Chapter 43 (2/2)

”second form: forming the beast!”, which tightened all the bulging muscles on Azuls form, reducing his overall huge form into a tighter, more human-like appearance while still retaining his appearance. One huge difference though was that his feet and arms now consisted of pure fire, as if they had been a piece of iron stuck too long inside the fire, shining with a redly white glow, the hottest form of fire. No more billowing flames to accompany him, no. Everything seemingly screamed efficency. After his change had been completed a glowing red light appeared in the middle of his c.h.e.s.t, glowing with a pulsating light.

Having witnessed his opponents change Blackbeards eyes narrowed. He knew exactly how dangerous Zoan-users were in close combat. After all he had had the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e before while he was sailing under Whitebeard. He needed to use every chance he could get his hands on to siphon off the mans devilfruit powers or this would be a short fight, judging by the temperatur the mans arms and legs were giving of, making the air around them flicker in heat.

”Black vortex!”

Following his outcry a strong suction force enveloped Azul who at first resisted the traction by using the air below his feet to keep him in place as if he were to push of a rock for example.

But soon he decided that this was a waste of time, since the gravity only seemed to increase, and let himself be pulled towards the blackhole in Blackbeards hand, who grinned at his success.

Soon the grin began to fade though as he tried to grab Azul by the neck as he rushed towards Blackbeard due to the suction, only to have his arm grabbed in turn, making him cry out in pain, as his skin sizzled and burned under the raw heat of the beasts arms. Following that was a lessening in the tractionforce, which the beast promptly used to smash his other arm into Blackbeards elbow from the inside, making Blackbeards pulling arm focus into a different direction, away from Azul who afterwards was completely free from the suction, making full use of it. Letting Blackbeards arm go he slashed his claws over the mans broad c.h.e.s.t, making his flesh burn and the appearing blood evaporate. Blackbeard having no other choice but to retreat once more tried to smash his fist into Azuls face but he instead ducked under it, brought his left hand onto the ground, and pushed himself into an upwards kick, with his head near the ground, smashing his right foot straight under Blackbeards chin, who was lifted into the air with blood flying out of his mouth. Not letting the moment slip through his hands, Azul crouched down onto all four while Blackbeard began to fall down, pulling a handgun out of his belt, hoping to regain some momentum by wounding his opponent and not giving his enemy any time to make his move. Azul though exploded forwards, growling in his deep beastly voice: ”second stance: rising towards the sun!”

With an explosion of displaced air, cracking the ground behind him, Azul arrived below the falling Blackbeard whos eyes had widened in horror, seeing the brightening of the beasts arms until they were so bright it was hard to look into their direction. With an upwards jump Azul brought both of his arms in a crescent shape upwards onto Blackbeards back, slicing deeply into his backside, making him rise further into the air and cry out in pain once more, though Azuls move was not yet completed. He had thought this moveset out while watching the sun rise each morning. And so he implemented its rise over the sky into said move. First striking the opponent into the air with a slashing motion, afterwards increasing their rush through the air by a few kicks to the midsection and ending their journey by ruthlessly striking them with piercing claws straight into their sternum, crushing them beneath him in the earth.

His movement was accompanied by the earth getting torn to pieces for 20 meters in diameter, causing the astonished strawhats and nearby pirates to wobble on their feet, until only silence remained.

That was until a shot echoed through the air, hitting the unsuspecting Azul straight into the leg, making him fall onto one knee. Next a man descended from the sky, with wings for arms, right into the craters center where Blackbeard was located. The man hurried himself with retaining his captain, letting his walking stick fall to the ground, and pulling the uncouncious and heavily injured blackbeard out of the hole.

Meanwhile Azul tried to rush over to finish his fight, but was interrupted by another shot that he managed to dodge this time due to his haki, though he could not spot the shooter which meant he was incredibly far away.

Knowing he was being denied his victory, Azuls inner flame, fueled by the smirching of his honor as a warrior, roared and exploded out of him, increasing the temperatur around him enourmously, making the wingman sweat in dawning horror at the heat that was smashing into his face.

”You will not escape your fate Blackbeard! Your life is mine by right!” Azul roared to the heavens, making his hands turn into black miasma which he brought in a rush down upon his opponent, trying to ripp his soul away from him. The wingman however sensing the danger, smashed Azul into the face with a foot so that he could only touch Blackbeards soul slightly. Feeling his instincts cry in satisfaction, Azul focused on the point of contact with Blackbeards soul and found some of the miasma still being present there, which he could feel like a beacon at the back of his head. Concentrating he formed the miasma ontop of Blackbeards soul into a mark, which drilled itself into said mans soul.

'I will find you again Blackbeard. And next time you will not be so lucky!' Azul said with a violent grin, now having found a way to track down Blackbeard whereever he went, before turning himself back into his human form and marching out of the battleground while Blackbeard and the Birdman were flying away into the distance...