FreeBooksOnline Chapter 301 - 300: The Fierce Battle Between the Thunder God and Red-Hair
Chapter 301 - 300: The Fierce Battle Between the Thunder God and Red-Hair
Zzzla——
The thunderbolt arrow exploded and shot forth, moving almost as if it had teleported. To the naked eye, there wasn't even a trace of movement.
But within Shanks's Observation Haki, it was as clear as day. He swung Gryphon diagonally forward, predicting the trajectory.
In the instant he raised his hand, a surge of blade aura burst out from Gryphon, forming a massive shield-like wave that blocked in front of Shanks.
The thunderbolt arrow collided with the blade aura, forcing Shanks backward.
The arrow that had been blocked grew brighter, its lightning flickering faster and faster...
Shanks's eyes narrowed slightly, his body coated in Haki.
Boom——
The thunderbolt arrow exploded with a roar, spreading outward in every direction. From afar, it looked like a giant blue lightning net rapidly expanding across the sky.
The crackling thunderbolts formed an electrified web that wrapped around Shanks.
But it couldn't affect him much. Empowered by his overwhelming Haki, the lightning could only linger on the surface of his skin without penetrating further.
Shanks stomped down, breaking free of the net instantly.
Red lightning crackled along Gryphon's blade. He aimed toward the Thunder God form that Enel had condensed atop the distant clouds and unleashed several slashing waves.
Clang clang clang——
The sharp clash of metal rang out continuously.
The slashes knocked aside Enel's lightning arrows. Some of the deflected bolts shot into the sea below at extreme speed.
Towering waves dozens of meters high erupted, and countless fish corpses floated to the surface.
Covered by his slashing attacks, Shanks turned into a streak of crimson light, rushing straight toward Enel.
Enel's Thunder God form, over a hundred meters tall, flickered rapidly. Lightning poured outward from his body, like a video call with a weak signal.
Zzzla——
As the crimson light ripped through the storm clouds above, splitting them in two—
Enel's Thunder God form vanished in an instant, reappearing as if teleported. Lightning crackled again as he reformed in another part of the sundered sky.
Shanks frowned.
"Thunderclouds..."
This vast sea of thunderclouds was Enel's domain. If that's the case...
Gryphon hummed softly, blade aura swirling along its edge. Shanks spun sharply.
A perfect circular wave of blade aura formed around him.
For a brief second, it seemed to pause—then erupted outward.
From the surface of the sea below, the naked eye could see the circular blade aura sweeping out, clearing the sky as it expanded. The blade wind shredded and obliterated the thunderclouds entirely.
Enel, standing atop the clouds in his Thunder God form, stretched out both hands, drawing countless lightning bolts into his palms.
The sky visibly turned white as all the thunder was sucked away, pouring into his Thunder God body.
The already hundred-meter-tall figure swelled several times larger.
When the circular blade aura reached and shredded the emptied white clouds—
Enel's towering Thunder God form bent its knees slightly, using the clouds beneath as a springboard, and leapt!
Zzzla——
His figure vanished without a trace.
From afar, Shanks sensed something through Observation Haki and swung his blade upward.
Crack!!!
A pillar of lightning a hundred meters wide descended from the sky, slamming down toward Shanks—followed by the massive Thunder Giant's hand crushing downward.
Gryphon erupted with tremendous sword aura, tearing through the Thunder Giant's arm.
Enel's expression didn't change. After all, the giant was nothing more than condensed thunder. Even with Armament Haki, it couldn't withstand such overwhelming force.
The colossal Thunder Giant radiated a blinding white light. At such close range, the brilliance stung Shanks's eyes, forcing him to shut them.
Thick Armament Haki coated his skin as he drew Gryphon to his left hip...
Boom——!!!
The deafening explosion shook the heavens and earth.
People on the island below clutched their ears in agony, soldiers grimacing.
The shockwave and tremors rolled across the island like the roar of an enraged god.
The Thunder Giant, already compressed to its absolute limit, was detonated directly by Enel.
A second sun seemed to rise in the sky...
Shanks took the blast head-on, but Enel's expression didn't show the slightest joy—only grim focus.
Within his perception, after the explosion, he felt a strong magnetic disturbance—but it vanished almost instantly...
Then, the situation in the sky changed drastically.
"What!!!"
Shocked cries rang out across the area. The crew on Shanks's ship exhaled in relief, while Bullet's expression grew more serious.
The explosion in the sky—the "second sun"—
Zzzla——
Was split cleanly in half by a blade of sword aura, crashing down to either side.
A faint sound of air being torn rang out. Enel's pupils constricted violently.
A long blade pierced straight toward his forehead... its sharp sword aura faintly stinging his skin.
Before his pupils could even fully contract, his body had already retreated in a burst of speed...
The crimson streak chased after Enel relentlessly. The outpouring Haki disrupted his elemental transformation...
Shanks's clothes were shredded, his body covered in burns from the lightning. Blood streamed from his ears after the massive blast, but his movements were unaffected.
Seizing the moment when the slash burst forth, he charged straight at Enel. A thought was already forming in his mind:
"Is it because of the Devil Fruit ability...?"
When the sword aura split the thunderstorm, the powerful energy had disrupted Enel's magnetic field perception.
Shanks used that opening to close in. With his Observation Haki nullified and magnetic field in chaos, Enel failed to react in time—leading to this moment...
The crimson light drew closer and closer.
Enel, unable to fully elementalize under the interference of Haki, could only retreat at high speed, waiting for an opportunity to escape.
Gold condensed in his right hand into a short blade. His left hand brought two fingers together, lightning dancing at his fingertips, stabbing toward Gryphon's blade.
Clang!
The blade was struck with tremendous force, thrown slightly off course. Enel twisted his head the other way, slowing his speed at the same time.
Gryphon's blade grazed the side of his face, slicing deep to the bone.
In Enel's right hand, the golden short blade, coated with Armament Haki and sparking with electricity, stabbed toward Shanks's chest.
Shanks's expression didn't change. Armament Haki coated his body thickly. He took the hit head-on. The short blade sank slightly into his chest—but Enel couldn't press the advantage.
Because Gryphon, after cutting his cheek, swung horizontally toward him.
Enel twisted his neck sharply to the left, nearly ninety degrees, barely dodging the slash. Before he could pull the short blade back to retreat—
A heavy blow struck his chest. The sound of breaking ribs echoed, his chest caving inward.
Blood dripped from the corner of Enel's mouth as he kicked toward Shanks.
Boom!
Their legs collided.
Using the force, Enel was sent flying back, escaping Shanks's Haki lock.
He transformed into lightning, fleeing far into the distance. Bringing his hands together, he stretched them apart, forming a perfect arc of leaping lightning.
Then it expanded into a vertical, circular thunder net, suspended in midair. Thunder dragons of blue lightning emerged one after another, diving toward Shanks.
Shanks stepped forward.
A white sonic boom circle appeared beneath his feet as he charged toward Enel.
"No use."
A spiraling sword aura tore through the air, shattering the incoming thunder dragons one after another.
Zzzla——
Above Shanks, Enel's figure suddenly appeared.
The weapon in his hand had transformed into a golden trident, which he thrust downward from above.
Shanks raised Gryphon behind him in a block, twisted his body midair, and kicked upward.
Bang!
Their shins collided.
Enel's heart trembled… this guy's Haki…
Pain shot up his leg nerves, clear proof that Shanks' Haki was far stronger than his.
Using the force of the collision, Enel transformed into lightning and retreated explosively, reappearing far away before diving again as thunder.
Using the speed of his lightning dive, he condensed his form at the very moment he closed in on Shanks.
Blade, fist, or leg—every strike was wrapped in Haki.
In an instant, Shanks was enveloped in thunder. Attacks came at him from every direction, sonic booms echoing through the sky as white smoke coiled and spread.
But it was still useless… they were locked in a deadlock.
Zzzla——
Enel reappeared in the sky.
He raised his arms, and countless lightning bolts gathered above his head.
A thunderball a hundred meters wide condensed before he hurled it toward Shanks.
The lightning sphere streaked forward like a phantom, about to expand when it closed in on Shanks… then suddenly contracted again.
A streak of sword light pierced the thunderball.
Enel shifted his body, moving an inch to the side.
That impossibly fast sword light sliced through the lightning aura around his neck, cutting skin—blood appeared at his throat.
Pfft——
And beneath that sword flash… another slash was hidden.
It stabbed straight toward Enel's chest, but his Armament Haki blocked it just in time and dispersed it.
Two slashes.
One aimed for the throat, one for the heart. If he hadn't dodged… death would've been certain.
Blood slowly dripped from the wound at his neck.
Enel's expression remained calm.
"That fast, huh."
But his heart grew heavy.
The moment that sword flash lit up… the slash had already arrived. But its flaw was obvious—the power wasn't enough.
If it had been a full-force slash, even dodging a little wouldn't have saved him. His throat might already have been half cut off… not to mention the slash aimed at his heart.
Shanks saw Enel dodge and drew back his aura as well.
Both sides stared at each other for a moment.
Then slowly withdrew their weapons. Shanks adjusted his direction and began free-falling down.
Enel's figure flickered, appearing on the warship in a bolt of lightning.
Continuing the fight was pointless.
Neither side could take the other down. Enel's Devil Fruit abilities and ultimate moves were useless, and Shanks' instantaneous slash was barely dodged.
Dragging things out further would only waste time without inflicting heavier damage.
This was exactly the kind of combat allocation Sakazuki had arranged based on the differences among the Four Emperors.
Each of the Four Emperors had their own traits—so the distribution of forces had to be strict.
Just like when Enel was caught off guard by Kaido's lightning sneak attack: even though Enel was a Goro Goro no Mi user, lightning ignored distance—ten thousand meters meant nothing.
Even though Enel reacted the instant Kaido attacked, the strike had already arrived.
Pinned down, that ten-thousand-meter dive-bomb left Enel heavily injured in an instant.
Both Kaido and Big Mom could control lightning, making them unfavorable matchups for him.
That's why Shanks was Enel's most suitable counterpart.
Enel's current strength might not be on Shanks' level, but Shanks couldn't defeat him either. His speed was simply too fast, and his magnetic field sensing was a natural counter to Observation Haki.
If Aokiji or Kizaru were sent in, they'd lose more often than win… just Enel's Observation counter alone would make it tough.
Likewise—
If Enel or Kizaru were sent against Knock, the soldiers couldn't be protected.
Lightning and light weren't solid substances—they couldn't hold off the surge of steam. Blasting apart steam spears was easy.
But protecting the soldiers behind them? That was another story. Casualties would be brutal.
...
Out at sea, aboard the Red Force.
Taptap——
Shanks landed lightly and raised his hand to stop his crew from speaking.
"You can let my crewmates go now, Admiral."
Douglas Bullet sneered, spreading his arms. Yasopp and the ship's doctor Hongo instantly retreated from Bullet at their fastest speed.
Bullet slowly rose from Shanks' seat.
"As expected of someone called an Emperor."
"You really do have something special."
Shanks chuckled.
"Flattering me won't change anything."
"But this grand display of the Navy marching here is giving me quite the headache."
"I have to give my men an explanation, don't I?"
Bullet grinned.
"What explanation? Your men will prove their worth on the battlefield."
"If you want to blame someone, blame your trash crew."
"Prepare to face the Navy fleet."
He shot a sidelong glance at a furious Lucky Roux.
"Keep your idiots in check."
"Don't let your weaklings interfere in a high-level fight. You don't have the strength to flip the table."
"I'm not killing you because the time isn't right yet."
"It's way more fun to take it slow…"
Shanks' expression tightened. That kind of provocation would infuriate anyone…
BOOM!!!!
The sea around the Red Force exploded into a storm.
Red Conqueror's Haki and blue demonic shadows collided, lightning crackling through the sky.
...
On the warship.
Enel glanced at Bullet as he returned.
"So, it's settled?"
Bullet laughed.
"Not settled. Announced."
"Don't let the big shots step into the grunt-level fight."
"Anyone can flip the table… but they'll lose harder."
White marks covered his body, clearly from attacks, but none had broken his defenses.
The deepest wound was a sword slash that cut his skin and exposed raw flesh.
...
Red Force.
Shanks' face was grave as he looked at the injured Yasopp and the ship's doctor being bandaged up.
In the end, they hadn't escaped this beating. With Bullet doubling his speed to the limit, the Red-Hair Pirates couldn't stop him, and even their strongest blows barely scratched him.
Even Shanks' heaviest slash was something Bullet could tank—then move on, unchecked and unrestrained.
Shanks took a deep breath and turned toward the Red Line.
He thought of the information Bullet had revealed, his face darkening. If that was true… this wouldn't be a simple problem.
"A warning, huh…"
"Sakazuki…"
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg. 414 chapters in total