Chapter 240: "Golden Lion" Shiki (V)
Every time Eric 's spear collided with Shiki's sword wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, he could feel the unstoppable force coming from the shaft. Shiki's strikes were relentless, pounding heavily on Eric .
Each time Eric took another blow from Shiki, his body shook violently, and his bones let out a sharp, painful cry.
The webbing between his thumb and index finger was torn, blood flowing down the spear shaft, and it was dried by the scorching purple flames. The red-hot spear was covered with ugly black marks.
"Ha ha ha ha!" Shiki laughed wildly, flying around Eric . "What's wrong? Where did all that momentum from earlier go?!"
With every slash, the next strike came immediately after, not giving Eric a single chance to counter.
"Is defense all you can do, brat?"
Esdeath stood not far away, while Scáthach used her [Foresight] to predict the outcome of the battle.
"Can he win?" Esdeath suddenly asked.
"This is his best chance for evolution," Scáthach replied cryptically.
Neither spoke again, quietly observing the fierce battle between the two.
"Ugh!" Eric , who had multiple wounds all over his body, felt the fear of death rising in his chest once more.
'Will I die here?' A thought suddenly flashed in Eric 's mind.
'I foolishly came to challenge "Golden Lion" Shiki, and now I'm being pressed into the ground by Shiki, who had his helm removed…'
'I should've just stayed in the mountains and leveled up with the system before coming out, wouldn't that have been better?!'
'What was I even thinking when I set sail?' Eric questioned himself.
In that brief moment of thought, Shiki's sword sliced deeply into Eric 's chest, and the intense pain jolted Eric back to reality.
Blood gushed from the wound, splattering across Eric 's eyes, and at that moment, his eyes were filled with a crimson hue!
'I want power!'
The reason people live is for power. Power, status, money, humans are always yearning for these things. But then what?
'I am—'
Eric yelled with all his might: "I am the King of the Harem!"
"Huh?"
Shiki widened his eyes, surprised by Eric 's words, but the sword wrapped in Conqueror's Haki didn't hesitate and stabbed straight for Eric .
The sword tip was coming at him, and instead of retreating, Eric advanced, using his abdomen to meet Shiki's strike.
Puff!
The sound of the sharp blade sinking into flesh rang out, and the Haki surged violently through Eric 's body.
"Ugh!" In an instant, the unimaginable pain made Eric 's forehead break into cold sweat.
"You're insane?!" Even Shiki, a veteran pirate, had never seen such a reckless move.
Outside the battlefield, Esdeath brought her hands together, ready to use "Mokopote Mo" at any moment.
A powerful current surged through the blade, entering Shiki's body, and the intense numbing sensation caused Shiki to lose control of his body for a moment.
Eric charged forward, Sakura Ten's sword tip piercing through him. "Now you can't move!"
"Lightning Fire Roar!" The two spears in Eric 's hands, wrapped in Armament Haki, flashed with a flicker of black light and lunged at the motionless Golden Lion.
Puff!
The spear tips pierced Shiki's body, and the purple flames from the Fire Spike Spear, combined with the Thunderfruit's power, filled the air with the smell of burning meat.
"Ahh—!" Shiki let out a terrifying roar as he was scorched by the flames and struck by lightning.
The numbing sensation throughout his body faded, and he kicked Eric away, sending them both flying apart.
Boom!
The wound where the blade was pulled out sprayed a column of blood, and the blood droplets scattered in the air.
Eric , who was kicked away by Shiki, didn't hit the ground. Instead, he was caught by Scáthach , who had been waiting for him.
"Ha… ha…" In Scáthach 's arms, Eric 's face turned pale, his breath shallow, and his abdomen was torn apart. Flesh and blood were mangled, with intestines spilling out. The massive blood loss quickly stained Scáthach 's tight clothing, and Eric 's situation was critical.
"Brave warrior, Eric ," Scáthach said as she fed him the Senzu beans Eric had entrusted her before the battle.
With the healing effect of the Senzu beans, Eric , whose body was severely damaged, was revived to full health.
"But I don't recommend suicidal attacks!" Scáthach slapped Eric 's shoulder. "But…"
"No wonder you're going to be my future husband."
[Scáthach 's affection increased, but her bond level remained unchanged.]
"Nice job, kid…" Shiki, whose body had two new holes, roared from above, "I won't consider you just a small-time pirate anymore!"
Slash Wave!
A giant sword energy, charged with all of Shiki's strength, was slashed out toward the three on the ground. This sword energy was dozens of kilometers long!
The three quickly dodged.
Boom!
The sword energy struck the ground, and the enormous island in the sky was split in two by the sword wave.
The earth was torn apart, and the fissure appeared on the island, a small part of the land crumbling and countless soil blocks plummeting down.
However, some giant chunks of land didn't fall; instead, they floated up, controlled by Shiki, and were hurled toward the three.
"Really troublesome…"
Dead objects without Haki wrapping were easily shattered by Esdeath.
'That feeling from earlier…' Eric closed his eyes and carefully recalled the sensation from his attack on Shiki.
That feeling of life or death, of supremacy…
The tip of the Fire Spike Spear was now wrapped in black lightning.
Eric 's attribute panel suddenly changed:
[Armament Haki: 9 Stars]
[Conqueror's Haki: 8.5 Stars]
'What I need is unparalleled speed, to become faster, faster!'
Eric spent 9 achievement points to bring his Devil Fruit attribute to 9 stars, and at that moment, the Natural Thunder Fruit ability finally awakened!
Eric 's whole body turned into a more brilliant sapphire blue.
Scáthach 's [Foresight] had already seen the future: "Eric , go." She bent down, holding a long spear in each hand, ready to charge.
Eric gripped both Fire Spike Spears and made the same move.
Esdeath, annoyed, clicked her tongue.
Scáthach turned into red lightning, and Eric into blue lightning. The two bolts of lightning zipped through the air, weaving around countless corners, heading straight for Golden Lion in the sky!
"Brat!" Golden Lion, his face twitching, roared, "The sky is my domain!" He spread his arms and dove toward the two.
Eric : "Pierce!"
The two long spears were blocked by Shiki's swords, the overwhelming force from the sword hilts transmitted into Shiki's body.
Scáthach : "Thrust!"
"!" Unable to resist the force, Shiki was knocked away by Scáthach and Eric 's combined attack, and a feeling of terror spread through Shiki's mind: 'My body… can't move!'
The Fire Spike Spear had merged into one. Eric and Scáthach both prepared to throw.
Both: "Piercing Death Spear!"
The two long spears shot through the air like meteors in the night sky, leaving two brilliant trails as they sped toward Golden Lion in the sky!
Golden Lion roared in fury:
"Damn it!!!"
(END CHAPTER)
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