"Is that… a dragon?" Zavia stared at the colossal being in the sky, its body crackling with purple lightning. This was only the second time he had experienced such intense emotion in the One Piece world.
"Little one, you've passed my first trial. It seems you're not entirely without merit. However, simply passing the first trial isn't enough to obtain the Demon God's Lightning Core. You must prove your strength to me!" The purple thunder dragon hovered high above, looking down at Zavia as if he were an insignificant insect.
Its voice was cold and dismissive, though a hint of admiration laced its words.
"…Are you the guardian of the Lightning Core? I've never heard of you. I was told the guardian was a woman." Zavia took several deep breaths to steady himself, his shock giving way to his usual cold composure. He recalled the intelligence Crocodile had provided about Raijin Island.
"It seems you've done your research. You're not wrong. The guardian you were supposed to face was indeed Camille. However, she was summoned by the Demon God on urgent business, so I am conducting the trial in her stead." The thunder dragon's slitted pupils remained fixed on Zavia as it explained.
(Camille? So she was the guardian I was supposed to face? Summoned by the Demon God… hmph, it seems my luck isn't so bad after all.) Zavia pondered the dragon's words, analyzing their implications.
He felt a sense of relief. If the dragon was telling the truth, the original guardian would have been someone of Valona's caliber, or at least close to it.
Such an opponent was beyond Zavia's current capabilities. If he had to face someone that strong, he wouldn't hesitate to abandon his quest for the Lightning Core and flee.
As for the thunder dragon, Zavia sensed its power. It was strong, even stronger than himself. It possessed the power of a Blazing Sky within the Divine Stage.
Zavia's true strength was at the Wisdom Sky level, one stage below.
This single stage difference was significant. While stage suppression wasn't absolute, it represented a clear disparity in power.
It wasn't simply a matter of combat experience or technique, though those factors played a role. It was a fundamental difference in strength.
He had experienced this firsthand during his fight with Roman. If he hadn't resorted to his spatial abilities, the outcome would have been uncertain.
"Since you've passed the first trial, prepare yourself for the final test. Having reached this point, I assume you've grown stronger." The thunder dragon didn't give Zavia much time to think. The trial was about to begin.
As its words faded, a wave of pressure emanated from the dragon, an invisible shockwave rippled outwards.
Caught off guard while analyzing the situation, Zavia was pushed back five meters by the force of the impact.
He swung the sheathed Yamato, dispersing the shockwave, then steadied himself while staring at the dragon above.
"Hmph, not bad." The thunder dragon grunted, seeing that Zavia had only been pushed back five meters.
"Hmph hmph hmph, I see." Zavia smiled coldly.
The blood mist that had dispersed reformed, swirling around him. A blue light flashed in his half-opened right eye, and an ominous aura started radiating from his body.
"Roar… This is getting interesting." The thunder dragon's icy composure finally cracked, resembling that of a child with a new toy.
Ignoring the dragon's reaction, Zavia bent his knees and adopted a fighting stance, one foot forward, the Yamato glowing in his hand.
Bang—!!
In an instant, Zavia vanished, leaving only a cloud of dust illuminated by the purple lightning.
However, the thunder dragon seemed to anticipate this. It moved its right claw to its chest with blinding speed.
Clang—!!!
A sharp, metallic ring echoed as the Yamato clashed with the dragon's claw, striking one of its massive talons.
Surprise flickered in Zavia's eyes as his attack was blocked.
The surprise was fleeting. He felt a tremendous force pushing back against the Yamato, and the blade was flung away.
As he recoiled, a sharp pain shot through his right side, and a sense of danger washed over him.
He instinctively raised the Yamato to block.
Boom—!
The moment he raised his guard, a massive force slammed into the Yamato, the impact reverberated through his body.
He was sent hurtling towards the ground at 350 kilometers per hour.
A deafening crash echoed as he slammed into the earth, sending dust and debris flying. The ground cracked and splintered, a 150-meter long gash marked the point of impact.
"Cough… cough…" The dust settled and revealed Zavia gripping the Yamato, which was embedded in the black soil. He clutched his chest and coughed. Blood trickled down his chin.
"Still alive? As expected of a demonic constitution rivaling that of a god. Quite resilient." The thunder dragon stared down at Zavia with a hint of surprise. It had expected that blow to be fatal. It seemed it had underestimated him.
(That was brutal. Pure, unadulterated strength. Just a simple swat.)
Zavia gasped for breath. That attack had been close. If he hadn't instinctively blocked with the Yamato, and if not for his resilient physique, that blow would have been near fatal.
He looked down at himself, his black trench coat covered in dust and torn in several places, its protective properties were compromised.
He was relieved that the lightning hadn't struck him since he landed. He suspected the thunder dragon was responsible.
He ripped off the damaged black trench coat, revealing his blue one beneath.
Pulling the Yamato from the ground, he looked up at the dragon and smiled.
It was a genuine smile, similar to the one he had worn during his fight with Roman a year ago. He wasn't afraid, despite facing a stronger opponent.
On the contrary, he was exhilarated by the challenge. While he had been initially shocked at the sight of the dragon – dragons were symbols of power, after all – the shock was fleeting.
He had known the guardian would be powerful. This was simply his first time seeing a real dragon.
He sheathed the Yamato and abandoned his probing tactics. That attack had served its purpose – to gauge the difference in their strength. And the difference was significant.
Armament Haki coated the Yamato, both blade and scabbard. He focused his Observation Haki, narrowing its range to a fourteen-meter diameter around himself. Any wider, and it would distract him.
He needed his senses focused on a manageable area, and fourteen meters was sufficient.
Besides Haki, spatial distortions rippled around him. He was resorting to his trump card – his spatial abilities.
There was no point holding back. His opponent was stronger. He had to give it his all.
"Hmph, Dual Haki and the Demon God's spatial abilities. It seems you've inherited quite a bit, inheritor." The thunder dragon grunted.
"…" Zavia didn't respond. This was a life-or-death battle. He couldn't afford any distractions. Victory meant obtaining the Lightning Core. Defeat meant either death or severe injury.
One might wonder why the trial to obtain the Demon God's core was so perilous.
It was simple. Valona's initial attitude had made it clear: the Demon God's trials were deadly.
While he had only mentioned defeating the guardian and claiming the core, the unspoken implication was clear: failure meant defeat, and defeat often meant death, or at the very least, severe injury.
Perhaps previous inheritors had faltered, their resolve shaken by this unspoken threat, leading to their demise.
This time, however, Valona had been more cautious, he refrained from any discouraging words.
"Silent, are you? Not the talkative type, I see. Then I won't waste my breath. But remember this: my name is Rector. It will be the last name you hear before you die!" The thunder dragon looked down at Zavia as if declaring victory before the battle had even begun.
Zavia simply chuckled coldly. The space around him distorted violently, and in a flash, he vanished.
The battle had begun.