Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 252: An unexpected encounter

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Boom!

Blue lightning struck, splitting the air with a deafening roar.

Aoki's figure emerged on the other side, calm and unflinching.

"It seems Robin guessed wrong. The rumors are at least partially true," he said, his voice steady but sharp.

Being scheming doesn't mean you aren't irritable or cold-hearted.

Leig's narrowed his eyes slightly. "What about the other woman?"

Robin, of course, was in another dimension.

However, Aoki naturally wouldn't reveal this and simply replied, "Guess."

"Forget it. I'll kill you first, and then I'll figure it out slowly!"

Leig's eyes turned cold as he swung his arms, summoning the power of his Devil Fruit.

Lightning coalesced into a whip and lashed toward Aoki with terrifying speed.

Aoki spread his fingers wide and raised his arms.

The ground rumbled, and a torrent of sand, stone, and soil surged upward, quickly forming a towering wall.

Snap!

Blue lightning struck the wall and dissipated, leaving behind a charred, smoking scar.

"Devil Fruit power?" Leig muttered, his eyes darkening as he assessed the situation.

He wasn't surprised that this sudden opponent possessed unique abilities.

After all, Aoki had just floated in the sky—something no ordinary person could do.

The real issue was that Leig couldn't identify what kind of ability this was.

Flight, sudden appearances and disappearances, and now the power to manipulate soil—seemingly unrelated powers.

Rumble!

The surrounding soil rose into the air, twisting and writhing until it transformed into long, serpentine dragons. They coiled around Leig, their gaping maws roaring as they lunged toward him.

Leig remained indifferent, letting the mud dragons engulf him completely.

Tiny arcs of electricity crackled through the gaps, and lightning oozed out like liquid, reforming into his shape.

"You think such a petty trick can harm me?"

A mocking sneer curled Leig's lips—until it froze.

"Where did you go?"

He scanned the area but found no trace of his opponent.

Then, a faint ripple stirred behind him.

"So, you didn't flee. You're planning to attack me instead?"

The mockery in Leig's voice deepened as a surge of lightning exploded from his body, turning the surroundings into a sea of thunder.

Yet, the expected scream never came.

Leig turned to look, only to find Aoki standing calmly outside the electrified zone, studying him with interest.

"You've indeed mastered the method of using the Thunder Fruit's power to enhance your Observation Haki," Aoki remarked.

Leig's face darkened. His repeated failed attacks and the exposure of his trump card only fueled his frustration.

"Hmph! That's right," Leig admitted. "With the amplification of the Thunder Fruit, my Observation Haki surpasses everyone else's in both range and precision!"

Aoki smiled faintly.

"Thank you for the explanation. I've got a good grasp of your abilities now. As a token of appreciation, I'll share something with you too."

Leig's eyes narrowed, his expression cold. He said nothing.

Aoki continued, "With my next strike, I'll end this. Be prepared."

Leig laughed, his voice brimming with anger. "Hahahaha! You'll kill me with your next strike? Then let me tell you something too. With my next strike, I'll kill you instead!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Endless lightning erupted from Leig's body, transforming him into a giant composed entirely of lightning—a form nearly identical to Enel's Thor state.

Of course, this was expected. Both wielded the power of the Thunder Fruit.

However, Leig's mastery of the Thor state was clearly superior.

"Are you ready?" Aoki asked.

His calm tone only stoked Leig's fury. With both palms extended, Leig unleashed an overwhelming surge of lightning, far more intense than any of his previous attacks.

"Die!"

Aoki's figure vanished in an instant.

Hearing movement behind him, Leig smirked inwardly.

"Again? How predictable. But this time, you won't escape!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Endless lightning erupted from Leig, spreading out in all directions and transforming into a larger, more violent, and terrifying sea of lightning.

The sky lit up with blinding flashes, the surrounding space bathed in an eerie blue glow.

"Turn into charcoal!"

Leig roared inwardly, but his triumphant expression quickly shifted.

The sharp sound of something cutting through the air behind him did not fade—it grew louder and more intense.

"What's going on? Is he planning to die with me?"

Shock and fury flashed across Leig's face. His expression darkened as he finally made a decision: retreat.

I haven't figured out the enemy's abilities yet. Taking risks is foolish.

Leig had roamed the seas for twenty years, surviving countless battles. He was no fool, even if his arrogance often overshadowed his caution.

But just as he prepared to flee, an invisible wave swept through the air.

Leig's mind went blank. His movements halted, and his body involuntarily reverted to its human form.

Phew!

A black spear pierced through his chest.

Leig snapped back to consciousness, overwhelmed by shock and rage.

What just happened?

Before he could process the situation, an even more horrifying sensation coursed through him. The strength drained rapidly from his body, leaving him weaker and weaker by the second.

Leig's eyes locked onto the black spear embedded in his chest.

"Is this... seastone?"

He struggled to lift his arm, desperately trying to pull the spear out.

Swish!

A flash of cold light streaked through the air.

At first, Leig felt a chill on his shoulder. Then came a burning sensation that quickly intensified into searing pain.

Blood sprayed from the stumps of his severed arms as they fell to the ground.

"Ah! My arms!"

Agony contorted Leig's face. He wanted to scream, but the seastone sapped his strength, reducing his cries to weak, pitiful groans.

Before he could collapse completely, Aoki grabbed him by the neck and hoisted him into the air.

"Haha, looks like I won," Aoki said, his voice steady and cold.

After experiencing the helplessness of fighting an admiral, Aoki had learned his lesson. There were three natural enemies of Devil Fruit users: Haki, seawater, and seastone.

"I can't use Haki, and carrying seawater isn't practical. That leaves seastone as the best solution."

Seastone was a rare and valuable resource. With the help of Shakky and Rayleigh, Aoki had managed to acquire a small piece.

He had originally wanted to forge it into a weapon like a boxing glove or a knife.

Unfortunately, seastone was notoriously difficult to process. The best he could do was sharpen it into a spear. Crafting more advanced weapons required a level of craftsmanship he had yet to find.

Leig's gaze shifted to Aoki, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and realization.

"You... you're the Dragon King?"

Aoki touched his face, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"That's right."

The lightning strikes had shredded the fragile coat of his human disguise, revealing his true appearance.

Leig's eyes widened with recognition.

"The Dragon King…"

Even in his pain, Leig's expression softened, tinged with relief.

No matter how arrogant he was, Leig knew better than to claim superiority over a Pirate Emperor.

Though the Dragon King had only recently risen to prominence, his bounty surpassed that of two Pirate Emperors. He was ranked second in the world, just behind Whitebeard, the man known as the strongest in the world.

"I am convinced," Leig said weakly. "To lose to the legendary Dragon King… I can accept that. Let me offer you a secret in exchange for my life."

Aoki raised an eyebrow. "The secret you're offering wouldn't happen to be about Captain Jack's treasure buried here, would it?"

Leig's eyes widened in shock.

Aoki chuckled. "Why do you think I came here?"