A sharp crack of breaking bones rang out.
Hale Nock spat out a mouthful of blood:
"Argh..."
The pitch-black lava pressed him down toward a small deserted island below.
Hale Nock forced down his panic and looked at the rapidly approaching ground.
He knew he would certainly die if he slammed into it.
He ignored his limbs, which Sakazuki had locked in place with Armament Haki-coated lava.
He took a deep breath:
"Steam Execution!"
He would rather lose his limbs than his life.
His body rapidly reddened, swelling in size.
Just then, Sakazuki's indifferent voice came from within the pitch-black lava:
"Lava Burst Orb."
The pitch-black lava quickly faded to red.
A hundred meters above the island, both men detonated themselves at once.
Steam and lava instantly expanded to the size of the island.
White steam mingled with red lava.
In just three seconds.
The white steam collapsed completely.
Vast amounts of lava invaded the steam's territory and blasted it apart.
The sky, once divided between white and red, was instantly engulfed in red.
Magma rained down from the sky.
The entire island became a hell of magma.
Hale Nock hit the ground and rolled countless times.
Only then did he struggle to his feet:
"Cough, cough..."
He kept coughing up blood.
He casually created a cloud of steam and slumped onto it, panting heavily:
"Huff... huff..."
He looked up at Sakazuki, who was slowly approaching.
Yet there was no longer any fear on his face, only a faint smile.
Sakazuki stopped in front of Hale Nock and saw his expression:
"Oh? Not afraid to die?"
Hale Nock's mouth curled:
"Heh..."
"I should have died when I hit the ground."
"But I didn't."
"That means I still have value."
"I just wonder what I'll have to pay."
"Marine."
Sakazuki chuckled: