Roa desperately flapped his wings while driving the gale with all his might, pushing his speed beyond its limits.
He had no choice but to exceed his limits. One of the Five Elders, Azukigahama, was right on his tail.
What had he done to deserve having one of the Five Elders personally come after him?
Weren't there still so many monsters on the island?
He had no idea that, even to the Five Elders standing at the pinnacle of the world, the Logia Mercury Fruit and the Demonic Blade Blood Sea, one of the Supreme Grade Swords, were treasures of the highest order.
Besides, wasn't he merely dealing with a brat? It was just something he could do along the way. How much time could it possibly take?
As he flew forward, Roa kept looking back.
This wouldn't do. His speed still wasn't enough, and the distance was closing faster and faster!
How could something with such a massive body fly this fast?
Was that reasonable?
No! He had to think of something.
Roa looked toward the distant coastline ahead.
He could already see it. Once he reached the sea, he could escape!
The problem was how he could stall for time over this stretch of road!
Behind him, the monstrous bird opened its jaws wide, and flames suddenly appeared deep in its throat.
But Roa abruptly turned around.
"You want to breathe fire, huh?"
Boom!!
Flames exploded inside the monstrous bird's mouth. The raging blaze surged out, instantly wrapping the bird in a huge fireball.
"Heh heh!"
Roa let out a smug, strange laugh and continued forward without stopping.
As long as there was even the slightest suitable environment, he could create disasters at will!
The fireball exploded the next instant. Invisible fluctuations wrapped around the monstrous bird as it continued its pursuit.
"Advanced Armament Haki?"
Roa clenched his teeth tightly.
Sure enough, stopping this monster wouldn't be easy.
"Brat!"
The monstrous bird stopped spewing flames, but something even more terrifying swept toward him.
It was Conqueror's Haki!
It was a whole level stronger than Big Brother Kaido's!
This was Conqueror's Haki that already possessed the power to destroy physical objects. Roa could clearly feel his body trembling.
"Roar!!"
Roa roared with all his strength.
Amid the earth-shaking Tiger Roar, sound waves that shook the air merged with the Conqueror's Haki surging forth, forming an even more unusual fluctuation.
If he had to describe it, it was somewhat like Aunt Linlin's grotesque cry after she lost her mind. The two forces overlapped and erupted with an effect far beyond one plus one.
But it was still nowhere near enough to contend with Conqueror's Haki at the level of a Five Elder.
All Roa could do was barely hold on beneath the monstrous bird's Conqueror's Haki.
But that was already enough!
Azukigahama's Conqueror's Haki couldn't affect Roa's flight.
"Conqueror's Haki?"
The pursuing Five Elder Mars was also somewhat stunned.
This brat was only seven years old!
If he really escaped, then given enough time, wouldn't he become another Rocks?
"Die!"
The monstrous bird spewed out another attack.
But this time, what came out was an invisible fluctuation! Black lightning leaped continuously all around it!
Roa was instantly terrified out of his wits.
Damn it, a Haki shockwave!
Whether or not it was mixed with Conqueror's Haki, his fur definitely couldn't withstand it!
He instinctively twisted his body to dodge, while the gale he stirred up gave him another burst of acceleration.
In the blink of an eye, Roa narrowly slipped past the shockwave.
"Whoa!"
The black tiger bared his teeth. "My tail!"
Half of his tail had been severed.
Roa immediately realized that he absolutely couldn't escape by simply running away.
If he allowed this thing to attack and then merely dodged, it would catch up sooner or later!
Just now, with that single dodge, the distance between them had already shrunk to two or three hundred meters!
He had to fight for his life!
Take the initiative!
Roa continued fleeing while breathing heavily.
A massive amount of black energy invisible to ordinary people was drawn toward him, pouring into his body like water through a giant funnel.
Although it couldn't make him overwhelmingly stronger in an instant, absorbing such a huge amount of black energy still brought about obvious changes.
For example, the half-severed tail began growing rapidly. Though it couldn't compare with the Five Elder's immortality, his regenerative ability was still astonishing.
Then—
"Come on! Gale!"
The howling gale instantly enveloped the approaching monstrous bird. Blades of wind struggled to slice through Azukigahama's body, while the chaotic currents immediately slowed his flight.
"Thunder!"
Higher in the sky, dark clouds filled the heavens. Bolts of lightning rained down mercilessly upon the monstrous bird.
"Meteorites!!"
The dark clouds were torn open in one gap after another, and meteorites over ten meters in diameter came crashing down one after another.
Roa kept taking deep breaths without pause.
The moment he stopped, the heavy physical burden caused by overusing his abilities would drain him dry.
But as long as he breathed and had enough black energy replenishing him, his stamina was inexhaustible.
"What's with this brat's ability?"
The monstrous bird's body had already turned pitch-black. His mighty Haki resisted the sharp wind blades and surging lightning.
Saint Marcus Mars spoke in astonishment. Even the Azure Dragon Fruit's abilities weren't this flashy, were they?
But the more extraordinary it was, the less they could allow him to escape!
The monstrous bird displayed agility completely mismatched with his enormous body, effortlessly dodging the falling meteorites.
But it was precisely at that moment.
"Volcano!"
Roa shouted furiously again.
Boom!!
The surfaces of the meteorites that passed by the monstrous bird suddenly exploded, and scorching magma gushed out.
Caught off guard, Azukigahama was hit head-on.
"Urgh!"
The impact of the volcanic eruption, combined with the magma's searing heat, made even a mighty Five Elder grunt in pain.
At that very moment, a meteorite slammed directly into the monstrous bird's back, and its tremendous force sent him plummeting.
Roa naturally didn't miss the opportunity and continued fleeing at full speed.
He was close!
He was already very close to the sea!
As long as he could reach that place!
"Hm?"
Roa, who had been watching the rear, suddenly froze.
The monstrous bird had vanished from the sky.
Had he given up?
Rumble!
A roar suddenly came from the shore ahead.
Roa instinctively looked over.
A huge magic circle had appeared along the coast, with billowing smoke rising into the air.
He had teleported ahead!
How despicable!
But teleportation probably required time, right?
Heh, then he was sorry, but he had won!
Roa abruptly lowered his altitude and charged directly toward the magic circle.
"Collapse!"
The coastline instantly split apart. The entire area where the magic circle stood caved in, becoming a deep pit.
The moment Roa neared the shore, a distorted shadow had already emerged from within the magic circle.
"Then you're going to have a bad time, Five Elder!"
Roa laughed loudly. "Do you like taking baths?"
Boom!
The edge of the pit closest to the sea instantly collapsed, and seawater poured straight in.
The instant Mars opened his eyes, he found himself submerged in water.
Damn brat!
The magic circle was immediately interrupted, and the distorted shadow vanished into thin air.
"What a pity!"
Roa smacked his lips.
He had almost achieved the feat of soloing a Five Elder.
He turned his head.
Behind him, the monstrous bird once again spread his wings and soared into the sky.
But it was too late.
"Gana, Five Elder!"
Roa smiled politely as he bid the old man farewell, then plunged headfirst into the sea without looking back.
Splash!
Waves scattered across the sea.
By the time the monstrous bird beat his wings and chased after him, the ocean had already returned to silence. How could he possibly find any trace of Roa?
"What is this brat doing?"
Mars was utterly baffled.
Of course, he didn't believe Roa had committed suicide.
Was someone waiting to receive him?
This was troublesome. That troublesome brat had escaped with the troublesome fruit and weapon.
Deep beneath the sea.
Roa leisurely blew bubbles.
The powerful current carried him swiftly forward.
Since he wasn't an ability user, this old man could swim!
At last, he had escaped alive!
Before you continue