then crossed his two swords before him, bent his knees slightly, and leaned his upper body forward, assuming a defensive stance.
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