A Storm of Will and Power
The field of battle lay in shambles.
The Crimson Reaver vessel, the floating fortress of terror, now hung on the edge of disaster. Its deck was shattered, its sails in tatters, and the smell of smoke and blood hung in the air.
But the actual battlefield was not on the vessel.
It was in the air between Solian and Cain.
The two men stood a few feet away from each other, eyes fixed, muscles coiled. Storms of raw, unfiltered willpower raged in the air between them.
???? CRACK!
The air itself was ripped apart as a new tide of Conqueror's Haki exploded from Solian.
Cain readied himself, but his smirk had long disappeared. His confidence? Shattered.
His instincts screamed at him—this wasn't the same battle anymore.
But Cain was no coward.
His body lowered into a stance, his muscles coiling like a spring ready to explode.
"I don't give a damn about your Haki," he spat, his voice sharp. "I'm still stronger than you."
Solian shrugged his shoulders, out of breath. His Haki was wild, his control flailing in and out. He could feel it running through his veins, but whenever he tried to fully grasp it, it was like trying to hold fire.
But that didn't matter.
He wasn't the same guy Cain had been beating up before.
Now… he was here to win.
"Then come prove it."
The Final Fight Begins
Cain vanished.
A burst of speed propelled him charging forward, his twin blades flashing through the air like shivers of silver.
Solian barely had time to respond.
CLANG!
Their swords rang out in a mad sound, as they sent a shockwave through the air.
Cain's brutish strength sent Solian flying back, his arms shaking with the force.
But this time… he didn't fall.
Cain charged again, his attacks ruthless. His swords flashed as he delivered a flurry of slashes, each strike capable of cutting through steel.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Solian's body reacted on instinct.
His sword clashed against Cain's, blocking, dodging, weaving through the hail of slashes.
But Cain was quicker. Stronger.
???? SLASH! ????
Blood flew as a tearing cut carved through Solian's side.
?SLASH!
Another across his arm.
Cain's attacks weren't just powerful—they were planned.
He was analyzing Solian's movements. Attempting to anticipate them.
Solian was in trouble.
Cain grinned. "Is that it?! You think a flashy Haki will be enough to close the gap between us?!"
Solian gritted his teeth. His vision went fuzzy for a moment, agony burning through his body.
He needed to turn this around. Fast.
????????????
The Crew's Last Moments
As Solian fought Cain, his crew fought their own deadly last battles.
???? Jorin vs. Syla – The battle of speed and fire reached its climax. Jorin's blade burned fiercer than ever, his flame forcing Syla into a corner. A final swing sent her crashing into the mast, unconscious.
???? Drayce vs. Roland – Drayce, battered but unyielding, faced Roland's swordsmanship with precision and sheer ability. With one last exchange, Drayce's sword disarmed Roland, cutting him down.
Kael vs. Mikhail – Mikhail's two swords swept through the air, but Kael's rust abilities had reached their limit. He melted one of Mikhail's swords mid-swing, giving him the knockout blow.
Vance vs. Gideon – Gideon had been brute-forcing his way through the entire fight. But Vance had broken him. Using his Recoil Fruit, he parried every punch until Gideon could not continue fighting.
One by one, Solian's men dispatched the enemy captains.
Only one man remained on his feet.
????????????
Cain's True Power
Cain winced as he saw his men go down.
His fist tightened around the sabers.
"I should have killed you the first time I laid eyes on you."
???? FWOOSH! ????
His body began to change.
His muscles bulged. His veins grew dark. His skin shone with a metallic glaze.
Solian's eyes narrowed. "What the.?"
Cain grinned. "I ate the Tetsu Tetsu no Mi—the Iron-Iron Fruit."
His entire body transformed into living metal.
He lunged forward.
BOOM!
Solian barely blocked in time—but Cain's strength had tripled. The impact sent him flying, crashing into the deck.
???? THUD!
His ribs screamed in pain.
Cain landed heavily, his metallic form reflecting the firelight.
"Your Conqueror's Haki is strong," Cain admitted. "But you're still not strong enough to beat me."
Solian coughed up blood.
His vision swam.
His body felt heavy.
But then…
????????????
One Last Push
Solian exhaled.
He delved deep.
Deeper than ever before.
His Conqueror's Haki burned up again, but this time—it didn't explode outward.
This time…
He kept it in.
His flames intensified. His movements became quicker.
And then—
FWOOSH!
He vanished.
A portal opened beneath him, and he reappeared behind Cain in an instant of golden light.
Cain's eyes went wide.
SLASH!
Solian's sword cut through Cain's back.
Cain screamed out in agony.
Solian's golden flames burned as he came down, his eyes burning with pure will.
This was it.
Final Attack: Solar Rift Strike!
Cain whirled around, anger in his eyes.
"DIE!" He swung down his metal-clad sword with all his strength.
Solian charged forward.
He vanished again.
A portal opened up.
He reappeared mid-air, sword raised high.
BOOOOOM!
A humongous golden fire roared as Solian's sword tore clean through Cain's last line of defense.
Cain's body crashed onto the deck.
And just like that—
The Crimson Reavers were defeated.