Aeridar's pitch-black left foot clashed head-on against Elver's massive bear paw. Beneath them, the three-inch-thick deck groaned and spiderwebbed with cracks, as if another ounce of force would utterly shatter it.
"No wonder Zoan-type Devil Fruit users are known for their raw strength," Aeridar marveled inwardly. He had already sensed the immense aura radiating from this hulking fat man. Zoan fruits, after all, were infamous for massively amplifying a fighter's physical prowess—and the Bear-Bear Fruit, Model: Grizzly Bear was a species known for pure, brute strength. Elver's sheer might had reached an absurd level; even Rob Lucci of CP9, empowered by the Cat-Cat Fruit: Leopard Model, would be utterly manhandled in a raw contest of strength. Honestly, even the Giant Vice Admirals of Marine Headquarters wouldn't necessarily surpass him in raw power.
Without the support of his Impact-Impact Fruit abilities to counterbalance Elver's monstrous force, Aeridar would've been flattened already. Stripped of his fruit's powers, Aeridar would lose more than half of his combat effectiveness.
"The Impact-Impact Fruit really is insanely strong," Elver thought, a flash of envy flickering through his eyes. Yet his bear paw kept applying pressure, locking Aeridar in place, while his other paw swung in a savage arc, slicing through the air with a deafening roar—aiming to flatten Aeridar with a brutal slap.
But Aeridar wasn't about to let that happen. Channeling the power of impact through his left foot, he blasted Elver's pinning paw away with a sudden forceful surge, immediately following up with a devastating punch aimed directly at the incoming slap.
A massive shockwave rippled through the air, sweeping outward.
The deck beneath them groaned and splintered.
The three-inch-thick wooden planks shattered entirely. Both Aeridar and Elver plummeted straight down, crashing heavily onto the lower deck.
"Wha—?! They broke through the deck!"
"Holy crap, run! RUN!"
"This whole place is gonna collapse!"
"Elver-sama... he's going to destroy the entire ship!"
The crew members of the Crimson Man-Eating Flower hiding below deck stared wide-eyed for a beat, then bolted in all directions, screaming in terror, some practically wetting themselves in fear.
On the lower deck, splinters of shattered wood lay strewn everywhere. Hairline fractures marred the walls and floorboards. In the midst of the destruction, two figures faced each other, tension crackling between them.
"I saw that look—you're jealous, aren't you?" Aeridar sneered, ignoring the panicked crewmembers fleeing around them.
Elver bared his fangs, shaking his enormous head. "Yeah... guess I am. The Impact-Impact Fruit really is something else."
"You know," Aeridar said, twirling his finger lazily and smirking darkly, "no matter how much physical strength you have, you need to connect with something to unleash it. Be it an object or even the air itself, only through impact does your strength erupt—and that impact force is what I command."
He leaned forward slightly, voice dropping to a whisper sharp as a dagger. "So every time you try to hit me—every time you swing that freakish strength of yours—you're creating impact. Impact that belongs to me, the Impact Human."
"Now tell me..." Aeridar's victorious grin stretched wide across his face. "Do you still think you can win?"
Internally, he gave himself a thumbs-up.
"Damn, that was smooth. I'm practically a stand-up comedian!"
"Uh..." Elver blinked, his bear-like face frozen in a blank, confused stare. He scratched his head and asked, "Umm... collisions... impact... what are you talking about?"
Aeridar stumbled in place, nearly falling over in disbelief. He had wasted all that effort explaining it—only to realize that Elver hadn't understood a word.
Of course he hadn't! Elver wasn't some scholar or scientist. Even if he came from noble lineage, he only knew about fancy etiquette, flashy swordsmanship, basic arithmetic, poetry, and combat. Concepts like physics and impact mechanics? Totally out of his league.
Mouth twitching in frustration, Aeridar stared at Elver's clueless expression, a wave of cold dread washing over him.
He jabbed his finger at Elver's nose and exploded, "You giant dumb bear! If you don't understand, just admit it! Stop pretending to be cute! Noble lineage my ass—you probably didn't even graduate elementary school! You brainless brute—"
The floor beneath Aeridar's feet suddenly caved in with an ear-splitting crash, smoke and debris clouding the air.
"Damn it, a sneak attack!"
Coughing and cursing, Aeridar shot out of the smoke, landing on the other side of the corridor.
Across from him, Elver withdrew his paw, baring his fangs in a furious roar: "Enough talking! FIGHT!"
Before the words even finished echoing, Aeridar lunged forward, his fist coated in jet-black Armament Haki, smashing directly toward Elver's massive bear head.
Elver swung his paw to meet the punch. The shockwave from the collision blasted away the smoke and debris in a roaring gust.
And just like that, the two figures clashed again, exchanging savage blows at close quarters. Every strike detonated the air itself. Load-bearing pillars cracked and snapped, cannons were shattered into twisted metal, and wooden walls exploded under the pressure.
Despite his massive, flabby-looking body, Elver moved with shocking agility. His hardened limbs, coated with Armament Haki, crushed everything they touched like wrecking balls.
The lower deck quickly transformed into a battlefield of devastation: shattered floors, collapsed beams, and gaping holes pocked every surface.
A massive bear paw, riding a storm of wind force, swept toward Aeridar's head. Aeridar countered with a punch. The two collided midair, a terrifying shockwave blasting outward, forcing Elver to stumble back.
As he retreated, Elver's claws extended, glinting with a deadly silver light.
"Bear Claw—Bear Tempest Slash!"
Five razor-thin shockwaves, each barely a meter high, tore through the corridor like invisible blades.
But the lower deck was already trashed beyond recognition. Walls, floors—there was barely anything left to protect or destroy.
Aeridar just sneered. Forming both hands into open palms, he thrust forward.
A visible wall of compressed air exploded outward.
The sound rang out like the clash of steel. Air quivered. The shockwaves and the air wall collided, shattering into a violent gale that tore through the remains of the ship.
"I'm the worst enemy a physical brawler could ever meet."
With a cruel grin, Aeridar flashed forward, appearing in front of Elver before he could react. Aeridar's palm silently pressed against Elver's massive belly.
Then, a monstrous force erupted from his palm.
Armament Hardening—Iron Fist—Mountain-Splitting Strike!
White shockwaves burst outward from the point of contact, denting Elver's gut inward. The bear's enormous body was launched like a cannonball.
He smashed through several load-bearing beams and walls, then finally crashed into the lower storage level, tearing apart an entire section of the deck as he went.
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my ——— (.)com/JuanFiction [remove the parentheses ( )]
There are over 100 advance Chapters available for you!