BOOM!
The Thousand-Armed Kan’on, already covered in cracks, exploded like a shattered mirror.
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi’s attacks finally broke through the obstruction and continued toward Lucas with undiminished force.
But at that moment, both Nekomamushi and Inuarashi finally noticed that Lucas’s eyes had completely transformed.
Beneath the blood-red color, an intricate pattern blossomed like a rare flower.
An indescribably terrifying aura was finally unleashed to its absolute limit.
Blood-red energy surged outward like the Yellow River bursting through its banks.
BOOM!
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi were instantly struck by this overwhelming force.
The tremendous power poured forth like a colossal wave crashing directly into them.
Before either of them could recover, they felt as though they had been struck head-on by Zunesha itself.
The attacks they had unleashed with all their strength were instantly shattered.
Their bodies were blasted backward.
Both figures slammed heavily into a plaza statue hundreds of meters away.
The enormous impact caused the statue to explode apart.
Blood sprayed directly from their mouths.
The sudden turn of events shook everyone’s nerves.
Pedro and the other Minks, who had been filled with excitement and anticipation, were completely dumbfounded.
Their minds went utterly blank.
They had lost!
This had been the two Dukes’ strongest attack!
Only moments ago, Pedro had praised it as their ultimate move, one capable of forcing back a Marine Admiral.
Yet now, before everyone’s eyes, it had completely fizzled out.
If they hadn’t witnessed it themselves, no one would have been willing to believe it.
At this moment, however, it wasn’t only Pedro and the other Minks—or Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, who had been embedded in the ruins.
Even Fujitora and the others couldn’t help looking up.
The Thousand-Armed Kan’on that had just been shattered was gone.
In its place stood a gigantic crimson figure more than ten meters tall, its entire body clad in armor.
A pair of blood-red eyes made the enormous figure look even more terrifying, as though the Grim Reaper itself had come to claim their lives.
That’s right.
The first reward Lucas had drawn from the Platinum Chest this time was a temporary power experience card.
It was one of the most powerful ocular techniques in the Naruto world—
Susanoo!
It possessed not only an extremely powerful defense, but also devastating offensive capabilities.
The Susanoo Lucas had manifested was only in its Third Stage.
Apart from its legs, it had materialized the upper half of its body and was clad in Tengu armor, causing its defensive capabilities to rise dramatically.
The aura it released was as vast as an ocean.
Combined with its enormous stature of more than ten meters, it created an overwhelming sense of oppression.
It was as though the Grim Reaper itself had come to collect their souls.
Many people present couldn’t help swallowing nervously.
Even Aramaki, standing beside Fujitora, instantly lost every trace of his usual playful attitude.
All this time, Aramaki had regarded the slash Lucas had unleashed on the Sabaody Archipelago as his strongest attack.
He had believed that if he hadn’t been too cautious and allowed Lucas to exploit an opening, Lucas absolutely could not have overpowered him.
But now, looking at the enormous figure before him that resembled a small mountain—
Aramaki’s confidence instantly vanished.
"Heh. Looks like Brother Lucas is using another astonishing power."
Fujitora rested his hands on his cane sword and tilted his sightless eyes slightly upward, smiling.
"I really want to know what this thing is."
"By the way, Aramaki, didn’t you say earlier that you wanted to challenge Brother Lucas again?"
"There is still some time before the end of the workday."
"You can still make good on that promise if you hurry."
"Now?"
Aramaki froze.
He looked up at the gigantic figure ahead, and the muscles in his cheeks twitched.
"Brother Fujitora, you’re really good at joking."
"I’m already on the ship. What am I supposed to challenge him with?"
"And don’t lump my joke together with that guy’s ten-meter-long greatsword."
"A ten-meter-long greatsword?"
Fujitora slightly raised his head.
His Observation Haki was instantly pushed to its limit.
In the next moment, Fujitora’s expression changed drastically.
The Susanoo surrounding Lucas suddenly pulled its right arm backward.
SHING!
A gigantic Susanoo Blade, more than ten meters long, materialized in the air.
Pitch-black Armament Haki rapidly flowed into the blade.
At the same time, the Dark Grimoire hidden beneath Lucas’s cloak suddenly flew out and rapidly flipped through its pages.
A tremendous amount of dark magic power surged forth like the Yellow River bursting through its banks.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Explosive bursts of air rang out one after another like firecrackers.
Three enormous powers furiously converged.
Then, at last, they stabilized.
The air around them seemed to freeze.
A suffocating sense of death filled the entire area.
Everyone within this space suddenly felt as though they were sitting on a bed of needles.
Every cell in their bodies seemed to be screaming a warning.
Their instincts told them one thing.
They absolutely could not take this slash head-on.
Otherwise—
Death was the only outcome!
Everyone looked toward Lucas.
At this moment, Lucas felt like a terrifying vortex capable of devouring everything.
In the ruins, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi had only just managed to steady themselves.
Now, every muscle in their bodies was completely rigid.
It felt as though every cell in their bodies were trembling.
They were terrified that even the slightest movement would invite death upon them.
Looking at the gigantic figure before them—
And that enormous sword that seemed almost hungry for blood—
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi finally understood.
They hadn’t exploited an opening in Lucas’s defenses.
They had been the ones who had overreached.
Feeling that terrifying shadow of death hanging over them, an aura so frightening that merely standing before it was enough to make one’s blood run cold, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi finally understood why Lucas had said from the very beginning that he had never expected them to actually fight.
The terrifying killing intent emanating from him merely by standing there was already beyond anything they could withstand.
Could they really take this attack with their lives?
"All right."
"It’s my turn."
Inside the Susanoo, Lucas raised his wine gourd and took a small sip of the liquor.
Then he looked toward Nekomamushi and Inuarashi.
That single glance instantly made the fur on both the cat and dog stand on end.
Normally, the two of them were quite satisfied with the warmth provided by their thick fur while in their Sulong forms.
But at this moment, they felt as though an entire basin of ice water had been dumped over their heads.
They looked up at the Susanoo surrounding Lucas.
The enormous greatsword, more than ten meters long—
finally moved.
The air around them, and even the space itself, seemed to be stirred violently.
Pedro, Wanda, and the other Minks, who had been frozen in shock, suddenly snapped back to reality.
Without having time to think, they hurriedly looked toward Nekomamushi and Inuarashi.
At this moment, they desperately wanted to know what their two Dukes would do.
But the instant their eyes fell upon them, the Nekomamushi and Inuarashi who had initially looked ready to face death head-on suddenly roared in unison:
"RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!"
"Don’t even think about taking this attack head-on!"
"We need to stay alive so we can avenge Lord Oden!"
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