"This... this..."
Ryokugyu looked up at the massive purple-black Demon Buddha, utterly stunned, "No, who is this guy?"
"Still haven't figured it out?"
Akainu's face was grim, "It's Sengoku! That former Marshal Sengoku, you idiot! But now, like those old things, he's already completely..."
He quickly caught himself and didn't finish the sentence.
Opposite, Shano, Whitebeard, and others also immediately recognized the identity of the newcomer, feeling somewhat astonished.
"Mr. Sengoku!"
Aokiji couldn't help but speak, "This is the last time I'll call you 'Mr.' Hey, can you explain what's going on? You clearly retired, why would you accept that power and turn into this neither human nor ghost form!"
Hmm?
The purple-black Demon Buddha glanced somewhat surprised at Aokiji, then coldly sneered, a trace of mockery flowing in his eight scarlet demon eyes:
"Really joined the Endgame, Kuzan, but how are you still so naïve... Since the era has changed, I must keep up, unlike a traitor like you; how could you understand my resolve?"
"Neither human nor ghost?"
"A few days ago, I was dying, coughing up blood in the ICU, struggling miserably in front of the gates of hell, that was truly neither human nor ghost!"
A hint of resentment flashed in the scarlet eyes of the purple-black Demon Buddha, his voice resounding like thunder in the sky above the battlefield:
"Since the World Government is willing to give me a second life, give me a chance to wash away past humiliation with my own hands, what reason do I have to refuse!"
"Sengoku, you..."
Aokiji wanted to say more, but Shano raised a hand to stop him.
"Kuzan, no need to argue."
Shano said calmly:
"This guy's already consumed by hatred and obsession, losing his rationality. Now, he's nothing more than a war machine created by the World Government."
"Didn't expect this, Sengoku."
He looked up at the purple-black Demon Buddha, smiled:
"Though you were merely a hypocrite who talked about justice, you were still the former Marshal of the Navy, a man known as the 'Intelligent General,' who shook the seas for decades. To now degenerate to this extent, how pitiful and lamentable."
"Shut up!"
The purple-black Demon Buddha roared, eight scarlet eyes simultaneously shining with a dazzling blood light:
"Shano! Stop pretending, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this predicament!"
"Today, I will personally crush all of you villains who disturb the world!"
Bang!!!
Before his words could end, the giant hand of the Demon Buddha suddenly struck down, enveloped in terrifying purple-black lightning, heading straight toward Shano and the others!
"Enough with the big words!"
Whitebeard shouted, swinging Murakumogiri fiercely, the power of the Quake-Quake Fruit erupting, clashing violently with the giant hand!
Crack!
Space shattered like a mirror, terrifying shockwaves swept in all directions, debris flying from the ground, instantly collapsing into a huge crater!
Though the giant hand was repelled, Whitebeard also retreated several steps, his qi and blood surging.
"The so-called strongest man seems to be no more than this!"
The Demon Buddha said coldly.
"Gura-lala! Sengoku, looks like after becoming this ghost form, your power has indeed increased a lot!"
Whitebeard laughed carelessly, but a hint of gravity flashed in his eyes.
That attack had put considerable pressure on him; even his arms felt a bit numb from the shock.
This Demon Buddha's power exceeded his expectations and Sengoku's original level!
Or rather, it extended Sengoku's lifespan in his old age.
The accumulated damage and hidden dangers of past years had disappeared without a trace, sudden surge in vitality, gaining strength comparable to his prime!
What's more troublesome is...
Whitebeard's gaze swept over the Demon Buddha's right hand; clearly earlier this giant palm's surface had been shattered by him, golden lacquer falling.
But now, after a flash of black qi, it was instantly restored, not even a single scar left.
"Oh? You noticed!"
The Demon Buddha sneered, his voice like thunder clashing:
"This is my current power! An immortal body, endless stamina! What can you use to fight me?"
"Indeed a bit tricky..."
Whitebeard grinned.
However, he knew about that secret; for this kind of power, excessive Supreme King could achieve temporary suppression. When it comes to Supreme King's quality, he's never inferior to...
"If it's tricky then step back a bit."
Beside him, Shano's voice came, "Just watch from the side, dealing with this kind of guy, I'm much more experienced."
"Hey!"
Whitebeard was taken aback, then glared at the figure in front of him, "You brat, at least let me finish my sentence!"
"No time for that!"
Shano laughed heartily, activated the Aerial Dance Skill, and soared into the sky!
Shuu!
The next moment, he appeared above the Demon Buddha's head, his right fist entwined with black and red lightning, pounding down heavily on the massive head!
"Galaxy Impact!!!"
A terrifying shockwave erupted, the head of the purple-black Demon Buddha was struck and sank sharply, the massive body stumbled back several steps.
Indeed, atop the head, a depression appeared that couldn't recover in the short term, constantly oozing blood.
Yet the Demon Buddha quickly steadied himself, a fierce blood light glowing in his eight scarlet demon eyes:
"It hurt, brat! But unfortunately, this level of attack isn't enough! For the current me, it's far from enough!"
"Let me have a turn, try this, Shano brat!"
The enormous Demon Buddha transformed by Sengoku raised both palms simultaneously, clasped together, and let out a roar.
"Buddha's Fury Impact!"
Buzz!
A purple-black beam with a diameter of over a hundred meters burst from his palms, distorting and shattering the space along its path, hurtling toward Shano with world-destroying momentum!
However.
Faced with the incoming purple-black beam, Shano remained unmoved in place, without any intent to dodge.
Only black and red lightning emerged from him, forming an invisible barrier around him.
Thud!
When the light beam struck the barrier, there was only a dull thud. The next moment, it was as if it had been completely swallowed up like a clay ox into the sea, not even causing a ripple.
Not to mention harming Shano's body in the slightest.
"This, this is..." Demon Buddha's eight eyes widened simultaneously.
"Just something I comprehended recently."
Shano said calmly, "You should recognize what this is, right, Sengoku?"
"..."
Demon Buddha's face turned grim.
Of course, he recognized it; it was the "Supreme King Barrier"!
Armament can form barriers, and Supreme King can naturally do so too. The defensive effect is a thousand times better, truly invincible!
But to master this move, the quality of Supreme King Haki requires an extremely high level, and the degree of control needs to reach a pinnacle state!
Over the years, he had tried many times without success, and Garp couldn't do it either.
Only during the Divine Valley period, that blackened Rocks had displayed such a powerful ability!
Even at their peak, Garp and Roger joined forces to struggle for half a day, unable to break through the defense, and only by exerting all their effort and the full force of their Haki did they finally break that Supreme King Barrier!
"Damn brat..."
In Demon Buddha Sengoku's scarlet eyes, a hint of dread flashed.
But soon, the purple-black flames around him surged, and he sneered, raising his palm again:
"You really think you're Rocks now! Don't forget, my stamina is nearly limitless. I want to see just how many times you can block this!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three consecutive "Buddha's Fury Impacts" blasted out, engulfing the entire battlefield in purple-black energy.
However, Shano remained unmoved, not even his hairstyle disturbed.
The barrier, invisible to the naked eye, was like an insurmountable chasm, isolating all his attacks!
Impossible?
Demon Buddha didn't believe it and continued to attack with full force, six times, seven times, eight times... but the result was no different.
In contrast, Shano finally seemed a bit impatient.
"Have you had enough yet?"
He grinned, his right fist abruptly clenched, and blinding black and red lightning entwined like dragons and snakes, "If you've had your fill, then it's my turn!"
Boom!!!
In the next moment, Shano's figure suddenly vanished from the spot!
When he reappeared, it was right in front of Demon Buddha Sengoku, grabbing the opponent's chest and exerting force, lifting the seven to eighty-meter-tall Demon Buddha directly.
Then, with a sinister smile, he swung it over his head and slammed it to the ground!
"Smash!!"
Boom!
Sengoku's body fell from the sky like a meteor, crashing to the ground. The entire vast sea platform trembled, and wide cracks spread instantly for kilometers.
Just this single strike!
Caused severe casualties to hundreds of Navy soldiers, and the unfortunate newly-promoted Headquarter Vice Admiral standing right at the impact point was directly crushed, turned into a puddle of flesh.
"It's not over, Sengoku!"
In his sinister laughter, the black shadow that Shano had transformed into expanded rapidly in Demon Buddha's eight scarlet pupils. His right fist tore through the air, wrapped in a terrifying shockwave, fiercely striking the golden-lacquered chest!
"Jaw... Dragon Slayer Fist!"
Buzz——!
Black and white shockwaves erupted suddenly like two evil dragons entangling, instantly piercing through Demon Buddha's chest!
Crack! Crack!
The sound of bones shattering resounded intensely, and the large frame of the purple-black Demon Buddha was forcibly penetrated with a hole over ten meters in diameter!
"Ugh!!"
Demon Buddha let out a painful roar towards the sky, staggering back a few steps, disbelief filling his eight scarlet eyes.
The pain! The agony! This fist had pierced through his chest and abdomen, through his internal organs!
It was simply unbearable!
If it weren't for his immortality, the once weak and sickly Sengoku might have lost his combat ability entirely from just this one hit!
No, it seems the situation isn't much better...
Sengoku felt with terror and clarity the residual waves of those two shockwaves, still rampaging inside, continuing to destroy every inch of flesh and meridians.
Even with near-immortal recuperative powers, they couldn't keep pace with the rate of destruction!
"Impossible, it shouldn't be; my body now, how could it..."
"Surprised?"
Shano let out a cold laugh, his figure flashing again to appear above Demon Buddha's head, his right leg raised high like a War Axe:
"You and I have never been on the same level, thinking becoming this wretched form could contend against me?"
"Don't be so naïve, Sengoku old man!"
Swish!
The black and red lightning-entwined right leg came crashing down!
Thud!!!
Demon Buddha's head was forcefully smashed into his chest cavity, his upper body twisted and deformed, purple-black flames madly leaking out.
"It's still not over!"
With a ferocious look, Shano's assault didn't stop, his fists rained down like a storm, each punch carrying extremely high-quality Supreme King Haki, driving back Demon Buddha's massive form step by step!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
At the center of the battlefield, black and red energy clashed crazily with purple and black, or more precisely, the former relentlessly devoured and suppressed the latter, causing the whole heaven and earth to tremble!
"Hey, is this really the power a human can have..."
Ryokugyu looked up, his face pale as he watched the scene.
Seeing their former Marshal having no means of resistance, seeing Sengoku's aura steadily weakening, cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Ryokugyu originally thought, in that form, Sengoku was already terrifying enough; anyway, he felt he would lose in a one-on-one.
But now...
Indeed!
His impression was correct; his fear was justified.
No matter the demonic form...
This man named Shano before them was the real monster!!!