Then, while paralyzed, Kozuki Hiyori was directly hit by the lightning. The terrifying current and electromagnetic waves mixed together, and while paralyzing her physical movements, they surged directly into her brain, releasing intense pain signals.
For a time, even with Kozuki Hiyori's decent willpower, she immediately screamed in agony. Her eyes rolled back, her tongue lolled, and saliva couldn't help but flow down, dripping onto the wooden floor. She almost even lost control of her bowels and bladder.
"Tsk, seems I overdid it a bit... This girl put all her Haki into Weapon Infusion; her own defensive power is a bit too poor!"
Smelling a strange odor, Vegapunk retracted his finger and couldn't help but speak helplessly. The stimulation of the brain by electricity would directly make a person unable to control their nervous system; this wasn't something that willpower could solve.
Although Kozuki Hiyori possessed a certain degree of Iron Skin and had some resistance to fire, lightning, and ice, this resistance was clearly not strong enough, at least far inferior to Vegapunk's lightning and magnetism.
If she had used Armament Haki to protect herself, it would have been one thing; high-level Haki cultivation could completely negate various elemental damage.
However, as a Great Swordsman, Kozuki Hiyori's fighting style was one of imbuing her weapons with Armament Haki to purely increase her attack power, so naturally, her physical defense was fragile as hell.
The battles of ordinary swordsmen mostly involve using offense as defense, using powerful flying slashes to negate the opponent's attacks, or simply using the weapon in their hand to parry. No swordsman purely uses their physical body and Haki to tank hits; that's what pure Taijutsu experts like to do.
Unfortunately, the speed of lightning was too fast, and the activation of electromagnetic waves was also invisible and formless. After being momentarily paralyzed, Kozuki Hiyori simply couldn't block or dodge the attack.
At this moment, Hogback, lying on the ground, buried his head even deeper. Kozuki Hiyori's strength was even a bit stronger than Gekko Moriah's, yet she was insta-killed by the enemy. Should he consider how to surrender more stylishly?
A few minutes later, Kozuki Hiyori gradually recovered. However, feeling the dampness and stench beneath her, she would have preferred to have simply fainted. She directly closed her eyes, wanting to play ostrich.
"Since you're awake, go wash up quickly! Someone is coming back soon. You wouldn't want everyone to come and see you in your current state, would you?"
Vegapunk had already seen from Kozuki Hiyori's brainwaves that she was awake and spoke plainly. Hearing Vegapunk's words, Kozuki Hiyori jumped up, her face flushed with shame, and she ran away covering her face and squeezing her legs together.
Ten-odd minutes later, Kozuki Hiyori gritted her teeth and returned to Hogback's clinic. But as soon as she pushed the door open, she saw a shocking scene.
Gekko Moriah was lying dizzy on the ground. Perona was clutching a toy bear, shrinking into a corner like a timid lolita. A certain Transparent Man was having an instrument placed on his chest, seemingly extracting something.
Beside Vegapunk, Nico Robin and Stella were chatting with smiles. The most eye-catching person in the room was Boa Hancock, who wore a hime cut and a proud expression, standing behind Vegapunk.
After Vegapunk swapped bodies, Kozuki Hiyori indeed couldn't recognize him. However, she used to see Hancock and Nico Robin frequently back at Vegapunk's experimental base!
As for Stella, not to mention that the Artificial Devil Fruit Kozuki Hiyori ate was snatched from Stella's Umbrella Corporation!
"You... how did you appear again? Where is Vegapunk? Where is my mother? How is she now?"
Kozuki Hiyori looked at Boa Hancock and Nico Robin. For a moment, she almost lost the ability to think. A moment later, she reacted and hurriedly stepped forward, asking excitedly.
"What an insolent person! To have committed such an act of betrayal, you actually have the nerve to come and question us!"
Seeing Hancock directly rebuking her, neither Stella, Nico Robin, nor even Vegapunk spoke.
One had to admit that although Hancock was very beautiful, her temper was indeed suitable for playing the villain. Or rather, if she weren't beautiful, Hancock's behavior would be that of a complete villain!
Hearing this, Kozuki Hiyori finally reacted, her expression changing instantly as she looked lost and flustered.
If it were just her own life, Kozuki Hiyori would dare to take a gamble—at worst, it would be death. But one must know that her mother was currently in the hands of Vegapunk's forces.
Previously, Kozuki Hiyori thought her mother had been buried with Vegapunk's base. Now it seemed there was a turn of events, so of course, she didn't dare to act rashly.
But then, a tsunami-like Conqueror's Haki instantly pressed down on her shoulders. The sound of cracking echoed as cracks appeared in the floor beneath Kozuki Hiyori's feet. Her eyes rolled up, and she was about to fall to her knees.
At this critical moment, the two O Wazamono blades, ama no habakiri and Shuusui, suddenly shouted, "Wake up! Hiyori!"
Kozuki Hiyori instantly cleared her head a bit. She grasped the two O Wazamono with both hands, propping them on the ground with their scabbards to steady her swaying body.
Only the cold sweat on her forehead, her pale face, her trembling lips, and the pale back of her hands where veins bulged from gripping the hilt all showed that she had already reached her limit.
Slowly raising her head, Kozuki Hiyori looked at Hancock again. However, at this moment, the Hancock in her eyes had become completely distorted, as if she were as tall as the sky, with snakes writhing on her head—like a peerlessly beautiful yet incredibly dangerous Medusa!
"Alright, Hancock, stop showing off!"
Vegapunk shook his head and patted Hancock's shoulder. Hearing Vegapunk's words, Hancock then retracted her Conqueror's Haki.
The terrifying pressure suddenly vanished, and the distorted illusion shattered without a trace. The struggling Kozuki Hiyori swayed, almost falling face-first onto the ground.
After a good while, Kozuki Hiyori, who had slightly recovered, finally raised her head and looked at Vegapunk, who was sitting in the main seat, her eyes filled with shock and suspicion.
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