11 Brontes vs Shiki (Part II)

"Biuu!!"

The sound echoed ominously, a harbinger of the impending chaos. A beam of light, pure and radiant, shot straight down from the heavens.

Light, a form of energy, was a natural phenomenon, yet its essence was elusive, almost impossible to perceive with the naked eye. This paradox was the essence of Borsalino's attacks.

Borsalino's assault was akin to a laser beam, moving silently yet with a terrifying speed that could make even the bravest of warriors shudder. It was a deadly dance of light and speed, a spectacle of power that was as beautiful as it was deadly.

Shiki, however, was not a man to be easily caught off guard. He had been anticipating Borsalino's sneak attack from the beginning.

With a swift, fluid motion, he moved his body backwards, dodging the laser beam with an ease that belied the danger it posed.

"Phew, as expected it didn't work." Borsalino sighed, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation.

He was a man of immense confidence, a warrior who trusted in his own speed and strength. Yet, he was also a realist. He knew the chasm that existed between him and the top players of the seas like Shiki.

"Lightning Dragon!!"

The words echoed through the air, a battle cry that signaled the arrival of a new challenger. As Shiki dodged Borsalino's attack, a lightning dragon materialized behind Brontes. It was a creature of pure energy, a manifestation of Brontes' power and will.

"Roar!!! Rumble!!!"

The dragon roared, its voice a symphony of power and fury. It rushed towards Shiki, its form crackling with raw energy.

The dragon's head collided with Shiki's sword, resulting in a terrifying explosion that lit up the sky.

"Boom!!!"

In the midst of the chaos, a blue-white shadowy figure appeared on the dragon's head.

The Lightning Dragon was Brontes' creation, an extension of his own being. It allowed him to traverse through it with ease, reaching any point he desired in an instant.

"Thor's Spear!"

Brontes' voice was steady, his grip on the spear unyielding. Lightning streaks gathered at the tip of the spear.

"Shihahaha! The fight gets more and more interesting."

Shiki's laughter echoed through the battlefield, a chilling sound that sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it. Suddenly, a terrifying aura burst out of his body, a manifestation of his indomitable spirit and will.

"Raar!!!"

The roar was deafening, a primal scream that shook the very foundations of the battlefield. "Conqueror's Haki!"

Brontes' eyes widened in shock, his body abruptly halted, trembling slightly under the immense pressure.

Brontes had seen Conqueror's Haki many times in the original work, but experiencing it in reality was a different beast altogether.

The strongest person he had fought so far was Zed, a marine who, like most of his comrades, did not possess Conqueror's Haki. This was a new challenge, a test of will and spirit that Brontes had never faced before.

"What a terrifying willpower..." Brontes murmured, his heart pounding in his chest.

The lightning streaks that had been swirling around his body wavered, their destructive power threatening to dissipate under the weight of Shiki's aura.

"Not bad, marine brat." Shiki remarked, a broad and surprised smile gracing his face.

With a swift motion, he extended his right hand, which had transformed into a pitch-black metallic luster, towards Brontes's spear, as if intending to catch it with his bare hand. Simultaneously, his left hand, wielding a sword, slashed at the lightning dragon hovering above Brontes.

"Boom!!! ZliZli!!!"

A deafening boom and rumble echoed through the air as their attacks collided with ferocious force.

The resulting explosion was terrifying, followed by an earth-shattering lightning rumble that resonated across the sky.

The lightning dragon burst apart, creating a massive array of sparks that crackled and roared overhead. It was akin to a short circuit in an electrical system, with violent flames erupting and engulfing the sky above the ships.

"That monster is in a league of his own! Brontes won't perish, will he?" Borsalino muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the horrifying explosion.

"No, he won't succumb that easily, particularly in his elementalized state. However, he'll likely sustain injuries from the aftermath of the explosion. Haki is a troublesome thing, especially for Logia-Type Devil Fruit users."

All eyes were trained on the sky, concern etched on the faces of Momonga and the other recruits.

Brontes had engaged in battle against one of the world's most formidable overlords, the Golden Lion, Shiki. To dream of defeating him with their current strength was pure folly.

As the thick smoke in the sky dissipated, a figure plummeted from the heavens.

"Golden Lion..." Brontes uttered grimly, his voice low as he fell.

He had finally witnessed the true might of the sea's overlords and recognized the chasm between himself and Shiki. If he sought to defeat Shiki, he had no chance, at least not now.

"Shihahaha, marine brat, I offer you the opportunity to join my pirate crew. You're still young and ignorant of the corruption within the Marine. Moreover, as a marine, you'll forever be a lackey of the World Government. You might as well join my pirate crew and conquer the world with me." Shiki shouted, his laughter booming.

He was elated. Brontes had merely caused him a moment of embarrassment, but he didn't care. On the contrary, he admired individuals like Brontes.

Shiki was intrigued by Brontes's strength and indomitable spirit, believing it a waste for him to remain with the Marines. A man of such power should sail the seas and aid him in toppling the world.

"I have no interest." Brontes dismissed Shiki's offer without hesitation.

Suddenly, a miniature lightning dragon materialized at his feet, followed by a second, a third, and more, until eight dragons swirled beneath him.

"Eight-Headed Divine Lightning Dragon!!" Brontes roared.

"Prepare to catch him." Zed instructed Yoshida, his eyes fixed on Brontes.

"Admiral?" Yoshida queried, his expression a mixture of confusion and concern.

"His Devil Fruit ability has already pushed his body to its limits, and now he's using this move, which I told him to reserve for dire emergencies. How can his body endure such energy and stamina? Logia Devil Fruits aren't invincible." Zed explained.

"Every time he employs the lightning devil fruit ability, it consumes a significant amount of physical energy. The more lightning he generates in his attacks and maneuvers, the more energy he expends."

"Since the high-intensity battle between him and Shiki began, he's unleashed numerous powerful moves, which means he's running low on energy. At the very least, he won't be able to use his Devil Fruit ability after this attack for a while." Zed analyzed, his gaze never leaving the aerial combat.

Having fought against several logia devil fruit users and studied their powers and limitations extensively, Zed was well-versed in their weaknesses.

Furthermore, Brontes had only acquired his devil fruit two years prior, so his ability was far from weak. In fact, his capacity to challenge Shiki to this extent after such a short time demonstrated both the terrifying potential of his power and his own relentless hard work.

"I understand." Yoshida nodded gravely.

Anxiety began to gnaw at him. Although Brontes was now considerably stronger than Yoshida, his adversary was one of the sea's overlords, the Golden Lion Shiki.

Truthfully, Yoshida hadn't believed that Brontes could stand against Shiki from the outset. He didn't doubt Zed's analysis, for he knew that Brontes's ability to fight this far was already remarkable. As Zed had said, this move was likely his last.

"Eight-Headed Divine Lightning Dragon!" Brontes bellowed once more.

Shiki's laughter grew even louder: "You brat, I admire your unyielding spirit. Now, let me witness the power of your final attack!"