Within the cracked rock wall, Akainu was half-embedded in it, instantly turning it into lava. With scorching power, he transformed the entire passage into red hot walls.
But on the ground below, seawater continued to pour in, cooling the lava into obsidian. The mixing of seawater and lava formed steam, filling the passage with white mist.
In the midst of the white mist, Sage stood on the obsidian ground, setting his stance, facing Akainu above him.
One embedded in the rock wall above, using his powers to turn the upper passage into searing lava. The other stood firm on the ground, using the seawater to cool the lava into obsidian, creating a contrasting red and black opposition in the rising vapor.
Their conditions weren't great at this moment.
Akainu was covered with wounds that even elementalization couldn't hide, bleeding from his horn, gasping for air with blood uncontrolledly flowing from his mouth. His torso seemed like it was exploded, with serious injuries all over.
All inflicted by Sage.
As a top Logia-type, evading Haki attacks without injury isn't that hard, but prolonged battles inevitably lead to injuries. Once injured, under such special Haki from Sage, those wounds become irreparable, far from being light injuries.
Sage was unscathed, with the rising fumes and lava damaging his surface, but they quickly healed. The seven scars on his chest oozed brown scabs; the wounds healed well, but he had no time to wipe off the blood that continued to ooze.
Just that his stamina was somewhat drained.
It wasn't that using Life Return actively drained his stamina, but his form inherently mixed everything together. Just by being injured, he'd automatically heal, which itself consumes stamina.
One was affected in combat power due to injuries, the other drained by stamina loss, both influencing battle capabilities.
Leading to both sides' attacks weakening to various degrees by now.
However, they weakened not in power, only in mobility.
Akainu's lava inherently possessed offensive power, needing no concern for its might, whereas Sage's Haki boasted an almost infinite recovery speed, with each attack struck at maximum power.
But for this reason, their attacks became increasingly intense, leading to losing that previous ease from earlier.
"Sage!!"
Akainu gasped for breath, his fist flowing with lava again, erupting a massive fiery meteor filling the cavern.
"Sakazuki!!"
Sage roared back, bringing his hands together, bursting forth a black and red beam singularity, once again illuminating the cavern, entwining with the fiery meteor, exploding into a massive mushroom cloud of lava.
A battle of the strong inevitably alters the landscape. They can withstand it, but the world might not.
Even the ancient Red Earth Continent, presumed unbreakable on the surface until today.
But to say it's too hard to be destroyed is non-existent. With the fitting ability, even a lifeless form can be destroyed, and they can even more so.
The entwined attack with greater power instead resulted in more serious destruction of the Red Earth Continent.
Boom!!!
As the mushroom cloud propelled forward, the two were blasted apart again. Sage flew backward, while the lava surrounding Akainu was washed away, being pushed continuously inward by the advancing rock walls until this lava-choked, suffocated place welcomed fresh air, and sunlight distinct from fiery lava shone in.
Akainu broke through the Red Earth Continent's rock wall, revealing the vast sea beyond the cavern, about to plummet into the sea.
The Red Earth Continent was breached!
"Great Eruption!!"
Akainu roared angrily, his other hand once again hurling out lava, casting it over the sea. Massive amounts of lava evaporated upon contact with seawater, swiftly solidifying into obsidian, forming a small obsidian island, allowing him to stand upon it, avoiding falling into the ocean.
This is the unyielding trait of Logia-types; few can make the ocean a weakness.
Kizaru can fly, nearly at light speed, totally indifferent to the sea.
Aokiji with a casual reach can ice the sea between islands into a massive ice field, capable of lasting over seven days.
Likewise, Akainu's strike can form an island!
The sea?
Is nothing at all.
"Has it been breached..."
Akainu glanced upwards at the endless vast Red Earth Continent and then towards the giant cavern below, saying in a deep voice: "Before that, you weren't taken down yet, huh."
"Mutual indeed."
Sage shot out from the cave entrance, standing at the edge, his body steaming as it healed. He clenched his fists, gathering black and red lightning, grinning savagely:
"Let's continue, I'm not done enjoying this yet!"
Akainu said nothing back, his half-body still flowing with lava.
Fighting atop the sea isn't impossible, carving out an obsidian battlefield will do.
Even if one falls into the sea, it doesn't mean certain death, but whoever falls first is at a disadvantage!
Rumble!
Upon stepping outside, the sky inexplicably darkened, cracking with thunder, descended gales, and heavy rain.
From Sage's neck, the black jade bead chain burst forth, transforming into Flame Pearls encircling his head with a fiery halo.
Having come out, certain tactics can now be deployed!
That annoying lava, with the torrential rain, can be somewhat diminished.
Most importantly...
He stepped forward, black clouds converging at his feet, lifting his body upward, floating in mid-air.
"It's time for you to witness the power of Thunderbolt!" Sage extended his hand skyward. The thunder resounding in the sky shone even brighter, brewing in the clouds as if preparing to strike down.