It was at the moment when Maud and Whitebeard were locked in a fierce stalemate.
After reforming his body, Akainu launched an attack at Whitebeard without hesitation.
Great Eruption!
The magma flowing from Akainu's right arm rapidly gathered into a gigantic molten fist.
Then,
With a force like a volcanic eruption, he launched the magma-condensed fist forward.
The gigantic molten fist radiated heat intense enough to burn away all the world's sins. It reached Whitebeard and Maud's side without obstruction.
This Great Eruption, carrying the utmost killing intent, had not taken Maud's situation into consideration at all.
The scorching blaze arrived first, covering the corners of Maud and Whitebeard's eyes.
"Akainu, that bastard..."
Maud glanced from the corner of his eye at the gigantic molten fist charging straight toward him, flames raging around it. His expression instantly turned cold.
Before the Great Eruption reached him, Maud did not hesitate in the slightest. He first had his Shadow Clone release Beli, then directly swapped places with it.
Whoosh—!
The next instant,
Maud appeared in midair and casually caught the double guns that Beli had transformed into.
The Shadow Clone that had exchanged places with him gripped a Shadow Saber nearly identical in appearance to Shusui and faced Whitebeard head-on.
But this was precisely the moment when the Great Eruption came crashing down. If Whitebeard wanted to kill the Shadow Clone, he would have to use his body to withstand Akainu's full-powered Great Eruption.
"Lava bastard."
Taking bullets to the face and taking Akainu's Great Eruption with one's body were two completely different things.
Whitebeard naturally could not seize an opportunity that might kill the Shadow Clone at the cost of taking Akainu's Great Eruption head-on.
Maud had recognized this point, which was why he had exchanged places with the Shadow Clone