Before Orion's words faded, Rocks' figure vanished from his original position.
He could no longer wait for Orion to build momentum!
The possessed body was ultimately not his own, consuming his soul power with every passing second.
He had to end this quickly!
"Not a bad resolve."
Orion didn't even turn his head, swinging his blade backward with a reverse grip.
BOOM!!!
Black lightning erupted out of thin air!
Two pinnacle-level Conqueror's Haki forces collided with explosive force, the visible shockwaves tearing the ground beneath their feet inch by inch!
Violent air currents swept out in all directions, sending the interns stationed a kilometer away tumbling head over heels.
"Waaah!"
"I can't stand!"
Nami and Nojiko screamed as they were blown away, rolling several times on the ground before stopping.
Zoro stabbed his long sword into the earth, gritting his teeth to stabilize his posture, but the overwhelming force still pushed him backward, plowing two deep furrows into the ground.
The mere clash of Haki had already turned the world upside down!
At the port, Morgan watched the apocalyptic scene in the distance, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.
"What are you still staring at! Want to die?!"
Morgan roared at the Marines around him who were frozen in shock.
"Quick! Evacuate the civilians! Immediately evacuate everyone near the port!"
"Yes, Captain Morgan!"
The soldiers snapped out of it and sprang into action.
"Emergency evacuation! Everyone leave the port area immediately!"
"Run! This place is going to collapse!"
Morgan took the lead, kicking open the door of the nearest residence.
"Marines executing official duties! Everyone inside, come with me—"
Before he could finish, he saw a family of three huddled together, trembling as they watched the lightning and thunder outside.
"Marines... Sir Marines..." the head of the household stammered, trying to speak.
"No time for nonsense! If you want to live, come with me!" Morgan grabbed the man with one hand, scooped up the child with the other, and shouted at the woman.
"Follow me!"
The family was startled by the rough treatment, but their survival instinct made them comply immediately.
"What's happening? Are pirates attacking?" the woman asked in terror as they ran.
Morgan yelled without looking back, "Worse than that! Our Fleet Admiral is fighting a legendary pirate!"
Hearing this, the panicked civilians paused in their steps.
The man being dragged by Morgan slowly shed his terrified expression, replacing it with determination.
"Fleet Admiral?!"
"Fleet Admiral Orion is protecting us?"
"Yes!"
"Then we can't hold the Fleet Admiral back!" the man suddenly shouted, breaking free from Morgan's grip and turning to his wife and child.
"Quick! Let's go on our own! Don't distract the Marines!"
"Yes! Let's retreat quickly!"
"The Fleet Admiral is fighting for us! We must go!"
Word spread like wildfire.
The chaotic evacuation lines, upon learning that Orion was the one fighting, miraculously became orderly.
They stopped crying and shoving, instead supporting one another as they retreated inland at top speed.
Morgan watched this scene, momentarily stunned, before his lips twisted into an ugly smile.
"Bunch of fools..."
He cursed under his breath, yet the look in his eyes softened considerably.
Was this the change that man had brought about?
Just then!
A metallic clash that shook the world resounded!
Morgan whirled around, his pupils contracting sharply.
In the distant night sky, Orion and Rocks' figures flashed past each other, their weapons colliding with tremendous force.
In the next instant, a slender, blindingly bright slash wave swept out from where their blades met!
This slash made no sound, yet moved at extreme speed.
It swept across the land, cutting through rock, severing trees, like an invisible paper cutter slicing from one end of Black Soil Island to the other.
Time seemed to stand still.
One second.
Two seconds.
BOOOOM—
With an earth-shattering roar that tore through the night sky, a bottomless chasm suddenly split open right through the center of Black Soil Island!
The entire island had been cleanly split in two by this single strike!
Seawater rushed violently into the gap, forming towering curtains of spray in a terrifying spectacle!
"The island... the island's been cut in half..."
A Marine soldier who glanced back during the evacuation dropped his rifle with a clatter, his entire body turning to stone.
Everyone who witnessed this scene—whether Marine or civilian—froze in place, their minds completely blank.
Was this power something humans could possibly achieve?
At the battle's epicenter.
Rocks gasped for breath, his hand trembling slightly as he gripped his black longsword.
He glanced down at the churning seawater beneath his feet, then at Orion standing unharmed across from him.
For the first time, despair appeared in his eyes.
The gap between them was far too great.
"It's over, Rocks."
Orion's voice was calm, yet carried undeniable authority.
He slowly raised his Supreme Grade Sword, its tip pointing straight at the sky.
Instantly, an indescribable terrifying energy began converging around the blade.
The surrounding light distorted, sound vanished, and the entire world seemed drained of all color, leaving only black and white.
The only thing retaining color was the deep purple sphere of light at Orion's sword tip—continuously expanding and compressing.
That sphere seemed to contain an entire universe on the verge of destruction.
Rocks' soul screamed, his instincts issuing their strongest warning ever—RUN! NOW! IMMEDIATELY!
Yet his body was locked in place by an invisible pressure, completely immobilized.
He could only watch helplessly as Orion delivered his divine proclamation:
"I Am Atomic."
HUM—
Deep purple light swallowed the entire world in an instant.
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