Chapter 53: Shocking Battle Results!
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"Boom! Rumble!"
The sounds of an intense battle filled the air as Brontes and Kaido clashed with incredible force.
To the world, Brontes was simply a wielder of a Logia-type Devil Fruit, but few knew of his exceptional physical strength, particularly evident in his two specialized lightning forms.
His current form was designed to amplify his physical power, while his standard Thor Form focused on enhancing his speed.
These abilities allowed him to adapt to various opponents, much like Luffy's Gear Four Boundman increases his strength and Gear Second boosts his speed.
In his Thor Form, Brontes's body would become like an element, with his speed increasing dramatically.
However, when he shifted into Thor's Enhancement Form, his strength would soar to unprecedented heights. Only a formidable opponent like Kaido could push him to resort to such a powerful state. Who else could withstand a direct punch from him?
"Booom!! Rumble!!"
Their ongoing battle caused the island to tremble continuously. Although Brontes was slightly smaller than Kaido, their strength was evenly matched.
The fight dragged on, with neither of them showing any signs of weariness. They traded blows relentlessly, breaking the island apart bit by bit.
As the battle shifted from day to night and back again, Brontes's display of power was fearsome. It was already impressive that he could fight on equal footing with Kaido, but maintaining the Thor's Enhancement Form for such an extended period was extraordinary.
Kaido himself was taken aback. He recognized Brontes's state as a type of body-enhancing technique. They had previously fought in Wano Country when Brontes was a Rear-Admiral. Even then, Brontes was strong, but his Thor's Enhancement Form was not as developed, it didn't last as long, and the increase in strength and side effects were less pronounced.
Now, Brontes had sustained his form for a full day and night without showing any signs of fatigue, which Kaido found baffling. Even Kaido was feeling the strain of their physical duel, but Brontes persevered.
"Just hand over King, and you can leave." Kaido said, standing about thirty meters from Brontes.
"Don't even think about it." Brontes responded, his voice deep and cold.
"You seem fine, but I think you're just pretending! How much longer can you keep this up?!" Kaido roared, charging at Brontes.
"Why don't you come and see for yourself?" Brontes taunted with a sneer, readying his fist to meet Kaido's attack.
If Brontes's lightning powers had any effect on Kaido, he might have already subdued him.
But they continued their fierce battle, neither holding anything back. Finally, on the third day, Brontes began to show signs of weakness, and his Thor's Enhancement Form faded as his stamina was depleted.
Such a monumental battle was bound to draw attention, and news of their prolonged conflict spread across the world.
No one would have expected that Brontes, the newly promoted Marine-Admiral, would face Kaido of the Beasts Pirates so soon after his promotion, engaging in an epic three-day and three-night clash. And this was after Brontes had already defeated the former Chief Warden of Impel Down, King.
King, who was lying unconscious on the island, was swiftly taken away by Kaido's subordinates.
The marines on Brontes's warship wanted to intervene, but they could only watch helplessly as the pirates left the area, while Kaido remained to continue his fierce battle with Brontes.
The reason the marines didn't—or more accurately, couldn't—stop them, even with Kasie's help, was that Kaido's crew, though not as strong or renowned as the Beasts Pirates from the original anime series, were still formidable as the crew of one of the sea's overlords. They were significantly stronger than the average marine forces.
Now, the island bore the scars of their conflict, covered in scorched earth and deep craters.
Both the marines and the pirate crew had witnessed the landmass shrink and fracture over the past three days, leaving only a small piece of land remaining above the water.
Despite their exhaustion, the two continued their clash. Brontes was visibly struggling to keep pace, and Kaido, though covered in wounds, was relentless.
Brontes's edge in the battle lay in his advanced Devil Fruit abilities and techniques, which were superior to Kaido's. However, Kaido's most fearsome attribute was his so-called Indestructible Body.
Ultimately, Brontes decided to disengage, seeing no further benefit in the prolonged fight. After drawing Kaido into the sky, he managed to send him crashing down into the sea.
After three days of non-stop combat, Brontes was utterly drained and chose not to prolong the battle. He took a piece of Kaido's flesh and left the remains of the island, boarding his warship.
The warship took to the skies, and Brontes, his body marked with countless shallow wounds, felt the full extent of his pain now that the Thor's Enhancement had worn off.
Once he received medical attention, Brontes's condition improved significantly, and he succumbed to a deep, restorative sleep. He needed rest, and with proper nutrition and sleep, he would recover quickly.
The news of the epic battle spread far and wide. Brontes and Kaido had fought to a standstill—an Admiral against an Overlord—and the outcome of their battle highlighted Brontes's formidable strength.
Before this, some had questioned Brontes's youth and suitability for the role of an Admiral. But now, his display of power, particularly in the New World where Kaido's might was well-known, silenced the doubters. Brontes had proven he was more than capable of holding his position.
The Marine and the World Government had no grievances regarding Brontes's conduct. Kaido's strength had been acknowledged for years, and they had no expectation for Brontes to defeat him outright. To have fought Kaido to a draw was an accomplishment in itself.
The only regret was King's escape. Had Kaido not intervened, King would have been captured by Brontes. Kaido's timely appearance allowed King to flee with the Beasts Pirates, a fact that the World Government did take issue with.
However, what was done was done; they couldn't hold an Admiral accountable for such an outcome. After all, Brontes had given his best in this battle.
...
Back at G-1 Base, Brontes entered a period of recovery. His body had its limits, and there was a finite duration he could maintain the Thor's Enhancement in battle. He couldn't always rely on pushing his cells to their limits.
"It seems I need to train my Haki" Brontes thought.
Brontes had nearly mastered the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, but he had yet to awaken its full potential. His techniques were formidable, capable of destroying any pirate crew with his battleship, save for those led by the overlords of the sea.
The confrontation with Kaido was a stark revelation for Brontes. He recognized that his Haki, both Armament and Observation, was insufficient.
Kaido's overwhelming physical strength and mastery of Armament Haki were the fruits of countless battles, a testament to his terrifying battle record.
Brontes had dedicated only a few years to Haki training, as his focus had been on honing his Devil Fruit powers.
Now, he understood the necessity of balancing his abilities, prioritizing Haki development. In a world where the mightiest may not possess powerful Devil Fruits, formidable Haki was a universal hallmark of strength.
When considering the strongest Haki user within the Marine, Brontes could think of only one person.
He went back to Marineford, not to seek the person one might expect, for that person was vacationing in the East Blue and certainly not at Marineford.
The person Brontes sought was the current pinnacle of Marine strength, the Fleet-Admiral, Kong.
Though not as renowned as Garp in the original series, Kong was indeed the strongest.
A man slightly older than Garp, now in his early sixties, Kong had relinquished his role as Fleet-Admiral to Sengoku and ascended to the position of World Government's Commander-in-Chief.
...
In the office of Fleet-Admiral Kong at Marineford, Brontes found himself face to face with the man he was looking for.
"You've traveled from the New World to consult with me?" Kong asked with a smile.
"I don't think it's a trivial matter. Since Instructor Zed is busy with the Elite Camp, I had no choice but to come to you. In my battle with Kaido, I realized my own shortcomings. I want to continue to improve my strength, and simply developing my Devil Fruit abilities is no longer enough." Brontes said in a serious voice.
"While Devil Fruits could offer a shortcut to power, true strength that gained by restless training is paramount to reach the pinnacle." Kong said, folding his arms across his chest and nodding at Brontes.
"Have you reached a point where you can't improve forward anymore?" Kong continued.
"Pretty much, mainly because I lack direction." Brontes nodded.
"That's indeed a problem. I won't ask about your evil Fruit abilities, after all, I'm not a Devil Fruit user myself, and I don't know the ultimate extent of the Devil Fruits. I once had a rival who developed his Devil Fruit to the extreme, yet he lost to me in physical strength. Although we ended up in a draw, I realized that Devil Fruits sometimes will limit a person's power after reaching a certain level." Kong nodded.
"So now I need to consolidate and focus on training my Haki. But I can't find the right direction. Haki can only be stimulated continuously through battle, but my Haki was not as powerful as that of Zoan-Type Devil Fruit users like Kaido, despite having reached a high level." Brontes explained.
Weekly Power Status
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