Whoosh!
In an instant, the black-haired youth appeared above the head of the giant Tyrannosaurus Rex.
His right leg was raised high, dense Armament Haki swirling around it. The pitch-black blade of his leg gleamed with a cold, sharp light under the desert sun.
"Storm Leg: Ripple Slash!"
With a low shout, Xiano's right leg descended like a battle axe!
Hum!
A massive crescent-shaped slash wave roared out, its surface entwined with spiraling ripple energy. It tore through the air, unleashing a terrifying, ear-piercing screech.
Hanafuda's pupils constricted.
What the hell?!
You call this a Storm Leg?!
How was this completely different from what he had seen before?
A sense of foreboding rose in his heart, and he hurriedly covered his head with Armament Haki to strengthen his defense and block the attack.
However.
Even though he didn't underestimate it in the slightest, the power of this slash far exceeded his expectations.
With a thunderous boom, the impact wave of the Storm Leg collided with the surface of the Armament Haki, briefly holding it off before shattering and disappearing.
But the violent ripple energy directly penetrated the scales, shaking the Tyrannosaurus Rex's entire skull with intense pain!
"Roar!"
The Tyrannosaurus Rex let out a pained roar, its massive body staggering backward, plowing deep furrows into the sand.
"Not bad."
Seeing this, Xiano nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction on his face.
As his mastery of physical techniques grew, he found it increasingly effortless to create and combine moves.
Previously, he had fused the Internal Destruction aspect of Armament Haki with the Ripple Fist, resulting in his strongest Six Styles technique, "Mountain Blaze Ripple Rush."
Now, after continuous refinement and experimentation, he had further expanded the application of Ripple Fist techniques.
No longer confined to just "fist techniques," he could now apply them to "Finger Pistol" and "Storm Leg" as well!
"Let's try this next!"
In a calm voice, Xiano's figure followed like a ghost, his hands crossed in front of his chest, fingertips rippling faintly.
"Finger Pistol: Ripple Barrage!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!
Dozens of Finger Pistol energy waves, entwined with ripples, poured down like a torrential rain amidst the Tyrannosaurus Rex's furious roars!
————
"The Captain seems to be testing out the new techniques he's mastered these days."
"Is he really using that guy as a punching bag?"
"Anyway, he's firmly in control, so there's no need to worry."
On the ice, after briefly observing the scene, the crew quickly turned their attention elsewhere.
Instead, they looked up at the massive Pirate ship blocking their path.
Under the crimson sails adorned with playing card patterns, a large number of Pirates had already poured out from the cabins, nearly filling the entire deck.
Several tall executives stood at the bow, drawing their weapons and staring down at them with grave expressions.
King versus king, general versus general.
This was a rule that had always existed on the seas.
With Hanafuda transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Rex and locked in a fierce battle, his subordinates naturally understood that their own fight was imminent and unavoidable.
But...
Could they win?
Gulp~
One of the tall executives swallowed hard, and beads of sweat dripped from the foreheads of those beside him.
Unlike their boss Hanafuda, who had always been indifferent to the bounties of outsiders.
They were well aware of just how powerful the officers of the Falling Stars Adventure Pirates were.
Except for that little orange-haired girl, whose combat strength could be ignored...
The rest were all notorious and highly wanted strong individuals, with the bounties of most of them exceeding a hundred million Berry!
A hundred million Berry!
What did that even mean?
In the first half of the Grand Line, these officers could dominate a region on their own and would be hailed as "Supernovas"!
"Hey, hey, hey, what's going on? You guys are already showing fear before the fight even starts?"
Jack stepped forward abruptly, expressing his dissatisfaction, "Hanafuda boss actually appointed you cowards as officers? He must have misjudged. It would have been better to give the position to me!"
"Shut up, you brat!"
One of the officers, embarrassed and angry, shouted:
"You were just a laborer moving goods at the dock last month!"
"You just got lucky and ate a good Devil Fruit, and that's why Hanafuda boss started training you. How dare you talk big here!"
"That's right, you talk a good game. If you're so brave, why don't you charge first?"
"Me charge first?"
Jack scoffed, "Such a small matter... Fine, I'll charge first! But when Hanafuda boss deals with that kid and praises me later, don't be jealous!"
...
On the ice.
"These guys don't seem very confident; they're already arguing among themselves."
Kuina pushed her thumb against the hilt of her sword, the bright blade reflecting her calm face, "Just a bunch of rabble. Let's attack directly."
"Don't be too careless."
Smoker, with a cigar in his mouth, squinted, "Some of the officers have bounties over fifty million Berry... The vice-captain's bounty is over ninety million... Huh?"
He frowned.
Because at that moment, a tall, burly man he didn't recognize suddenly charged out from the opposite ship's bow.
As he leaped down from the deck, he pounded his chest and let out a thunderous roar.
Roar!
In the next instant, the man's body rapidly transformed under the astonished gazes of everyone.
His head twisted and elongated, two massive curved tusks pierced through his lips, and in a flash, he turned into a mammoth the size of a small hill, landing heavily on the ice!
And then...
He sank.
Yes, he sank.
The mammoth he transformed into was terrifyingly heavy.
Coupled with the high-altitude leap, the ice layer created by Nojiko couldn't withstand the impact.
So as soon as he landed, he broke through the ice, sinking to the bottom amidst a towering splash of water.
In an instant, even his shadow was gone.
The ice was eerily silent.
"...?"
Everyone stared blankly at the "strong enemy" who had appeared and disappeared so suddenly, momentarily speechless.
"An Ancient Zoan, Mammoth Fruit user?" Even Robin looked slightly bewildered, "He should have been a tough opponent, but..."
"But he turned out to be a complete idiot."
Smoker exhaled a puff of smoke, shaking his head expressionlessly, "Forget about him. Let's go!"
As soon as he finished speaking.
His lower body had already transformed into smoke, and like an arrow released from a bow, he charged towards the deck of the massive Pirate ship!
The wind whistled past his ears, and he couldn't help but grin.
Facing scum who harm the innocent, being able to act whenever he wanted—this feeling was truly exhilarating!
If it were back when he was still in the Navy...
Even if the Warlords of the Sea, who had legal rights to plunder, were burning and killing right before his eyes, he could do nothing. If he couldn't resist intervening, he would be harshly reprimanded and punished by those damned superiors.
But now?
He no longer had to worry about those damn superiors or the damn Warlord agreements. Being able to beat the crap out of these scumbags before civilians suffered massive casualties was better than anything!
Freedom, what a wonderful thing!
Whoosh!
Amidst the swirling smoke, Smoker had already reached the air above the deck. His arms suddenly extended, transforming into two thick chains of smoke, instantly binding over a dozen Pirates who hadn't had time to react.
"White Snake: Strangle!"
The smoke chains tightened abruptly, and the crisp sound of bones breaking echoed one after another. The dozen or so Pirates instantly fell to the ground, screaming in agony.
"Stop, you bastard!"
"How dare you charge up here alone? You're so arrogant! Surround this guy!"
The surrounding Pirates were both shocked and furious, drawing their swords and slashing at him, but their blades simply passed through the smoke.
"Damn it, why can't I hit him!"
"Idiot, this guy's a Logia-type ability user!"
...
"You can't hog all the spotlight, Smokey!"
Nojiko giggled, leaping high into the air with Moon Walk.
She slammed her fists together in front of her chest, and astonishing cold energy instantly condensed, rapidly spreading out from her fists and wildly extending across the entire Pirate ship.
"Blizzard!"
Whoosh—!
A biting cold wind swept through, instantly freezing the entire Pirate ship in place. Around the ship's sides, a thick, sturdy wall of snow rose.
This move effectively turned the deck into an isolated island, completely blocking the Pirates' escape routes.
Amidst the swirling snowstorm, Nojiko's figure suddenly materialized. With both fists extended, wrapped in layers of snow, she slammed down heavily onto the Pirates on the deck below!
"Snow Fist: Ice Spike!"
Boom!
A massive explosion echoed throughout the mouth of the Sandora River.
"Why is there another Logia-type?!"
The Pirates on the deck cried out in despair.
"Wait for me, I'm coming too!"
Nami couldn't wait, transforming into a flaming bird and soaring into the sky, making sure everyone could see the blazing flames erupting from her body.
...
On the ice.
Kuina listened to the wailing screams coming from within the ice wall, shrugged, and sheathed the Wado Ichimonji she had drawn.
"Looks like we won't need to intervene," she said softly.
"Haha, it's rare to let the two girls have their fun," Zeff said with a grin. "Let them do their thing."
"Logia-type abilities are so convenient," Robin remarked from the side. "Not only do they have large-scale destructive power, but just the ability to transform their bodies into elements is enough to give those without Haki a headache."
Kuina and Zeff both nodded.
Although Hanafuda's Pirate crew was large in number and seemed formidable at first glance.
However, the actual combat strength turned out to be much lower than anticipated.
It seemed that even the executives were recruited from the first half of the Grand Line. Apart from the vice-captain who was currently engaged in a fierce battle with Smoker, no one else could even use Armament Haki.
They posed no threat to Logia-type ability users.
Originally, they had planned to have all six of them join the fight, even calling Agin, who was left guarding the ship. But now, it seemed that leaving it to the three Logia-type ability users on the ship was more than enough.
The remaining three of them could simply sit back and watch the show.
...
In the vast desert.
A group of fast-running ducks was racing along the riverbank at full speed toward the estuary.
"Carue, please, faster! Just a little faster!"
Vivi clung tightly to the neck of her fast-running duck, her blue hair flying in the hot wind. Her young face was covered in dust, but it couldn't hide the anxiety in her eyes.
"Quack! Quack!"
Carue let out a cry, clearly already giving it his all.
"Princess."
Captain Igaram, riding another fast-running duck, caught up. Though his expression was equally grave, he tried to comfort her:
"We're almost there. Once we pass that corner up ahead, we'll arrive. The other party's actions are merely an attempt to force the royal family to meet with him sooner. We'll be able to start negotiations soon, so please don't worry too much."
"..."
Vivi bit her lower lip and didn't respond.
Uncle Igaram was still treating her like a child, but she knew very well that the Warlord of the Sea, Hanafuda, was no kind-hearted individual.
Every ten minutes, he would destroy a ship until the royal family met his demands...
Remembering the threatening words he had spoken before hanging up the phone, her heart tightened, and she closed her eyes in prayer.
Everyone, please be safe!
The fast-running duck squad ran desperately, kicking up a long trail of dust in the desert.
After what felt like an eternity.
Igaram's voice suddenly rang out beside her: "Your Highness, we're about to pass the corner! We'll soon see the situation at the estuary!"
Are we there?
Vivi abruptly opened her eyes and looked into the distance.
Then, she witnessed a scene she would never forget for the rest of her life—
...
Boom!
On the sandy riverbank, two disproportionate figures collided under the gaze of countless onlookers, producing a dull, thunderous impact!
"Hahaha, that's the spirit!"
Xiano laughed heartily as he was sent flying backward from the cloud of sand, his feet carving a trench dozens of meters long in the sand.
On the other side, the giant Tyrannosaurus Rex was also forced to retreat, nearly falling to the ground.
The battle between the two had been going on for over an hour.
For more than an hour, it had been a pure clash of physical strength, with almost no pause.
And Xiano had taken full advantage of this opportunity to test out various martial arts techniques he hadn't used much in actual combat.
Many of the techniques were ineffective against the Tyrannosaurus Rex's formidable physique, but some, enhanced by the Internal Destruction technique of Armament Haki, managed to break through its defenses.
After over an hour of intense combat, Hanafuda's outer scales appeared intact, but internally, he was already riddled with injuries!
Xiano, too, had sustained quite a few wounds, but thanks to the powerful regenerative abilities of the Regeneration Art, he had already mostly recovered.
What a perfect punching bag!
Xiano was growing more and more satisfied with the giant Tyrannosaurus Rex before him. If he had nothing else to do and was just sparring, he could fight with it for two days and two nights!
Unfortunately...
This was, after all, the estuary of the Santa Dora River. On the other side of the river was the oasis city of Eluma, and now most of the city's inhabitants had been drawn out by the earth-shattering sounds of the battle, all gathered on the opposite bank watching!
He couldn't disturb the people for too long...
"Hey, big guy," Xiano grinned. "Starting to struggle with defense, are you? Your physical resilience doesn't seem as strong as it was at the beginning. Now, it's time to end this!"
"Stop boasting, kid!" the giant Tyrannosaurus Rex roared furiously. "We're just getting started, and you're already dreaming of defeating me?!"
Though he said that.
After fighting up to this point, Hanafuda had to admit that the strength of this kid before him had completely exceeded his expectations.
Just the fact that, without having eaten a Devil Fruit, his physical strength could still be on par with his own was terrifying enough!
He was an Ancient Zoan Tyrannosaurus Rex Devil Fruit user, after all. In terms of physical strength alone, even within the Beast Pirates he had once been a part of, only a handful of people could surpass him.
Yet, he was being overpowered by this kid with just a human body...
Was there some special Bloodline at play? This physique was almost catching up to that guy, King!
"Is that so?" Xiano laughed heartily. "If I don't pull out my trump card, you really seem to think I can't do anything to you!"
Hum!
The moment his words fell.
His body suddenly expanded rapidly, reaching four meters tall in an instant, his muscles coiled like twisted tree roots.
Whoosh!
Despite his massive size, his speed remained terrifying, like a black lightning bolt streaking across the sand. In the blink of an eye, he was already standing at the base of the Tyrannosaurus Rex's thick tail.
"Huh?"
Hanafuda felt a chill run down his spine. Before he could react, a terrifying force surged from behind him—
"Up!"
The muscles in Xiano's arms suddenly bulged, like steel tendons coiling into action. His fingers firmly grasped the tail of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, covered in dark scales.
With a fierce shout, the massive creature weighing dozens of tons was actually lifted off the ground!
"What...?"
The Tyrannosaurus Rex's lantern-like pupils contracted sharply. Before it could process what was happening, the desert scenery in its vision spun wildly.
Its over twenty-meter-long body traced an exaggerated arc through the air, accompanied by a howling wind, before crashing into a sand dune on the other side!
Boom!!!
The entire desert trembled, and the sand surged into the sky like a giant wave. The sand dunes within a hundred-meter radius were instantly flattened by the shockwave.
The Tyrannosaurus Rex's head was deeply buried in the sand, its thick neck twisted unnaturally.
"Cough..."
Hanafuda turned his head with difficulty, his gaze fierce. "Your strength has increased... but if this is all you've got, it's still not enough to—"
"It's not over yet!"
His words were cut off as Xiano, who had somehow closed the distance again, grabbed its tail with both hands and exerted force once more!
Boom!
Boom!!
Boom!!!
This time, he didn't throw Hanafuda away. Instead, he held onto its massive body firmly, like a giant flail, gripping its tail tightly and slamming it left and right repeatedly!
The earthquakes grew increasingly violent, not only on the desert but also along the distant river channel, where countless massive water columns surged into the air.
Far away, on the merchant ships that had already retreated to the outer banks of the river, the sailors clung desperately to the masts to keep from being flung overboard.
Their faces were filled with terror as they watched the ancient creature, one that could only be seen in legends, being ruthlessly trampled like a ragdoll by the humanoid dragon.
"Damn brat!"
The blood spilling from the Tyrannosaurus' mouth stained the sand a dark red. Hanafuda finally regained consciousness from the dizziness, its eyes blazing with ferocity.
Suddenly, it opened its gaping maw, and a blinding red light gathered between its sharp, white teeth—
"Dragon Breath: Scorching Ray!"