Transformation Expert

"Hahhhh..." Kozuki Oden suddenly knelt on the ground, his right hand gripping Mikazuki Munechika and plunging it into the ground, while his left hand tightly clutched his heart, letting out an excited yet painful howl. His body, which had shrunk somewhat, not only fully recovered but was also constantly expanding, like a balloon that had reached its limit and was on the verge of exploding.

Roy frowned, realizing that things were not so simple.

Kozuki Oden's strength, which had already reached its peak, has once again increased dramatically. It should be noted that Kozuki Oden at his peak was only slightly weaker than him, and was definitely at the level of Admiral. If a comparison had to be made, it would be similar to that of Ishtar at his full strength.

After his strength increased significantly once again, Kozuki Oden's aura made even him feel a little wary, as if he could smell the long-lost scent of death.

Having never truly witnessed Four Emperors in action, Roy couldn't judge whether Kozuki Oden in this state was stronger or weaker than Four Emperors. However, one thing was undeniable: Kozuki Oden was terrifyingly strong right now, and even he risked death if he wasn't careful.

"Looks like we accidentally caught a big fish!" Roy's eyes gleamed with a scarlet light. "It's been so long since I've felt this kind of life-or-death struggle. It's so exciting it makes me tremble!"

Kozuki Oden's aura finally stabilized. He stood up and grasped Mikazuki Munechika in his hand. His eyes were completely filled with darkness, and his whole body exuded an aura of death that made people's hearts tremble. "Even if I hide in the darkness, I will protect the future of Wano Country. This is my Way of the Samurai!"

"Will the dragon-slaying hero eventually become the Arlong? What an irony!" Without the slightest hesitation, Roy activated his illusory state. The boundary between reality and illusion began to blur, and the materialized Sword Intent pierced the sky, even shredding the Cloud Layer floating in the air. "As a sign of respect for you, I will use all my strength to bring you to a grand funeral!"

Although he knew Kaido was still on the island, Roy couldn't care less. If he held back against Kozuki Oden in this state, it would be a death sentence.

"This guy hasn't even used his full strength yet, Roger, what kind of era have you ushered in!" Kozuki Oden was extremely shocked, but at the same time, he strengthened his killing intent. "I can't waste any more time. Every second that passes, the speed at which I am being corrupted by darkness will increase."

With a casual wave of his hand, Kozuki Oden unleashed hundreds of dark Sword Qi filled with despair and destruction, turning the ground along their paths into deathly silence, as if devouring the life force of this land.

Roy flashed like a leaping Inazuma, instantly dodging all the Sword Qi and appearing above Kozuki Oden, pressing down with unstoppable force.

Kozuki Oden's black eyes remained unmoved. The Mikazuki Munechika in his hand, accompanied by the sounds of wind and thunder, blocked the attack above his head with lightning speed, creating an apocalyptic collision with the Seven Star Sword in Roy's hand.

Boom!

In an instant, Oden Castle atop the mountain was reduced to nothingness by the monstrous waves of air. The mountain beneath its feet was pierced through by the terrifying force, collapsing into tiny fragments of rock, as if a meteor shower had suddenly fallen from the sky. The earth was mercilessly torn apart, leaving behind bottomless canyons, with lava even churning and surging up from the ground.

Such a massive commotion naturally did not escape the notice of Enel and his companions. Even with their level of power, after witnessing this terrifying scene, they all stopped fighting without prior agreement. Compared to the two monsters in the sky, their battle seemed like child's play, laughable and utterly boring.

"What a joke? Those two monsters can get stronger?" Nicholas almost spat out a mouthful of blood. As the leader of Kaido's Three Calamities, he once believed that even in the New World, the latter half of the Grand Line, apart from the other three who were also Four Emperors Kaido, his strength was undisputed to be the strongest. In his heart, he even ranked himself as the fifth strongest in the New World.

But within just a few minutes, he discovered two powerful individuals who could easily defeat him. For the first time, he felt that the world was changing too fast and wondered if he was unable to keep up with the times.

"Nicholas, you really should thank that guy for sparing your life," Ulysses said with a strange expression.

Nicholas's lips twitched, but he couldn't refute it.

"Should we continue?" Even Jack, who wasn't very bright, was starting to have second thoughts.

"What's the point of fighting? Once they're done fighting, whoever gets free will be too Kaido to take charge," Nicholas said irritably.

Seeing Nicholas and his two companions retreat, Enel and the others did not intercept them. Their attention was completely drawn to the battle in the sky, and they were even preparing to gang up on them if things went wrong.

Both sides were top-tier Great Sword Master, and every move they made was like a gazelle leaping through the air, leaving no trace. The three Kenkon were so engrossed in watching that they almost forgot where they were. If it weren't for Enel and the others watching over them, they would probably have perished in the chaotic battlefield.

In just one minute, the two clashed thousands of times, shattering several surrounding garrisons in Kuri Wano Country. Blood fell from the sky from time to time, proving that the battle between the two was far from easy.

"Damn it, a minute has passed, and this monster shows no sign of weakening." Feeling the darkness filling his body more and more, Kozuki Oden's expression remained unchanged, but his anxiety grew. "I have to change my battle strategy."

Kozuki Oden changed his fighting style from before, becoming brutal and ruthless, completely disregarding defense, and aiming for mutual destruction with every move.

His thinking was clear: he only had two minutes left to live anyway, and if he could take Roy down with him, that would undoubtedly be the best outcome.

"Ruthlessness? I'm second to none!" Roy's face was contorted with rage. His consistent belief was that only by being more ruthless and vicious than anyone else could he survive. So he charged forward without any hesitation.

Looking at Roy's fierce eyes, even Kozuki Oden felt a chill run down his spine. In the past, he would never have wanted to face such a crazy enemy, but now that he had already risked his life, he would not back down.

Sizzle!

Two sword tips pierced out from behind the two men, and bright red blood slid down the grooves of the swords, instantly staining the ground red.

"Ah... my power... is slipping away!" Kozuki Oden cried out in pain, looking at Roy in disbelief.

Both men's hearts were pierced at the same time. However, with the help of the blood energy transmitted by the Seven Star Sword, Roy's bowl-sized wound on his chest was healing at a visible speed, while Kozuki Oden was trembling weakly, having lost even the strength to grip his sword.

"Ah..." Suddenly, Kozuki Oden let out a scream, his whole body was enveloped in black aura, and his aura, which had been weakened to the bottom, rose up again. Even his empty heart area was filled with a mass of black substance.

Seeing this, even someone as composed as Roy couldn't help but swear. "Transforming again? Do you think you're Frieza?"