72 Chapter 72

But Issho was not one to back down without a fight. With a surge of determination, he countered with his own formidable techniques, channeling his gravity powers to create miniature gravity pools that threatened to swallow me whole. Yet I refused to be intimidated, meeting his attacks head-on with a surge of armament Haki that bolstered my defenses and allowed me to push forward with renewed vigor.

As the battle raged on, the surroundings bore witness to the intensity of our conflict. Trees were uprooted from the ground, their branches splintering like matchsticks under the force of our blows. Rocks shattered into rubble, and the very air crackled with electricity as our swords clashed with the fury of a raging storm.

But amidst the chaos, there was a kind of beauty to our battle—a primal elegance that transcended the violence. Each movement was a dance, a symphony of motion and power that captivated all who beheld it. The clash of our blades was like music to my ears—a melody of steel and lightning that echoed across the island.

As the battle raged on, I knew that I needed to up my level of attack. With a surge of energy, I unleashed another lightning technique: "Lightning Dragon." With a roar that shook the heavens, I channeled all of my power into Sandai Kitetsu, unleashing a massive bolt of dark lightning energy that took the form of a ferocious black dragon descending from the heavens.

The Lightning Dragon charged forward with unstoppable force, its claws crackling with electricity as it bore down on Issho with terrifying speed. But he was not one to go down without a fight. With a surge of willpower, he raised his blade in a desperate bid to defend himself, channeling his gravity powers to create a barrier of intense gravitational force.

"Ascending Heavens!" Issho bellowed, summoning a massive pillar of earth from the ground under his gravitational control and morphing it into the form of an earthen dragon. The two dragons roared in defiance, black lightning clashing against ascending earth as the battlefield erupted in chaos.

As the clash between the Lightning Dragon and Issho's earthen creation reached its peak, the island seemed to tremble beneath the weight of our power. Cracks formed in the ground, fissures splitting open like gaping wounds as the very earth rebelled against the force of our battle. The air crackled with energy, charged with the raw power of our conflicting abilities.

But it was not enough. With a primal roar, I poured my strength and determination into the Lightning Dragon, infusing it with my armament Haki, and more black lightning. The beast crashed into Issho's earthen dragon and barrier with the force of a tidal wave, shattering them both like glass and engulfing him in a maelstrom of crackling energy.

The impact was like a thunderclap, shaking the very foundations of the island as the Lightning Dragon collided with Issho's defenses. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as the two colossal forces clashed, and the air filled with the sound of crackling energy and the smell of ozone. And then, with a deafening roar, the Lightning Dragon broke through, shattering Issho's final defenses like glass and engulfing him in a maelstrom of crackling energy.

In the midst of the chaos, I could feel my strength growing at an unprecedented rate. The strain of maintaining such a powerful technique was taking its toll on my body, reforging my physique with lightning energy with each passing moment. But I refused to give in with just a small improvement. With a surge of determination, I pushed forward, pouring more of my strength into the Lightning Dragon, willing it to overcome Issho's last defenses and emerge victorious.

For his part, Issho fought with a ferocity that was unmatched. Despite the overwhelming odds against him, he refused to back down, channeling his gravity powers to their absolute limit in a desperate bid to turn the tide of battle. But even as he fought, I could see the strain etched into his features and the weariness in his eyes, betraying the toll that our clash was taking on him.

As our battle raged on, just a dozen miles away from the island, the unprecedented damage we caused sent shockwaves through the surrounding seas. This level of conflict was more akin to the New World, where battles of such magnitude were not uncommon. On a Marine Scout ship, the crew watched in awe as the sky darkened with thunderclouds and the sea churned with turmoil.

"Captain, what exactly is happening over there?" A marine soldier couldn't help but ask, his voice tinged with concern as he watched the chaos unfolding in the distance. The captain, his brow furrowed with worry, knew that they needed to report to headquarters immediately.

"We need to report this to HQ at once," he exclaimed, his voice urgent as he wiped sweat from his brow. "Quickly, get me a line to headquarters."

The captain, a seasoned veteran who had graduated from the elite Marine Academy, understood the gravity of the situation. Even from their current distance, it was clear that the battle raging on the island was of immense scale and power. He dared not move the ship any closer, fearing for the safety of his crew.

"Why is that monster Shiki here in the North Blue, is this where he is hiding after his loss with Roger?" The captain muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the distant skyline, where large landmasses floated in the air, surrounded by flashes of lightning. It was a sight that filled him with dread, knowing that someone of Shiki's caliber was wreaking havoc so close to home. The entire sky was littered with lightning, which tore through these massive landmasses, blasting them to smithereens.

"Captain, HQ is on the line," a marine soldier announced, handing the captain a transponder snail. Another soldier was already using another snail to capture images of the ongoing events on the island, their faces tense with apprehension.

"Sir, it's Golden Lion Shiki," the captain reported, his voice tense with urgency. "He's here in the North Blue, engaged in battle with an unknown opponent who seems to match his strength."

The news sent shockwaves through headquarters, where officials scrambled to assess the situation. The mere mention of Shiki's name struck fear into the hearts of those who understood the threat he posed.

"How certain are you that it's Shiki?" A rear admiral from HQ questioned, his voice strained with concern. "Have you visually confirmed his identity?"

"No, sir," the captain admitted, frustration evident in his tone. "The battle on the island is too chaotic. We're a dozen miles away; there's no way to visually confirm Shiki's presence. But with the entire island floating in the sky, who else could it be?"

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the captain quickly transmitted the images they had captured to headquarters, hoping to provide irrefutable proof of Shiki's presence in the North Blue. As the images flickered across the screen, the reality of the situation began to sink in. Shiki was here, and he was unleashing chaos unlike anything the Marines had ever seen before.

Back on the island, Issho struggled to maintain his stance as exhaustion weighed heavily on him. The battle had raged on for nearly an hour now, and every moment seemed to drain him of more strength. Leaning heavily on his blade's sheath for support, Issho fought to catch his breath, his chest heaving with exertion.

Ross was proving to be a formidable opponent, his mastery of the black lightning technique overwhelming even Issho's most skilled defenses. Despite his best efforts, Issho found himself unable to keep up with the relentless assault, his haki slowly being devoured by the insidious lightning power of the opponent coursing through his veins.

In the heat of battle, Issho couldn't help but reflect on his own limitations. He had always believed himself to be strong and a master of his craft. But facing Ross had shown him just how much he lacked. If Ross had truly wanted to kill him, Issho knew he would have been struck down without hesitation. Yet still, he couldn't bring himself to surrender.

Every fiber of his being screamed for him to give up, to admit defeat, and to spare himself further torment. But to do so would mean abandoning all those lives to Ross's mercy, and Issho could not allow that to happen. Despite the charred flesh of his left hand, the result of countless lightning strikes, Issho remained resolute, his determination unwavering as he prepared to face whatever came next.

"Issho-san, you should give up. I don't want to end up accidentally killing you. Even I don't have a proper estimate of exactly how strong I have grown," I said solemnly, my voice tinged with concern. Yes, I wanted to defeat Issho, but I didn't want the man dead. He was already on his last leg, and my restraint with my lightning power was the only reason Issho was still standing. If it were before the past three months, Issho might have triumphed over me. Even now, if he pushed himself, Issho could burst with the strength of an admiral for a few moments, but that was not enough to challenge the current me.

"Hahaha, Ross-kun, as a man, how can I go back on my word and give up? I have vowed to defend the innocents on that island, and if I have to die for that cause, then so be it," Issho remarked, his voice resolute as he steadied himself once more. He had already attempted to subdue me with his overwhelming gravity, but nothing worked. He clearly understood that I still had more cards up my sleeve.

"Hell's Journey!" The blind man roared, pulling out his blade and resheathing it despite the pain coursing through his body due to the residual lightning. A massive gravity field descended on me as he sheathed his sword, sending me down into a massive crater. However, Issho knew this was not enough to hold me down, so he immediately launched the next attack, mustering every last ounce of energy he could muster.

"Final Sonata!" Issho screamed, extending his observation Haki to the extreme. Blood seeped out of his mouth, ears, nose, and even through his blind eyes. I stood in awe at the true extent of a human's willpower. My observation Haki had already picked up on what Issho was planning to achieve, and within moments, a massive meteorite, whose radius spanned for miles, appeared in the sky. The meteor was so large that it could easily engulf the massive island that we were fighting on. Issho's plan was clear: he wanted to bury us both alive beneath the massive meteor.

However, the true scale and terror of the descending meteor were being experienced by the Marines on the scout ship. The captain was already screaming at his team to quickly leave the area, as a meteor of this size was sure to create a massive tsunami that could affect hundreds of miles. Panic ensued as the crew scrambled to retreat to safety, their eyes wide with fear at the impending disaster.

As I gazed upon the descending, burning meteor, determination burned within me like the flames of a raging inferno. I gripped Kitetsu tightly within its sheath, infusing it with Armament Haki and the crackling energy of black lightning.

For the first time since the start of the battle, my Conqueror's haki surged forth like an unstoppable storm, radiating outward with irresistible force. My entire being transformed into a manifestation of black and golden lightning as I prepared to face the oncoming threat.

With a primal roar, I crouched low, my form poised like a beast ready to pounce. As my momentum reached its apex, I shot towards the descending meteor with unparalleled speed and power. From the perspective of the Marines on the scout ship, a massive pillar of golden and black lightning ascended from the entire island towards the incoming meteor, a sight that struck fear into their hearts.

Just as I neared the descending meteor, I unsheathed my blade with a swift motion, assuming a sword draw stance. "Lightning Nova!" I thundered, my voice echoing through the heavens as my blade cleaved through the massive meteor. Black lightning engulfed the entire sky, shrouding it in darkness despite the noonday sun. The meteor crumbled beneath the onslaught of lightning, shattered into a million pieces that scattered across the sky like stars.

Issho, who stood in awe at the sheer display of power, could no longer hold himself conscious and blacked out. The last attack was meant as a suicidal maneuver to take down both himself and me, a testament to his unwavering resolve. He realized in that moment that he had truly lost, defeated by the overwhelming might of my lightning powers.