A chilling killing intent erupted as Kaito clenched his teeth. The pressure rolling off his body distorted the air itself, cold and merciless.
Sacred, noble, queen of ice, countless impressions flashed through his mind in an instant.
Four Truth Seeking Orbs formed beside him almost simultaneously, appearing with a sharp hum as they stabilized in the air.
Across from him, multicolored light surged once more. The shattered White Flame Holy Sword reformed in Imu's hands, its radiance sharper and more dangerous than before.
Imu took a slow breath and shook his head, his voice cold and distant. "What a pity."
He did not give Kaito any chance to respond. Raising the White Flame Holy Sword, Imu traced a massive circle in the air, the blade leaving behind vibrant trails of color, as if painting across a white canvas.
His eyes were calm, ruthless, and devoid of emotion.
"Holy Light, Destruction."
The colorful radiance condensed rapidly, terrifying energy gathering within the circular aperture.
Hum!
A blinding beam of white light erupted forward. Wherever it passed, the void trembled violently. Space warped, time seemed to slow, and everything in its path was erased without mercy.
"Impressive power," Kaito said calmly, shaking his head. "But it is too rigid."
His Rinnegan pulsed as purple ripples spread outward. The surrounding space shifted into a distorted, three dimensional black and white world. Stepping onto an invisible spatial node, Kaito vanished instantly from the beam's attack range.
With no target in sight, the white beam continued forward, striking a towering mountain in the distance.
Hum!
There was no explosion. The beam passed straight through the mountain as if it did not exist, carving out a massive hole as cleanly as if it had been erased.
Moments later, the beam disappeared beyond the horizon.
Seconds later, a thunderous roar echoed from afar. Even at this distance, Kaito could feel the terrifying power of the delayed explosion, enough to make the sky tremble.
"I wonder how many times you can fire that," Kaito said with a faint smile. "The power is immense, but the limitations are obvious."
Buzz!
Imu responded with silence. He swung his sword again, drawing three jagged circles in rapid succession and unleashing them toward Kaito.
Kaito merely shook his head. His figure flickered and vanished once more, easily slipping out of the range of the three holy light attacks.
"You have truly angered me," Imu said coldly as he lowered his sword.
In the next instant, black and red flames erupted from his body. A terrifying aura surged outward like a boundless ocean, swallowing the surroundings whole.
The sky was dyed in black and crimson, the colors blending together like an omen of hell itself.
A sharp shout echoed through the air.
As the black and red flames intensified, Imu's presence skyrocketed. The aura condensed tightly around him, forming a cocoon of dark energy that wrapped around his body.
The power brewing within made even Kaito frown slightly. For the first time, he sensed genuine danger.
"Interesting," Kaito muttered. "So this is your final trump card. Break this, and the battle ends."
Far below, near the sea's surface, a small boat rocked violently amidst the raging waves. Yet no matter how fiercely the sea churned, the boat remained untouched.
On its deck stood Dracule Mihawk, arms crossed, his expression calm.
Suddenly, his face changed.
He looked toward the distant sky, shock and disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"That presence… who is fighting?" he murmured. "Why does my body feel fear?"
Fear. Genuine fear.
A sense of ultimate danger pressed down from above, making Mihawk's body tremble unconsciously. Every instinct screamed at him to leave immediately.
As a swordsman who valued pride above all else, retreat went against everything he believed in. Yet faced with that overwhelming pressure, hesitation crept into his heart.
Should he leave?
The thought vanished instantly.
Mihawk's eyes sharpened, piercing the sky. In the next moment, he leapt upward, soaring toward the battlefield in powerful bounds.
He wanted to see it. To witness who was fighting, and who could make even him feel fear.
Kaito, waiting calmly for Imu's transformation to finish, sensed someone approaching from below. He glanced down, surprise flashing in his eyes when he recognized the familiar figure.
The pride of the world's greatest swordsman would not allow Mihawk to turn back, even knowing how dangerous this place was. Turning away now would deal a fatal blow to his swordsmanship.
"What a pity," Kaito sighed softly.
If Mihawk had left earlier, the impact on him might have been minor. Now, however, this battle would likely leave a permanent shadow in his heart.
This was no longer a personal fight. The clash between Kaito and Imu had risen to the level of a battle between worlds, a confrontation of absolute rules.
At this level, even an admiral would be annihilated by the aftermath, let alone Mihawk.
Sure enough, when Mihawk reached roughly a thousand meters from the battlefield, it felt as if he had stepped into thick mud.
Each step forward increased the pressure on his body exponentially.
Crack. Crack.
Mihawk forced himself forward a few more steps. A sharp sound echoed from his body as bones fractured, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
Staring at the two figures in the sky, he finally stepped back. The pressure eased immediately, but his eyes were filled with unwillingness.
He recognized one of them.
Though his attire had changed, the presence was unmistakable, especially those purple eyes.
The thunder pirate… no. Now the new government marshal, Kaito.
As for the other figure, Mihawk did not know him, but there was no doubt he was a being of terrifying power.
Taking a deep breath, resolve hardened in Mihawk's eyes. Yoru appeared in his hands instantly.
Gripping the blade with both hands, sword intent surged as he unleashed a merciless slash toward the invisible barrier ahead.
A cyan crescent blade shot forward, dense sword intent roaring within it. It raced toward the battlefield where Kaito and Imu stood.
This was Mihawk's peak strike, the strongest sword slash he could produce.
Screech!
The cyan crescent surged forward dozens of meters in an instant, then pushed past a hundred meters. Beyond that point, its light dimmed rapidly, struggling against the overwhelming pressure.
As if offended by its presence, the combined majesty of Kaito and Imu pressed down. The pressure doubled, crushing the crescent blade into fragments.
"How is that possible?" Mihawk stared in disbelief. His strongest attack could not even approach the battlefield.
Boom!
Black and red flames roared violently. Cracks spread across the dark cocoon surrounding Imu before it shattered completely.
The sky darkened, the sea churned violently, and waves poured backward.
The oppressive force exploded outward like a sudden volcano. Mihawk was blasted away instantly, his body smashing through the air as if struck by countless mountains. Blood sprayed as he was hurled back.
Seeing this, Kaito shook his head slightly.
The black and red energy converged, and Imu's figure emerged once more.
Black and crimson armor now covered his slender form. The White Flame Holy Sword had transformed into a scarlet spear that pulsed with killing intent.
A captivating, almost enchanting smile appeared on his cold face. His lips, once pale, were now a vivid crimson. Six pairs of black wings unfurled behind him, scattering faint black starlight as they moved.
If his previous form resembled an icy goddess, this form was that of a merciless fallen witch.
Imu licked his lips slowly, his voice smooth and chilling.
"This is my second form. I call it the Fallen Angel. This form exists solely for battle and slaughter."