Guernica's Roar
"Tekkai!!"
"Boom--!"
The angry shouts erupted almost simultaneously.
Joseph and Gismonda tensed their muscles, and the aura of hardened Tekkai instantly condensed into a layer of visible metallic light.
However, the next second--
"Mamaragan will return to the heir--!"
"Zzz--!"
The air exploded, and electricity tore through the air like a giant beast. Countless bolts of lightning poured out from Enel's body, their bright white light eclipsing the entire street.
"Boom!!"
Thunder roared, its golden light almost turning the entire street white. The electric shocks swept everything away, and the air was scorched with a pungent, burnt smell.
Joseph and Gismonda had just crossed their arms in defense when high-voltage current, like Thunder Snakes, pierced through their defenses.
"Laugh--!"
The hardened metal skin crumbled instantly, and the muscles were scorched by the electric shock; there wasn't even time to let out a scream!
The two tall figures were instantly engulfed by the lightning, turning into black shadows that flew out and crashed heavily onto the stone ground, scattering smoke in all directions.
Black smoke rose in wisps, and the air was filled with the smell of burning meat.
Their bodies were stiff, their eyes rolled back, and white foam kept coming out of their mouths. Rainwater streamed down their bodies, mixed with smoke and the lingering crackles of electric arcs.
The thunder subsided, leaving only the hissing sound of raindrops hitting the ground.
Enel lazily swung his arms, yawned, and a contemptuous smile played on his lips.
"Still calling it 'Tekkai, Tekkai'..."
"Who do you think you are? Teacher Zephyr? Or that old man Garp?"
The tone was so light it was almost like a yawn, but to Guernica it was more jarring than thunder.
Guernica's pupils contracted, and the coldness of reason in her heart was finally burned away by anger.
"He actually dared to make a move?! These guys are really crazy?!"
He looked up abruptly, only to see a burst of intense heat explode right before his eyes!
"Where are you looking?!"
The sound came from very close by.
Sanji's figure almost merged with the flames, the blazing flames at his toes flowing backward in the rain, turning into a fiery red trail, rushing straight towards Guernica's face with Sky Splitter!
"Diable Jambe - Cheek SHOOT!!"
A violent explosion rang out in the air, and the friction between the flames and the air generated a high-temperature air wave.
That kick, carrying scorching flames and astonishing speed, slammed heavily into Guernica's mask!
"Bang--!"
A burst of flames erupted.
That kick was as powerful as a hammer blow, carrying intense heat and Impact, sending Guernica flying!
"Snap--!"
He crashed through two wooden tables and slammed heavily against the stone wall, sending shattered bricks and stones flying along with the rain.
Half of the mask was charred black by the flames, and a hideous crack appeared, revealing his clenched teeth and scalded cheek.
He struggled to sit up, his knees trembling, his breathing rapid, and drops of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, which were washed away by the rain.
"You... you are openly defying the World Government!!"
Guernica roared, his voice a mixture of anger, humiliation, and a barely concealed fear.
"I am here on the orders of the Five Elders to gather intelligence on the Flower Country!!"
"You actually attacked CP0?! This is a provocation against the world order!!"
He struggled to stand up straight, pointing at the group of indifferent figures in front of him. Rain and blood streamed down his face, and his eyes flashed with anger.
"Aren't you really afraid of the wrath of the Five Elders?!"
However, the only response he received was silence and contempt.
Enel lowered his head to organize the lightning that danced across the golden ring, occasionally crackling with electricity from his fingertips.
Sanji lit another cigarette, the embers flickering in the darkness.
Usopp's Sniper Rifle Flash coldly, and Kujaku's steel whip swayed gently; neither of them spoke.
In the darkness, raindrops fell on the stone slabs, making a crisp, clear sound.
That silence was more oppressive than anger.
Guernica's chest heaved violently, and her breathing became almost uncontrollable.
He realized for the first time --
The group of people in front of them didn't care about the authority of the World Government at all; they were announcing a new order to the "Celestial Dragons" themselves.
Guernica's roar echoed in the rainy night, her voice trembling, yet still defiant.
However, the next second--
A deep, hot breath suddenly came from behind.
It was a heat that sent shivers down your spine.
The air seemed to be scorched dry, and even the rainwater evaporated into a thin mist before hitting the ground.
Guernica's body suddenly stiffened.
His breathing was erratic, and a burning pain shot through his back, as if magma was slowly rising up his skin.
An overwhelming pressure swept in.
That presence was heavier than thunder, fiercer than fire, and closer than death.
He turned his head with difficulty.
A tall figure emerged from the thick fog on the street, his steps steady and Earthquake.
He was a tall, imposing man, his Marine Cap pulled low, his Justice Coat Hunting Roar in the embers of the wind.
With each step he took, the stone bricks beneath his feet were scorched by the intense heat, and the air around him seemed to distort and tremble.
"Oh--and then?"
The voice was deep and resonant, with the weight of churning magma.
Just those three simple words made Guernica's heart pound and his knees go weak.
He shuddered, and for the first time, genuine fear appeared in his eyes.
--"Admiral Sakazuki, the Akainu."
Sakazuki stood before him, looking down at the World Government agent with a slight, chilling smile playing on his lips.
"Speaking of which," he said in a low voice.
"The order that forbade me from going to Hachinosu... it seems to have come from 'you,' right?"
Guernica opened her mouth, but found that her throat was blocked by something, and she couldn't make a sound no matter what she did.
Sakazuki raised his hand.
His arm was already covered in lava, like a living hell churning.
Molten lava gathered in his palm, its light blinding, and a wave of heat swept through the entire street.
The rain has completely evaporated.
"I... I've always remembered it."
"Boom--!"
Lava bursts!
A burst of fiery red light engulfed the night, turning the streets and alleys crimson.
The stone bricks melted, the wind swirled up ashes and debris, and the night sky of the entire Flower Country seemed to be set ablaze.
Between heaven and earth, only the overwhelming red and the roar remained.
Half an hour later, at the sea Flower Country--
A Warship moved slowly through the mist, its ensign fluttering in the morning breeze, the white flag of Justice symbolizing the navy.
On the deck, Sakazuki stood at the bow, his cloak still radiating residual heat.
His expression was stern, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
Enel leaned lazily against the railing, his hands behind his head, his lightning rings casually floating beside him.
"I thought you were going to melt that guy down completely!"
Sakazuki snorted coldly, a deep, steady voice emanating from his chest.
"Soon."
In the distance, the wind whips up waves, and sunlight shines through the clouds, illuminating the word "Justice" on the Warship.