"Hahaha! Uranus isn't so impressive after all!"
Jozu could no longer suppress the joy in his heart and threw his head back with a bold laugh.
His fists trembled faintly with excitement, as if his body itself was trying to express the thrill of victory.
His laughter echoed through the open sky, full of confidence and pride.
But just then, Uranus, that lofty existence hanging above them like a god, released another low, earth-shaking hum.
The sound rolled through the air like thunder, echoing endlessly through the empty space.
Immediately afterward, a laser even hotter and brighter than the previous one suddenly shot out from its core.
Everywhere the beam passed, the air ignited instantly, releasing sharp sizzling sounds. The surroundings were swallowed by blinding white light.
"Again?"
Jozu clenched his teeth, his eyes flashing with determination.
Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped forward once more and faced the deadly attack head-on.
"Then come on!"
He raised his head and roared, his voice filled with fearless pride.
The muscles in his arms tightened instantly, like two thick pillars of steel, every inch packed with explosive strength.
Gathering all the power in his body, he planted his feet firmly in place and pushed forward with all his might, as if he meant to shove the whole world back.
In an instant, two suffocatingly powerful forces collided again.
This clash was like two meteors smashing into each other, erupting into an even fiercer, even more dazzling explosion.
A huge fireball rose at once, swallowing everything around it.
The shockwave spread outward wildly, and the rolling air currents roared like a savage beast, blowing everyone off balance. Some people were even thrown straight to the ground.
But Jozu stood firm like a towering mountain.
His gaze remained locked on the mysterious, powerful Uranus above, without the slightest hint of fear or retreat.
Then something unexpected happened.
Uranus actually stopped attacking.
The terrifying red glow across its surface began flickering unsteadily, like an ancient signal lamp.
One moment, it was as bright as blood. The next, it dimmed almost completely, as if it were carefully examining the stubborn opponent below.
After that, the red light gradually faded at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The entire machine trembled faintly, as if making some major decision.
Or perhaps preparing to leave the battlefield.
"Trying to run?"
Jozu's eyes sharpened at once.
He had only just reached his best state, and the fighting blood in his body was burning hotter than ever.
There was no way he would just watch the enemy slip away like this.
"I never said you could leave!"
Jozu roared, his voice almost tearing through the clouds.
He slammed both fists together, releasing dazzling energy sparks that burst like fireworks in the night sky.
Then he quickly set his stance, his feet sinking deep into the ground as he began frantically gathering light energy.
Golden beams rushed around him faster and faster, brighter and brighter, like a giant golden dragon circling his body.
"This strike will make you stay!"
Jozu gritted his teeth as he spoke. Veins bulged across his forehead, each one standing out clearly as if ready to burst through his skin.
His muscles trembled from the strain of pushing himself so hard, but his gaze never wavered. It carried a resolve that would not stop until the goal was reached.
Everyone around him was deeply moved by that unmatched determination.
They clenched their fists one after another, their faces filled with excitement and respect as they shouted to encourage him.
"Take it down, Jozu!"
Their voices gathered into a powerful wave, as if pouring new strength into him.
On the vast sea, the giant warship was like a moving fortress.
Kaido was gripping an exquisite wine flask in his hand, but at that moment, it seemed as if he had lost control of his body.
With a heavy clang, the flask fell hard onto the solid deck.
Amber liquor spilled out like a rushing stream, soaking the dragon-scale boots beneath his feet.
Yet Kaido, lost in overwhelming shock, did not notice at all.
This Emperor of the Sea, the man known as the "world's strongest creature," was usually domineering and untouchable.
But now, his deep dragon pupils were widened to the limit, filled with unconcealable astonishment and confusion.
His jaw hung slightly open, his lips loose in an expression that was almost never seen on his face.
It was the look of a mountain that had stood for a thousand years suddenly being shaken by an earthquake, ripples spreading through a heart that had always seemed as solid as stone.
"You've… got to be kidding me…"
Kaido's deep, powerful voice carried a faint tremor of disbelief as it rolled from his throat.
Without realizing it, his thick dragon claws suddenly tightened.
The railing beside him, which had seemed sturdy enough, crumbled like fragile tofu, wood splinters flying everywhere.
His heart was full of confusion and shock as he muttered,
"When did that brat get this strong?"
His gaze, like two blazing lasers, locked firmly onto Jozu, as if trying to see through him completely.
Inside Jozu's unique diamond body, three mysterious and dazzling energies were flowing.
The golden light representing the Glint-Glint Fruit shone like the brilliant morning sun, radiating blinding brightness.
The crystalline radiance of the Twinkle-Twinkle Fruit sparkled like the brightest stars in the night sky, dazzling enough to make people dizzy.
And then there was the faint but unmistakable fluctuation of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, making the surrounding space tremble slightly. It felt like a roar from the abyss, containing the power to destroy heaven and earth.
"A dual-fruit ability user is already absurd enough…"
Kaido's dragon whiskers trembled violently from shock, each strand shaking like a plucked string in the wind.
His breathing grew heavy and rapid, his chest rising and falling violently as he continued,
"But this kid also has the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. That makes him a damn three-fruit ability user! That goes against common sense!"