To put it simply, Koudosotsu is an advanced version of Conqueror's Haki Infusion!
Not only does it carry the physical weight of the infusion he had yet to fully master, but it also features a specialized psychological attack. Even those who possess Conqueror's Haki themselves are shaken by Beltz's Dragon Fear!
At this moment, although Gaban and Rayleigh closed in from both sides to lock down all of Beltz's paths of retreat, Beltz didn't back down an inch! As he swung his blade, the staggering momentum transformed into crackling dark-red lightning, slamming into the chests of both men instantly!
They had executed a perfect pincer attack, yet they were forced back by this single strike!
"Gahh!"
"Uwah!"
Both Rayleigh and Gaban spat out blood, flying backward like shot puts in a massive arc! Rayleigh fared slightly better, crashing into a distant cabin, but Gaban had nothing behind him and was blasted clean off the ship and into the sea!
Boom!
Splash!
Their aggressive assault was easily dismantled by Beltz! Of course, defeating these two with a single move was impossible, so Beltz did not lower his guard.
Sure enough, though Rayleigh and Gaban looked disheveled, they stood back up or leapt out of the water in the next heartbeat. This was their greatest advantage: they had not eaten Devil Fruits! Because they weren't Ability Users, they had no fear of the sea!
"Hachiju Kyoshu!"
Gaban, having climbed back up, swung his twin axes, creating a barrage of air blades in an instant! Each blade was razor-sharp, flying straight for Beltz.
"Kotodama: Unoccupied Land!"
Beltz once again released a heavy barrier. The sharp air blades struck the barrier and were disrupted by the counter-currents, losing their lethality. Beltz then swung his blade again, clashing with Rayleigh's incoming sword.
With a thunderous boom, the ship beneath them tilted as if it couldn't withstand the immense pressure, appearing as though it might sink! Dark-red lightning crackled and hissed, erupting toward the distance.
Clang!
With a forceful swing, Beltz finally forced Rayleigh back, only to face Gaban's twin axes the next moment. The two of them alternated between perfect transitions and joint strikes, fighting Beltz to a standstill.
Aside from the initial suppression with Koudosotsu, Beltz lacked other decisive means to end the fight unless he used Black Sun. However, the power of Black Sun was too terrifying; he couldn't control the collapsing force, and he might even injure himself. Having used it recently, he absolutely couldn't use it a second time yet—his body wouldn't be able to handle the strain.
Moreover, while he could use his Schrift to multi-task, doing so would ultimately lower his combat efficiency. It was fine against Kong, but against both Rayleigh and Gaban, he didn't dare use it lightly in this state.
However, while his talent for "cultivation" wasn't the highest, his talent for combat was exceptional. Using Koudosotsu as a foundation, he quickly developed a tactical system of his own!
"The Second Phase: Rokuge Byakuzou!"
In an instant, Beltz unleashed six slashes, once again repelling Rayleigh and Gaban's pincer movement! These six strikes made him appear like a blooming lotus—impeccable from all directions!
These "Phases" were based on the Eight Phases of Buddha's Enlightenment! Legend says the Buddha attained Supreme Enlightenment by completing these eight phases. By naming his techniques after them, Beltz made his ambitions clear!
The move he just used referred to the second phase, where the Buddha transformed into a six-tusked white elephant to enter the womb while holding a white lotus!
As the three of them battled, Garp and his fleet were closing in on this sector.
"What? Another one?" Garp was shocked when he heard the report from the Navy scout ship over the Den Den Mushi. "How is there another one?"
"We're not sure, but that person is on the Golden Lion's side and is fighting Rayleigh and Gaban!"
One person fighting both Rayleigh and Gaban? Garp immediately thought of the earlier notice from Marine Headquarters. Perhaps Sengoku was right—the individual who attacked Headquarters really was related to Shiki? Since that Azure Dragon could fly, it would certainly be faster than their ships, allowing it to reach the battlefield after the raid.
"Faster! Full speed ahead!" Garp ordered. "We cannot let Shiki's lot escape!"
His original target—no, his lifelong target—was Roger, but now he had to pivot his focus toward Shiki and Beltz. These two actually dared to attack Marine Headquarters! It was outrageous! Garp stayed in the Navy to protect people, yet someone had killed Fleet Admiral Kong. He couldn't wait any longer.
Garp leapt from the ship, using Moonwalk to step through the air at full speed toward the Merah Sea!
Pfft!
In the distance, staggering Haki split the sky. Garp could feel the war calling to him!
Beltz, still clashing with Rayleigh and Gaban, suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He sensed a powerful aura approaching from the distance!
"Shiki!" Beltz shouted. "End it now! The Navy is here!"
The words "The Navy is here" turned the heat up even further. In the sky, Shiki was covered in blood, and Roger was no exception. Hearing Beltz, Shiki panted as he said to Roger, "It's that Garp again!"
Roger, holding Ace, wheezed in response. "Can't be helped. Even if he didn't come, Sengoku would."
"Seems we need to end this. We can't let the Navy take the advantage," Shiki said. "How about deciding it with one move? Use your 'Maximum Level' Haki!"
Roger took a deep breath. He glanced at Rayleigh and Gaban, then at his other crewmates. He said solemnly, "Fine. With this move, I'll take you down!"
Pfft!!!!!!
The moment they decided to use their ultimate strikes, the world changed color. Within tens of thousands of meters, the sky and sea shifted under their auras. An indescribable power was brewing inside the two legends!
The Golden Lion pointed his twin blades to the sky; dark-red Conqueror's Haki seemed to overflow and condense simultaneously. Roger gripped his sword, spinning the blade constantly, condensing his own domineering Haki. The friction and rotation seemed to generate incredible heat! That heat merged with his Haki, creating an even more powerful force; the temperature of the entire world seemed to rise!
Both were about to unleash Maximum Level Haki, a final, ultimate strike that releases all of one's internal Haki in a single burst!
As they gathered their strength, the split clouds seemed to draw in power. Densely packed lightning tumbled through the clouds with a constant thunderous roar. It looked like dragons of lightning were howling—a scene of doomsday—filling the world below with an aura of despair and destruction!
Under this terrifying atmosphere, their momentum finally reached its peak!
"Fire of Kagusutchi!"
"Lion's Might: Wind of the Breath of the Gale!"
Shiki's raised blades gathered an intense storm, the violent winds even pulling back the clouds they had previously split. Dark-red Haki erupted from the gale, opposing Roger's fire below.
The two released their ultimate moves simultaneously. The world shattered!
Boom!
The moment their powers collided, the ocean swayed madly. A heavy, tearing sound echoed as if the entire sea were being ripped apart! It was as if a creator had drawn a massive cross on the sea; centered on the two of them, the cross-shaped rift expanded frantically, shaking heaven and earth!
"Wah!!!"
Onlookers from both sides were blown away by the sudden violent shockwave. They clung to the ship's masts, but the force was so great that even the massive ships were capsizing!
Beltz, Rayleigh, and Gaban also felt this overwhelming power and stopped their fight to brace against the impact. Above was endless gale, below was a blazing inferno; the fire fed the wind, and the wind fanned the flames, spreading the chaos instantly.
"Time to head home!"
In the midst of the violent power surge, Beltz transformed into the Azure Dragon. Instead of retreating, he plunged toward the center of the battlefield! He whipped up a gale, scooping up members of the Flying Pirate Fleet who had been blown away and landing them on his back. Though they were meant to be "fodder," anyone who could survive this long without falling had potential. The weaklings had been knocked out by the Haki long ago.
"Roger!" Rayleigh and Gaban ignored Beltz and rushed toward their captain.
After such a move, both Shiki and Roger were likely drained. They had to ensure no one took advantage of the situation—especially Beltz, despite his pretty words.
However, Beltz truly had no interest in Roger. When he flew over, the battle was already over. In the clash of wind and fire, the flames had finally broken through. Roger's dual-handed strike ignited the endless gale, turning the sky into a massive sea of fire! The world was set ablaze; even Beltz felt the searing heat trying to penetrate his scales. Roger's "God of Fire" strike had ignited the sky and the storm itself!
Then—Pfft!
The strike that broke through the storm landed squarely on Shiki's chest! A long spray of blood erupted from Shiki's chest, splashing onto Roger's face, only to be instantly dried by the heat of the fire cage. Shiki felt a crushing pain as his strength vanished, and he could barely lift his hands. He struggled to maintain his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi ability just to stay airborne.
"Ro... ger..." Shiki groaned.
Roger didn't swing again. He just looked at Shiki with eyes full of complex emotions—satisfaction, pain, a sense of lingering regret, and the thrill of defeating a powerful foe.
"The battle... is over, Shiki," he declared.
"I..." Shiki tried to speak, but he finally reached his limit. He lost the ability to maintain his fruit's power and plummeted from the sky. His consciousness faded. Dammit... I... actually lost. I lost to Roger!
But he felt no resentment. As a conqueror of the sea, he could afford to lose. A loss was a loss. He blacked out, falling straight down. Just before he was swallowed by the sea of fire, a massive Azure Dragon flew past, catching him steadily on its back.
"Farewell, Roger! We shall meet again!" Beltz roared. He didn't take the chance to attack Roger; instead, he sped away, fleeing the area at high speed!
"Roger!" Rayleigh and Gaban arrived. Hearing his comrades' voices, Roger could no longer hold on. His body went limp like a deflated balloon, and he fell from the sky. Rayleigh leapt up, caught him, and landed on the Oro Jackson.
The rest of the Roger Pirates had mostly returned. Rayleigh shouted, "Quick, leave this place!" They could sense Garp's aura getting closer and closer!
The Oro Jackson sailed away, leaving the sea of fire behind and disappearing into the horizon. When Garp finally arrived, all he saw was a scene of devastation. Dozens of pirate ships floated on the sea; the people inside were either unconscious, blown away, or their ships had been reduced to splinters. Further in, the sky itself seemed to be on fire, with pieces falling like meteors.
"Late again!" Garp's face darkened. He had missed Roger, and he had missed that Azure Dragon!