Chapter 46: Demon and Fire Fist
HA HA HA HA HA!
—That's what Crocodile wanted to do. Laugh uproariously.
But his ribs, fractured by King's Haki-sheathed wings during their aerial clash, protested with sharp pain the more he grinned.
He laughed anyway.
Because it was hilarious.
He wasn't a battle maniac, but the first clash between [The Demon] and [The Fire Fist] truly amused him.
The reason? That man—
Vergo.
...
"How to describe the scene?" Crocodile puffed his cigar, a sinister smirk curling his lips. "Hmm…"
"Have you ever seen a human windmill?"
...
WHOOSH!
Two fists, moving toward each other.
Both [The Demon] and [The Fire Fist] aimed for the other, no one else.
But sometimes, being in the wrong place at the wrong time leads to the most fittingly unfitting end.
Vergo stood between them.
To withdraw would shift the two combatants' focus at that critical instant—a hand raised, a foot repositioned. For Vergil and King, even that micro-flaw was enough for a fatal strike.
Thus, only one outcome remained for Vergo.
SWISH!
SWISH!
The two fists struck Vergo's body from either side simultaneously, then continued forward.
Even with Full-Body Armament Haki, bones shattered instantly. Two opposing forces wrenched through him. He vomited blood, spun wildly—a "human windmill."
WHOOSH—!
In a blink, Vergo's body was flung away, spinning, bouncing across the ground before finally slamming down with a THUD, motionless.
Vergil and King fell still.
The flames at the back of King's head blazed. Alvin Vergil stood in his full Chīguǐ Form.
Their heights were nearly matched. Their fists, having crashed into each other's faces, had deformed both visages.
"Hmph." King's eyes were dark pools, fixed on the "monster" before him. How long? How long since someone took my punch head-on and remained standing?
"Interesting," King rumbled. His posture didn't change, but his fist clenched tighter, applying more force… yet Vergil didn't budge.
The alien maw parted slightly. Wisps of white steam escaped between Vergil's fangs.
"Heh…" [The Demon]'s eyes—those strange, shifting irises—curved into amused crescents as they studied King. "Aren't you going to announce yourself? State your name?"
"…" King didn't answer. He simply poured more power into his fist.
BOOM!
A dull impact. Their fists drove each other back a step, creating distance.
Alvin Vergil vs. [The Fire Fist] King.
[Demon] vs. [Disaster].
...
"That's rather rude." King's voice was a low growl. He raised his gloved hands, clenched them. Pop. Pop. Two fireballs ignited over his fists, merging seamlessly with them.
A unique ability of his race, the Lunarians—generating flames from his body. This ancient race, survivors of a lost "God Kingdom" on the Red Line, could adapt to any environment. While the crown-flame burned, his defense soared. Extinguished, his speed became monstrous.
"King of the Beast Pirates," he declared, flames coiling around his fists like lethal gauntlets. "Here to claim Alabasta's Poneglyph for Brother Kaido."
Meanwhile, Alvin Vergil—
Maintained his Chīguǐ form. He clenched his left fist, then with his thick right hand, tore a large swath of Ancient Armament Haki from the very air. The bandage-like substance wrapped tightly around his left fist. He repeated the process for his right.
Once wrapped, he introduced himself:
"Alvin Vergil."
"…" He thought for a second, then grinned, adding: "I am here. I know what I want to do, and I can do it. So I am doing it."
A statement of pure, irrefutable intent.
As they spoke, both readied themselves. Towering over six meters, facing each other, the pressure they radiated stilled the very waves.
"Hmph!" King's expression darkened. He threw a flaming fist at Vergil's head. "Emperor's Blaze!"
BOOM!
Vergil didn't dodge. His massive, bandage-wrapped Chīguǐ fist met it head-on.
WHOOSH!
The punch landed, crashing into King's face. Neither held back now. They retracted their other arms, launching another blow.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!…
A torrent of fists rained down. The concussive roar made sailors on the distant fleet clutch their ears in pain.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two final, massive impacts. Both had locked fists, deadlocked in a contest of raw power.
"Can't you see? This is fate, [Demon]!" King's voice grated from behind his mask. A survivor of a lost god-kingdom, a former World Government test subject, his perception ran deeper than most guessed.
"I never assumed that without you passing through Alabasta, I could easily obtain the Poneglyph." His eyes grew bloodshot. "—I never assumed that, because it's impossible!"
He snarled, "If you weren't here, I might not even have learned of the Poneglyph's existence! The emergence, exchange, deciphering of every Poneglyph… is drenched in unparalleled bloodshed and strife. This is inevitable fate!"
BOOM! BOOM!
Emperor's Blaze strikes continued. Two flaming punches slammed Vergil's face in succession, yet failed to move him.
King used the recoil to drop half a step, lowering his stance. He noticed the earth beneath Vergil's feet shifting, some unseen attack coiling.
He wouldn't give him the chance. Perhaps the World Government had misjudged. Perhaps coming alone was a miscalculation… Regardless, one clash was enough. A mere 500 million berry bounty couldn't possibly reflect Alvin Vergil's true terror.
"I have always believed Brother Kaido is the one who will change this world. The Poneglyphs are necessary for that." King leaned forward, exhaling softly. "So, [Demon]—"
In an instant, flames wreathed his hands as they closed around the hilt of the longsword at his waist.
"For Brother Kaido… I will end you here!"
Zheng!
The massive black wings on his back trembled violently. The crown-flame extinguished for a brief moment.
With dual propulsion, King drew his blade. A searing arc of light, sheathed in ultra-high-temperature flame, slashed horizontally at Alvin Vergil!
Blade Emperor!
SCREEEE—!
Their figures passed each other. But the sound wasn't of impact—it was the shrill shriek of metal grinding on metal.
"Hm?!" King whirled, eyes widening behind his goggles.
In Alvin Vergil's hand was a "longsword." Forged from earth and stone, wrapped in that strange, dark Ancient Armament Haki, it gleamed with a fractured, savage light.
Vergil turned, swinging the blade with the thick arm of his Chīguǐ form. A monstrous frame wielding a pitch-black sword—a dissonant, oppressive image, like a nightmare borrowing human tools.
"Just learned it." Vergil grinned, his massive hand gripping the hilt wrapped in Ancient Armament. "It's fun, isn't it?"
(End of Chapter)
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