"Magnetic Titan!" Kid shouted as nearly ten thousand tons of scrap metal swarmed over him, forming a colossal armored giant.
This was Kid's ultimate technique. An astonishing display of power, perfectly blending offense and defense.
"Kihahahaha! I ate the Magnet-Magnet Fruit! I'm a magnet man! Welcome... to my domain!"
Kid roared with triumphant laughter. He flexed the Magnetic Titan's arms, thrusting them upward with such force that they shattered the auction house ceiling.
Countless fragments of the building rained down. A single ray of sunlight pierced through the broken roof, illuminating the hulking giant and casting its twisted, corroded mechanical body in a menacing light.
In Kid's mind, with the power of his Magnetic Titan, the man named Ryuuto was no longer a threat.
Meanwhile, Buggy and his crew stood just outside the entrance, witnessing the chaos. Their eyes burned with pure rage at the sight of Kid. All their hard work, all their efforts, had been utterly destroyed by him.
"That bastard! Unforgivable!" Buggy hissed, clenching his fists while cowering slightly to the side.
"Meeowr!" Richie the lion bared his fangs, as if roaring, *Try my lion's bite!*
Cabaji, Mohji, and Alvida kept their gazes fixed on the two figures at the center of the destruction: Kid, transformed into the Magnetic Titan, and Ryuuto, wielding his World-Ending Lightning Blade.
"A little interesting," Ryuuto remarked, watching the scene unfold. With a slight tremor of Yuki-bashiri, an endless torrent of violet lightning crackled to life around him.
*Crackle!*
The air itself seemed to tear apart under the strain.
"Kid, show me your strongest attack! Let's see what you're really made of!" Ryuuto said with a light chuckle, his voice calm as he looked up at the giant.
"Bastard! You dare look down on me!"
Ryuuto's dismissive tone sent Kid into a volcanic rage. He swung a massive mechanical fist, sending it hurtling down toward Ryuuto.
"Right on time!"
"Supreme King: Thunderous Annihilation!"
Ryuuto's eyes narrowed. He swung Yuki-bashiri, unleashing a blinding arc of lightning dozens of meters long that shot straight toward the descending fist.
BOOM!
The bolt of lightning crossed the distance in an instant, striking the Magnetic Titan's arm. The entire auction house was momentarily bathed in a searing white light.
*Sizzle!*
The metal fist held for barely half a second before the world-ending lightning tore through it. Everything in the attack's path was vaporized into nothingness. The beam continued unabated, striking Kid squarely in the chest.
BOOM!
A wave of destructive energy, immeasurably violent, washed over Kid as the lightning completely engulfed him.
"No, don't—"
Kid's terrified cry was swallowed by the deafening roar of the thunder. The powerful beam of destructive lightning pierced through his chest, blew a massive hole in the far wall of the auction house, and vanished over the horizon.
As the light faded, Kid's body collapsed. A massive, gaping wound had been torn through his torso. The Magnetic Titan, its master's magnetic hold now broken, crumbled into a heap of scrap metal scattered across the floor.
"Captain Kid... Wake up!" Killer, who had been hiding in a corner, staggered out on his heavily injured legs. He threw himself beside Kid, his voice choked with grief.
But it was too late. After taking a direct hit from Ryuuto's Supreme King: Thunderous Annihilation, Kid was already dead.
"No way... a one-hit kill!"
Zoro's hand tightened on the hilt of his famed sword, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Ryuuto has gotten this strong!"
Monkey D. Luffy watched the scene with a grave expression, whispering the words to himself.
"But I won't give up! I'll catch up to you!"
Luffy clenched his fist, his gaze locked on Ryuuto, who stood calmly in the beam of sunlight.
Sanji's fists trembled slightly, his mind in turmoil.
"As expected of Captain Ryuuto!"
Foxy's face was alight with joy. His admiration for Ryuuto was like a surging river, endless and unstoppable. Hamburg felt exactly the same.
Buggy and his crew were lost in their own thoughts, but they were all in complete agreement about one thing: Ryuuto's strength was absolute.
Cabaji glanced at Buggy. As the man who knew Buggy best, he understood his captain's long-term ambitions. But now, as the vice-captain of the Buggy Pirates, Cabaji knew he had to offer some advice. What was so wrong with clinging to a powerful ally?
Mohji's thoughts were much simpler. The stronger Ryuuto was, the safer he would be. As a professional slacker, all he wanted was to coast to an easy victory.
Alvida, however, was gazing at Ryuuto with pure adoration.
*As expected of the man I chose for myself. Only a man like him is worthy of my unparalleled beauty!* she fantasized, though she would never dare say such things to his face.
Ryuuto dismissed the divine lightning from his blade and sheathed Yuki-bashiri. He slowly walked over to where Kid and Killer lay.
"You lived by the justice of 'strength reigns supreme.' I'm sure you have no complaints about dying by it."
A faint smile touched Ryuuto's lips. Ignoring Killer's terrified expression, he raised Yuki-bashiri and brought it down on them both.
*SHING!*
A crisp, clear ring of steel echoed through the hall. A fountain of blood erupted, splattering across the broken scrap metal on the ground. Two heads flew high into the air.
Eustass Kid, the infamous supernova, had died at the hands of a fellow rookie.
Ryuuto wasn't surprised. Kid hadn't even awakened his Haki, relying solely on his Devil Fruit. Against a true powerhouse, that was never going to be enough.
The onlookers in the auction house felt a chill run down their spines. Their eyes filled with fear. This man was terrifyingly decisive.
For a moment, no one spoke. A dead silence fell over the room.
"Foxy, clean this up," Ryuuto said, his voice soft. He returned his sword to its scabbard and turned his attention to the two Devil Fruits still on the stage. Kid's little rampage had certainly ended the auction. And he was still short on cash.
"Buggy, you too," Ryuuto called out, his gaze sweeping over to the entrance. "Take your men and bring all the treasure from Kid's ship back to me."
The moment Ryuuto's eyes fell on him, Buggy felt a jolt and stood ramrod straight.
"Yes, Captain! Right away!" Buggy responded in a deep, serious tone.
"Oh, and Foxy," Ryuuto added, looking back at him. "You all performed well. Take this Elephant-Elephant Fruit for Porche as a reward. Keep up the good work. Otherwise, how will you ever repay your debt to me?"
Though Ryuuto's voice was quiet, it carried an unassailable authority.
"Ye-yes! Thank you, Captain!"
Foxy's face beamed with delight. He knew he had made the right bet. As long as he served Ryuuto faithfully and clung to this powerful figure, he would have everything he could ever want.
Nearby, Buggy's crew watched with envy. Cabaji and Mohji, in particular, were desperate for a Devil Fruit to overcome their own weakness.