KRRK!
The energy shield above Kabutops finally shattered under the relentless bombardment of lightning. It broke apart into countless glowing fragments that scattered through the rain.
For the first time, Kabutops stood fully exposed beneath the storm.
KRA-BOOM!
A thick bolt of lightning crashed down and struck it head-on.
"Krrrsh!"
Kabutops let out a pained hiss, its armored body jerking under the impact.
The faceless man's eyes narrowed.
"Kabutops, Smack Down. Shoot them down before they hit!"
"KABU-TOPS!"
Kabutops forced itself steady and released a surge of earth-yellow energy. Massive stones tore free from the ground, rose into the rain, and blasted upward toward the lightning falling from the clouds.
KRAKOOOM! KRAKOOOM! KRAKOOOM!
Rock and lightning collided again and again, detonating in midair and sending dirt, sparks, and shattered stone flying across the battlefield.
With Smack Down, Kabutops blocked the rest of the storm.
Aaron smiled faintly.
"Not bad. You really know how to handle a bad matchup."
"Hahaha..." The faceless man gave a small laugh, his voice still calm. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Aaron's gaze sharpened.
"Gyarados, Armament Haki. Thunder Dragon Claw."
"GRRRAAAOOH!"
High above the battlefield, Gyarados roared. Pitch-black Armament Haki spread over its claws like ink poured across steel, hardening into a dark metallic sheen.
Then lightning erupted.
KRAK-KRAK-KRAK!
Violent yellow arcs coiled around the black dragon claws, hissing like electric serpents as Gyarados dove toward Kabutops below.
The faceless man immediately gave the next command.
"Kabutops, Waterfall!"
"KABU!"
Blue energy surged from Kabutops as it raised its broken-edged scythes and leaped into the air. Water wrapped around its body in a violent current, driving it upward as it swung both arms to meet Gyarados head-on.
The black claws and water-coated scythes collided in midair.
BOOOOM!
A terrifying shockwave burst outward.
Then—
CRACK!
Under the faceless man's stunned gaze, Kabutops's scythes shattered.
The Thunder Dragon Claw tore through them with brutal force, ripping apart the blades that had once been sharp enough to slice through steel.
The next instant, Kabutops was blasted downward.
BANG!
It smashed into the ground and carved out a deep pit in the stone platform.
"What... was that move?"
For the first time, disbelief broke through the faceless man's calm.
"Your Gyarados overpowered my Waterfall head-on?"
His Kabutops was at Gym peak-stage, just short of Champion-class. Even with the type disadvantage, it should not have been torn apart this cleanly.
But he did not know how many layers of power were behind that strike.
Gyarados had already used Dragon Dance twice. On top of that came Armament Haki, its dragon-form enhancement, and the raw force of Thunder Dragon Claw.
This was not a simple clash of moves anymore.
It was Kabutops trying to stop the full weight of a boosted dragon.
"Ksssh!"
Kabutops panted, its scythes already shattered, yet it still climbed back out of the deep pit.
Then it looked up at Gyarados in the sky.
Its eyes had not wavered.
The faceless man saw that look and smiled faintly.
"Good."
His tone grew solemn.
"Kabutops, full-power Stone Edge."
"KABU-TOPS!"
Kabutops roared, and the ground around it began to churn.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
One stone after another tore free from the earth and floated into the air. More and more gathered above the battlefield until they fused into a single enormous boulder more than five meters across.
It hung there like a meteor.
Dense Rock-type energy pulsed from it, heavy enough to make the air feel compressed.
Then Kabutops's eyes flared.
The giant stone shot upward.
WHOOM!
It blasted toward Gyarados with terrifying force.
Aaron's eyes sharpened.
So this was Perfect-tier Stone Edge at full power.
He took a slow breath and gave the command.
"Gyarados, full-body Armament."
His voice dropped.
"Black Blazing Dragon Rush."
"RRRRAAAAGH!"
Gyarados raised its head and let out a thunderous roar.
Black Armament Haki spread across its entire body, covering every scale like a layer of hardened steel. In an instant, the massive blue Gyarados had transformed into a black dragon.
Then flames erupted around it.
FWOOM!
Raging fire wrapped around the armored body, boiling through the rain and turning the falling water into steam.
"GRRRAAOOOH!"
The black dragon roared again, circled once through the storm clouds, and dove.
It descended like a flaming meteor.
Below, the enormous Stone Edge rose to meet it.
Then dragon and meteor collided.
KRAKOOOOM!
The explosion shook the entire eighth floor.
A violent gale tore outward in every direction, forcing the rain sideways and making the air itself scream. For a moment, the faceless man could barely keep his eyes open.
But through the storm of smoke and fire, the black dragon was still moving.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Gyarados smashed through the giant boulder by force, each impact blasting apart another layer of rock. Flames roared around its armored body, and the shattered fragments scattered like broken stars.
The faceless man stared in disbelief.
"How... is that possible?"
His voice was almost a whisper.
The boulder had been crushed.
The Black Blazing Dragon Rush had broken straight through it.
And now Gyarados was falling toward the pit like a burning black meteor.
Kabutops looked up.
For the first time, fear flashed in its eyes.
Then the dragon struck.
KRAKOOOOM!
The impact erupted like a bomb going off at the heart of the mountain.
The summit shook violently.
Rain, fire, lightning, and broken stone exploded outward together, swallowing the battlefield in a storm of black flame and thunder.
...