The Power of a Single Strike

However, so-called normal circumstances were nothing more than a false proposition. Even without using the Chakra system, whose power surpassed the Haki system, Yota possessed three Devil Fruit abilities, making him an anomaly even among pirates.

"The fact that I couldn’t awaken Conqueror’s Haki really disappointed me. Still, fortunately, I have other ways to make up for it." Yota smiled as layers of dragon scales grew over his body. Moments later, he transformed into a half-dragon, his height increasing dramatically until he stood nearly four meters tall.

"Kaido’s bratty Azure Dragon Fruit? In that case, I’ll have to go all out too. Be careful, Yota!"

Whitebeard shouted, raising Murakumogiri from where it had been planted in the ground. White light and black lightning intertwined, brimming with terrifying energy that sent chills down one’s spine as they crashed down from above.

Yota let out a long roar. A top-tier Mythical Zoan-type like the Azure Dragon Fruit still had some influence on its user’s personality. Even with Yota’s great strength, he was still affected somewhat by the dragon’s nature, becoming more violent and slightly arrogant.

At that moment, strange black energy radiated from his hand. Rather than dodging, he threw a punch straight at it.

When the black aura met the white sphere of light, it quickly swallowed it, but it also dissipated into nothingness. All that remained was Murakumogiri, wrapped in intense Conqueror’s Haki, colliding with Yota’s Azure Dragon claw, coated in jet-black Armament Haki.

The greatest sounds were silent. Their clash did not erupt with any violent noise, yet the howling winds around them suddenly fell still. Since the sky was filled with stars tonight and not a single cloud stretched across it, the classic sight of the Sky Split did not appear either.

However, moments later, a low muffled boom rang out. The ground beneath their feet shattered instantly, and enormous cracks tore across the entire deserted island.

Relying on the physical advantage granted by his half-dragon transformation and using the Dark-Dark Fruit to negate the Tremor-Tremor Fruit’s power, Yota finally matched Whitebeard’s Conqueror’s Haki blow for blow. Then, both men took several steps back.

A trace of shock flashed through Whitebeard’s eyes. A thousand words could not compare to experiencing it firsthand; only now did he truly feel the extent of Yota’s astonishing progress.

"So this is another one of your Devil Fruit abilities? It seems your so-called multiple Devil Fruit abilities don’t just mean two." Recalling the black mist that had swallowed the shockwave in his hand, Whitebeard spoke.

"Of course. As a pirate, you always have to keep a few trump cards hidden," Yota said with a smile. "Are we continuing, Pops?"

"Gurararara! Of course! But this time, I want to see the peak of your strength!" Whitebeard laughed heartily, then looked at Yota with a more serious expression.

"I want to truly witness the scenery at a higher level!"

Yota fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "Then… Pops, don’t let it discourage you."

"Come at me with everything you’ve got!"

Taking a deep breath, Yota circulated violent Chakra through his body, and his eyes instantly transformed into Rinnegan.

"Six Paths Lightning Release Chakra Mode!"

"Eight Gates Formation!"

"Majestic Attire—Susanoo Armor!"

Each time he activated another enhancement ninjutsu, Yota’s aura surged dramatically. Even without any ability to sense Chakra, Whitebeard still felt as though he were standing before a volcano.

Golden lightning flashed, illuminating the entire deserted island. The Chakra overflowing from Yota’s body blasted a semicircular depression into the ground beneath his feet.

The dark Chakra armor, compressed to the extreme, appeared almost sacred beneath the golden radiance, gleaming with a dark-gold luster.

Whitebeard swallowed faintly. A man who had never known fear in his entire life unexpectedly felt a trace of apprehension. It was not a matter of mindset or courage, but an instinctive reaction to facing a life-form far beyond his own level.

"Here I come!"

The instant Yota spoke, Whitebeard saw a dark-golden streak shoot toward him. Just like Kaido, although Whitebeard could use Observation Haki to predict where Yota would attack, his body reacted a beat too slowly. He simply could not keep up with Yota’s offensive.

Boom!

With a deafening explosion, Whitebeard’s massive body was sent flying several kilometers away. A trench several kilometers long and over ten meters wide was carved across the deserted island, the earth completely overturned.

At the end of that trench lay the vast ocean, where faint traces of crimson water and the shadow of Murakumogiri could be seen.

"Seems like I overdid it…" Yota sucked in a cold breath and hurriedly prepared to run over and save him.

After using the Azure Dragon Fruit, his physical attributes had increased considerably again. The Eight-Headed Serpent Fruit primarily enhanced vitality, while the Azure Dragon Fruit primarily enhanced physical strength.

With his physical strength greatly improved, Yota had this time layered Six Paths Lightning Release Chakra Mode on top of the Eight Gates Formation and Susanoo. As a result, even he could no longer accurately gauge his own combat strength.

If he had beaten Kaido with this much force for two minutes back then, Kaido would probably have been reduced to Little Kaido rather than still being everywhere in Wano Country. That alone would have counted as an incredibly tough physique!

A while later, Yota finally fished Whitebeard out of the sea.

In truth, Whitebeard’s injuries were not that serious. Well, they were not that serious for Whitebeard. An ordinary person would have ended up in intensive care by now.

As for why he had not climbed back up immediately? He had been completely dazed by the blow, then fallen into the sea, which had slowed his reactions considerably.

Looking at Whitebeard, who had several broken ribs, a sunken fist mark in his chest, and blood spilling from his mouth, yet still wore an undiminished smile, Yota felt rather embarrassed.

"Pops, sorry about that. It’s my first time going all out, so I still can’t control it very well."

At those words, the smile on Whitebeard’s face stiffened slightly. As soon as Yota said it, he realized something was wrong. Wasn’t that just rubbing salt into Whitebeard’s wounds?

So Yota simply stopped talking and held out one hand.

"Secret Technique – Cell Expulsion!"

A large mass of cellular flesh surged out of Yota’s body and landed on Whitebeard. Moments later, it wrapped around his wounds and fused with him.

Not only did his injuries heal instantly, but Whitebeard could also feel powerful vitality slowly overflowing from the places where his wounds had closed. His body, though still full of powerful blood and vigor, had begun to show a faint air of decay due to old age. Yet under the stimulation of this vitality, it seemed to be rejuvenated once again.