The Finishing Blow

Thinking back on the fight just now, when it came to physical strength,

only Kaido could have matched him.

But this guy seemed to be a Pureblood Human, unlike Kaido.

Sometimes the gap between two people was wider than the gap between a person and a dog.

Without the power of the Talismans, Atlas's body would have topped out at the strength of an ordinary Vice Admiral.

Maybe not even that!!

Bzzzz—!!!

All at once, the air around them seemed to solidify. A fierce aura surged from underground, and the island began trembling like a frightened quail.

"This is..."

Crocodile's gaze sharpened. Instinctively, he looked toward the battlefield.

"Conqueror's Haki. Terrifying stuff."

Jot took another swig of liquor, though his eyes were perfectly clear.

Boom—!!!

The invisible pressure became almost tangible. Black lightning filled the island and bore down on the Pirates there!

Thud—!!!

Already gripped by panic, the Pirates finally buckled under the assault on their wills. One after another, they toppled backward and passed out.

Onigumo and the other marines did not land to finish them off.

They had been caught in it too, despite the distance between them.

Rumble—!!!

The earth shook, and the landscape cracked apart.

A towering figure burst through the ground and shot skyward, an unhealed wound still visible on his body.

Bullet!!

Atlas studied Bullet. A terrifying aura radiated from him, deep and oppressive, while black lightning danced around him.

But something had changed. The black-purple Haki that had covered his body before was no longer the same.

The purple had deepened. Lightning-like markings climbed from his lower abdomen to his forehead, where they finally stopped.

The seams between his muscles had darkened, giving his whole body sharper definition, as though he had put on armor!!

"Conqueror's Haki... wrapped around his entire body?!!"