Strength-Strength Fruit Awakening, Ace's Absolute Suppression!
Ochoku slowly stood up from the collapsed mountain wall. The ice swords on his shoulders and arms were forced out by his bulging muscles and fell to the ground, turning into ice shards.
He stared at Gion, his eyes surging with murderous intent. "Little girl... you've successfully enraged me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ochoku suddenly ripped his tattered shirt, revealing his scarred, bronze-colored chest.
With each breath, his Haki surged like flames, and his body rapidly expanded amidst a roar—his muscles bulged as if cast from steel, each muscle seemingly infused with explosive destructive power!
"Strength-Strength Fruit - Awakening - Tenfold Release!!"
"Boom!!"
The explosive force was like a volcanic eruption; the Shockwave caused the ground within tens of meters to collapse layer by layer, and debris flew everywhere!
Gion's ice sword domain trembled violently under the pressure of this brute force, and the blades shattered inch by inch!
Gion's eyes narrowed, Kompira surged out from beneath her feet like a tide, instantly condensing into a multi-layered ice crystal sword wall several meters thick around her.
A chilling aura enveloped an area of a hundred meters, so intense that even breathing turned into white mist.
Ochoku grinned wildly, shattering the stone slab beneath his feet with a single stomp, and charged forward like a cannonball!
"Strength-Strength - Heaven-Crushing Earth-Shattering!!"
"Boom!!"
The force of that punch was like Mountain Breaker and splitting, and the ice wall burst open with countless cracks in an instant!
Gion retreated rapidly, and ice and snow quickly condensed to fill the gap, but Ochoku's second punch had already broken through the air and arrived!
"Bang--!"
The sword wall was completely shattered, Impact sent Gion flying dozens of meters away like a hurricane. She landed on the ground, kneeling, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
"The power is outrageous! This is... Devil Fruit Awakening?!"
Taking advantage of the momentum, Ochoku stomped the ground hard, his leg muscles bulging, and the ground exploded into a torrent of rubble.
"Strength-Strength -Power Instant Burst!!"
His figure vanished from the spot and reappeared in front of Gion the next second, his fist slamming down with the power to shatter mountains!
Gion gritted her teeth, gripped her sword with both hands, and condensed the cold air into an ice dragon, soaring into the sky against the odds!
"Snow Dragon Slash!!"
"Boom--!"
The force of the fist collided with the ice and snow sword dragon in mid-air, Shockwave swept across a hundred meters, carrying ice shards and rubble!
Amidst the swirling icy mist, Ochoku's figure burst through the defenses like a monster, delivering a powerful punch to the Kompira Sword!
"Clang--!"
The sword trembled violently, Gion's arms went numb and weak, and the ground beneath her feet collapsed again into a giant circular crater.
Ochoku grinned maliciously. "Your ice... can't freeze my power!!"
Gion snorted coldly, suddenly abandoning defense for offense. The tip of the Kompira turned, its cold light as bright as snow and Moonlight.
"Snow Moon - Three-Blossom Slash!!"
"Shuashua--!"
Three circular slashes came simultaneously from three angles, aiming straight for the throat, heart, and knee joint!
Ochoku's arms bulged, his Armament Haki hardened to its limit, as he forcefully met the attack head-on.
"Clang! Clang! Clang--!"
The slash only left three deep white marks on his body, failing to break through his defenses!
Gion's pupils contracted slightly—the Awakening Ochoku was like a behemoth clad in steel!
The aftershocks of their battle reduced the central area of Hachinosu to complete ruins!
Frost and the force of punches intertwined, causing the ground to crack and freeze repeatedly under the extreme cold and immense power!
The clash between the two reduced the center of Hachinosu to complete ruins—frost and the force of their punches intertwined on the ground, causing it to crack, freeze, and crack again under the extreme cold and immense force!
In the distance, Ace and Luffy stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the Battlefield, their expressions unusually solemn.
"Gion- nee... she's actually being suppressed?!" Ace's flames surged, preparing to provide support.
Luffy, in his human-beast form, grinned and said, "That old man is so strong!!"
However, Hawk and Rumba simultaneously blocked their path, grinning maliciously and growling:
"Don't even think about interfering with the captain's battle!!"
Ace and Luffy were stopped by Hawk and Rumba, and the air instantly filled with tension.
A quick glance at the shore made it clear to Ace that the Marines were overwhelming the Pirates and needed a swift victory, otherwise the situation in Gion would become even more perilous.
Flames exploded beneath Ace's feet, and he transformed into a streak of crimson light, hurtling straight at Hawk!
Hawk sneered, his fists covered in jet-black Armament Haki, the power of the Impact-Impact Fruit gathering and vibrating at his knuckles before unleashing a devastating punch—
"Impact - Sky-Shattering!!"
"Boom--!"
Fists collided head-on, the air was compressed into visible shockwaves, flames and Shockwaves roared and intertwined in mid-air like two Tyrannosaurus, and the aftershocks sent surrounding Pirates and marines flying!
Ace didn't retreat a single step. Flames burned all over his body, combining with his Haki, making his fists seem capable of burning steel!
"Good timing!!"
The next moment, Ace's Martial Arts combined with the Flame-Flame Fruit exploded to its peak—
With a series of quick steps, elbow strikes, and Roundhouse Kicks, Flame followed Hawk relentlessly with every blow, forcing him to retreat repeatedly!
Hawk's expression changed; he hadn't expected this "Fire Fist" to be so ferocious in close combat.
"Damn it... we can't be suppressed!"
He slammed his fists into the ground with a sudden burst of energy.
"Impact - Quake-Split!"
"Boom--!"
The Shockwave spread along the ground, sending mud and gravel flying, like a man-made earthquake, shrouding the Battlefield in dust and smoke!
"Your vision is all messed up, isn't it?!"
Hawk bounced off the ground, using the Shockwave and the dust as cover, Flash, he quietly circled around to Ace's blind spot, his fist striking like thunder!
However--
"Boom!!"
Amidst the dust and mist, Ace not only didn't dodge, but instead spread his arms, transforming himself into a massive, blazing fireball, flames erupting and the temperature instantly skyrocketing!
The sea of fire suddenly expanded from Ace's center, completely engulfing Hawk!
A heatwave swept across the area, distorting the very air with its intensity.
Hawk's pupils constricted sharply. "Oh no!!"
He immediately Armament Haki Hardening, and slammed his fists into the void, the Shockwave propelling his body outwards!
However, just as his body escaped the edge of the sea of fire—
Too late!
Ace's voice rang out from behind, its killing intent sharp and menacing!
The next moment, the flames suddenly took shape in mid-air, like two intersecting burning giant blades, outlining a blazing cross in the void!
"Cross Fire!!"
"Boom!!"
The Cross Fire struck Hawk squarely in the back. The Impact of the explosion combined with the Shockwave he released, creating a powerful backlash that sent him flying dozens of meters, crashing through a thick stone wall at the edge of the Harbor!
Amidst the flames and billowing smoke, Hawk groaned as he knelt on one knee, his chest heaving violently. His arm guards and shoulder armor were charred and peeling off, and the muscles and flesh on his back were torn and mangled.
"Puff!!"
He coughed up blood, his arms trembling as he tried to get up again, but Ace had already descended upon him like a fiery reaper.
Ace's palm aimed at Hawk, and the vortex of flames condensed once more.
"It's over!"
"Boom!!"
A blazing white Fire Pillar of fire pierced the Battlefield, completely engulfing Hawk. The explosion's fiery waves soared into the sky, threatening to burn half of Hachinosu's Harbor to ashes!