Chapter 78

A Senzu Bean was swallowed into his stomach.

In the air, the black-haired boy’s entire body immediately began to steam with scorching white heat.

His broken bones reconnected rapidly with a *click-clack* sound, and his charred skin peeled off in flakes like a snake shedding its skin, with new skin growing back quickly.

His aura also climbed steadily. He moved his neck slightly, emitting a series of teeth-gritting pops.

Akainu’s expression was as grim as water.

He really has completely recovered to his peak state...

How on earth did this guy do it?!

"Ten minutes!"

As Siano drifted down from the high sky, he looked down at Akainu in the deep pit and held up a finger:

"Old geezer, I'll give you ten more minutes! Let's see if you can really crush me! If you can't..."

"Then that's it for today, don't blame me for not keeping you company!"

Ten minutes.

That was enough for the *Rakumu* to be completely out of danger, and he could find a chance to slip away himself!

"Arrogant brat..."

Akainu’s magma body surged violently. He slowly stood up straight, his voice low and dangerous, filled with uncontrollable rage:

"Do you think recovering your state changes anything? Since you still dream of buying more time for your companions, then you can just stay here forever!!!"

BOOM—!!!

The ground beneath Akainu’s feet suddenly exploded, and he transformed into a magma meteor, shooting into the sky!

His right fist instantly turned into magma, the scorching lava twisting and writhing like a living thing, instantly condensing into three ferocious hound heads.

The hounds bared their fangs, growling constantly, their magma manes dancing wildly. The high temperature scorched the air they passed through, creating distorted ripples.

"Hound Bite Red Lotus!"

With a low shout, the three magma hounds burst forth, their speed so fast they left crimson afterimages in the air. The hound heads opened their bloody maws, their magma teeth biting straight toward Siano’s head!

Before they even got close, the terrifying heat had already singed the hair on his forehead until it curled and charred!

"Hey, hey, hey, this temperature is really something else!"

Siano laughed, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. "But it comes just in time!"

He clenched his right fist. With a *pop*, the air suddenly shattered, sending ripples vibrating outward in all directions.

His entire fist was instantly dyed a deep, rich, pitch-black Armament Haki.

"Six Powers Ultimate Technique: Iron Wall Fist!"

The so-called "Iron Wall Fist," like the Amber Wave Overdrive, was his strongest move created by combining his peak Six Powers physical techniques with Armament Haki skills.

But the difference was obvious.

The latter was for offense, while the former was for defense!

BOOM—!!!

The three aggressive magma hounds collided with his fist. After a violent vibration and distortion of the air, they were all absorbed by the fist as if sinking into the sea.

Siano was also forced back more than ten meters by the aftermath, his feet plowing two deep trenches into the pockmarked ground.

But the next second, he looked up abruptly, blood spilling from his mouth, yet he laughed even more arrogantly:

"Is that it?!"

With this level of offense, let alone ten minutes, even if he had another half-hour, he couldn't take him down!

"It's not over yet!!!"

Akainu’s eyes were grim. His arms surged with magma, condensing into giant fists again. He flashed forward to smash down, and Siano didn't dodge or retreat, meeting him head-on!

BANG BANG BANG BANG—!!!

The two figures crossed at high speed on the shore. Every collision erupted with deafening roars.

Magma and Haki intertwined, and faintly, countless thick black lightning bolts began to flicker in the surroundings!

Terrifying shockwaves also continued to spread like ripples.

In fact.

As the white-hot battle continued to this point, the impact had long since gone far beyond the coast around the stone bridge.

The entire large Southern Island was trembling crazily.

Even tens of kilometers away, pink and white petals were swept up by the violent air currents, dancing in the sky like a blizzard.

This island, originally picturesque, now seemed to have been invaded by a cold winter.

From north to south, from east to west...

All the cherry blossom petals had withered away, leaving only bare branches swaying in the wind, with no trace of spring vitality left.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Akainu didn't say a word, but his blows became heavier and his offensive more violent.

The manic feeling and humiliation of being unable to take down Siano burned his nerves, consuming most of his reason.

In many moments, he completely abandoned defense, letting Siano’s fist tear bloody gashes into his body.

In exchange, every strike he landed carried even fiercer force, sending the black-haired boy stumbling back repeatedly.

"Cough... ptooey!"

Siano spat out a mouthful of clotted blood. The wounds on his exposed skin hissed under the scorching heat of the magma.

Yet he still grinned with his blood-stained mouth, his eyes flashing with a near-maniacal fighting spirit.

"That's it, that's it... old geezer! But it's still not enough, put some more effort into it!!!"

Killing intent surged in Akainu’s eyes, and his giant magma fists erupted with even higher heat.

"DIE!!!"

However, just as this punch was about to be thrown—

"Mr. Sakazuki!"

In the distance, the figures of Dalmatian and Bumia swept over the tops of the bare cherry blossom trees, using Moon Walk to approach rapidly!

"Oh?"

Siano glanced over with his peripheral vision, making no effort to hide his mockery. "Looks like you finally realized that relying on yourself isn't enough, and you want to gang up on me?"

I didn't call them!

Even though he knew the brat in front of him was deliberately provoking him...

Akainu, having failed to win after a long battle, couldn't suppress the anger in his heart and swung another punch from bottom to top.

This time, Siano didn't clash fists. Instead, he let the punch hit his chin, using the force to throw himself high into the air.

High in the sky, he looked toward the south. The *Rakumusha* had already become a blurry black dot at the end of the horizon.

"Already that far? Looks like it's been more than ten minutes!"

Siano grinned with his blood-stained mouth, his smile at this moment unbridled and flamboyant.

It's time!

POP—!

Siano’s body suddenly expanded, his bones popping like thunder, his muscle fibers growing crazily, instantly reaching a terrifying height of 3.9 meters.

His knotted muscles bulged like cast steel, veins popping out. He landed from the high sky with a boom, the ground trembling violently, mud splashing in all directions under the immense force.

THUD! THUD!

Heavy footsteps sounded like war drums as Siano strode toward Akainu.

"..."

A black shadow loomed over him. Akainu looked up at the guy who was a meter taller than him, his eyes narrowing slightly:

"So that's it... is this your true form?"

With his discernment, he could naturally tell that this imposing body was Siano’s true form.

And that previous "ordinary human" posture was just some kind of mimetic disguise specialized for combat.

There was a brat in the CP department who seemed to be able to do this too.

"Hey, old geezer!"

Siano’s rough voice came from above. Akainu instinctively tilted his head up a bit more to meet the boy’s pitch-black eyes.

The latter stretched his mouth to his ears, revealing neat, white teeth:

"I don't know when we'll meet next time, so I might as well give you a parting gift!"

THUD! He stepped forward abruptly, his right arm muscles making a loud sound as the entire arm expanded in an instant, terrifying power surging and accumulating in his sinews and bones.

"Elbaf Spear—"

HUM!

The air suddenly trembled. Centered on Siano’s fist, visible ripples spread rapidly in all directions like agitated waves.

This blow.

Compared to the punch he had thrown at the mountain on Little Garden, the force was much greater, almost draining the vast majority of the stamina Siano had left.

And the power was naturally even more terrifying!

Akainu’s pupils shrank.

At this instant, his Observation Haki gave a frantic warning, but his body was already too slow to dodge.

"—Weikoku!!!"

BOOM—!!!

Before the fist even arrived, the violent shockwave had already torn the earth apart.

Akainu only had time to cross his arms in a block. His magma-fied body had just been covered in Armament Haki when the world-destroying impact arrived!

THUD!!!

Amidst the deafening explosion, Akainu’s figure flew backward like a cannonball, smashing through countless rocks along the way, and finally slamming heavily into the Northern Island coast seven or eight hundred meters away!

The sea was kicked up into monstrous waves by the terrifying impact, and countless thick pillars of water shot into the sky.

This time, not only the Southern Island but even the town area of Thor Island in the north trembled crazily as if an earthquake had struck!

"Old geezer, was that punch powerful enough?!"

Siano’s loud laughter came from the distance.

His body had already returned to his "Paper Art Martial Body" form. After dropping this line, he turned around without hesitation.

The ground beneath his feet exploded, and he shot toward the sea in the opposite direction like an arrow from a bow!

Shave: Rapid Flash!

With his peak Six Powers speed fully unleashed, Siano’s figure almost turned into a bolt of lightning, crossing hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye and heading straight for the open sea!

"Mr. Sakazuki!"

Two exclamations came from not far away.

It was Dalmatian and Bumia, who had arrived just in time to witness Akainu being blown away. They couldn't help but gasp and exclaim in unison.

"Bastard..."

Bumia’s eyes were red, her beautiful face twisted in rage. That hateful sword master Siano actually dared to be so disrespectful to Mr. Akainu... how dare he!!

She hadn't been this furious even when those pirates successfully broke through and escaped at the pier!

"Stay here!"

She shrieked sharply, her figure turning into an afterimage as she chased crazily after Siano.

Dalmatian’s expression changed instantly: "What are you doing, Bumia! Don't be impulsive!"

Originally preparing to run toward Akainu, he immediately turned and hurriedly followed.

"Hmm?"

Siano felt the aura approaching crazily from behind and glanced back sideways.

These two Headquarters Vice Admirals—one was a Dalmatian with messy fur, the other a crazy woman holding a syringe.

Both were covered in wounds, seemingly having just experienced a fierce battle. Although their auras weren't as weak as his had been before taking the Senzu Bean, they were still chaotic and unstable, clearly having suffered quite a bit.

Looks like... my companions did a good job!

He raised the corner of his mouth.

He glanced at the two closing in, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes.

"To dare to chase me in this state, you really have guts..."

Clearly, his speed was faster, and he could easily put distance between himself and these two, but... Akainu was one thing, but who were these other cats and dogs, daring to not take him seriously?

*Swish*, he suddenly stopped, flipped in mid-air, and his right foot smashed down like a mountain!

"Tempest Kick: Meteor!"

BOOM—!!!

Dalmatian hastily crossed his arms to block, but was still driven straight into the ground by this kick!

CRACK!

The bones in his arms made a crisp sound. He spat out blood, his entire world spinning and going black.

"Cough... damn it!"

Dalmatian struggled to climb up, only to find that his arms had lost all sensation and he couldn't fight in the short term.

And on the other side—

"Die, you stinking pirate!!!"

Bumia roared maniacally, both her arms turning into syringes, the tips suddenly extending like spears to stab straight at Siano’s throat!

"Benevolent Healer: Double Piercing!"

Red light flashed in Siano’s eyes. As he dodged to the side, his right hand clamped onto her right shoulder like an iron pincer!

"Crazy woman, your needles... are too slow."

CRACK!

Amidst the crisp sound of shattering bone, Bumia’s right arm was torn off!

The large metal syringe instantly returned to its original form, blood spraying out like a fountain, scattering onto the ground.

"AAAAAAHHHH—!!!"

A shrill scream echoed along the coast. Bumia stumbled back, her face twisted in agony, yet her eyes still held a crazy hatred.

"You... you actually dared to... destroy my right hand! This is the hand that, when I was a hospital nurse, personally gave Mr. Sakazuki his shots! It's the hand that inspired me to join the Marines to follow my idol!!!"

She stabbed with her left arm again. Siano was expressionless, easily grabbing the giant syringe again, about to snap it.

Bumia suddenly grinned, revealing a pathological smile.

You fell for it!

CRACK!

A slit suddenly opened in her chest, and a long, thin syringe shot out, stabbing straight into Siano’s abdomen!

"Benevolent Healer: Fatal Injection!"

*Pfft!*

Poison was injected instantly. Siano’s face turned blue and purple, and his muscles stiffened visibly.

"Heehee-haha... how is it? Does it feel like your body isn't listening to you?"

Bumia shrieked with laughter. "This is my ultimate technique, a shot poured with all my love and patience. Even the cruelest man has to..."

The next second, she was like a duck whose neck had been grabbed; her laughter stopped abruptly.

—Because Siano’s complexion was rapidly returning to normal, and even the large wound in his abdomen where the syringe had pierced him was healing at a visible rate.

"Looks like the toxicity is just so-so."

Siano grinned. In Bumia’s panicked gaze, he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up.

"It would be different if you called Magellan. My body is long past the point where toxins of your level can affect it."

CRACK!

Bumia’s neck bone made a crisp sound of being unable to bear the pressure. Her face turned red rapidly, her legs kicked weakly like someone drowning, and finally, unprecedented fear appeared in her eyes.

"You... cough, cough... let, let..."

She squeezed a few words from her throat with difficulty, twisting crazily with all her might, but she could never break free from that hand like an iron pincer.

"LET HER GO!!!"

A furious roar suddenly came from the distance, and the air in the entire sea area seemed to freeze at this moment.

BOOM—!!!

Akainu’s figure shot into the sky from beneath the sea cliff like a red meteor, magma spewing from his legs, black smoke rolling, breaking through the air at terrifying speed!

Mr. Sakazuki...

Bumia caught a glimpse of this scene with her peripheral vision, her heart filled with horror.

Was this twisted face, looking like a demon, the Mr. Sakazuki she was familiar with, who was always calm and composed?

*Hum hum!*

Akainu’s speed grew faster and faster, closing half the distance in the blink of an eye, his entire body radiating a violent aura.

How many years had it been!

Since he was promoted to Admiral and became the highest combat power of the Headquarters, when had he ever been forced into such a state of loss of composure?

And how long... had it been since he suffered such humiliation?!

Just a mere brat!

He must finish him off with his own hands today!!!

……

Feeling the rage on Akainu that was almost becoming tangible, Siano raised an eyebrow. *How scary...*

Can't delay, must leave immediately!

He turned and flew off immediately, the coast already within reach.

"Cough... hee, heehee..."

Bumia, weak to the extreme, suddenly grinned with her blood-stained mouth, a pathological madness flashing in her eyes:

"See that? Mr. Sakazuki told you to let me go. So he was only this angry because of me... Hey, you brat, why don't you let go? Do you want to die here?"

"Don't worry, after you die, I'll find your companions. You have two younger sisters, right? I'll use my syringe to poke them into sieves, bit by bit, heeheehee..."

"..."

Siano had already been prepared to let go, throw this crazy woman aside, and jump into the sea himself.

Hearing this, he narrowed his eyes and grinned.

"Let go? Don't worry, I still have time to snap your neck."

Before the words were finished, his right arm suddenly expanded, veins popping, the force in his hand increasing several times over in this moment—

CRACK!

Amidst the crisp sound of bone breaking, Bumia’s neck was completely snapped, her head tilted at an eerie angle, and the light in her eyes faded rapidly.

Even in death, her mouth still wore that trace of maniacal laughter.

"BUMIA!!!"

Dalmatian’s roar of fury came from the distance.

Akainu’s figure had already closed to within a hundred meters, his magma-fied right fist ready to strike, the scorching heat distorting the air.

"Hellhound!"

The terrifying giant magma fist roared toward him. Siano threw Bumia’s corpse at Akainu, while stomping on the ground to propel himself backward!

BOOM!!!

The giant magma fist showed no mercy, instantly evaporating Bumia’s remains. The aftermath still sent Siano flying over a hundred meters, slamming heavily into the sea.

"Huff..."

The cold seawater made the fatigue and weakness in his body dissipate quite a bit. Siano bit his tongue to stay awake, paddling his limbs and diving rapidly into the deep sea.

POP!

Akainu landed on the shore.

Behind him, the black ashes belonging to Bumia drifted down.

He didn't even look at them, his pupils locked onto the churning sea, ferocity climbing in his eyes.

Want to escape by sea?

Dream on! It's not that simple!

He raised his arms abruptly, his magma-fied fists pointing straight at the firmament—

"Great Eruption!!!"

In an instant, countless giant magma fists rose into the high sky, then fell like meteorites, densely covering the entire sea area!

BOOM!

BOOM!!

BOOM!!!

Scorching magma smashed into the sea, instantly evaporating large swaths of water.

The terrifying heat made the water within a radius of several kilometers boil and churn. Countless fish floated to the surface with their bellies up, only to quickly melt into a puddle of black mud.

This entire sea area near Thor Island turned into a magma hell in just a few seconds!

"…!"

Siano’s pupils shrank in the deep sea. The wounds on his exposed skin were scorched painfully by the hot magma.

Dangerous!

Must leave this sea area as soon as possible!

If he waited for the temperature to keep rising, even if he swallowed his last Senzu Bean, facing Akainu who was chasing him, he would be in grave danger this time!

He didn't hesitate to mobilize all his strength. A gale blew from nowhere, gathering on his arms—this was the power he could only wield after crossing the threshold of a two-sword style Great Sword Master—

"Dust-Sealing Thought-Severing Slash!"

*Swish!*

A surging, violent sword aura roared out. The seawater in front of him churned violently, pushed to both sides, and for a moment, it actually formed a vacuum zone.

And when Siano’s figure appeared again, he had already flashed three or four kilometers away like a ghost.

But he was still within the range of the Great Eruption. The erosion of the high heat into the deep sea below was becoming faster and faster, and the scorching magma followed him like a persistent disease!

"Again!"

Siano gritted his teeth, ignoring his stamina exhaustion, and activated his ability again!

"Dust-Sealing Thought-Severing Slash!"

*Swish!*

He flashed another three kilometers away, and the boiling magma hell behind him was finally completely shaken off.

"Huff... ha..."

He surfaced abruptly, breaking the water, greedily breathing in fresh air. While continuing to swim forward with all his might, he looked back.

Thor Island had become a blurry silhouette in the distance, and above that sea area, crimson magma was still raging, dyeing the entire sky the color of blood, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

"Heh..."

The black-haired boy grinned, revealing a brazen smile.

"Can't catch me now, can you?"

He wiped the seawater from his face, imagining Akainu standing on the shore in impotent rage, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Too bad, I can't see that red dog's face!

……

On the shore.

Akainu stood on the shore, his pupils, which had turned dark red, locked onto the direction of Siano’s escape. Magma dripped from his right fist, scorching the reef and emitting hissing white smoke.

How did he do it...

How on earth did he do it!!!

His Observation Haki could clearly perceive that the opponent had used some strange method to flash several times in a short period, opening up a vast distance.

It had also completely cut off his hope of pursuit.

"Sa, Sakazuki-san..."

Dalmatian walked over, limping. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly froze, his Adam's apple bobbing, and he swallowed the second half of his sentence.

Having known him for many years, he had never seen Akainu like this—

The military cap that had accompanied him for many years was gone, and his dark red suit was reduced to just pants, tattered and broken;

His exposed chest was covered in blue and purple bruises, and his magma-fied right arm even showed an unnatural distortion.

But if you really counted these, it didn't matter; he would recover in two days of rest.

The more critical point was...

On Akainu’s neck, there was actually a charred, pitted hole blasted into it, and the edges of the bloody wound still had traces of un-dissipated Armament Haki.

His right ear had even been half-blown away, blood sliding down his cheek and dripping onto the magma on his shoulder, making a hissing evaporation sound.

This was a permanent injury that couldn't be recovered from. Even after emergency surgery by the Headquarters medical team, it would inevitably leave a conspicuous scar...

That sword master Siano actually managed to hurt Mr. Sakazuki??

"Mr. Sakazuki."

Dalmatian struggled for a long time before gritting his teeth and speaking. "It seems the Headquarters underestimated that brat's true strength, but please don't worry. That guy exhausted his stamina, and he still has the fatal toxin left by Bumia in his body. I'm afraid it won't be long before he dies in the sea..."

"I said..."

Akainu suddenly spoke in a grim voice, turning his head slowly, making Dalmatian’s heart shrink abruptly.

That was not the look of a human.

It was a beast that had been completely enraged, the final dead silence before a volcanic eruption.

Akainu was expressionless, but killing intent that was almost tangible surged in his pupils:

"Dalmatian, have you been beaten senseless?"

"A troublesome guy that I couldn't take down even after spending nearly an hour—you actually think that the toxin of trash like Bumia could kill him."

She was just a Vice Admiral who had been promoted not long ago and was at the bottom of the Headquarters in terms of strength.

If that brat, whose physique was as tough as a monster, were to die from such a ridiculous method of attack, it would be an insult to him as well.

Wouldn't that be equivalent to saying that he, a dignified Marine Admiral, was also a joke!

"..." Dalmatian knew he had spoken out of turn and lowered his head slightly, not daring to speak again.

"I'm asking you... lift your head, I'm asking you."

Akainu’s voice rose sharply, carrying uncontrollable anger:

"Bumia is one thing; I never expected much from her anyway. But with you personally in charge, how on earth could you let the small fry under that brat escape?"

He wasn't venting his anger; this blame was justified!

At that time, if it weren't for the orange fireworks that suddenly exploded in the sky, attracting his attention and making him eager to fly to the pier to blockade that pirate ship,

that brat might not have had the chance to recover his stamina with such a strange method!

"Small fry, you say..."

Dalmatian gave a bitter smile. "Admiral, it's not just Siano whose strength was underestimated, but also the people under him. Those crew members, except for that underage girl, are all guys not to be underestimated..."

That black-haired, high-ponytail sword-master girl—despite being young, her swordsmanship was terrifyingly sharp.

With the cooperation of the blue-haired girl’s fists, she was actually able to fight him, an old-school Vice Admiral, to a standstill for a while.

As for Bumia...

This Vice Admiral, whose strength was slightly watered down, was completely entangled by the joint efforts of that traitorous White Hunter Smoker and Red-Leg Zeff, unable to pull herself out of the bitter battle at all.

If it were just that, it wouldn't be anything.

Relying on the ability granted by her Zoan-type fruit, she had stamina far exceeding that of ordinary people.

As long as he was given a little more time, he had 100% confidence that he could slowly turn the advantage into a victory and then defeat those two girls.

But...

There was also a giant wolf, a terrifying giant wolf that could discharge electricity and breathe fire, whose combat power could not be ignored!