Faced with Akainu's surprise attack, Lorne merely raised his head slightly within the smoke. Facing the scalding giant magma hound hurtling toward him, he abruptly clenched the five fingers of his right hand into a fist.
Golden light danced wildly over his knuckles, and the ice beneath his feet shattered in an instant.
"Decimating Smash!"
Lorne gave a low shout and drove his right fist straight into the giant lava hound.
The punch whipped up a violent gust that instantly scattered the surrounding smoke.
Boom!
Fist and magma collided with a piercing hiss. Scalding lava splashed everywhere, melting deep pits into the ice.
Akainu's body stalled slightly in midair. When he landed, spiderweb cracks spread across the ice beneath his feet.
Looking at the unscathed Lorne, Akainu's face darkened thunderously. "Lorne, you traitor to the Marines, today is the day you die!"
Lorne drew back his right fist and looked calmly at Akainu. "Sakazuki, all you ever do is flood the ground with magma. My justice isn't defined by your ranks."
Akainu laughed in his fury, the lava flowing over his body growing more violent. "The path of justice has no need for the doubts of the weak! Any sacrifice is worthwhile if it means eradicating evil!"
Lorne sneered. "So you can kill even your colleagues without hesitation? What a pathetic puppet."
Akainu flew into a rage. His right arm swelled again, transforming into scalding lava. "Hell Hound!"
The enormous lava fist came crashing toward Lorne, blotting out the sky. Its scorching heat warped the surrounding air.
Lorne did not retreat a single step, while his golden Grit climbed wildly under the searing heat.
The surrounding Marines backed away in terror, afraid of being caught in that horrifying heat.
"Get back! Admiral Akainu's lava is too hot! We can't even