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Kojin's right wrist, stained with blood, lay utterly still on the icy surface.
The crimson blood evoked a heart-stopping sense of dread.
No one could have imagined that Kojin would cut off his own hand to avoid capture.
What kind of unparalleled decisiveness, cold-bloodedness, and madness would it have taken to commit such an act?
"Surprised?" Kojin chuckled softly. "There's something you should all know."
With a flick of his left wrist, he sheathed the long blade once more. Then, he slowly raised his left hand.
Hōng lóng!
Thunder roared as a brilliant arc of lightning materialized between heaven and earth, piercing the sky. In an instant, the lightning fragmented into countless delicate tendrils of electricity, forming a colossal, tree-like structure rooted where Kojin stood. Its branches bloomed across the firmament.
"That's it!"
The flickering lightning illuminated the heavens, casting alternating flashes of light and shadow.
The colossal lightning tree grew larger and larger, its branches thickening. The Thunder Pillar, its main trunk, had already reached the width of a dozen men's embraces. Countless intricate branches formed a breathtaking network of electrical veins.
"I'm here to kill Undying!"
A soft sigh escaped Kojin's lips as he looked down at the two figures before him.
A faint, suffocating sense of dread washed over Sengoku and Zephyr.
They sensed something different about the nearly kilometer-tall lightning tree looming before them. Its dense branches crackled with energy capable of destroying an entire island.
"Against opponents as formidable as you..."
"...I have no choice but to unleash my full power."
Another sigh echoed through the air. Kojin's left hand suddenly clenched into a fist.
"1.5 billion volts!"
"Zeus Divine Tree!"
His icy voice reverberated through the heavens and the earth.
The next instant, Sengoku and Zephyr watched the colossal lightning tree tremble violently, its branches shuddering.
Pī Li Pā Lā!
The crackling arcs of electricity in the void coalesced into a deafening roar. At that moment, countless branches erupted with purple light and swung in unison.
It was this single swing.
Sengoku and Zephyr's faces paled.
"Run!"
The two men roared in unison, their bodies already sprinting away.
The millions of branches transformed into whips of lightning and lashed out in all directions, especially toward the retreating figures of the two men.
With a mere flick of the branches, the icy surface vaporized into vast clouds of white mist.
This blossoming lightning tree clearly possessed unimaginable destructive power. Not only did its branches pulse with terrifyingly high-voltage electricity, but they were also coated in Kojin's Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki).
In an instant, an area spanning ten thousand, fifty thousand, or even a hundred thousand meters became the domain of this divine tree.
It seemed to breathe; each breath sent its myriad branches sweeping outward at lightning speed to obliterate any living thing that dared approach.
"He's developed the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit) to an incredible degree!"
"What a terrifying young man!"
The two Admirals exclaimed in shock as they dodged the relentless attacks.
Can a Logia Fruit be developed this far?
Its destructive power and unimaginable range defied comprehension. Even the two admirals hesitated to confront its destructive force directly.
For nearly three minutes, the Zeus Divine Tree dominated the sky and earth. Its lightning-charged branches swayed with the tree's rhythmic breathing as it unleashed unimaginable devastation.
The two admirals were struck over a dozen times, their bodies charred and riddled with wounds.
Finally, the divine tree slowly retracted its power and vanished into nothingness.
Kojin stood in the center of the battlefield, panting slightly and looking pale.
Attacks with greater destructive power and range naturally consumed more stamina and energy.
After relentless battles, Kojin's spirit and stamina began to wane.
"It's stopped!"
That kid must be nearing his limit, too."
The two Admirals exchanged a glance and spoke in unison.
After waiting a moment longer and seeing no more lightning strikes, they dragged their charred and aching bodies toward the center of the battlefield.
When they saw the ice plain, now dozens of meters lower and shrouded in white mist, they both drew sharp breaths.
"Such terrifying destructive power!"
"If either of us had dueled him alone, I'm afraid..."
Sengoku and Zephyr exchanged a solemn look, their expressions grave.
Moments later, they reached the center of the arena and confronted the panting Kojin.
"This ends here, Kojin!" Zephyr declared sternly.
Kojin raised his head and suddenly laughed.
"This ends here?"
"No!
My view is precisely the opposite of Sensei's!"
He paused, stood up straight, clenched his left fist, and shuddered once more.
"This is just the beginning!"
His gaze suddenly sharpened, blazing with fervent flames.
This battle!
It was a battle that would truly test the limits of his current strength.
His stamina, mental fortitude, and ability to withstand pressure had all been pushed to unprecedented extremes.
Yet deep within his heart, an unprecedented tremor surged—not of fear but of exhilaration. It was a maddening excitement that made his heart pound and adrenaline surge through his veins.
Huff, huff, huff!
The frigid wind howled, whipping the mist across the icy surface.
"Kojin!"
A low, furious roar suddenly erupted.
Kojin turned to see a figure staggering to its feet in the distance, drenched in blood and covered in wounds. The man's face was twisted beyond recognition.
"Sakazuki!"
Sengoku called out the man's name.
Sakazuki's condition was utterly gruesome, yet the fact that he could still stand left everyone present shocked.
Even Kojin was stunned by how long Sakazuki's health bar was.
It's no wonder he could clash with Whitebeard head-on during the Summit War.
Twenty-two years ago, he was already as tenacious as an undying cockroach.
Then, golden light coalesced, and another figure materialized nearby.
"Borsalino," Kojin said grimly.
The lightning-fast Kizaru was arguably his most troublesome opponent.
Not because of his sheer power, but because his Devil Fruit ability made him extraordinarily difficult to deal with.
"I'll kill you!" Sakazuki snarled.
Dragging his battered body, he slowly advanced toward Kojin.
Even though he was severely wounded, he still sought to continue fighting Kojin, which was a testament to his tenacious will and the depth of his hatred.
"Four against one, huh?" Kojin murmured, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield. Wherever he looked, he saw only enemies.
"Pathetic fool!"
"You Marine traitor! You're nothing but a pathetic loner!"
"Perhaps you have no idea what kind of enemy you're facing!"
Sakazuki sneered, his crimson magma roiling and causing the air temperature to spike once more.
"The entire Marine force will be your enemy!"
"And you!"
"You're just one man!"
These words caused Sengoku and Zephyr to furrow their brows.
Kojin, however, remained composed. After a few moments, the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
"Just one man, you say?"
A sudden gust of wind swept through the Void, carrying grains of sand with it. As the wind intensified, the sand multiplied rapidly and transformed into a breathtaking sandstorm.
"Hey, magma brat."
Hearing you talk about our superiors like that really pisses me off!"
A deep voice rumbled through the sandstorm. Amidst the swirling sand, a figure materialized and blocked Sakazuki's path.
Simultaneously, another figure appeared before Borsalino.
"I'd still rather beat the crap out of that trash-talking bastard, Crocodile!" Bullet snarled, his eyes locked fiercely on Sakazuki.
"Is that so?" Crocodile grinned, his voice low. "Then let's switch opponents!"
The two men suddenly appeared and instantly blocked Sakazuki and Borsalino.
"Your subordinates have remarkable courage, young Kojin," Zephyr remarked, clenching his fists in preparation for another attack.
"How long can you possibly hold out?" Sengoku asked, shaking his head and sighing. "Remember, there are more waiting after us."
Kojin chuckled softly and shifted his gaze from the other fighters. "All I need to do right now is defeat you two!"
"As for what comes after..."
That's for the future!"
Zephyr grinned. "You certainly know how to talk trash!"
His figure vanished in a flash and reappeared instantly before Kojin with a swift strike.
Beside him, Sengoku leaped high into the air before plummeting down.
The three-way battle erupted anew.
Kojin clashed head-on with both opponents with a single arm and fist. Thunderous lightning crackled across his body, yet he held his own without faltering.
Meanwhile, Bullet clashed with Sakazuki, and Crocodile engaged Borsalino in a separate duel.
On a remote, shattered fragment far from the epicenter of the battlefield, a wounded figure suddenly opened his eyes.
"They really went all out on me!"
"Kojin!"
"Too bad... I can't fight anymore.
"The injuries are too severe."
If word spread about this battle, it would shake the entire world to its core.
Kojin and two Admirals, along with their subordinates, had blocked two Vice Admirals.
Each clash, no matter which side was fighting, was relentlessly fierce, sending tremors through the Marines observing from distant battleships.
Time slowly ticked by.
Before they knew it, the second day had arrived.
Yet Kojin's spirit and will remained fervent as he continued to battle the two admirals before him.
From his first encounter with the future Three Admirals until now, he has never lost, showcasing unrivaled combat skill.
Sengoku and Zephyr were injured as well, but their stamina remained remarkably robust.
"They're all monsters!"
How long will this war rage on?"
The Marines murmured in awe.
"Vice Admiral Kojin is too strong! Even after losing an arm, he can regenerate it with lightning, and his combat power hasn't diminished at all!"
"He's fighting two admirals alone!" someone exclaimed, their voice trembling.
The battle raged on relentlessly.
It wasn't until dusk the following day that Sengoku slammed Kojin onto the ice with a palm strike, forcing him to cough up a torrent of blood.
Kojin immediately flipped to his feet, though, and retaliated with a punch that sent Sengoku flying.
Zephyr stepped forward and unleashed a flurry of blows to suppress Kojin.
The two clashed fiercely for several breaths before Sengoku rejoined the fray.
Half an hour later, Kojin had reached his limit.
Gasping for breath, he stared at the equally exhausted pair before him and suddenly burst into wild laughter.
"Hahaha ha ha ha ha!"
"Exhilarating!"
His body shuddered as he tried to clench his right hand into a fist but couldn't muster the strength.
He had reached his limit.
"It's over!"
He'll be erased!"
In a distant palace, one of the five observers watching the battle suddenly spoke up.
"It's over, Kojin!" Zephyr sighed.
At that moment, however, Kojin moved his left hand and gripped the Long blade at his waist, trembling violently with his muscles twitching uncontrollably.
"What's he doing?"
Everyone watched in bewildered astonishment.
Then, in the next instant,
A blade of light flashed across Kojin's neck, severing his head and sending it flying into the air.
"It is over!"
"But it's you who has met your end!"
A calm voice echoed.
Sengoku and Zephyr's pupils constricted sharply as a chill ran down their spines.
Inside the palace at Mary Geoise, the five ancient figures rose simultaneously.
"I told you!"
"I'm here to kill!"
Amidst crackling arcs of electricity, a figure materialized before them all,
Stern as a prison, radiating overwhelming authority.
(End of Chapter)