On-the-Spot Reactions

"Boom..." With a deafening roar, the figure, like an indestructible mountain, withstood the thunderous blow! However, even such a powerful being could not completely withstand the overwhelming force of the impact. His body was like a leaf caught in Gale, involuntarily flying backward at high speed. Each step he took left deep footprints and cracks in the ground, as if the earth itself trembled from the terrifying power.

After being knocked back more than ten meters, he finally managed to stop. But he looked rather disheveled, his clothes torn, his hair disheveled, and a trickle of blood even seeping from the corner of his mouth. Just when everyone thought he was exhausted, he suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with an indomitable light. Then, with all his might, he thrust his head upwards, a thrust as powerful as a dragon emerging from the sea or a tiger bursting from the forest, carrying unparalleled might.

With a muffled "bang," Moke's fierce slash, which had been hurtling towards him, was actually deflected into the air by his head! The incredibly sharp slash, like a wild horse out of control, shot straight into the sky. Finally, it exploded in mid-air, the enormous energy from the explosion instantly scattering the surrounding clouds into countless white fragments that disappeared into the horizon.

Just then, Loki seized Inazuma opportunity and swiftly rushed to Moke's left side. He raised his right leg high, like a ferocious python whipping its tail, unleashing a powerful whip kick aimed directly at Moke's abdomen. Faced with this sudden attack, Moke remained calm and composed. With a slight flick of his wrist, his Shusui Sword was perfectly positioned in front of him.

A crisp clang rang out as Loki's powerful whip kick slammed solidly into the Shusui Sword. However, to Loki's surprise, his full-force strike not only failed to break through Moke's defenses but was instead bounced back by a powerful recoil. Nevertheless, Loki was a seasoned veteran, and his reaction time in combat was incredibly fast. He used the recoil to execute a beautiful 360-degree spin in mid-air. Then, he unleashed another powerful kick, aiming a vicious strike at the back of Moke's head.

"Whoosh..." Loki's movements were as fast as the wind, but Moke's speed was even more unimaginable. Almost at the same time as Loki made his move, Moke swung his Shusui Sword in a backhand motion, a flash of cold light, slashing straight at Loki's kicking leg. In an instant, the air seemed to be torn apart by this sword, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

"Not good..." Loki thought to himself, his pupils contracted sharply, and a layer of sweat even appeared on his forehead. Because at this moment, the fatal attack was already close at hand, and he had no time to make an effective dodge.

In the face of death, Loki roared, "Armament Hardening!" Despite his usual arrogance and unruliness, he dared not be so careless as to use his fragile body to directly withstand such a fierce attack. After all, he was not the legendary Strongest Creature — Kaido!

In an instant, dense Armament Haki coiled around Loki's legs like a black python. However, even so, when the sword light slashed down on him, he still felt an irresistible force surging towards him.

With a loud crash, Loki was sent flying like a kite with a broken string. In mid-air, he completely lost his balance, his body spinning uncontrollably before crashing heavily onto the hard ground.

The immense impact created a deep, human-shaped crater in the ground, sending dust billowing up like a mini sandstorm. This demonstrates just how terrifying the power contained in Moke's sword strike was.

Loki's legs trembled uncontrollably, swaying precariously like a candle in the wind. Clearly, he had suffered a severe injury; each muscle spasm transmitted excruciating pain, yet he gritted his teeth and stubbornly endured the agony.

Suddenly, Loki took a deep breath and slammed his hands heavily onto the ground like hammers. With a muffled thud, the powerful recoil instantly launched him into the air. Like an arrow released from a bow, he leaped up, arcing through the air before finally regaining his footing.

When Loki's gaze fell on Moke again, his eyes had undergone a dramatic change. The arrogant, domineering, and disdainful expression he once had, now vanished like morning mist meeting the sun. In its place was a deep sense of fear, as if he had seen his natural enemy.

Then, Loki slowly turned his head and cast his gaze toward his brother not far away. In his eyes, at this moment, facing such a terrifyingly powerful enemy— Moke— whose absolute power was being displayed, perhaps only his own brother had even the slightest chance of contending with him.

Almost at the same moment, Martin, as if by telepathy, also turned to look at Loki. Their eyes met, and without a word, they understood each other's thoughts. Then, they nodded in perfect unison, as if they had reached some kind of consensus.

No sooner said than done! Loki first bent his knees slightly, then suddenly exerted force, his entire body shooting straight into the sky like a rocket, reaching high in the air in the blink of an eye. Then, his legs began to spin rapidly like a windmill, and he continuously swung them forcefully at Moke below.

Loki flashed, moving like a ghost. With each movement, a series of incredibly sharp and powerful Tempest Kick Slash roared out like Inazuma, slicing across the sky at astonishing speed. These Tempest Kick Slash seemed to possess the power to destroy everything; wherever they passed, even the air could not withstand the terrifying pressure and was instantly torn apart, emitting sharp and ear-piercing explosions, like Mamaragan, deafening and chilling to the bone.

Faced with such a fierce attack, Moke's eyes widened in astonishment, and he even involuntarily blurted out, "Holy crap..." He stood there dumbfounded, muttering to himself, "Does this mean that these days, if you don't know a Six Powers, you're not even qualified to be a villain? Why was that Slaver Group we encountered before like this too!"

Just then, Martin, who had transformed into a giant wild boar, was not to be outdone. He opened his blood-red maw, and a powerful force surged within his throat, constantly gathering and compressing. In the blink of an eye, a huge energy ball formed in his mouth and shot towards Moke with lightning speed. The energy ball shone with dazzling light, and the energy fluctuations it contained caused the surrounding space to slightly distort and deform.

However, Moke was not intimidated by the scene before him. On the contrary, a slight sneer appeared on his lips, "Heh... you're really naive, actually treating me like an easy target? Since that's the case, then today I'll show you just how sharp this blade in my hand really is!" Before he finished speaking, a thick layer of black Ghost Aura surged from Moke's body, enveloping him like billowing black smoke. He gripped the long blade tightly, his eyes becoming sharp and focused, and his entire being exuded a chilling aura.

"Whoosh..." His eyes were fixed sharply on the Shine energy ball, his arm muscles tensed, and he suddenly swung his gleaming longsword, slashing fiercely at the energy ball. In an instant, a powerful slash, like a thunderbolt, burst forth with a piercing sound.

The slash was incredibly powerful, cleaving the energy ball in two with overwhelming force. However, its power did not dissipate; instead, like a ferocious beast, it continued its relentless charge towards Martin.

Faced with such a fierce attack, he remained calm in the slightest. His hands moved swiftly, and the Shusui Sword in his hands darted and intertwined in the air like a nimble fish, weaving an impenetrable sword net in the blink of an eye.

At the same time, a series of fierce slashes from the Tempest Kick came whistling in, but when they hit the sword net, they were all deflected or shattered, unable to break through this solid defense.

"Roar..." Martin let out another deafening roar, his eyes wide open, his face revealing a resolute look, and he charged towards Moke again without hesitation. Clearly, he wanted to use his strong body and fearless courage to block this attack, just as he had withstood Moke's attack earlier.

Unfortunately, Martin completely underestimated Moke's strength when he got serious. Just as he charged headlong into that terrifying slash, there were two crisp "crack" sounds, and his two hard, sharp fangs were instantly severed. Then, the huge impact hit him, causing his entire body to fly backward like a kite with a broken string.

Finally, with a deafening "bang," Martin crashed heavily onto the hard ground more than ten meters away, like a cannonball. Instantly, dust billowed up, like a yellow sandstorm sweeping across the sky, blotting out the sun. And with this extremely violent impact, Martin's previously twisted and deformed body involuntarily began to slowly return to its original shape.

However, what was shocking at this moment was a huge, deep, and gruesome wound on Martin's body! This wound was like a terrifying ravine, stretching from the top of his head all the way to his abdomen, almost splitting him completely in two. Blood gushed out like a spring, instantly staining the ground beneath him red, forming a horrifying pool of blood.

"Martin..." Seeing such a horrific scene, Loki was heartbroken and cried out in anguish. When he turned to look at Moke again, his face filled with shock and fear, his eyes were now filled with endless hatred and deep terror. After all, if Moke could kill the powerful Martin with a single strike so easily, it meant that he possessed the same ability and could kill him in an instant as well.

But then, something unexpected happened. Moke ignored Loki's hostile gaze, instead frowning slightly. His sharp, hawk-like eyes swept past Loki, fixing on a distant corner, and he coldly said, "I thought you were with those two. Turns out, you were plotting something like this—trying to reap the benefits without lifting a finger!"

Upon hearing this, Loki was immediately shocked, his heart filled with turmoil. He never imagined that while they were carefully following Moke, there was another person lurking silently in the shadows, relentlessly pursuing them like a ghost.

"Heh..." Accompanied by this mocking chuckle, a tall and imposing figure slowly emerged from the shadows. The figure was like a moving mountain, giving off an invisible sense of oppression.

"As expected of the famous Shichibukai, your vigilance is quite unexpected!" The newcomer's voice was deep and magnetic, as if every word carried a heavy weight.

At this moment, Moke finally saw the newcomer's face clearly and was shocked. "Holy crap... it's Doflamingo's right-hand man— Vergo!"

Just then, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Moke, and he instantly remembered the mysterious silhouette he had seen in the tavern earlier. Now, thinking back carefully, wasn't that the guy in front of him? No wonder he felt a strange sense of familiarity back then! Of course! Although he had never directly interacted with this guy, as a veteran One Piece fan, he was naturally very familiar with such an important character as Vergo.

It's important to understand that Vergo is a truly outstanding character in the entire world of One Piece. He's not only incredibly strong and ruthless, but also meticulous and exceptionally intelligent, leaving a lasting impression. However, what puzzled Moke was why this formidable figure was here. Was he also after some secret or treasure? Or was he on some special mission ordered by Doflamingo? Countless questions flooded his mind, making Moke's already tense nerves even more strained.

Just then, Vergo turned his gaze to Martin, who had already lost all life, paused for a moment, and then looked up at Loki, who was hovering in the air. A slight smile played on his lips as he added, "Hey, I really have to thank you properly. You actually helped me complete half the task. That saved me a lot of trouble!"

Upon hearing this, Moke, standing to the side, initially looked puzzled, but quickly Satori what was going on. He thought to himself, "So that's how it is. Vergo's target this time is Loki and Martin."

At this moment, Loki, suspended in mid-air, grew increasingly uneasy. He stared wide-eyed at Vergo, his voice trembling slightly as he asked, "Vice Admiral Vergo... what do you mean by this?" However, in response to Loki's question, Vergo merely smiled faintly and replied, "Hmph, from the day you and Rear Admiral Martin chose to defect, you should have foreseen this situation."

Upon hearing this, Moke's eyes narrowed involuntarily, his mind racing. "Oh, I see. Loki and Martin are actually traitors to the Navy. No wonder I've been wondering how just any pirate could use such a confidential Navy technique as the Six Powers! Now I finally understand why."

With a loud "bang," Vergo suddenly launched his attack. He stomped his foot, and the powerful force instantly caused the ground beneath his feet to collapse. He himself shot off like an arrow at an astonishing speed towards Loki in the air.

Upon seeing this, Loki's expression changed drastically, his initial unease instantly replaced by a ferocious look. He gritted his teeth and roared, "Do you really think I'm afraid of you? Take this— Armament Hardening!" As his voice fell, a layer of black light emanated from Loki's body, clearly indicating that he had activated some kind of defensive skill, preparing to meet Vergo's fierce attack.

He took a deep breath, his leg muscles instantly tensing, a layer of jet-black Armament Haki rapidly covering them. Then, he flashed forward like Inazuma, rushing towards the charging Vergo, his right leg raised high, slashing down with a sharp gust of wind and unparalleled power.

"Hmph, you're really naive! Do you really think that just by eating a Devil Fruit, you can team up with a strongman like me to kill the Shichibukai and take their place? That's just wishful thinking! Even a true master wouldn't dare to have such an arrogant idea, let alone someone as lowly as you!" He sneered as he swung his right leg without any mercy.

"Today I'm going to make you understand that no matter what kind of Devil Fruit you eat, it will never change the fact that you're a worthless piece of trash!" As he finished speaking, his right leg shot out like a black dragon, colliding head-on with Vergo.

A crisp "crack..." echoed throughout the arena, a sound that seemed to pierce the soul, sending chills down everyone's spine. Loki's expression changed drastically; large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his jaw clenched, clearly enduring immense pain. At the same time, his once impenetrable defense crumbled instantly, unable to withstand Vergo's ferocious onslaught.

"Bang!" A deafening, muffled thud resounded, as shocking as a bolt from the blue. Loki was sent flying like a cannonball with a lit fuse, his speed and force astounding. The immense impact sent Loki tracing a long arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the hard ground some distance away.

As Loki's body slammed into the ground, a violent tremor erupted, sending up a cloud of dust that blotted out the sky, as if a sudden sandstorm had swept in. The dust swirled everywhere, making it almost impossible to see what was happening.

However, this fierce battle was far from over. Vergo, this powerful and ruthless opponent, was clearly not going to let Loki, who was already at a disadvantage, off the hook so easily. The moment Loki landed, Vergo launched a new and fierce attack without hesitation.

With a light tap of his foot, he moved with ghostly speed. In the blink of an eye, he streaked across the sky like Inazuma, instantly appearing before Loki with a fierce aura. At this moment, Vergo exuded a chilling aura, his murderous eyes fixed on his prey— Loki.

Immediately afterwards, Vergo raised his right hand and tightly pressed his index fingers together, forming an extremely sharp, spear-like weapon. At the same time, his fingertips began to gleam with a cold, piercing light, as if this spear made of fingers contained endless destructive power.

"Shigan— " With a deep, angry roar from Vergo, he swung his arm violently, and his previously Fudō fingers suddenly unleashed an extremely terrifying force. This force surged forth like a wild horse, and shot towards Loki's throat with lightning speed, like an arrow released from a bow or a bullet fired from a gun!

At this moment, poor Loki lay sprawled on the cold, hard ground, covered in wounds, his former power and agility completely gone. Faced with such a sudden and incredibly swift attack, he didn't even have time to blink, and could only stare blankly at the approaching deadly finger, as if time had frozen at that moment.

Moke, who had been standing quietly watching from the sidelines, suddenly had his pupils contract sharply when he saw Vergo unleash this incredibly powerful attack. He couldn't help but inwardly groan in Dark-Dark Fruit.

You have to understand, Vergo is no ordinary person! As Doflamingo's top henchman, his strength is terrifying. Just look at his attack just now—it was Inazuma and unstoppable! No wonder he's made such a name for himself in the martial arts world.

Furthermore, according to Moke, in the original work, this Lord Vergo once easily defeated Smoker and Law, among many other powerful opponents, all by himself. If it weren't for his momentary carelessness, or his Armament Haki, and perhaps his underestimation of Law's special abilities, which led him to foolishly choose to take the blows with his own body... otherwise, given the circumstances at the time, Law probably wouldn't have had even the slightest chance to retaliate!

However, before Moke could recover from his shock, a sharp "whoosh" sounded as a fierce slash, like Inazuma, hurtled straight towards him...