One Piece: Lightning's Heir

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Even with his Armament Haki, Dunlap's claws were useless against Arthur's monstrous strength.

Three months of relentless, electromagnetism-enhanced training had pushed his physique to a whole new level.

Before his fist even connected, the force of his punch, like a flash flood, sent Prolden stumbling backwards.

CRACK!

Arthur's fist slammed into his head, the sound of shattering bone echoing across the beach as his skull exploded like a rotten melon, red and white matter splattering everywhere.

Prolden and Dunlap were dead before they hit the ground.

They weren't as lucky as Birdpence, with his regenerative Mythical Zoan fruit.

"Now, it's your turn…" Arthur wiped the blood from his hand, his voice cold, his gaze fixed on Birdpence.

His black hair whipped around his face, his powerful frame, visible beneath his tattered clothes, radiating a monstrous aura.

Birdpence's face, already grim, darkened further.

The Nue—a creature of legend, said to possess the ability to distinguish good from evil. Those it deemed "good" were protected. Those deemed "evil"—they were slaughtered with a savage, unrelenting cruelty.

This world was filled with evil. Perhaps that was why Birdpence's gaze was always so…morose.

Whether the legend was true or not, Arthur didn't know. The Devil Fruit Encyclopedia didn't mention it.

But the Nue's regenerative abilities, its fiery black aura, the crackling lightning that seemed to emanate from its very being—it was a formidable power.

Birdpence, his spirit unbroken, his eyes blazing with a desperate, suicidal determination, gathered his remaining strength for one final, desperate attack.

To fight meant a chance of survival, however slim. To surrender meant certain death. For a pirate, the choice was simple. Even in death, he would take a piece of his enemy with him.

"ROAR!!!"

His fiery aura exploded outwards as he lunged, his speed increasing exponentially, his eyes, filled with a venomous hatred, fixed on Arthur.

But it was useless.

His every move was futile. As his tiger claws slammed into Arthur's chest, he finally understood the folly of his decision—the sheer, insurmountable gap between them.

An Emperor of the Sea, one of the strongest, defeated by a rookie?? It was laughable.

But it was too late. There was no turning back.

Bang!

His claws struck Arthur's chest with the force of a battering ram, but it was like hitting a solid steel wall. The force of the impact was deflected, sending a jolt of pain through his arms, his claws numb.

He'd always been able to shred his opponents with a single swipe. But against Arthur…it was hopeless.

Birdpence, despite his power, his determination—he was outmatched. Arthur's punch had barely fazed him.

Arthur's lips curled into a cold smile. He swung his hand, his fingers slicing through the air like a blade, striking Birdpence's left shoulder.

Bang!

The force of the blow sent Birdpence to his knees, his legs buckling under the strain.

He knew he was going to die. But he wouldn't surrender.

His gaze, fixed on Arthur, was filled with a defiant rage.

"If I'm going to die—I'm taking you with me! To die with the Thunder God—It's a fitting end for a pirate! Hahahahaha!"

He laughed wildly, his body erupting in a burst of black energy as he launched himself into the sky, merging with the storm clouds above—like dropping a massive stone into a placid lake, the ripples spreading outwards, creating a massive wave of chaotic energy.

Rumble!

The storm clouds above Raijin Island roiled, the sky seeming to crack as a curtain of lightning descended, obliterating the four pirate ships anchored near the shore, incinerating the hundreds of pirates on board.

Birdpence, with his dying breath, had unleashed the full fury of the storm.

The ancient storm clouds, dormant for centuries, had awakened.

Arthur's eyes widened, his forehead creased with a mixture of anger and excitement. His plan—to slowly absorb the island's lightning—was ruined.

He was a being of lightning, but his capacity was limited by his stamina. Absorbing too much external lightning, especially lightning of this magnitude—it was like force-feeding a man a massive feast. A small amount was manageable. Too much—and he'd burst.

He'd spent three months on this island, observing, studying, carefully avoiding any direct contact with the storm clouds, fearing a chain reaction, a catastrophic release of energy.

He'd simply been observing, trying to understand the nature of the lightning, the key to unlocking his own potential.

Rumble!

The thunderous roar of the storm clouds grew louder, the island enveloped in a curtain of lightning, the air thick with the smell of ozone, the static so strong it made his skin tingle.

Arthur threw his head back and laughed.

He craved excitement, adventure. And what could be more exciting than conquering nature itself?

"You think you can kill me? You're a fool!" His voice boomed, his excitement building, his own lightning flaring, no longer suppressed.

Zzzzzzt!

"Madness and chaos—What a wonderful life!"

BOOM!

A bolt of purple lightning struck him, his body shuddering from the impact. But he recovered instantly, his mastery of lightning allowing him to absorb the energy, a flicker of understanding sparking in his mind.

He felt stronger...

"Not enough! Not enough!"

He floated into the air, his body a beacon of blue light, drawing the lightning towards him, welcoming the storm.

One bolt at a time? It would take forever.

He grinned, a flash of lightning reflecting in his eyes, then shot into the heart of the storm cloud.

Rumble!

The sky roared, as if angered by his defiance—the storm intensifying—the lightning striking with a renewed fury.

Raijin Island, bathed in a brilliant, blinding light, was like a second sun, its glow visible for miles across the vast, dark sea.

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