53 Chapter 53
Future chapters (15+) at patreon.com/FFAddict.
Additionally, I have many new works readers may be interested in. Go look, if you wish!
Boom!
On this sea battlefield, two figures quickly closed in on each other.
Bai Ye and 'Kong' clashed fiercely, and their initial impact was staggering.
The force generated tore the sea into a massive, terrifying hole hundreds of meters across, with the resulting shockwaves echoing across the entire Grand Line like thunder.
Boom...!
Boom...!
The inhabitants of nearby islands and countless people on the Sabaody Archipelago couldn't help but be puzzled.
"Why is there thunder during the daytime?" they wondered.
To the average person on "March 13", this was an odd occurrence.
However, the truly powerful, with their profound strength, had expressions of concern.
They sensed two immensely powerful presences and knew that a fearsome battle was underway.
At that moment, seawater began gushing into the abyss that had been ripped open on the battlefield.
"Strong!" was Bai Ye's first instinctive thought upon reappearing.
Relying on his sheer physical prowess, 'Kong' was the only adversary who matched Bai Ye in strength among all he had fought before.
Armed Haki strength could be bolstered through relentless training, accumulating in the body over time, growing ever more potent.
Having refrained from action for over twenty years but never ceasing to train, one could only imagine the amount of Armament Haki 'Kong' had stockpiled.
The 'quality' and 'quantity' of his armed color available for use at this time, once unleashed, would be terrifying.
In a brief span, maintaining this empty 'Kong' state, his real combat power surely neared the pinnacle limit of that of a Marine Admiral.
Ordinary Marine Admirals would find it exceptionally difficult to contend with 'Kong'.
To someone like Garp, a pure taijutsu user and Haki powerhouse, facing such an opponent at sea was akin to a nightmare.
No wonder 'Kong' was so assured when he personally led the "Operation Demon Slaying", never doubting its success.
Kong's greatest trump card, it seems, was himself all along!
The promise of the 'Marine Admiral' position to those independent powerhouses might have another agenda lurking behind it.
Just like with the original 'Seraphim', capturing Bai Ye would be ideal, allowing the Marine Government, puppets of the World Government, to fill the gap left by an Admiral slain by Bai Ye.
If you can't get it, then exhaust Bai Ye's physical strength as much as possible and force out his true strength. Eventually, he personally intervened to conclude this operation to eliminate the 'sinners'.
I must say, Bai Ye eyed 'Kong,' who now revealed the might fitting for the general commander of the world government army. The opponent had calculated almost everything impeccably. Yet, facing Kong in the state of 'Kong,' Bai Ye had pinpointed the rival's flaw during their first clash. Admittedly, the armed color cloaking his entire body was formidable, significantly amplifying Kong's physique and combat abilities—potentially by several folds. This constant, full-body coverage armed color, while impressive, drains the user's energy at an alarming rate. Furthermore, each assault dramatically accelerates the depletion of armed color.
It's clear—if Bai Ye overlooks 'Kong' now and 'Kong' exits his current state, the victory in this battle will inevitably belong to Bai Ye. However, despite this knowledge, Bai Ye has no desire to exploit it. After all, if dealing with a 'watchdog' dispatched by the World Government is this troublesome, overthrowing the world to exact revenge on the World Government backing 'Kong' is mere wishful thinking!
"Since you enjoy lurking in the shadows so much, take one final good look, Kaido. You too will be buried here," Bai Ye declared, launching another attack at 'Kong,' uttering these puzzling words.
Without allowing 'Kong' a moment to react, a once seemingly boundless Reiatsu erupted in every direction from Bai Ye! Suddenly, his Reiatsu transformed into a brilliant orange-red flame, exploding with intensity, resembling an endless sea of fire engulfing the sky!
Simultaneously, the sea beneath Bai Ye's feet started to quiver uncontrollably. Streams of white steam rose, and the temperature soared. The sea level dropped drastically for miles around Bai Ye engulfed in flames.
And this unexpected development was not confined to Bai Ye's vicinity. The nearby Sabaody Archipelago, the Grand Line, and even those at the Summit War felt an intense heat sweeping over them.
