The air suddenly seemed to grow heavy and oppressive, like the calm before a storm.
The pirates kept retreating, but even they stopped, held their breath, and watched the scene unfold.
Crack!
Power surged through Jozu, and his presence grew more formidable. Even the ground beneath his feet could no longer bear his weight. Cracks appeared and kept spreading.
Across from him, Jesus Burgess wore a broad grin, but his body had already tensed. He focused on Jozu, ready to meet his attack at any moment. The man was a division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, after all. If Burgess underestimated him, he would be the one to die.
Suddenly!
Jozu's diamond body seemed to flash. He moved, and the ground where he had stood shattered, sending countless fragments of stone flying in every direction.
He vanished from the spot and hurled his indestructible diamond body straight at Jesus Burgess.
"Shining Crash!"
Jozu charged like an Elder Mammoth, bearing down with terrifying force. He had yet to reach Burgess, but the powerful wind pressure had already swept ahead of him.
"Hahahaha! Now that's the kind of strength worthy of a Whitebeard division commander!" Jesus Burgess laughed, though his eyes had turned serious.
The outcome of taking that indestructible diamond charge with his bare body was easy to imagine.
To withstand the attack, he needed to make his own body just as indestructible!
Jesus Burgess's presence changed in an instant. He lowered his body slightly, and both feet sank into the ground!
Hum. Armament Haki wrapped around Jesus Burgess's arm. At that moment, his body became indestructible too. That was the power of Haki!
Armament Haki Hardening!
"Come on, then! Let's see which of us is stronger!" Jesus Burgess roared. He swung his arm forward, sending a powerful shock wave at