"Go to hell!"
Ryuma bellowed, triggering his Hundred Dragon Slash in the same breath!
The edge of Shusui surged with accumulated force, ready to unleash its stored power.
In that split second, countless dragon-shaped sword beams shot forth, tearing through the air straight toward the colossal Brachiosaurus—Queen!
However, as grand and imposing as these dragon currents appeared, they were dwarfed by the sheer size of the prehistoric beast. When the hundreds of dragon-shaped strikes swarmed and gnawed at Queen, it was like scratching an itch for him—completely harmless.
With a light shake of his massive frame, Queen dissipated the hundreds of sword beams into thin air, reducing them to nothingness!
"Die!"
Queen stepped back slightly before swinging his heavy cybernetic arm once more, landing a crushing blow straight into Ryuma's midsection!
The sheer force overwhelmed Ryuma, sending his body flying backward through the air!
BOOM!
A deafening crash echoed as Ryuma slammed deep into a pile of stone debris!
Seeing the young samurai buried in rubble, Queen's lips curled into a smug smirk. Reverting to his normal human form, he shook his head dismissively. "With a fragile little body like yours, you never stood a chance against me. Save us both the trouble—slap on these Sea Stone handcuffs and surrender quietly."
As Queen finished speaking, Ryuma stumbled out from the ruins, clutching his chest.
If he could fully control his Shadow-Shadow Fruit abilities without distraction, he might have put up a real fight. But right now, his shadow was split into multiple fragments scouting and unlocking cell doors across the prison. Managing their movements while simultaneously engaging in a high-stakes battle was simply asking too much!
He let out a helpless sigh internally. He hadn't come here to beat Queen in a duel anyway—otherwise, he would have taken this fight far more seriously!
"What's the matter, kid? Still refusing to listen to reason?" Queen sneered, his eyes hardening as he decided to finish the job once and for all.
Ryuma's lips curved into a wicked, defiant grin. "Come at me then. Who's afraid of you?"
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, the shattered opening in Udon's perimeter wall ruptured even further!
Ryuma instinctively turned his head to look—and his heart skipped a beat.
Well, isn't this fantastic.
Jack and King had both arrived at the scene!
Taking on one All-Star was already a monumental task, but dealing with all three at once? This was practically a death sentence!
He had already crossed swords with Jack, but this was his first time seeing King in person. Up close, the man looked even more peculiar than in the anime. Among the Three Disasters, King boasted the most well-proportioned, muscular build. However, his true face remained entirely hidden under a leather mask and spiked helmet with goggles. Clad in a high-collared black suit and heavy gloves, not a single inch of his skin was left exposed—a look that made Ryuma instinctively think of a mummy...
Dark feathered wings spanned from his back, and flames licked continuously around his body—a bizarre phenomenon whose exact mechanism remained an unsolved mystery. Hung at his waist was a massive sword, clearly built far beyond the size of a standard weapon.
King stared down at Ryuma, his dark eyes behind the goggles narrowing with faint disappointment. "So this is the legendary Ryuma? Not very convincing..."
"Yeah, that's him alright!" Jack chimed in with a bitter, aggrieved tone, looking like a aggrieved spouse filing a complaint. "He used Conqueror's Haki to knock everyone out, and then he turned my hair into... this!"
Queen's cheek twitched slightly as he scoffed, "Jack, that just proves you're incompetent. Look at him—I've already beaten him half to death!"
Queen's voice radiated unearned pride, but Jack remained silent, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind.
Something doesn't add up... Jack thought. Queen and I are roughly equal in combat strength. If this Ryuma could overpower me so easily, why is he getting pushed back by Queen? Did I lose my edge back there just because I panicked over his identity?
Ryuma gripped Shusui tight, shouting coldly, "As the dragon-slaying swordsman, I have never tasted defeat in my life! Slicing through the three of you will be as easy as cutting through dry hay! If you've got the guts, come at me all at once!"
Faced with Ryuma's blatant provocation, the three officers exchanged dark looks.
"Hmph... It seems you really don't hold the Three Disasters in high regard," Jack growled softly.
"In that case, let's teach him a lesson he won't survive!" King declared!
In a flash of lightning, King drew the massive blade from his waist and closed the gap, clashing directly against Shusui!
CLANG!
The moment their blades locked, a chilling gust of pressure swept outward. The sheer, overwhelming force behind King's strike was far greater than anything Ryuma could counter in his current state!
The impact sent Ryuma flying backward through the air once more!
Ryuma knew for a fact that taking on all three All-Stars simultaneously on his own was pure suicide. All he needed was to hold out until his shadows finished unlocking every single cell, after which he could recall them to defend himself!
One minute... Just hold out for one more minute!
Ryuma gritted his teeth internally, desperately counting down the seconds while trying to stay alive.
Watching Ryuma airborne and helpless, Jack's lips curled into a triumphant grin. "Haha! Looks like I overestimated this brat all along!"
With a deafening roar that shook the entire complex, Jack transformed into a massive Mammoth and charged forward like a runaway train!
Ryuma took a deep breath as he saw the colossal beast barreling straight toward him, a wave of relief suddenly washing over his mind.
It didn't matter anymore...
The final cell door had just been opened!
In that exact instant, Jack's trunk—wrapped around a massive curved scythe—slashed brutally across Ryuma's abdomen!
"Haha! Copper skull or iron ribs, no one survives that hit!" Jack laughed boisterously.
"Hmph... What a joke. A 'dragon-slaying samurai' from centuries ago is just outdated trash," King added coldly, his tone devoid of emotion. "Even resurrected, he's hardly worth mentioning."
Yet, right at that moment, something clicked in Ryuma's body.
Slowly and steadily, he pushed himself back up, looking at the three All-Stars with a faint, knowing smile.
"H-How is he standing up?!" Jack gasped, his eyes widening in sheer horror.
He stared intently at Ryuma's stomach, only to see that while his white kimono was shredded into rags, the skin underneath remained completely unblemished—not a single drop of blood, nor a single scratch!
"Impossible!" Jack took a sharp breath, his mind reeling in chaos. Anyone taking a direct hit from his scythe should have bled out in seconds! How on earth was this guy completely unharmed?!
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MORE CHAPTERS, I HAVE 60+ STORED IN MY:
[email protected]/xiram21