Rowen’s attitude towards the Revolutionary Army was the same as his stance on the Nibelung Family: as long as they caused trouble for the government and created opportunities for him, their fate was of no concern to him.
However, Dragon had a different perspective.
He aimed to ignite the flame of freedom, to make freedom as omnipresent as the wind, touching every house.
As a Marine, Rowen was an unavoidable enemy of Dragon. The more outstanding Rowen was, the more uneasy Dragon felt.
Thus, Dragon repeatedly schemed against him, causing Rowen numerous troubles.
While Dragon’s plans often backfired, Rowen was less concerned with the outcomes and more focused on the intentions.
Since Dragon sought to cause him trouble, why should Rowen let him off the hook?
“You are indeed different!”
Hearing this, the surprise on Dragon’s face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of a smile. “Tell me, Soryu, what do you want?”
“What I want is none of your concern.”
Rowen exuded an aura of dominance, giving Dragon a calm look before turning away. He shouted to Akainu, who was standing stunned in the distance.
“Admiral Akainu, it’s your turn!”
The Thunder Dragon Crescent Halberd served as the core to stabilize the magnetic lines. Any resistance from Dragon would be transmitted through it, requiring someone to maintain it.
At this moment, Rowen couldn’t spare the effort to deal with Dragon, so he needed help.
In the distance, Akainu’s expression was dazed, his mind in turmoil.
He suddenly realized that the Rowen who had entered the Fruit Awakening stage was vastly different from the Rowen before, to the point where Akainu could barely comprehend it.
The fusion stage of Awakening also had different levels, requiring gradual exploration. This abrupt elevation was unprecedented as if Rowen had become a different person.
Dragon’s strength was well-known; in a one-on-one fight, he was slightly stronger than Akainu, who had even prepared for a battle lasting several days and nights.
Unexpectedly, Rowen suddenly surged in power and managed to control Dragon directly.
Although Akainu didn’t fully understand what had happened, he could easily tell that Dragon was completely immobilized at the moment.
Perhaps it was due to the element of surprise, but facts were facts.
People cared only about the reasons for a victor’s success, not the excuses of the defeated.
Thinking that his decades-long rival had been so easily subdued by Rowen, Akainu’s feelings were complicated.
There was frustration and anger, but mostly a sense of relief.
“Fortunately, he is just a Vice Admiral!”
The Marines had never had a Vice Admiral promoted directly to Fleet Admiral!
If Rowen and he were both Admirals, given Rowen’s demonstrated strength, wisdom, tactics, military achievements, and connections, Akainu would struggle to compete for the position of Fleet Admiral.
“Dragon…”
Taking a deep breath, Akainu raised his head resolutely, magma flowing from his body, enveloping him into a Magma Human.
“Within this range, it’s an indiscriminate attack. Use long-range attacks to break him apart!”
Rowen shouted, then turned to Momousagi. “Vice Admiral Momousagi, I will open a path for you. It’s right in front of you!”
Logia Elementalization is one of the most broken abilities of Logia users.
First, it directly leads to Awakening; once the door is pushed open, it naturally follows, without the need for extensive practice like the other two types of Devil Fruit users.
Second, without elemental countermeasures, any attack not imbued with Haki cannot harm an Elementalized body.
Given Akainu’s strength and the tangible nature of magma, incorporating Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) into his simple attacks was easy. However, he was not proficient in long-distance Haki techniques, making it difficult to defeat enemies from afar.
The only troublesome aspect of the Prison Dragon Lock Heaven Formation is that it utilizes the planet’s magnetic field to create an indiscriminate attack zone. As long as Rowen maintains his hold, anyone entering would face the same fate.
If Rowen lets go, however, everything trapped inside can escape.
Currently, Dragon is ensnared within it. The remaining challenge is how to capture and bring him to justice.
Upon hearing this, both Akainu and Momousagi quickly nodded.
Since Rowen was the creator of the attack, he had the most authority. Therefore, neither Akainu nor Momousagi would foolishly rush in without his directive.
Moreover, witnessing Dragon’s current plight, neither of them believed they were stronger than Dragon.
“Dai Funka – Great Eruption!”
Without hesitation, Akainu, now entirely encased in thick magma, launched a crimson Fire Pillar with a wave of his hand.
This state was similar to Enel’s “200 million Volt Thunder God” and Magellan’s “Poisonous Giant Soldier – Hell’s Judgement” from the original story. It involved wrapping oneself in the fruit’s abilities to enhance attacks, a special buff of sorts.
However, Akainu was startled to find that his attack, upon entering the Prison Dragon Lock Heaven Formation, only traveled a mere hundred meters before dissipating under terrifying pressure. The magma Fire Pillar fell to the ground like snowflakes shaking off a branch, making soft “puff, puff” sounds as it did so.
“How is this possible?”
Akainu knew that if uninterrupted, this move could easily span over a thousand meters. Yet now it had vanished after barely a hundred meters.
“The suppression against materialized attacks is too strong… Let’s switch. Momousagi, you attack, and Admiral Akainu, prepare to capture him!”
Under the same gravity conditions, lightning would be far less affected than magma. Despite Akainu’s strength, his fruit’s attributes put him at a disadvantage.
If Kizaru were here, this wouldn’t have been an issue.
“Damn it!”
Being commanded by a Vice Admiral irked Akainu, darkening his expression. Fortunately, he understood that his magma, as a materialized Logia, was significantly restrained by Rowen’s technique.
Usually, this was an advantage since materialized Logia could easily incorporate Haki, not even needing to reach the second stage of “creating something from nothing.” Like the warriors of Amazon Lily, the first stage of “entwining” was sufficient.
But now, it was an undeniable disadvantage.
The two swiftly swapped positions, flanking Rowen and forming a strategic triangle.
**Buzz!**
A heart-shaking buzz reverberated through the air as dense Busoshoku Haki erupted from Momousagi’s slender frame, fierce and scorching.
Simultaneously, a cool, moon-like sword intent swiftly submerged the Haki, causing the air temperature to plummet.
In this moment, fire and ice seamlessly intertwined.
“Marine’s contemporary strongest swordsman,” the “great sword hero” Momousagi, with a gaze full of sorrow, anger, and pain, locked onto Dragon. Her fair, slender arm caressed her famed blade, Konpira.
Then, her expression became serene, her mind as still as water.
The unique will of a great sword hero enveloped her, and Rowen sensed a familiar, yet daunting, crisis.
A strike that destroys all enemies and cuts through anything!
“You’ve truly grown stronger, Momousagi.”
Dragon’s pupils contracted sharply, recognizing this technique immediately.
He had heard of Momousagi cleaving through the Amazon Lily’s primeval forest with a single slash and wasn’t surprised. That feat was a display of power, not something unique to swordsmen like himself.
But now, it was the pinnacle of technique, something only a few across the sea could achieve.
“Prepare to die!”
Momousagi spoke no further, her steps light as a lotus, and Konpira emitted a sharp cry, tearing through the void.
Instantly, the world changed colors, and all hues vanished, leaving only the dazzling slash, bringing a faint light.
**Bang!**
Without hesitation, Dragon instantly “self-destructed” his body. Gravity couldn’t restrain Elementalization, and small whirlwinds appeared in the crater’s center, only to be pressed back down.
Sword intent combined with Haki would mean certain death if it hit directly!
Thus, despite the risk of being attacked during Elementalization, Dragon dared not be careless.
“Akainu!”
As expected, almost simultaneously with Dragon’s self-destruction, Rowen swiftly lifted the Thunder Dragon Crescent Halberd, causing the chaotic magnetic field in the crater to become turbulent, but leaving a “pathway.”
This pathway was both Dragon’s only escape route and Akainu’s shortcut to infiltrate.
“Meigo – Nether Hound!”
**Boom!**
With a powerful stomp, Magma Human Akainu roared, his nearly four-meter tall figure turning into a black line, instantly reaching the central area.
**Puff… Hua La La!!!**
The not-yet-reformed air vortices were forcefully Elementalized, and Dragon spat a mouthful of blood onto Akainu’s face, which was quickly vaporized by the magma.
From Rowen’s vantage point, the four-meter tall Magma Human swung a single arm, his magma-covered right hand mercilessly piercing through Dragon’s ribcage, shattering the spine and protruding from the back.
Dragon, under three meters tall, hung on Akainu’s arm, hoisted high by the latter.
**(End of Chapter)**
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