Whoosh!
Both men vanished.
They reappeared in midair, right between the separated tips of the Cliff-Splitting Sword.
Clang!
The Clash of Metal rang out as Sakazuki and Whitebeard clashed blades.
Blade energy and black-purple lightning unleashed by Conqueror's Haki scattered everywhere as they remained locked together, falling through the air.
Behind them, the two black lava sword points began cracking and crumbling inch by inch.
Countless chunks of collapsing rock rained down on them.
Locked in their clash, the two stared fiercely at each other, the killing intent in their eyes almost tangible.
Suddenly, Sakazuki drew a deep breath.
His chest swelled before he exhaled sharply.
Whoosh!!!
Compressed black smoke and volcanic ash shot from Sakazuki's mouth like an air cannon, then burst outward.
Viewed from afar.
Around the solidified Cliff-Splitting Sword, a thousand meters up, an enormous black disc seemed to hang in midair.
Lightning and blade energy tore through the endless gray haze and black smoke.
It resembled a thundercloud that would destroy the world.
Within the smoke, neither man could see.
But their powerful Observation Haki still let them track each other's movements.
Whitebeard activated his power in his left hand and swept it toward a certain spot. The air shattered, sending endless shock waves surging forward.
Sakazuki stamped down, bursting the air beneath his foot, and flashed aside to evade Whitebeard's shock waves.
The powerful shock waves tore a huge hole through the smoke, but air rushing back in carried gray ash and thick smoke with it, filling the gap in an instant.
The battle continued, countless flashes of lightning and explosions erupting within the black cloud.
Far away, Sengoku bounded through the air in his golden Buddha form, frowning deeply at the black cloud overhead.
Kweel's presence was growing weaker and weaker in his