Chapter 288

"You bastard!"

The golden flames dissipated, and Highiberion's figure reappeared in midair.

Suspended in midair, he looked utterly wretched — not only was most of his formal attire burned away, but a faint smell of char was slowly rising from his right hand.

Hovering in midair and watching the golden phoenix flapping its wings as it lingered above, Highiberion could not help grinding his teeth.

At the same time, thick shock and wariness welled up in his eyes.

It had to be admitted, Marco in his newly activated state truly posed a sufficient threat to him.

The fierce battle between Highiberion and Marco exceeded everyone's imagination.

And the sight of Highiberion being wounded brought an even greater shock to all.

One must remember that not long ago, Highiberion had still been able to suppress his opponent with ease, and everyone had assumed that Highiberion could swiftly finish off Marco with his overwhelming strength.

But what no one had expected was that Marco could erupt with such astonishing combat power, instantly dragging Highiberion into a war of attrition — and even managing to wound him in return!

This news, this fact, directly slashed the Fapingyi Society's momentum by more than half.

Under the pressure of the Whitebeard Pirates, the Fapingyi Society had already shown a steadily retreating posture across the entire war.

However,

This was not yet over — a thunderous sound that shook a Shanfeng rang out.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A colossal figure was seen leaping down from the sky, landing in a single bound at the edge of the Fapingyi Society.

Boom—!

As the figure landed, billowing dust and smoke surged up, sweeping across the entire battlefield.

From within the thick smoke, a massive figure gripping a naginata stepped out slowly with heavy footfalls.

An invisible, suffocating aura spread outward.

"All units, attention!"

"The enemy's general has entered the field!"

Upon the high platform of the Fapingyi Society, watching this scene, Grandharma channeled the magic power throughout his body and roared at the top of his lungs.

The roar, amplified by the spread of magic power, swiftly propagated across the entire battlefield — and even across the whole continent.

At this moment, the Whitebeard Pirates' side's momentum surged once again!

No need for words — just the few attacks moments ago that had shattered the very atmosphere had already made everyone realize Bai Huzi's terror.

That power, which shattered space and triggered tsunamis, could easily slay even a Saint of Ten!

But it was not as though no one could resist.

Boom—!

A storm descended from the sky; magic power of different colors gathered around his body, then erupted outward, colliding with Bai Huzi's aura.

The battle had not yet begun, but terrifying clashes of aura were already bursting forth from both of them without pause.

Those who drew slightly closer and lacked sufficient strength had already been scared out of their wits.

Within the entire Fapingyi Society, there was only one person who could be this man's opponent.

The foremost of Ishugar's Four Heavenly Kings — the Heavenly God Serena!

At this moment, everyone held their breath,

The world's focus gathered upon the two of them,

"Finally, has it begun."

Gazing at those two figures, the currently fighting Wolod said in a low voice.

As the strongest on each side, there was no doubt that the victor between them would, to a great extent, decide the outcome of this war.

Even if they themselves were to fall here, so long as Serena could win, the Fapingyi Society would still emerge the victorious side.

It had to be said — now that the situation on the field was tilting overwhelmingly toward the enemy, the Fapingyi Society's side could only entrust all their hopes to Serena.

"The duel between the man hailed as the world's strongest within the Grand Line and Ishugar's strongest mage."

……

From the moment Serena landed, within a thousand meters of where the two stood, not a single person remained.

Whether mage or pirate, all silently yielded this ground!

At this moment, not only did many people give up the ground, even some who had been fighting gradually ceased their combat, and even the magic crystal orbs were shifted to focus on the two of them, preparing to welcome the battle between the two strongest!

On the battlefield

Locking eyes with a pair of domineering, downward-gazing eyes, Serena, on the contrary, grew increasingly excited.

Pressure!

Suffocating pressure!

This was something he had never felt since proclaiming himself the foremost of the Heavenly Kings — and precisely this was what he desired.

Otherwise, given his temperament, how could he have heeded the Fapingyi Society's summons?

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Magic power ceaselessly welled up from within Serena's body.

Now red, now blue, now yellow…

These colors of magic power represented the different kinds Serena wielded; when this power emerged, the air was faintly trembling violently, as if unable to bear it, gradually twisting!

Magic power gathered, and Serena threw a punch without the slightest hesitation!

As the punch shot forth, magic power of every different kind coalesced into one, erupting with even more astonishing force.

From the very first strike, he held nothing back!

'Hum—!'

The transparent halo appeared once more, and Bai Huzi, looking down from above, also threw a direct punch.

The next instant, the forces of the two strongest collided together, and a sound that pierced the heavens burst forth.

The sparks of energy from the collision flashed up around the two of them, flickering on and off, weaving around their bodies.

No fancy tricks at all—just a direct collision of force.

But even so, at the instant of collision, the entire world trembled for it!

With the two of them at the center, an invisible aura rose up, stirring up endless dust that shrouded the entire battlefield.

Layers on the ground split apart, turning into countless chunks of earth that, under the pressure of the great land, surged up from the ground—but before they could rise, they were crushed into fine powder by the blast.

At the instant of collision, the slaughter on the battlefield all stopped at that moment.

That was a strength beyond imagination,