'This power... is it that idiot...?'
At the border between the Flower Capital and Kuri.
Standing atop a rugged, rocky peak, Allen looked thoughtfully at the collapsing Shogun's Palace in the distance.
"Hey! Don't look around, you bastard!!"
Accompanied by an angry shout, a white figure descended from the sky like a comet, wielding a kanabō wrapped in Haki that violently sparked with black lightning.
"Thunder Bagua!!"
Yamato's eyes widened in fury as she viciously smashed the kanabō down toward Allen's head!
*Boom!!*
Allen swung his heavy, edgeless sword up to meet the strike. The two weapons clashed heavily, and the intense collision of Haki erupted into a powerful shockwave.
The ground shattered into a massive crater, with countless cracks spreading out like a spiderweb alongside the rampaging black lightning.
The two weapons ground against each other, creaking under the strain. The corners of Allen's mouth curled up as he watched Yamato with interest.
A Mythical Zoan, even rarer than a Logia, and an Awakened user at that, who had also mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
Without a doubt, this level of strength had already placed her in the top tier of the sea, easily on par with the likes of Fujitora and Ryokugyu.
Unfortunately.
It was still far from enough in front of him.
Allen twisted his wrist, tilting the heavy sword to deflect the force.
The kanabō scraped against the blade, shooting out sparks before sliding off and smashing into the ground.
*Bang!!*
Allen quickly raised his sword in an upward diagonal slash, the edgeless blade heavily striking Yamato's abdomen and knocking her back. He then pointed the sword straight at the retreating Yamato.
*Bzzzt!!*
Zeus, who had transformed into a band of clouds wrapped around the sword's guard, unleashed a surge of lightning. A straight beam of lightning shot out instantly!
*Boom!!*
"Haa!!"
Yamato's gaze sharpened. She swung her kanabō, unleashing a horizontal Haki shockwave that collided with the lightning beam, triggering a massive explosion!
The blast kicked up a massive cloud of dust. Her feet had barely touched the ground when Allen's figure dashed out from the explosion, thrusting his heavy sword forward with ferocious speed!
Startled, Yamato hastily raised her kanabō horizontally to block.
*Clang!!*
A heavy force transmitted through the kanabō. Having just steadied herself, she was knocked back once again, her feet plowing two deep trenches into the hard ground.
'What exaggerated strength. It's not inferior to Kaido's at all.'
Yamato's expression turned solemn. Her arms were slightly numb, and the webbing of her hands ached from the impact.
Before she could even catch her breath, Allen's fierce assault arrived.
*Rumble!!*
Allen lifted his heavy sword, pointing the blade downward, and violently slammed it into the earth. Immediately, the ground across the entire area began to tremble.
"Earth Scroll: Lion's Fang!!"
Following his loud shout, the next second...
A sharp stone spike, curved like a fang, abruptly pierced out of the ground right beneath Yamato's feet!
*Swish!! Swish!! Swish!!*
Warned by her Observation Haki, Yamato hastily leaped to the side. One stone spike after another rapidly shot out from the ground, forcing her to constantly dodge.
Just as her attention was focused on the attacks coming from below, Allen flew forward, dragging his heavy sword!
*Bzzzt!!*
Violent lightning flared up, and a massive amount of electrical arcs quickly wrapped around the entire greatsword.
"Spear of Zeus!!"
Allen roared, lifting the lightning-bathed greatsword and hurling it with all his might!
*Whoosh—!!*
The lightning spear transformed into a streak of blue light, piercing through the sky and arriving in an instant, triggering a terrifying, apocalyptic explosion on the rugged peak!
*Boom!!!*
Giant rocks shattered, the earth collapsed, and violent lightning rampaged endlessly, tearing everything apart with devastating force!
"Yamato!!"
In the sky, Ace, who was engaged in a fierce dogfight with Kaido, abruptly turned his head and cried out in panic upon seeing this scene.
"You have time to worry about others while fighting me? You brat, you don't have that right!!"
Kaido shouted in a deep voice. Gripping his kanabō with both hands and holding it at his side, countless streaks of black lightning flashed wildly as he furiously swept the Haki-infused, menacing weapon forward!
"Thunder Bagua!!"
*Bang!!*
The kanabō landed solidly on Ace, caving in half of his chest and sending him flying backward like a kite with a broken string!
*Boom!!*
Ace's body crashed heavily into the leveled mountain peak, blasting out a massive crater as a large pool of blood sprayed from his mouth.
"Puh-wah—!!"
"Cough... cough, cough!!"
Ace clutched his chest in agony. He rolled over, pressing one hand against the ground to painfully prop himself up, coughing up several more mouthfuls of blood.
"Ace!!"
Not far away, a dirt-covered and disheveled Yamato ran over in a panic, jumping into the crater to help Ace up.
"Are you okay, Ace?!"
"I'm fine... cough, cough... Your old man's club is really heavy."
Ace raised a hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, panting heavily as he spoke.
The two of them looked up at the sky together.
"That bastard, even if I die here today, I won't do as he wishes and become the Shogun of Wano!"
Yamato glared at Kaido, gritting her teeth in anger.
"Stop spouting nonsense, Yamato! As my son, becoming the Shogun of Wano is your destiny. It's not up to you to decide whether you want to or not!"
Kaido's voice was booming, carrying a hint of anger.
At this moment.
"I've really had enough of this touching father-daughter drama."
Allen appeared at the upper edge of the crater. The heavy sword in his hand began to transform, its hilt extending to nearly three meters, turning into a three-pointed, double-edged halberd in the blink of an eye.
At the same time, several elemental Homies converged and tangled together, gradually condensing into a blood-red orb that slowly embedded itself into the center of the halberd's blade.
"Whether you want to be Oden or the Shogun of Wano, you should first consider if you can survive against me."
Allen looked down at the two in the crater with a cold, indifferent expression, holding the end of the halberd with one hand and raising it high.
The energy orb formed by the Homies radiated light, and the halberd's blade faintly glowed with a searing red heat.
"Flame Halberd!!"
Allen shouted in a low voice, viciously slashing the halberd forward to unleash a flying slash containing extreme heat!
*Swoosh!!*
The blood-red slash cleaved the crater in two along the ground, closing in on the two of them at incredible speed!
As he unleashed the slash, Allen instantly sprang into action, stomping hard on the ground to launch himself forward!
"Get out of the way!!"
Ace violently pulled Yamato behind him. Hardening his wrists with Armament Haki, he held his palms out toward the blood-red slash!
*Clang!!*
His palms blocked the slash. Gritting his teeth in resistance, his feet plowed through the ground as he was pushed back continuously, rapidly absorbing the thermal energy within the slash until it was completely drained.
Just as the slash's power dissipated, Allen's figure arrived right behind it!
A glint of cold light arrived first, followed by a thrust like a striking dragon!
A cold glint flashed in Allen's eyes as he fiercely thrust the Haki-clad halberd forward!
*Schwing!!*
Ace's pupils shrank in shock. He hastily raised his arms to block, but the thrusting tip of the halberd pierced straight through them on the spot, its momentum undiminished as it drove directly into his chest!
*Squelch—!!*
A spray of blood splashed into the air. Ace gritted his teeth in agony, his face as pale as paper.
"Himorogiri!!"
Yamato roared as she descended from the sky, raising her kanabō high with both hands. Wrapped in freezing air and covered in a layer of frost, she viciously smashed it down toward Allen's back!
Allen pushed the halberd to knock Ace away, stepped forward, and swung the halberd in a wide half-circle, sweeping it horizontally with tremendous force!
*Clang!!*
The heavy, powerful sweep deflected the kanabō. Allen let go of the halberd, leaped high into the air, spun, and delivered a flying kick right to Yamato's face, sending her flying.
"Lightning Halberd!!"
After landing back on the ground, Allen grabbed the halberd again and aimed it outward. Lightning flashed as a two-finger-wide beam of electricity condensed and shot straight across the sky!
*Whoosh!!*
The terrifyingly hot lightning beam caught up to the airborne Yamato. Under her astonished gaze, the lightning instantly pierced through her body!
"This boring warm-up ends here."
Allen spoke coldly. He turned around and looked up at the sky, pointing his halberd straight at Kaido.