Chapter 51: Are We Just Too Weak?
On the frozen surface of the sea, from the rolling smoke...
Hanafuda walked out, step by heavy step.
His body had expanded to at least five times its original size. He was covered in greenish-black scales, his knotted muscles rippling with destructive power.
Thump!
His thick tail swept across the ice, leaving a massive dent and cracks in its wake.
His arms had transformed into beastly forelimbs, still gripping the scythe-flail weapon.
He looked nothing like a human now.
Or perhaps, this was his true form.
[Devil Fruit User 'Hanafuda' discovered]
[Confirmed Devil Fruit: 'Zoan, Ancient-Type, Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Tyrannosaurus'. Analyzing and saving to 'Fruit Encyclopedia']
The voice in his ear didn't surprise Roy.
"You guys, fall back."
He casually instructed Hans and the others. Then, before the Detention Unit Marines could react, he leaped from the warship again.
The recoil from his powerful jump pushed the warship—already immobile due to the damaged rudder and engine—a significant distance backward.
Roy landed on the frozen sea, facing off against the massive T-Rex.
"You've got guts, Marine brat..."
Hanafuda, whose body had mostly recovered, felt the pain from his wounds and looked at the wreckage of his fleet. He ground his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.
His vertical pupils locked onto Roy. "Fish-Man Karate... Foxfire Style... I don't remember them having this kind of power."
He had obviously heard Roy's nonsense earlier.
And Hanafuda was skeptical.
As a pirate who had roamed the New World, he had seen Fish-Men and their Karate—it could indeed control surrounding moisture.
And due to his relationship with Kaido, he had heard of Wano's 'Foxfire Style'—a sword art that claimed to 'burn and cut everything with fire.'
But their power... was it ever this exaggerated?
"Maybe the people you met just weren't very good at it," Roy offered a fair assessment.
"..."
Hanafuda didn't argue. He looked at Roy seriously. "Kid, they say... you're Zephyr's disciple?"
"Genuine article," Roy said calmly.
"I see. If you're that old geezer's student, maybe there is a possibility..."
Hanafuda seemed to accept the explanation. He was a pirate from the same era as Kaido; he had experienced Zephyr's prime.
But just then...
VMMM!
The hum of a shockwave interrupted Hanafuda.
Roy punched.
Facing the shockwave wrapped in scorching magma fire, Hanafuda's pupils constricted.
He leaped, dodging the blow, but the searing shockwave still melted a massive hole in the ice behind him.
"Calling someone's teacher an 'old geezer' right in front of his disciple... You've got some nerve, pirate!"
Roy's expression remained cold.
He extended a hand toward Hanafuda, who had reappeared nearby.
"If you want to fight! Come on!"
Hearing this, a savage grin spread across Hanafuda's face.
"Good!"
A low, beastly roar rumbled in his throat. "Kid, you'll soon learn... the consequences of angering me!"
The moment the words fell...
BOOM!
His massive tail swept out, shattering the ice.
Hanafuda's colossal body vanished.
The next instant, he reappeared right beside Roy.
His head was coated in jet-black Armament Haki—as Kaido's sworn brother and an Ancient Zoan user, his Haki was top-tier!
"King Dragon Cart: Hammer!"
He slammed his massive head down toward Roy.
Roy didn't dodge. Golden light exploded from his right fist.
"Wave Fist: Earthshaker!"
Shockwave met headbutt.
BOOM!
CRACK!
A deafening roar shook the entire ice field. The violent force caused the ice beneath them to collapse instantly, forming a massive crater.
"This impact... is this kid really not an ability user!?"
Hanafuda could clearly feel the powerful shockwave tearing at his skin and flesh through his Haki-hardened skull.
But clearly, this level of injury wasn't enough to take him down.
Whoosh!
Hanafuda twisted his body, whipping his tail at Roy from behind!
And this collision... kicked off the battle in earnest.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
On the distant Detention Unit warship.
"So... so strong!"
The Marines could only watch the battle helplessly.
No—to be precise, they couldn't even follow it.
The two on the battlefield... were too strong!
Hanafuda, despite his massive size, displayed terrifying speed that didn't match his bulk.
He flickered across the frozen battlefield, leaving massive, monstrous footprints with every movement.
Scythe, tail, claws, teeth, head... mastering Armament Haki, he used every part of his body as a weapon. Every strike created a crater or punched through the ice.
His frenzied appearance was like a true beast.
In contrast, Roy's movements were slower.
But every time Hanafuda's powerful attacks neared him, Roy would swing his golden fist, blasting them away with powerful shockwaves!
Wherever his fist struck, freezing frost and scorching flames alternated continuously.
That destructive power was even more terrifying than Hanafuda's!
"Captain..."
Hans and Fal watched the two monsters, wanting to say something.
But in the end, they said nothing.
They had contacted Marine Headquarters via Transponder Snail, but there was no response yet.
Aside from that, they could do nothing.
They knew very well—in a battle of this level, they were useless.
"Hey, Fal... Are we just too weak?"
Hans asked, dropping the 'Sergeant' title for once.
"..."
Fal didn't speak. He just gripped the railing tighter.
☆☆☆
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you