Taking Leave to Rest, Heading to the Holy Land

As Roya's words fell, he struck.

Evening Elephant!

It was one of the ultimate techniques of the Eighth Gate, the Gate of Death!

Its destructive power was immense.

Roya appeared behind Dragon and drove a fist toward his abdomen.

A powerful Air Cannon entered Dragon's Observation Haki senses.

The Air Cannon kept accelerating!

Its speed climbed from one to five at a terrifying rate.

In Roya's earlier tests, even the first level had been enough to injure Dragon and devastate the ground.

That was why Roya aimed this punch upward!

Which meant—

Boom!

At the last possible moment, Dragon unleashed his strongest Armament Haki.

He coated his abdomen with it.

Only then did he barely manage to withstand Roya's attack.

But that did not change the fact that Roya's blow had struck him in the abdomen.

The tremendous force sent Dragon flying into the sky.

Once Dragon reached a certain height, the Air Cannon suddenly exploded.

Rumble!

The air rippled.

Explosive force burst outward in every direction.

The raging wind swept away the thick clouds covering the sky.

"I've only seen power this terrifying from Admiral Roya, but this is completely different from Roya's abilities!"

"So that isn't Roya! Is King Lila XIII really this strong?"

Dragon felt as though his organs had been thrown into chaos.

The pain of his displaced organs left his mind blank.

Even so, Dragon knew he had to retreat immediately!

He had never expected a moment's carelessness to leave him so badly wounded!

His injury would keep delaying the Revolutionary Army's plans.

And that was exactly what Roya wanted.

As long as the Revolutionary Army's progress slowed, he and the Dawn-and-Dusk Bird would have more time to grow stronger.

By the time Dragon recovered and was ready to make his next move, he would