Ma Chao hovered in midair, his turbine tail slowly turning as his energy and stamina recovered at an astonishing rate. Unleashing killing moves like "Thunder Halberd · Azure Thunder Piercing Strike" in rapid succession had left even his formidable dragon-human physique needing a moment to catch his breath. But the Zekrom Fruit had granted him not only destructive thunderous power, but also seemingly bottomless reserves of endurance, like a perpetual-motion machine, and hyperfast regeneration. In just a breath or two, his breathing, slightly disrupted by that instant of ferocious output, had become long and powerful again. Dark blue arcs brightened once more over the dragon-scale armor covering his body, and his slit pupils, burning with indigo lightning, fixed on the three Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals below.
"Three left." His gaze swept over Stoberry, Yamakaji, and Momonga as he raised the Tiger-Head Gilt Spear again. "The next strike will end this battle."
Stoberry drew a deep breath and suddenly plunged his two curved swords into the ice. "Looks like I have no choice but to use that move." He pressed his palms together, his muscles swelling unnaturally and his skin turning bright red! "Life Return · Fleeting Beauty!"
Only someone who had mastered Life Return to its utmost limits could use this move, controlling their entire body while intensely taxing their internal organs and consuming their life force-a technique used only when staking their life.
Seeing this, Yamakaji and Momonga unleashed the same technique without hesitation! The three men's auras abruptly surged, their Haki becoming even more condensed!
"For the Marines' justice!" the three roared, charging at Ma Chao again from three directions! Their speed and strength had more than doubled!
"Death throes?" A muffled laugh came from beneath Ma Chao's dragon-head faceplate, carrying a hint of mockery and, even more,