[This chapter is proudly sponsored by “pukeofhurl.” Please join me in expressing your thanks in the ents! If you're ied in sp a chapter, sider joining the Patreon.]
"g… g…"
"Sizzle… Crackle…"
Above the unduting sea, bzing fmes and flickering lightning illumihe sky, apanied by the howling wind tearing through the air.
High above, El, moving as swiftly as lightning, tinuously cshed with Steelbone Kong.
Each time Steelbone Kong seemed poised to gain the upper hand, preparing to terattad seize the initiative, El, relying on his innate, heightened Observation Haki, precisely predicted his oppo's moves. He would then fp his four wings, retreating at lightning speed—enhanced by his Devil Fruit powers—and swiftly widen the distaween them.
"Sizzle, crackle…"
"Whoosh… Whoosh…"
In the blink of an eye, fmes erupted across the sky, or a barrage of wind bdes relentlessly poured down.
Despite his immense fiden his strength, Steelbone Kong found himself forced to abandon his attacks to block El's relentless assaults, growing increasingly frustrated.
"Is this guy truly immortal?" he wondered, a sense of unease creeping into his mind.
Several times, despite El’s astonishingly fast reflexes, Steelbone Kong's formidable strength allowed him to exploit brief openings in El’s defense. His fists, tougher than steel and imbued with powerful Armament Haki, struck down like a fierce storm.
Yet, remarkably, none of his attacks inflicted any real harm on El. It was unbelievable. By all logic, even the Lunarian tribe’s defense should have its limits, but this little monster, not even ten years old, seemed to be an exception—he appeared almost invincible.
Moreover, El was far too elusive. Each time Steelbone Kong attempted a terattack, El would instantly shift into an almost “invincible” defeate. At times, his entire body would be engulfed in fmes, further disrupting Steelbone Kong’s judgment and making it impossible to determine if El had already entered his defensive mode. Sometimes, El even misled him, draining his stamina.
"It’s useless. You ’t hurt me at all," El remarked calmly, looking down at him.
Steelbone Kong had to admit, El, despite his youth, was undeniably powerful. Even with his owensive bat experiend advanced Observation Haki, which allowed him to anticipate attacks, El still mao exploit occasional fws. Anyone else would have been severely injured or killed long ago.
But El, born with monstrous strength, boasted an innate defense akin to a steel balloon, nearly impervious to ons. His defensive prowess was further enhanced by his Mythical Zoan: Quetzalcoatl form, which granted him armor-like scales, and the Lunarian tribe’s racial ability to ignore damage. These three factors bio make El seemingly invincible—enough to make aremble with fear. No matter how hard Steelbone Kong attacked, he couldn’t truly threaten El.
Whenever El was sent flying by force strong enough to make eveoughest warriors on the sea bn fear, he quickly regained his bance, pletely unharmed and ready to charge again.
El unched numerous terattacks as well. His sword, ed in Haki, repeatedly sshed at Steelbone Kong, and when Steelbone Kong couldn’t dodge in time, powerful wind bdes struck him. Yet, El couldn’t pee Steelbone Kong’s iructible defense.
Even when El extinguished the fmes on his back, abandoning his “invincible” defeo unleash full-powered attacks capable of cutting through steel and tearing apart mountains, he only mao leave shallow wounds on Steelbone Kong. These minor injuries were the result of Steelbone Kong recklessly charging forward, abandoning his defense in an attempt to seriously injure El.
Steelbone Kong’s resilience, bolstered by his Mythical Zoan: King Kong Ape form, allowed him to recover rapidly. These minor wounds posed hreat to him.
Even when El unleashed the devastating 'Elbaf Spear,' Steelbone Koher dodged or blocked it.
"Fire Dragon’s Roar!"
In an instant, bzing fmes erupted.
A scorg heatwave swept through the air with terrifying iy. A massive fire dragon, dist the atmosphere, charged forward with unimaginable heat aru.
"King Kong Impact!!"
"Boom! Boom!"
Powerful Armament Haki exploded outward. Steelbone Kong's fist, crag with lightning, crushed the air as it forcefully blocked the fire dragon. Feeling the intense heat pressing against him, he stared at El, who radiated an imposing aura of lightning and fire, and muttered uainly, "Have you already mastered the ability to foresee the future with your Observation Haki?"
It seemed unbelievable, but El had clearly anticipated his attacks, demonstrating an Observation Haki that surpassed his own. Otherwise, such precise predis would have been impossible. For someone uen years old to possess such advanced Observation Haki—what kind of monster was he?
"As expected of an admiral didate… I really ’t defeat you," El remarked.
With his aerial adva was impossible for Steelbone Kong to injure him. But El’s retively undeveloped Armament Haki and his still-honing Devil Fruit powers made it equally difficult for him to pose a real threat to Steelbone Kong’s iructible body.
Despite his ability to manipute powerful fmes, and his Mythical Zoan franting him eveer mastery over fire, the intense heat El released—capable of melting steel and even the ground—was still not enough to harm Steelbone Kong.
Steelbone Kong, experienced and cautious, either tered El’s attacks head-on or dodged with superior speed.
The gap in their strength was clear. her could decisively defeat the other in a short period of time.
"You’re irong… but your subordinates may not be so lucky!"
In the moment, El, moving at lightning speed, his entire body enveloped in fmes, shot toward the battleship below.
"You dare—" Steelbone Kong roared in fury, realizing El’s iions.
He charged forward, trying to intercept El, but how could he catch up to someone who already had the speed advantage?
"What wouldn’t I dare?" El smirked coldly as he easily dodged the ining on fire. Transf into a bzing sun, hotter than magma, he was radiant and untouchable.
"Boom… Boom…"
Steelbone Kong’s eyes narrowed as he watched in disbelief. El pierced through the ship's hull, leaving a massive hole. The battleship quickly caught fire, the fmes spreading untrolbly.
"Kukul El!!!" Steelbone Kong roared, unleashing a barrage of sshes that tore through the air, but El dodged easily.
Repeating his strategy, El charged at another warship, setting it abze with brutal efficy.
Uo defeat Steelbone Kong directly, El mercilessly targeted his subordinates.
"Damned brat—"
Steelbone Kong stomped through the air, chasing after El.
But it was futile. One by ohe warships fell, ed by fmes.
Realizing that chasing El ointless, Steelbone Kong made a decisive choice. He ceased his pursuit and stayed on one of the surviving ships. As El destroyed the remaining vessels, he only occasionally unched a 'Thunder Roar on' in an attempt to deter him, but he firmly protected the ship beh him.
"Steelbone Kong, huh? What a decisive and ruthless man…" El noted, seeing that Kong had stopped taking the bait.
With a final fp of his wings, El shot into the distance: "ime we meet, you may already be a Navy Admiral."
"But be prepared… in your short and futile Navy career, you will face the ehat brings you the greatest fear."
"Short and futile Navy career? What an arrogant brat!"
Steelbone Kong’s eyelids twitched in a the provocation, but there was nothing he could do. He could only watch as El disappeared into the horizon.
Had he already mastered queror's Haki infusion, he might have found a way to seriously ihe Fallen Angel El and prevent his escape.