Goose-feather snow drifted down from a white sky, piling up so thickly that the entire volcano had been transformed into a snow-capped mountain.
At the edge of the crater, deep within the massive sinkhole, two figures descended from above, landing in the snow and shattering the stillness that had ruled this place.
"What a beautiful sight!"
Staring at the pure-white world before him, Yemu truly felt reluctant to ruin it.
But...
He turned his head toward the woman standing before him.
Sensual and stunning, she stood with her hands on her hips, wearing a captivating smile.
"Out of respect for my opponent, I should fight with everything I have in the battle ahead. But a woman as beautiful as you deserves certain privileges. So before we begin, you may make one request. As long as it's within reason, I'll do my best to grant it."
Snowflakes drifted gently down before Galahad Anne's eyes, yet her cold crimson gaze remained perfectly steady, without the slightest ripple of emotion.
She lifted her slender arm, watching as the snow landed on her skin and melted away.
Only then did she raise her head. Her red lips curved faintly as she spoke in a languid voice.
"So this is how men are. I understand. Then I suppose it would be rude of me to refuse."
"I heard from that old woman that you're some kind of Devil Fruit user. It sounds like a powerful ability. Would you let me see it for myself?"
"Is that so? Sounds like you Amazons don't know much about Devil Fruits. Fine."
As Yemu spoke, he paused for a moment, then drew Tengoku from his waist and held it horizontally between them.
"In the so-called open seas, beyond the Calm Belt, Devil Fruit users are generally divided into three categories: Zoan-type Devil Fruits, Paramecia-type Devil Fruits, and Logia-type Devil Fruits."
"Zoan-type is exactly what it sounds like. It lets your body transform into various animals. Aside from gaining certain animal traits, it also grants a much stronger physique and superior recovery."
"The second is Paramecia-type. Paramecia is the most complicated of the three, since it covers all kinds of strange abilities. We've got a few on our ship too. If you're interested after this fight, you can take a look."
"And the last category is the Logia-type, which is what I have, as well as my younger brother, Enel. For example, my Mera Mera no Mi lets my body turn into flames."
The moment his words ended, Yemu's entire body ignited.
Blazing fire engulfed him, until his whole form became living flame.
For the first time, a trace of surprise appeared in Galahad Anne's crimson eyes.
"As for how strong Devil Fruits really are... aside from a few that are genuinely useless, the vast majority depend on the strength of the user. In other words, the stronger the user is, the stronger their Devil Fruit becomes."
"Of course, if we're judging purely by the fruit itself, then the strongest are undoubtedly Logia-types like my Mera Mera no Mi, certain extremely rare Mythical Zoan-types, and some special Paramecia-types."
"They represent power capable of triggering natural disasters."
"Talking any more is pointless. I'll just show you the power of the Mera Mera no Mi..."
As he spoke, Yemu spun Tengoku in his hand, then drove it down hard into the snow beneath his feet.
"Even though I like winter, snow this deep always makes moving around a pain."
"So let me give you a demonstration... of changing this island's climate!"
"Pour scorching flames into the earth, melt everything beneath our feet, accelerate tectonic movement, and trigger a volcanic eruption. This move is called: Tengoku · Blazing Inferno!"
In an instant, under Galahad Anne's startled gaze, terrifying heat erupted from Tengoku's blade.
Endless flames surged forth like razor-sharp edges, drilling straight down into the ground. The earth seemed to melt like ice.
The intense heat instantly vaporized the surrounding snow. Thick smoke rose into the air, and even the hardened ground beneath their feet began to soften.
But it still wasn't over.
Barely half a minute later, the earth trembled, and a deep rumbling rolled through the air.
In the distance, the two volcanoes behind Yemu suddenly erupted, magma bursting skyward.
This time, Galahad Anne finally lost her usual composure.
The crimson glow of the flames reflected in her red pupils as she frowned tightly and spoke.
"So this is the power of a natural disaster. Terrifying… the power of a Devil Fruit."
Yemu calmly held Tengoku in his hand, looking at the woman before him as he explained with ease.
"Yes. In a one-on-one fight, those who excel in Haki may seem stronger. But when it comes to large-scale destruction, Logia-type Devil Fruit users possess power comparable to natural disasters. Of course, it's not limited to Logia-types. Some other Devil Fruits can produce similar effects as well."
As Yemu finished speaking, he noticed that Galahad Anne wasn't looking at him at all. Her gaze was locked firmly on the volcano behind him, her pupils reflecting blazing firelight.
Seeing this, Yemu pulled Tengoku free and slid it back into its sheath. The flames around him finally subsided, but the volcano continued to erupt, and the island's temperature began to shift rapidly.
The heavy snowfall visibly weakened, the sky gradually cleared, and the land took on the unmistakable feeling of spring returning.
"Then… are there many Devil Fruit users as strong as you out there in the outside world?"
"Not that many. Truly powerful Devil Fruits are extremely rare and precious. On top of that, how strong an ability is also depends heavily on the user. Still, compared to someone like Rayleigh-san, there are quite a few of them."
"Is that so…?"
Galahad Anne's expression suddenly turned wistful.
Yet at the same time, a black aura began to coil around her body, like a clinging evil spirit, radiating an eerie and oppressive presence.
Yemu, who had been fairly relaxed just moments ago, grew serious, surprise flashing across his face.
"This is… Armament Haki coating?"
He had never seen Armament Haki like this before, one that carried such a chilling, sinister atmosphere.
"Mhm."
Galahad Anne seemed unconcerned with answering him properly as she shifted her gaze back to Yemu.
"I heard from that old woman that Haki can restrain Devil Fruit abilities."
"Yes, but it depends on how strong the Haki is. Ordinary Haki is useless against certain powerful people."
"So in other words, as long as you kill the user before they activate their ability, there won't be any problems?"
"That's not exactly wrong."
"Then that's really fortunate. I'm quite proficient with Haki myself."
As she spoke, the black aura around Galahad Anne surged even thicker, completely engulfing her figure.
"But I don't like that ugly way of covering myself, so…"
As her words fell, the black aura surrounding Galahad Anne began to condense, slowly solidifying as it wrapped around her body.
"I prefer this form…"
In an instant, Galahad Anne changed.
Black lines appeared across her pale skin, protecting the exposed areas. The vivid red of her qipao turned into a jet-black hue straight out of hell, leaving only the golden patterns and her sensual red lips untouched.
With the change in appearance, her entire presence shifted as well.
If Galahad Anne before had been a lofty queen who looked down on everything, then now she felt more like a blood-eyed witch risen from hell.
"I hope you don't die next. Otherwise, it'll be hard for me to explain things to that old woman…"
At that moment, Yemu's expression darkened as well.
"Hey, hey… isn't this a bit too much? Can Haki really be used like this?"