Above the island, Gern watched coldly as the pale seismic blast swallowed Oden.
High-frequency shock waves tore countless fine cracks through the air, twisting even the light into eerie rainbow hues.
Oden possessed talent almost on par with Roger's-the three types of Haki, the Voice of All Things, and a near-monstrous physique.
But one would develop a terminal illness, while the other had strength without brains and relied on instinct for everything.
"As expected of the future 'Boil King'..." Gern gave a quiet, cold snort, his fingertips trembling slightly as he sensed the feedback from the shock waves.
Back when Zephyr had faced his high-frequency vibration field on the training grounds, he had coated himself in Armament Haki and immediately withdrawn from its range. Yet Oden remained standing, neither dodging nor retreating, taking every hit head-on.
Though his entire body appeared coated in Armament Haki Hardening, his muscles knotted like steel, Gern knew.
His vibrations were nothing like the attacks of other Logia users.
Defending against them briefly was fine, but prolonged, relentless impacts could penetrate those defenses and directly shake the bones, flesh, and internal organs!
Armament Haki could not hold out for long!!
"So you can't take it anymore either, can you?"
Amid the dust, Oden swayed slightly, blood pouring wildly from wounds all over his body.
Yet his eyes still burned with fighting spirit. In fact... he looked even more crazed.
At that very moment, Kozuki Oden even considered it an honor to withstand Gern's attacks!!
So against a powerful fighter who "barely used his brain," Gern did not even need to clash head-on.
His Observation Haki already blanketed the area. Every faint vibration in the air served as his "eyes."
Oden's breathing rhythm, his muscle contractions, even the faint tremors of his flowing blood-all were within