At the bow of the ship, Kaido threw his head back and burst into wild, unbridled laughter, causing the foggy sea to churn endlessly.
The next second, his massive body suddenly twisted and expanded. Pitch-black Armament Haki covering his entire body erupted with flowing radiance, and his muscles, bones, and scales underwent a monstrous transformation.
With a deafening boom, an azure dragon covered in shimmering scales and boasting ferocious horns soared into the misty sky.
Its massive serpentine body coiled through the clouds as its cold dragon pupils looked down at the tiny Marine vessel below, its oppressive beastly aura crushing the surrounding space.
Coiled high in the air with its jaws agape, a dazzling crimson glow lit up deep within the dragon's throat while superheated air currents gathered frantically. Layers of white mist rose from the seawater below as cataclysmic energy brewed within its maw.
"Heat Breath!"
A deep roar resounded across heaven and earth as an extraordinarily thick beam of crimson thermal energy plummeted. Carrying a temperature hot enough to incinerate all creation, it hurtled straight toward the warship and the Marines below, threatening to melt the deck into slag.
On the deck, Zephyr crossed his arms over his chest with a calm, solemn expression. Just a fraction of a second before the Heat Breath struck, a lithe figure leaped into the air.
Borsalino tipped her toes against the air, soaring upward with her pure white Marine cape blowing wide in the violent wind and her raven-black hair fluttering wildly.
Suspended in midair, golden light suddenly burst from her palms as countless light particles rapidly condensed.
"Yasakani no Magatama."
As her cool voice fell, a torrential storm of dazzling light bullets poured across the sky, densely packed and blanketing the heavens. Each light projectile carried ultimate piercing power, colliding head on with the falling crimson Heat Breath.
The two supreme forces of gold and red collided violently. Scorching shockwaves and blinding light erupted in all directions, whipping up towering waves across the sea surface.
Hovering at the edge of the blazing explosion, Borsalino felt a flash of secret surprise in her heart.
For nearly ten days, she had worn Seastone handcuffs to seal her abilities without using her Devil Fruit power once. Yet upon unleashing the Glint-Glint Fruit now, the energy within her body had not diminished; instead, it had grown stronger. Zephyr's grueling special training had actually refined her fruit's core origin as well.
Following the apocalyptic roar, the light bullets and Heat Breath completely canceled each other out. Scattered energy debris rained across the ocean, which gradually returned to calm.
With effortless grace, Borsalino landed back on the warship's deck.
High above, the azure dragon paused, its cold pupils locking onto the young Marine Ensign with genuine seriousness for the first time.
A Logia fruit... When did such a talented youngster appear in the Marines?
"Interesting... getting more and more interesting!"
Kaido's wild laughter resounded through the foggy sea once more. His massive dragon body twisted and coiled within the clouds, stirring the wind into a frenzy. The sea breeze howled while the surrounding air pressure skyrocketed, clearly brewing a second massive destructive attack to annihilate the warship.
Borsalino realized the gravity of the situation. Kaido truly possessed boundless stamina. Although the Beasts Pirates were still far from their peak era, lacking the future All-Stars Queen and Jack as well as the Flying Six, leaving only Kaido and King as the core powerhouses, a single large-scale attack from Kaido at full power would obliterate the battered warship and cause heavy casualties among the ordinary Marines.
Zephyr's expression turned gravely serious. He knew in his heart that he could not allow Kaido to fire another shot.
With an explosive burst beneath his feet, Zephyr shot into the sky like an arrow released from a drawn bow. Wrapped entirely in dense, pitch-black Armament Haki, his iron fist smashed through the air with majestic force, striking straight toward the giant dragon above.
In his giant dragon form, Kaido was far too massive to maneuver quickly, leaving him unable to dodge the incoming blow.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A rapid succession of heavy punches slammed hard into the dragon's head and torso, making Kaido grunt in muffled pain with every strike. Unable to maintain his flight, the massive dragon trembled violently and crashed heavily onto the deck of his own damaged pirate ship.
Amidst the swirling smoke and dust, the dragon form receded, and Kaido returned to human form. Covered in blood and clad in tattered clothes, he showed not a single trace of dejection. Instead, the fierce glint in his eyes grew sharper, and his battle spirit burned hotter than ever.
"Hahaha! As expected, an Admiral's punches pack quite a wallop! What a rush!"
His roaring laughter shook the sky as his body transformed once again. Muscles knotted and expanded, dark red Haki wrapped around his frame, and broken dragon scales covered his skin as his formidable hybrid form instantly took shape.
A pitch-black kanabo was gripped tightly in his hands, dually coated in top-tier Conqueror's and Armament Haki. Dark lightning crackled around the shaft as he charged back toward Zephyr with world-destroying power.
Boom!
The Haki of the two powerhouses collided head on, causing the sea to surge and the foggy atmosphere to violently tremble.
At that moment, violent winds whipped through the high sky.
King's body stretched and transformed into his Pteranodon form as the power of the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Model: Pteranodon fully unlocked, boosting his combat capabilities in every aspect. Pitch-black wings sliced through the air as he launched a high-speed dive straight toward Borsalino.
Having witnessed Borsalino block Kaido's Heat Breath head on, King refused to underestimate the young Marine in the slightest. His opening move was a lethal one: a diving Pteranodon kick coated in high heat and Haki, tearing through the air.
Borsalino neither retreated nor dodged. Golden light enveloped her legs, her figure turning translucent as she accelerated to match the attack with a Light Speed Kick.
In midair, a golden figure and a black shadow crossed at blinding speeds, exchanging dozens of blows in a fraction of a second. Borsalino's light-speed advantage was displayed to perfection, landing countless precise strikes on King's body and leaving wounds of varying depths.
Yet in the next instant, the flames on King's back flared intensely, and the absurd talent of the Lunarian race fully manifested. The wounds on his skin healed at a visible rate, returning to normal in the blink of an eye.
Borsalino dodged sideways, marveling inwardly at the terrifying nature of the Lunarians. A uniquely endowed racial trait, truly born warriors.
As she contemplated this, the flames on King's back suddenly vanished.
The moment the fire went out, his stamina and speed were completely liberated. His figure accelerated so drastically that he turned into an imperceptible black blur.
Borsalino's expression hardened. Golden light bloomed under her feet as Yata no Kagami activated instantly. Light beams refracted through the air, allowing her to shift her form rapidly to engage King in a high-speed aerial duel.
Firelight flickered on and off while speeds shifted between fast and slow. King seamlessly adjusted his offensive and defensive rhythm, locking Borsalino in a fierce deadlock.
On the sea below, the remaining Marines managed to hold the line. The current Beasts Pirates lacked their full lineup of commanders, and the rank-and-file crew possessed limited combat ability, allowing the Marines who had mastered basic Haki to keep them in check.
In the high-altitude clash, Borsalino quickly rediscovered her long-lost rhythm with her Devil Fruit. Her control over the Glint-Glint Fruit grew increasingly delicate and precise, raining down countless tiny lasers to constantly disrupt King's movement.
No matter how fast King moved, he could not evade the ubiquitous laser interference, and his offensive rhythm slowly began to crumble.
He was thoroughly shocked. Who on earth was this stunning Marine Ensign? How could someone with this level of power be completely unknown?
What infuriated him even more was that his opponent looked completely relaxed the entire time, plainly using him as a sparring partner to practice her techniques.
Rage boiled within King's chest. Having fought across the New World alongside Kaido for years, he had slain pirate captains with bounties over a hundred million and defeated high-ranking Marine officers. When had he ever been treated like a mere punching bag?
Yet the reality was plain to see. Durable punching bags like King were rare indeed. Was it to be expected of Kaido's right-hand man?
Thinking back to her previous opponents: North Blue pirates? Far too weak. Her other sparring partners were Dragon, Garp, and most recently Zephyr. Lately, she had been playing exclusively in top-tier matches. Any one of those figures far surpassed King, who would at best reach First Mate level in the future.
As the close-quarters duel wore on, the interest in Borsalino's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a trace of subtle boredom between her brows.
It was that subtle look that completely ignited King's fury.
"You dare look down on me?!"
King abandoned all restraint, shifting from his full beast form into his hybrid Winged Human form. His pitch-black wings retracted, hard black feathers covered his body, and he gripped a massive katana in his hands. Wild flames erupted, sending intense heat washing across the sky.
"Imperial Fire Dragon!"
A giant dragon forged of roaring flames bared its fangs and claws, charging straight at Borsalino.
"How terrifying~"
Borsalino's tone was flippant and her expression completely indifferent. That effortless disdain provoked King to his limit. Gritting his teeth to pour more power into the technique, he swelled the fiery dragon's momentum, determined to reduce this arrogant Marine girl to ash.
Seeing this, a faint smile curved Borsalino's lips. This was King's true strength at his current stage.
"Now that's more like it."
Her cool voice echoed as Qingyue unsheathed in an instant. The clear blade flowed with dazzling golden light as condensed Armament Haki enveloped the steel, compressed light particles twining around the blade in a dance of radiance and shadow.
She swung her arm in a horizontal slash. A massive, crescent-shaped wave of sword aura tore through the air, colliding head on with the fiery dragon.
Sizzle!
The blazing fire dragon was split clean down the middle, its fiery power collapsing at the touch. The remaining slash lost none of its momentum, hurtling straight toward King.
King's pupils shrank as he raised his katana to block head on.
"Imperial Flame Slash!"
The fiery slash clashed directly against the radiant sword aura, triggering another violent aerial explosion. The moment the forces dissipated, Borsalino closed the distance instantly, her blade coated once more in the dual power of Armament Haki and light particles.
Though King fought with fierce intensity, he could not gain the upper hand. Borsalino realized that while King could not put her in fatal danger, this high-intensity battle was perfect for refining her Haki. With every parry and clash, the Armament Haki within her body quietly grew stronger. As expected, real combat was the fastest way to grow.
Multiple deep, bloody wounds marked King's body, his divine flames dimmed, and his healing speed slowed dramatically. His aura continued to wane, forcing him to retreat and hover in midair.
He looked up, eyes filled with shock.
High in the sky, the young girl stood tall, her cape fluttering in the wind, an enigmatic smile gracing her beautiful face. A faint golden halo hovered around her figure, making her look like a calm, unhurried goddess of war.
King knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was no match for her. Prolonging the fight would only end in total defeat, freeing up a powerful enemy to join the battle against Kaido.
A ruthless resolve flashed in his eyes. He had to eliminate this variable for Kaido. Even if it meant burning out his remaining Lunarian flames, he would force a mutual destruction to severely injure this troublesome Marine girl.
Clearing his mind of all distractions, King condensed his remaining divine flames to their absolute limit. A massive fire dragon phantom formed behind him as the scorching heat concentrated into a single point.
"Imperial Fire Dragon: Imperial Guard!"
His ultimate technique erupted.
Extinguishing the flames on his back that granted him defense, he exchanged them for speed and lethal force. Transforming into a streak of pitch-black fire, he abandoned all defense and charged at Borsalino with suicidal momentum.
The oncoming pressure was formidable, yet Borsalino's smile remained entirely unruffled. Compared to Garp's ultimate iron fist back then, this attack lacked weight. If she could handle Garp back when she knew no Haki, she could certainly handle this now that her Haki and Fruit mastery had advanced.
Besides...
A flash of playful cunning gleamed in her eyes as she whispered softly, "Who told you that in a battle between powerhouses, you can leave yourself no way out?"
King drove his suicidal strike forward with everything he had, his mind strained to the limit and his Observation Haki turned entirely inward to maximize his power, leaving a fatal opening in his defense.
The next second, the world seemed to lose its color.
Borsalino's body distorted, turning translucent before fading away.
"Light and Shadow Illusion."
Light refracted and twisted, blinding vision and confounding perception. King's strained focus suddenly hit a blank wall, his momentum faltered, and his movement came to an abrupt halt.
It was entirely unexpected. In some ways, King was as straightforward as a naive youth.
A fleeting trace of guilt crossed Borsalino's heart, but it vanished instantly as she seized the opening.
Dazzling golden light condensed in the void. Her blade, clad in refined Armament Haki and compressed light particles, swung downward in an overbearing arc.
Without a moment's hesitation, Borsalino delivered the strike!
Splat!
The dull sound of steel biting deep into flesh echoed through the air.
King shuddered violently as the strike pierced clean through his torso. His strength drained instantly, and his consciousness plunged into darkness. His massive body fell limply, crashing heavily onto the deck below without the strength to move a muscle.
From start to finish, the aerial duel had taken less than half an hour. The gap between the young, unrefined King and Borsalino was significant, a gap that would only widen over time.
The conclusion of the battle immediately drew every eye on the field.
Fighting fiercely with Kaido below, Zephyr caught sight of the victory out of the corner of his eye and cheered silently in his heart.
Meanwhile, the arrogant grin on Kaido's face vanished completely. He stared fixedly at Borsalino in the center of the field, surprise flashing in his eyes. His most capable subordinate had actually been defeated by a young Marine Ensign.
A major variable had entered the battle.
Putting away his playful attitude, Kaido unleashed the full force of his hybrid dragon-human form, clashing with Zephyr in earnest. Zephyr's iron fists grew increasingly fierce as the two titans traded earth-shattering blows.
High above, Borsalino let out a long breath, slowly retracting the golden light surrounding her.
She had to admit that while defeating King was manageable, jumping directly into an Admiral-level fight was still quite taxing.
Still... it was not impossible.
With prime Zephyr drawing Kaido's main attention head on, she would have all the time she needed to fully stack Yata no Kagami. Combined with her current Armament Haki, the power of this strike would far surpass the sword attack she had used against Garp.
With her mind made up, Borsalino's gaze grew resolute. She had no intention of staying on the sidelines. To fight pirates, one ultimately had to take down their captain.
She wanted to see how this future Tyrant of the Seas would withstand a strike once she stacked six layers of Dragon Dance.