Boom!
The force of Shinra Tensei blasted Steel Bone Kong backward like a cannonball.
His massive body smashed heavily into the ground before skidding across the battlefield. Even after regaining his footing, he still staggered back several more steps before stabilizing himself completely.
Kong's pupils tightened slightly.
Ryūjin's strength was absurd.
Even a casual attack carried enough force to overpower him head on.
Kong stared at Ryūjin with an expression filled with both admiration and deep caution.
The next moment, powder-like particles surged out from every part of his body.
The strange substance rapidly condensed into a thick layer of armor that completely wrapped around him.
At the same time, two sharp bone blades formed in his hands.
"So that's your Devil Fruit ability."
Ryūjin observed the changes with interest.
Although he did not fully understand the nature of the powder, it was obvious that Kong could freely manipulate it for both offense and defense.
Swish!
With terrifying speed, Kong rushed forward again.
The twin blades in his hands slashed toward Ryūjin relentlessly.
However, it did not take long for Kong to realize something unpleasant.
The gap between him and Ryūjin was even bigger than he had imagined.
Ryūjin barely used any complicated abilities at all.
He simply fought with raw taijutsu and overwhelming physical strength, yet Kong was still forced backward repeatedly.
Boom!
Another punch landed.
Kong was sent flying once more.
The surrounding crowd felt their scalps go numb.
"This monster is ridiculous."
Fear spread throughout the battlefield.
Kong steadied himself again before speaking in a deep voice.
"Ryūjin Uchiha, your strength truly deserves recognition. In all my years, you are the strongest opponent I have ever encountered."
"However, defeating me is impossible."
"The bone armor covering my body is harder than diamond. Physical attacks are useless against it. Lightning, fire, wind, even most forms of energy cannot break through my defense."
"You may suppress me temporarily, but in the end, victory will still belong to me."
Ryūjin finally understood.
The powder coating Kong's body was bone powder.
That explained the title Steel Bone Kong.
In some ways, it resembled Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku, except Kong's ability was incomparably stronger and far more refined.
"Can't be harmed?"
Ryūjin laughed lightly.
"Yeah right."
His Mangekyō Sharingan shifted instantly.
Amaterasu activated.
Whoosh!
Black flames erupted directly on Kong's body.
"What?!"
Kong's expression changed dramatically.
"Impossible! My armor shouldn't burn!"
The black flames spread across the surface of his bone armor rapidly.
For the first time since obtaining this power, Kong felt genuine shock.
His Devil Fruit allowed him to manipulate bone powder down to an extremely fine level.
Its density and hardness far exceeded ordinary materials.
Even diamonds meant nothing before it.
Most attacks simply could not break through his defense.
Yet Ryūjin's black flames ignored all of that entirely.
Without hesitation, Kong immediately detached the burning sections of armor from his body.
Chunks of flaming bone armor fell to the ground before continuing to burn violently.
Ryūjin narrowed his eyes slightly.
Steel Bone Kong truly deserved his reputation.
Very few people in this world could respond to Amaterasu so effectively.
Even Kizaru had struggled against it.
Swish!
At that moment, Ryūjin disappeared.
By the time Kong noticed, Ryūjin had already appeared beside him.
"So fast!"
Kong was startled briefly.
But the surprise quickly faded.
His confidence in his defense remained absolute.
Even if Amaterasu could burn through his armor, he could simply regenerate it repeatedly.
As long as Ryūjin lacked another method to bypass his defense, Kong believed he still held the advantage.
Then suddenly...
Kong's expression froze.
"Nani?!"
His body would not move.
No matter how hard he tried, he found himself completely immobilized.
"What is this?!"
Kong could not understand it.
Ryūjin had not physically touched him.
There was still distance between them.
Yet his body had become locked in place.
What Kong failed to notice was the shadow beneath his feet.
His shadow had connected to Ryūjin's.
More accurately, it had connected to the shadow of a Wood Clone hidden nearby.
Shadow Imitation Technique.
Ryūjin himself had not cast it directly, but his clone had already restrained Kong completely.
At the same moment, Ryūjin's Mangekyō Sharingan shifted again.
Kamui activated.
Buzz!
Distorted space began forming around Kong's neck.
Kong's eyes widened instantly.
His bone armor was being torn apart by an invisible force.
The defense he took the most pride in was broken yet again.
And this time, it was through an entirely different method.
If it were anyone else, their head would have already been severed.
But Steel Bone Kong was far from ordinary.
Even though his body was restrained, he could still activate his Devil Fruit ability.
Large amounts of bone powder erupted from his back.
Several thick bone pillars shot downward into the ground behind him.
The pillars extended rapidly, forcibly launching Kong's body forward.
His shadow disconnected from the Wood Clone instantly.
The restraint vanished.
Kong escaped at the very last second.
However...
A thin line of blood slowly appeared across his neck.
If he had reacted even slightly slower, his head would have fallen.
Cold sweat dripped down Kong's forehead.
The confidence he carried earlier had completely disappeared.
Ryūjin was simply too dangerous.
No wonder even Sengoku and the Three Admirals had fallen against him.
"As expected of Steel Bone Kong."
Ryūjin gave a faint nod.
"You've actually got some skill."
This time, the praise was genuine.
Among all the opponents Ryūjin had faced in this world, Kong was undoubtedly one of the strongest.
Kong did not respond.
Instead, even more bone powder erupted violently from his body.
The massive amount of powder condensed together rapidly.
In mere moments, an enormous giant nearly fifty meters tall appeared on the battlefield.
The giant held two gigantic bone blades in its hands.
The scene shocked everyone present.
Ryūjin raised an eyebrow slightly.
So this old man still had a trump card.
Then again, someone capable of standing at the peak of the Navy could never be simple.
This giant body alone was already absurd.
Its entire structure possessed the same terrifying hardness as Kong's bone armor.
Even a Yonko would struggle to damage it directly.
"It's over, Ryūjin Uchiha."
The giant spoke with a thunderous voice.
"In front of my Complete Combat Body, you have no chance of winning."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The giant walked forward heavily, causing the entire ground to tremble.
Ryūjin simply smiled.
"Is that so?"
Against a target this large, techniques like Shadow Imitation would naturally become less effective.
Kamui would also be harder to use efficiently on such a massive body.
Even Susanoo would struggle here.
After all, suppressing the giant meant nothing if he could not break its defense.
Of course, techniques like Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion or Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion would erase the giant instantly.
Those attacks were powerful enough to split apart celestial bodies.
But Ryūjin had no intention of using such excessive force here.
There was a much simpler method.
With a thought, a pitch-black Truth Seeking Orb floated into existence beside him.
The orb rapidly transformed into the shape of a sharp black blade.
Whoosh!
The blade shot forward instantly.
Kong's expression changed.
A terrible feeling rose in his chest.
Ryūjin's methods were too unpredictable.
His defense had already been bypassed twice.
Who knew what this black object could do?
The Truth Seeking Orb blade moved at terrifying speed.
Kong's massive body could not dodge in time.
Crack!
The blade pierced straight through the giant's body.
Front to back.
A massive transparent hole appeared instantly.
Kong's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
"Impossible!"
His strongest defense had been pierced as easily as paper.
That tiny black blade completely ignored the hardness of the giant body.
However, Ryūjin frowned slightly.
He had not hit Kong directly.
The Complete Combat Body functioned similarly to a Titan body.
Kong himself was hidden somewhere inside.
Ryūjin could not immediately pinpoint his exact location.
Even Observation Haki struggled due to the giant's enormous size and density.
Still, none of that mattered.
If one hole wasn't enough...
Then he would simply make more.
Four additional Truth Seeking Orbs floated beside Ryūjin before transforming into blades as well.
The original blade returned to him.
Five black blades now hovered in front of Ryūjin.
Steel Bone Kong's face turned pale.
He instantly understood Ryūjin's intention.
If this continued, Ryūjin would eventually locate his true body.
Normally, Kong could dodge attacks through Observation Haki.
But while controlling a giant this massive, his mobility dropped drastically.
Against Ryūjin's speed, he was practically a stationary target.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The five Truth Seeking Orb blades shot out simultaneously from different directions.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
One hole after another appeared across the giant body.
Soon, Ryūjin's lips curved upward slightly.
He found him.
Without hesitation, several Truth Seeking Orb blades shot toward the same area again.
Large holes exploded through the giant body repeatedly.
The massive giant suddenly froze.
Then...
Rumble!
The Complete Combat Body tilted sideways before collapsing heavily onto the battlefield.
At the same moment, Ryūjin sensed Kong's life force disappear completely through Observation Haki.
Steel Bone Kong was dead.