18 One Shot
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Several months prior, Brontes had come to the realization that his long-distance offensive capabilities were lacking in potency. This spurred him into a period of intense development, culminating in the creation of a formidable new technique just a month ago.
It was during an encounter with a band of pirates that he first demonstrated this newfound power.
Brontes, standing tall on the deck of the marine warship, extended his arm, his hand aimed unerringly towards the pirate ship.
Upon sighting the imposing silhouette of the marine warship, the pirates hastily maneuvered their ship in an attempt to escape.
The vast expanse of water between them gave them a false sense of security, leading them to believe they were beyond the reach of the marines' assault.
"Railgun!" Brontes roared, his body erupting in a surge of lightning.
"Rumble!!!"
A deafening explosion echoed across the sea, followed by a rumble that shook the very air.
In the blink of an eye, the pirate ship was obliterated, reduced to mere fragments scattered across the water's surface.
A little over a week ago, their warship had crossed paths with a formidable pirate fleet, five ships strong. Yet, they too fell victim to the devastating power of Brontes's Railgun. The pirates were rendered helpless, denied even the opportunity to retaliate.
Each time Brontes unleashed this move, the battle was over before it had a chance to truly begin.
"Prepare yourselves, he's preparing to unleash that terrifying move again!" Borsalino warned, his eyes fixed on the metal coin oscillating at a frightening speed in Brontes's hand.
"Our opponent this time is Whitebeard, a pirate unlike any we've faced before. Despite the power of Brontes's move, I doubt it will pose any significant threat to him." Sakazuki opined.
Borsalino responded with a knowing smile: "Indeed, he is Whitebeard, after all. He will undoubtedly deflect it."
At this juncture, the Whitebeard Pirates were in their developing stages, their ranks not yet filled with formidable pirates. Only a handful, such as Marco, could be considered truly powerful.
In years past, Whitebeard and Shiki had been part of the same pirate crew, serving under the infamous captain Rocks D. Xebec, alongside a host of other formidable pirates.
Whitebeard had begun his seafaring life in his twenties, serving on another's ship. However, following the downfall of Rocks D. Xebec, the Rocks Pirates disbanded, each member charting their own course.
Whitebeard, having left the Rocks Pirates, formed his own crew. He began to gather young children from across the New World and the Four Seas, creating a new family. Marco, though still quite young, was already a member of the Whitebeard Pirates.
The first prerequisite for joining the Whitebeard Pirates was to recognize Whitebeard as a paternal figure. Consequently, those of the same age would never address him as 'Daddy'.
Furthermore, Whitebeard, now in his fifties, would not tolerate anyone older than him using such a term.
"Intending to challenge me single-handedly? Gurararara! You've got some nerve, brat!" Whitebeard's laughter boomed across the deck as he observed Brontes stepping forward to confront him.
"Brontes, a rookie marine and disciple of Instructor Zed." Brontes introduced himself, his body crackling with an intense arc of lightning.
Instructor Zed watched Brontes with a mixture of helplessness and pride.
"This kid..."
He murmured, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Hmm, the Marine's Lightning... You and the other two logia devil fruit users have been making quite a name for yourselves recently. But if you believe that possessing a logia fruit qualifies you to challenge me, you're sorely overestimating your abilities." Whitebeard retorted, a smile playing on his lips.
"I harbor no illusions about defeating you with my current strength. In fact, I'm well aware that I'm far from being a match for you. I merely wish to test my strongest attack against you, to see the chasm that separates our strengths. " Brontes responded, shrugging nonchalantly.
"Moreover, I'm not foolhardy enough to stake my life on a battle I know I can't win."
Brontes was not reckless enough to deliberately provoke Whitebeard.
Angering such a formidable adversary would place his life in jeopardy. As one of the world's top pirates, only a handful of individuals dared to actively antagonize him.
"Gurararara! You're an intriguing lad. Come, attack me with all your might, Lightning Kid!" Whitebeard roared with laughter, his fist slamming into the air.
The ship beneath Whitebeard's feet trembled, and a hush fell over the surrounding sea. Moments later, countless fish leapt from the water, their agitation palpable.
Animals, with their heightened sensitivity to seismic activity, often exhibited unusual behavior as a precursor to earthquakes.
"Severe Earthquake!"
A loud crack echoed through the air as the space in front of Whitebeard fractured like glass, the fissures spreading out like a spider's web in Brontes's direction.
"Boom!"
In the next instant, the atmosphere shattered like glass, and the sea began to churn violently.
From hundreds of meters away, an invisible force surged towards the warship!
"Hold on!" Zed shouted, his gaze fixed on Brontes.
He was prepared to intervene at a moment's notice. If Brontes proved unable to withstand the onslaught, he would rush forward to intercept Whitebeard's shockwave attack.
"H-He's in a league of his own! He shattered the very fabric of space with his fist!" Momonga exclaimed, his voice laced with shock.
"He is indeed a behemoth. The Quake-Quake Fruit truly lives up to its reputation as the most formidable Paramecia devil fruit in existence!" Jonathan murmured, drawing a deep breath as he regarded Whitebeard.
"Rumble!"
The coin in Brontes's hand spun at an astonishing speed. Suddenly, he clenched his fist, his thumb wedged between his index and middle fingers, the coin poised atop them. Lightning flickered and flashed around his body, creating a spectacle of raw power.
"Rumble! Rumble!"
Bolts of lightning erupted from his body in a dazzling display, arcs of electricity dancing across the warship's deck, all converging towards the coin in his hand.
"Railgun!" Brontes roared inwardly.
"Rumble! Boom!"
A deafening thunderclap reverberated through the air, momentarily stunning even Marco and the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates, their hearing momentarily impaired.
The coin, now enveloped in a staggering three hundred million volts of lightning, shot out like a comet, hurtling towards the Moby-Dick.
"Rumble!!! ZliZli!!!"
The fearsome lightning-charged coin cleaved the sea in its path, leaving a gigantic wave in its wake.
The sea creatures, already terrified by the earthquake and lightning assault, were instantly electrocuted, their lifeless bodies floating on the surface of the sea.
Whitebeard's seismic impact, though slightly slower than Brontes's Lightning Cannon, packed a more potent punch.
"Rumble! Boom!"
The two forces finally collided, the lightning-charged coin appearing to strike an invisible barrier. Its speed diminished, but it did not halt, persisting in its attempt to penetrate Whitebeard's seismic impact.
The inherent sharpness of the lightning proved instrumental, causing a sudden, explosive burst upon contact with the impact, detonating in the heart of the sea.
"Booom!!"
The formidable attacks clashed with ferocious intensity, causing the sea to tremble and spawn colossal waves.
After a few tense seconds, the two forces neutralized each other, culminating in a mutual explosion.
"ZliZli!"
The sea's surface was blanketed in arcs of lightning, the immense pressure of the impact forcing both the warship and the Moby Dick to retreat.
Under the onslaught of the waves, each ship was pushed dozens of meters away.
"ZliZli!"
The intense heat of the lightning caused the water vapor to evaporate, eradicating Whitebeard's impact and leaving only the sizzling arcs of thunder dancing on the sea's surface.
"H-He B-Blocked it! That's... incredible!" Momonga and the others were taken aback. They had not anticipated that Brontes's Railgun would be capable of countering Whitebeard's seismic attack.
It was a feat that defied their expectations!
Brontes stood on the warship's deck, his gaze locked on Whitebeard, his body still crackling with arcs of lightning.
"He's grown stronger yet again. What a formidable man. It's as if there are no limits to his potential!"
Borsalino observed, his eyes on Brontes's back. He knew that Brontes's most potent attack should be even more powerful. He had witnessed Brontes pushing his limits, using lightning to enhance his strength at the risk of his own life.
Sakazuki merely clicked his tongue, choosing to remain silent.
"Gurararara! You've proven yourself quite capable, marine brat! I look forward to our next encounter." Whitebeard said loudly, his laughter echoing across the sea.
He had no intention of prolonging a battle with novices.
