Gritting His Teeth

"Who am I? Haha, that's not important! What's important is... this Devil Fruit is now mine! I really have to thank you for going to such lengths to deliver such a precious gift to me!" With a burst of arrogant laughter, the man arrogantly raised the Devil Fruit, which shimmered with an eerie light, in his hand, as if it were a priceless treasure, and gently swung it from side to side. The mysterious light emanating from the Devil Fruit seemed to echo his smug posture, making the surrounding atmosphere even more eerie.

Bartolomeo, standing to the side, had his already wide eyes now bulging out of their sockets, his face filled with astonishment and resentment. He stared blankly at the Devil Fruit in the other's hand, muttering to himself, "... He just snatched it from me so easily... At first, I was overjoyed, naively thinking I'd struck gold! Who could have predicted things would turn out like this..." His words were overflowing with regret and disbelief.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Colonel Wild Dog was already furious, trembling with rage. His clenched teeth made a chilling grinding sound, and his eyes, filled with fury, were Dark-Dark Fruit on the one who had successfully stolen the Devil Fruit. He cursed inwardly, "Damn it! This Devil Fruit is the key to whether I can successfully build connections with the higher-ups in the future! If I lose it, everything I've painstakingly built over the years and my bright future will all vanish into thin air!"

"If I had known this guy was so powerful, I should have snatched it without hesitation! Unfortunately, that damned Moke was too strong, which made me hesitate and dare not act rashly. But now that he knows it's Devil Fruit, there's no way he'll hand it over to me willingly. It seems a fierce battle is inevitable!"

At that moment, Colonel Wild Dog's mind surged with a torrent of thoughts, all of which converged into a resolute determination. A chilling light suddenly flashed in his eyes, which were originally as deep as the sea, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, brief yet dazzling.

Immediately afterwards, he let out a deep, short, angry shout, "Shave!" The sound was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, deafening. In an instant, he shot out like a rocket, moving at an unimaginable speed. His figure was as fast as Inazuma, almost impossible to track. In the blink of an eye, he had completely disappeared from everyone's sight.

However, before anyone could react, Colonel Wild Dog suddenly reappeared before them like a ghost. He was now only inches away from Moke. His right index finger stretched straight forward, as if transformed into an indestructible, incredibly sharp spear. With a tense contraction of his arm muscles, this finger, carrying immense force, thrust straight towards Moke's brow with thunderous power. At the same time, Colonel Wild Dog unleashed a deafening roar, "Shigan—!"

In the blink of an eye, facing such a fierce and swift attack, Moke's reaction was completely unexpected. Far from showing any intention to retreat or dodge, his face remained calm and composed, his eyes revealing an unwavering conviction, as if he already knew everything that was about to happen. And so, Moke fearlessly met Colonel Wild Dog's unstoppable finger strike, seemingly prepared to deliver a fatal blow with his overwhelming strength.

"Clang..." A crisp and loud impact suddenly rang out, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples and causing the entire space to tremble slightly. The Soundquake, echoing through the sky, as if it would pierce one's eardrums.

Amidst the Hanabi sparks, Colonel Wild Dog's long, powerful fingertips collided violently with Moke's broad, hard forehead. In an instant, Mars flew everywhere, like dazzling fireworks blooming in the night sky. At that moment, time seemed to freeze, and the surroundings fell into a deathly silence. Even the wind seemed to stop blowing, and everything was frozen in this breathtaking instant.

However, just as Colonel Wild Dog extended his finger and struck at Moke's brow with a flurry of Zhou Yu, Moke, who had seemed Fudō, suddenly moved with lightning speed. He flashed forward, his speed as fast as Inazuma across the night sky, making his movements almost impossible to see. At the same time, he swiftly drew the Sandai Kitetsu, which he had been holding tightly in his hand.

The moment the Sandai Kitetsu was drawn, it exuded a chilling aura. The blade gleamed with a cold light, its sharp edge slicing through the air in a terrifying arc, seemingly capable of cleaving through anything in its path. With a swing of Moke's arm, the cold light, like a nimble silver serpent, snaked and twisted its way toward Colonel Wild Dog. Wherever it passed, the air was torn apart, emitting sharp whistling sounds.

However, something unexpected happened. Just as the cold light was about to strike Colonel Wild Dog once again unleashed his signature move—Shave—like a ghost. In a flash, he transformed into a blur, moving at an unimaginable speed. In the blink of an eye, he successfully dodged Moke's thunderous attack, reappearing a full ten meters away from Moke.

At this moment, Colonel Wild Dog was utterly astonished. He stared wide-eyed at Moke, his gaze a mixture of shock and confusion. After a moment of silence, he finally couldn't help but speak, "You really are a Logia-type Devil Fruit user! But... Admiral Kizaru is still alive and well. So how did you obtain this Glint-Glint Fruit? You know, I've never heard of any other Logia Devil Fruit similar to the Glint-Glint Fruit! Originally, I always thought that what you possessed was just a Glint-Glint Fruit -Paramecia Devil Fruit with similar movement and attack methods."

In that brief exchange, he already knew exactly what was going on with his opponent. Just as he'd suspected, this opponent was indeed a Logia-type Logia Fruit user. Otherwise, how could the opponent wield such a unique skill as Elementalization so skillfully? Thinking this, Moke's lips curled into a sly smile, and he said provocatively to his enemy, "Heh heh, that's none of your business! But... I'd really like to ask, have you ever tasted the feeling of being kicked hard by light?"

Before he finished speaking, the light elements beneath Moke's feet surged and gathered like a tidal wave, instantly enveloping his entire right leg and radiating a dazzling light, as if the leg had transformed into a brilliant pillar of light.

"This is bad..." Upon seeing this, Colonel Wild Dog's heart sank, and his face instantly turned deathly pale. Before he could react further, he heard Moke utter a soft shout, "Shave..." Immediately afterward, his right leg, Shine with intense light, kicked out with lightning speed, like Inazuma slicing through the night sky.

With a deafening roar, an incredibly thick beam of light shot out like an arrow, hurtling straight toward the spot where Colonel Wild Dog had been standing.

In the blink of an eye, Colonel Wild Dog, a veteran of countless battles, narrowly avoided the fatal blow with his agility and keen intuition. However, when he turned back, still shaken, he discovered that the terrifying beam of light had passed right through where he had just stood, heading straight for a massive warship moored in the nearby harbor.

A deafening explosion suddenly erupted, and the unfortunate warship was instantly destroyed. The beam of light, carrying unparalleled destructive power, easily pierced through the warship's sturdy hull. Amidst Hikaru and billowing smoke, the behemoth trembled violently a few times before breaking in two and slowly sinking into the depths of the sea.

Upon witnessing this, Colonel Wild Dog gasped, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. He secretly rejoiced that he had dodged in time; otherwise, if he had been struck by that terrifying beam of light, even if he had survived, he would have been crippled for life!

The thought sent shivers down his spine, as if countless tiny needles were gently pricking it. However, after all, he was a disciple personally trained by Zephyr! Even if his character was questionable, his strength was undeniable, and his courage far surpassed that of ordinary people.

The immense pressure Moke exerted on him did not intimidate him or make him back down; instead, it ignited a long-dormant fighting spirit within him. At this moment, his eyes were fixed on Moke like burning flames, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Since I was assigned to the East Blue Sea as its deputy commander, it has been a long time since I've had such a satisfying battle! Today, let's fight to our hearts' content!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Moke's body underwent a startling transformation. A thick layer of long, gray fur rapidly grew all over his body, dense and hard, as if forged from steel. At the same time, his previously normal hands began to deform, transforming into a pair of incredibly sharp claws. Seeing this, everyone finally Satori —this guy was called "Colonel Wild Dog" because he was Zoan Fruit user— the Wild Dog Fruit!

Just then, a low shout rang out, "Shave..." In the blink of an eye, Colonel Wild Dog vanished without a trace once more.

"Damn it!" Moke couldn't help but curse aloud. He had to admit that when he used the "Shave" technique, the lightning-fast speed was incredibly exhilarating. But when an opponent used this move, it became a real headache. Faced with this situation, Moke dared not be careless in the slightest and had to be on high alert, fully focused and on guard...

When Colonel Wild Dog reappeared, people were astonished to find that he had silently appeared behind Moke like a ghost!

"Shigan!" A fierce shout rang out, followed by a sharp whooshing sound. However, at this critical moment, he unexpectedly did not choose to use Elementalization to dodge the attack. It turned out that the instant the Wild Dog unleashed its ability, an indescribable sense of unease surged into his heart like a tide. So, without hesitation, he swung his hand back, and the Sandai Kitetsu in his hand drew a cold arc in the air, slashing backward with the force of breaking through the wind.

With a crisp clang, Hanabi flew. His strike had landed with incredible precision on Colonel Wild Dog's finger. However, to Moke's utter surprise, an extremely terrifying force surged through the blade like a tidal wave, causing his hands gripping the hilt to tremble uncontrollably.

It must be admitted that Zoan Devil Fruit like adding wings to a tiger for martial arts masters. Leaving aside other enhancements, the sheer increase in strength alone is enough to inspire fear. But what truly terrified Moke was not just that. At that moment, he abruptly turned his head, and what he saw was Colonel Wild Dog's fingers wrapped in a dense layer of black Haki — Armament Haki!

"Holy crap! This is the East Blue! Someone can actually use such an advanced technique as Armament Haki Coating? This is outrageous!" Moke's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. Armament Haki Coating isn't something just anyone can master; even in the latter half of the Grand Line, where powerful individuals abound, it's extremely rare. And now, in the relatively calm East Blue, such a master has appeared—it's truly beyond Moke's imagination.

Moke was incredibly frustrated, constantly cursing, "How unlucky am I! To run into such an opponent!" But at the same time, he felt extremely fortunate, thinking to himself, "Thank goodness I didn't suffer a great loss because I underestimated him, otherwise I would have been in serious trouble!" As he thought this, he repeatedly warned himself, "From now on, I must never underestimate anyone, not even those who seem insignificant! And I can no longer rely too much on my Elementalization ability. If I accidentally fall into a trap like the 'Iron Body Illusion,' the consequences would be unimaginable!" With this in mind, Moke dared not hesitate any longer. His figure blurred, instantly transforming into a dazzling beam of light, speeding away like Inazuma, and in the blink of an eye, he had created a great distance between himself and his opponent.

Just then, Moke raised his head and looked at Wild Dog opposite him. For some reason, the look in his eyes as he looked at Wild Dog had subtly changed. The corners of Colonel Wild Dog's mouth were slightly upturned, revealing a hint of undisguised smugness. It turned out that this was his last trump card, which he had hidden deep within— Armament Haki, which he had only recently Awakening! Although it was still in its most rudimentary stage, and he could barely wrap it around his fists, it was enough for the current situation. After all, this was the key to his successful promotion to Major Rear Admiral.

However, facing such a formidable foe, Moke showed no sign of retreat; instead, he was aroused with a strong fighting spirit. He uttered a low shout, "Shine..." Before the words were even finished, a powerful surge of light elemental energy erupted from his body, rapidly gathering around him. In an instant, Moke seemed to transform into a dazzling miniature sun, radiating an intense light that was impossible to look directly at. Everyone present instinctively closed their eyes or shielded them with their hands, fearing that the blinding light would burn their vision.

In that instant, with just a fleeting glance, a searing, fiery pain swept over me, as if to burn my eyes to ashes. The pain was like being licked by flames, unbearable, making it impossible to open my eyes.

However, at this critical moment, Moke keenly seized the opportunity. The power within his body surged like a raging tide, resonating and merging with the powerful Ghost Aura contained in the Sandai Kitetsu in his hand. In the blink of an eye, the two perfectly merged into an indestructible whole.

With a deep and sharp shout, "One Sword Style - Demon Flame Flash!" Moke's figure flashed and disappeared like a ghost. For a moment, time seemed to freeze.

The next moment, when Moke reappeared, he appeared silently behind Colonel Wild Dog like a ghost. His movements were so light and fluid that they were like a gust of wind, leaving no trace of hesitation.

Then, Moke narrowed his eyes slightly, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips. He slowly and gracefully sheathed the Sandai Kitetsu, which gleamed with a cold light, in his hand. The whole process was as natural and smooth as flowing water, done in one go, without the slightest pause or hesitation.

Just then, a soft yet exceptionally clear sound rang out. Almost simultaneously, as the dazzling light emanating from Moke's body began to fade, Colonel Wild Dog's body trembled violently. Then, without warning, a gruesome, deep wound burst open on his body! Scalding crimson blood gushed out like a burst dam, splattering everywhere and forming a shocking cloud of Bloody Mist Era.

Colonel Wild Dog's eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets, his face filled with disbelief and terror. This was the vast, boundless East Blue! On this expansive ocean, someone possessing such skill and strength was an extremely rare breed. And now, he had been so severely injured in a single exchange—a cruel reality he simply couldn't accept. He had always been absolutely confident and proud of his abilities. Yet now, he had never expected to suffer such a sudden and devastating blow.

"Bastard..." Colonel Wild Dog involuntarily uttered this curse through clenched teeth. He had to admit that Moke's attack was incredibly bizarre and cunning, practically impossible to defend against. The peculiar effect of temporarily blinding someone was especially troublesome. After all, he had Awakening Armament Haki to enhance his defenses, not Observation Haki to perceive changes in his surroundings!

In the pitch-black environment, trying to evade the opponent's fierce Zhou Yu relentless attacks was virtually impossible! Yet, despite the perilous situation, Moke showed no sign of fear.

A furious shout rang out—"Tempest Kick..." Colonel Wild Dog suddenly turned around, and at the same time, his right leg lashed out with lightning speed. A blue, arc-shaped blade of air shot out, flying straight toward Moke with a sharp whistling sound.

In that instant, time seemed to freeze, but Moke's reaction was as swift as Inazuma. All anyone saw was his right hand gripping the cold hilt of the sword at his waist with lightning speed. At the same time, a piercing metallic scraping sound suddenly rang out, like a breathtaking melody. And the renowned Sandai Kitetsu, in that instant, was drawn from its sheath like a wild horse!

Immediately afterward, Moke swung his right arm without hesitation, the sharp blade in his hand drawing a cold arc in the air. The flash of cold light actually blocked the fierce and Gale Tempest Kick Slash!

A deafening clang, like a thunderclap, echoed through the sky. The impact of the collision was earth-shattering, making the eardrums of those nearby buzz. Sparks flew everywhere, like dazzling Mars blooming in the night sky, illuminating the entire battlefield.

Although Moke successfully withstood the terrifying blow thanks to his astonishing reaction speed and superb swordsmanship, the overwhelming force of the impact was still astonishing. Under the influence of this force, Moke was forced to Rewind-Rewind backward, each step leaving a deep footprint in the ground. In the blink of an eye, he had already retreated four or five meters.

However, before Moke could even regain his footing and adjust his posture, the Wild Dog Colonel opposite him naturally wouldn't miss such a golden opportunity to attack. He suddenly exerted force with his feet, his body swayed, and he unleashed the most mysterious and unpredictable move among the Six Powers— "Shave".

In an instant, Colonel Wild Dog vanished from his spot like a ghost, as if he had never been there at all. The next instant, however, he reappeared silently behind Moke, moving so fast that no one had time to react.

"Shigan..." Colonel Wild Dog's index finger, like an incredibly sharp spear, aimed straight at the back of Moke's head and stabbed fiercely. This finger contained extremely terrifying power; if it hit, the consequences would be unimaginable!