Fierce battle, composure, the bearing of a conqueror! (continued)

Every part of her body was absurdly hard. Only after the flames behind her head went out would her body become soft again.

Naito had experienced that firsthand when he first transmigrated a year ago.

"Mountain Splitter!"

Completely ignoring Naito's attacks, Luna swung her greatsword relentlessly. Its heavy blade chopped down at his head, and though she still couldn't harden it, Armament Haki still coated it.

"Tempest Kick!"

Naito planted his right foot, twisted his body and drove his left leg with his waist, snapping it straight against the greatsword like a steel whip.

The kick knocked the greatsword off course again. Naito then forced his body to twist in a way that defied physics, closing the distance to Luna.

Life Return!

His pitch-black fist slammed into Luna's face without mercy.

Then the storm came again!

Naito's entire body became a weapon. Coating his fists, feet, knees, elbows and shoulders in Haki, he unleashed a furious barrage on Luna.

Luna's response was even simpler and more direct.

She made no attempt to defend herself, simply swinging her sword at Naito again and again.

He attacked her, and she attacked him.

"Rokuogan!"

Naito knocked Luna's greatsword aside once more and pressed both hands against her lower abdomen.

A violent shock wave burst forth.

"Ugh!"

Luna frowned slightly, and her tall body was sent flying.

Still no effect?

Naito clicked his tongue.

Without using projection, that was his strongest attack.

A penetrating technique like that should have been particularly effective against physical defenses.

Still, it didn't matter. The purity of things like strength and defense was too low.

For true top-tier fighters, Haki was the truly decisive power. Otherwise, how could Rocks have traded blows with Harald? How could Red Hair have captured Loki?

Of course, a powerful Devil Fruit on top of powerful Haki would be perfect.

Not far behind Naito, Ain clenched her teeth. Even that technique didn't work on this woman?

Her defense was too strange. Even Naito couldn't do anything about her.

In that case, while she was still flying back!

"Return!"

Red light flickered around Ain's hands. She flung them forward, sending two balls of flame straight at Luna.

Luna, who had been sent flying, beat her wings and rose into the air. At that moment, flames surged over the greatsword in her hands.

The dark red flames were as viscous as magma, and their searing heat spread outward.

She simply held her greatsword crosswise, easily blocking both of Ain's flames.

The flames struck by the red fireballs vanished for an instant, erased by Return, but the next moment they began surging again.

"Flames?"

"Is that a Devil Fruit ability?" Anthony asked in surprise.

"Perhaps,"

Salt guessed, "it's another innate ability of the Lunarian Tribe?"

"How could that be-"

Anthony managed a strained smile.

Surely there couldn't be such a terrifying race?

"You're in my way. Caressing Slash!"

The greatsword chopped down, and the viscous flames became a tremendous flaming slash that hurtled straight at Ain.

Ain's pupils contracted.

"Ain, get back! Tempest Kick: White Lightning!"

Naito leaped up, placing himself in the slash's path.

He swung his right leg with all his might, sending a narrow vacuum wave shooting out like a laser. An instant later, it pierced straight through the flaming slash, reducing it to sparks that scattered across the sky.

Amid the scattering flames, a figure trailing a long tail of fire descended like a meteor.

Luna gripped her greatsword in both hands, flames gushing constantly from its blade. "Burning City!"

Naito's body turned pitch-black in an instant.

Though hardening his entire body was the most wasteful way to use Haki, all he could do now was take the blow head-on.

Naito raised his fist high.

All distracting thoughts vanished at that instant.

The conviction to press ever forward, the will to remain true to his heart, and sincerity held nothing back.

He poured everything into that punch.

Serious Punch!

Then Naito threw his punch.

The instant fist and greatsword collided, the world seemed to stand still.

Then, amid a thunderous roar, black lightning leaped.

Violent flames spread like a tsunami, forming an enormous fireball that swallowed Naito in an instant.

"Naito!!"

The spreading blast sent Ain flying, and she called Naito's name in a near scream.

Her call had an effect.

At the center of the spreading flames, an enormous gap suddenly burst open in the roiling blaze, and a figure shot backward into the sky.

Pitch-black from head to toe, Naito stepped on the air to propel himself upward and slowly let out a breath.

That was hot.

Still, Luna's ability in a head-on fight really was a little weaker than his own.

That made sense. She had only trained for a year too, and her stamina, strength, Haki and even her innate flames weren't all that strong yet.

"Naito!"

Clambering awkwardly to her feet, Ain finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Naito was unharmed.

In midair, Luna beat her wings to steady herself and raised her greatsword for a look. Only half of it remained; the front half of the blade had flown off to who knew where.

"That was one powerful punch."

On the deck, Anthony remarked, "That kid's strong. I doubt it would be easy for me to take him down either."

"Hey! What's that?!"

Salt pointed at the sky nearby.

In the distant sky, a dark figure was speeding toward them, stepping on the air.

Buckingham took a closer look, and her expression changed at once. "It's Zephyr!"

"Zephyr?"

Anthony and Salt shuddered at the mere mention of the name. "Black Arm Zephyr?"

"Does that mean it's about time?"

Buckingham narrowed her eyes and looked at Naito and Luna, who were facing each other across the distance.

Zephyr was here. The act should be over by now, shouldn't it?

She cleared her throat and shouted in feigned panic, "Miss Luna! The coating has finished inflating! We can set sail!"

Hearing that, Luna glanced at Naito, then turned without hesitation and flew toward the ship.

"You're not getting away!!"

Up in the sky, Zephyr roared. He had come charging almost all the way from the other side of the island, and his speed suddenly increased again.

"Teacher Zephyr!!"

Ain was so excited she nearly cried.

He was finally here!

"He's here?"

Naito slowly let out a breath.

Though his fight with Luna had been intense, only a few minutes had passed in all.

In that case, it was time for this act to end.

"You're not getting away!"

Naito stepped on the air and pursued Luna.

Without looking back, Luna said, "Weevil."

"Weevil! Quick!"

On the deck, Buckingham called to her son. "Stop that kid!"

"Okay, Mom!"

The next instant, a tremendous shock wave swept past Luna and blasted straight toward Naito.

Naturally, Naito could only be helplessly sent flying.

At the same time, Luna had returned to the ship. The coating had fully inflated, and the seawater's buoyancy no longer had any effect on the ship. It had already begun to submerge.

"You bastards! Stop right there!"

Fortunately, Zephyr arrived at that crucial moment, hurtling down toward the ship like a meteor.

He was in time!

Rather, these escapees were courting death. Many of them were Devil Fruit users; as long as he shattered the coating while they were submerging, they were finished!

On the deck, the escapees realized this too.