Red Dragon

"Take him down!!"

The Marines had no goodwill toward Bright whatsoever.

No one had forgotten what had happened that night several months ago.

So after Hag gathered the Marines and told them his plan, hardly anyone hesitated. They all agreed with him.

After all, they would not be the ones held responsible.

And so, the Marines charged at Bright.

"Shark Skin Palm Strike."

Bright leaped into the air. His powerful jumping ability instantly carried him out of the Marines' encirclement, and he landed lightly atop the mainmast's yardarm.

He had only just landed, not even steady on his feet yet, when a dark figure shot into the air, leaving behind a brilliant streak of sword light.

Clang!

A deafening impact rang through the air, sending Bright flying skyward.

"So fast."

Bright flipped in midair and landed atop the warship's cabin. He spread his hands, pulling the chains taut. One of the chains bore a clear notch.

If that attack had hit him, he would definitely have been injured. But it would not have been too serious.

His defensive ability had only just fused and was still weak, but Kaido's bloodline had been fused for several months now. Through rigorous training, his strength, defense, and stamina had all been growing rapidly—especially his defense.

He could not yet ignore attacks at the level of a Marine Rear Admiral, but he could still greatly reduce the damage.

Below, Hag landed on the deck and said in surprise, "You blocked it?"

A few months ago, this guy had not even been able to react to his attacks.

And that strength—

"Mr. Borsalino was right. He may only be a fish-man, but he really is extraordinarily gifted!"

Hag raised his long sword. Invisible currents began winding around the blade, then contracted before turning into a black substance that spread upward along the hilt, until the entire blade had turned black.

Armament Haki hardening.

He definitely could not rely on his body to take that head-on now.

Still, was that really how Kizaru had evaluated him?

Bright did not know how to react.

"Prepare to fire!"

Hag shouted.

The Marines on deck raised their guns. More than two hundred black muzzles aimed at Bright.

Bright recalled that night several months earlier.

When he had been preparing to escape, he had already reached outside the harbor, only to be stopped by Hag and the Marines under his command.

The situation then had seemed much the same.

Back then, he could only retreat. Though it had eventually turned into a blessing in disguise, he could not deny that it had been a defeat.

But what about this time?

Hag had already raised his long sword high, a cold smile on his face.

You're finished, disgusting fish-man. No one can save you now!

The Marines' fingers rested on their triggers, waiting only for the Rear Admiral's command before unleashing a barrage of gunfire.

Could his current defense withstand muskets?

Bright was not sure.

So—

He leaped up, straight into the air.

The intelligence of a fish-man.

Jumping into the air with no cover and no ability to maneuver freely—he was courting death!

Hag sneered.

"Fire!"

The black long sword swung down. Every musket fired at once, lead bullets blasting from their barrels under the force of gunpowder and streaking straight toward Bright.

All the bullets converged, forming a storm!

Before the gunshots could reach Bright's ears, the bullets had already struck his body.

Then—

Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink.

A nonstop series of crisp sounds rang through the sky.

Bright's body became covered in fiery red scales. Every bullet that struck them could only throw up sparks before being helplessly deflected.

Bright's body rapidly expanded. His arms and legs thickened, and after a brief struggle, he snapped his handcuffs and shackles apart.

His body began to lengthen. A long tail grew from behind him, his neck stretched longer, his mouth and nose protruded, and two pairs of sharp horns sprouted from his forehead.

Fiery red clouds spread from his body, drifting and winding around him as they carried him toward the higher sky.

Hag stared at the transformation, nearly dumbfounded.

"W-What is that!!"

This guy was transforming!

He was a Devil Fruit user!!

And what was with this transformation?!

That appearance, that form!

A monster over fifty meters long swam through the sky, coiling as he looked down upon the warship below.

A slender body, fiery red scales, a majestic head, domineering horns, and fiery red clouds winding around his body, making him seem as though he were moving through the cloud layers and only occasionally revealing himself.

This was—

"A dragon?"

A Marine screamed in disbelief, "He turned into a dragon!!"

That fish-man had transformed into a creature from myth!

"No, no! That's clearly Kaido's power! The Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Azure Dragon Form!!"

Another Marine shouted in shock, "It's just a different color. Could it be that this guy has an ability similar to Kaido's?"

Hag could not make sense of any of this.

This fish-man was actually a Devil Fruit user?

And a Mythical Zoan user with an ability similar to Kaido's?

"Wait—"

He suddenly remembered something.

"Let's end this."

In the sky, the fiery red Divine Dragon's voice boomed like thunder.

"Thunder!"

He suddenly threw back his head and roared.

The roar became thunder!

Bolts of dazzling lightning burst from the red dragon's body and rained down upon the warship like a torrential downpour.

Crackle!

Thick bolts of lightning struck the warship's deck and instantly blasted through it, piercing the hull and leaving enormous holes as the entire vessel shook without end.

Lightning spread across the deck, engulfing great numbers of Marines. Their screams rose one after another.

In a single instant, the entire warship had been battered to pieces and was nearly sinking.

"Urgh!!"

Hag, his entire body covered in Armament Haki and turned into a little black man, grunted in pain.

Even Armament Haki could not completely block the damage from lightning.

"Damn it!!"

With an angry roar, Hag stepped on the air against the lightning and shot into the sky, charging straight at Bright.

"Wind, heed my command!"

Bright roared again.

Amid the lightning, a fierce gale suddenly arose.

The violent wind struck head-on, immediately hindering Hag's Geppo. He was blown away outright.

"Wah!"

He cried out, but he could not regain his balance within the gale.

Bright's slender body swam forward, but the fiery red clouds were even faster.

The clouds spread across the sky, then directly wrapped around Hag, who had been blown away by the wind.

"What? This is—"

Hag struggled with all his might. "Clouds?"

These clouds had physical form! They were soft yet tough, binding him tightly.

Bright floated above Hag. Lightning burst from his body and struck Hag again and again.

"Waaah!!"

Hag screamed.

"I told you, you missed an opportunity."

Bright opened his mouth.

"Damn it!!"

Within the lightning, Hag roared with all his strength. He pulled one arm free from the clouds, then swung his black blade with all his might, slashing through the clouds. He leaped into the air and charged at Bright through the lightning.

"One Sword Style—Flying Bird!"

Dazzling fire bloomed within Bright's mouth. "Heat Breath!!"

Brilliant, blazing flames erupted forth and instantly swallowed Hag.

Then the flames became a long dragon and continued downward without slowing, crashing directly into the already battered warship below.

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted, turning the entire ship into a gigantic fireball.

Thanks to 'First Snow Across a Hundred Thousand Miles' for the 100-point donation! Thank you!