CHAPTER 396: CHAPTER 396: FIRE DRAGON EMPEROR

Chapter 396: Fire Dragon Emperor

A loud rumble echoed through the air!

King was struck by an electric whip, and his entire body went numb from the shock.

The pillar of fire he had unleashed moments before crumbled and dissipated.

"Now’s our chance!" Bonk Punch shouted.

"Mudslide Swamp!"

The bald Bonk Punch had already placed his hands on the ground, preparing for this moment. Seeing King stunned by the electric shock, he seized the opportunity to strike.

A swamp formed beneath King’s feet, a churning mix of earth, mud, rocks, and water. This was Bonk Punch’s ability, derived from the concept of a mudslide. He could create devastating mudslides to overwhelm enemies or, as he did now, craft a hidden swamp to trap them.

King, paralyzed by the electricity, was vulnerable. Bonk Punch aimed to bury him in the swamp before he could recover.

"Prepare to retreat!" Navigator Snake called out, already soaring toward their pirate ship.

Snake’s power was the ability to control air currents, known as the Storm ability. He was heading to the ship to ready it for their escape. With his control over airflow, their pirate ship could fly at incredible speeds.

Their plan was clear: Beckman would freeze the other two pirate ships, ensuring that only the Beasts Pirates’ top fighter, King the Conflagration, could pursue them by flight. The rest of their enemies would be left stranded, watching helplessly as they escaped.

King, observing the red-haired crew’s coordinated movements, found their strategy amusing. They seemed determined to keep him occupied until they could flee.

It did not take long for the effects of Limejuice’s lightning to wear off. As a member of the Lunaria race, King possessed remarkable adaptability, capable of surviving in the harshest environments. Moreover, he was no longer a pure Lunarian; his body was infused with the power of a Zoan fruit. A mere electric shock was nothing to him.

With a whoosh, flames erupted around him. Terrifying fire burst from King’s body as he began to sink into the muddy swamp. The swamp, which had already reached his chest, exploded outward in an instant, unable to contain him.

"No way! This guy is too strong!" Bonk Punch gasped, glancing back as he ran and witnessing the scene.

"Beckman and I will hold him off. The rest of you, get ready to move!" Shanks ordered, stopping in his tracks with a serious expression.

King’s strength had surpassed Shanks’s expectations. He was far more powerful than he had been during the Swordsmanship Tournament. Facing such an opponent head-on was not wise, not yet.

Shanks could only hope that King, as a Devil Fruit user, would hesitate to pursue them into the sea. But first, they had to escape successfully.

"No, boss, let me handle this. You don’t need to push yourself," Roux said, halting as well.

"I’m with you, boss. Just head back and recover!" Limejuice added, stopping beside Roux. His lightning could effectively restrain King.

Shanks gave them one final look before turning to retreat quickly. Right now, he was a liability. His role was to avoid slowing them down and to restore his strength as soon as possible.

"Hmph! You think you can escape so easily?" King sneered, emerging fully from the shattered swamp. He eyed the three who stayed behind to face him and the pirate ship starting up along the coast.

He was ready to act.

The Andre Pirates, meanwhile, stood by, content to watch the spectacle unfold. As for Higuma and his crew, they observed cautiously.

Higuma was curious about the strength of this returning Beasts Pirates’ heavyweight. He would only intervene if the red-haired crew managed to slip away.

The scene was chaotic: the Red Hair Pirates were desperate to escape, while others watched, learning about their abilities in the process.

"You won’t escape me," King said in a calm voice, staring at the three blocking his path.

"Really? We’ll see about that," Beckman replied, his palms radiating cold. Since gaining his ice ability, his trusted firearm had become more of a stylish accessory. He could now unleash ice bombs, icicles, and other attacks, even infusing them with Haki. His gun was no longer as essential as it once was.

"Then allow me to show you what true powerlessness feels like," King said, his words sending a chill through the trio.

Suddenly, with a call, the flames on King’s back vanished. In the blink of an eye, his towering figure leaped over the three, crossing the sea and the Red Force, which had already set sail. He appeared in the sky ahead of the ship.

So fast!

Beckman and the others were stunned, then hurriedly rushed back toward their ship. They refused to believe King had moved so quickly just to show off.

Aboard the Red Force, the red-haired crew spotted King hovering in the air ahead. They, too, were amazed by his terrifying speed and braced themselves for what was coming.

King stood in mid-air. Moments ago, he had extinguished his flames, transforming the fire within his body to boost his speed exponentially. The red-haired crew wanted to escape, but he would not give them the chance to prepare.

Moreover, with newcomers like the Andre Pirates and Higuma watching, King needed to display his dominance. He wanted them to understand that, beyond Kaido, the Beasts Pirates boasted formidable fighters like him. This was a warning to keep their ambitions in check.

With a sharp clang, King drew his samurai sword, his masked face expressionless. He aimed the blade at the pirate ship below.

Flames began to flicker across his body, growing into an overwhelming blaze that painted the sky red. The air grew hot, water evaporated, and invisible vapor rose from the sea. The bright firelight illuminated everyone’s faces, making it feel as though they were standing in a furnace.

"This guy!" the red-haired crew on the Red Force’s bow exclaimed, their expressions shifting dramatically.

They stared at the towering figure in the sky. The samurai sword in King’s hand was gathering endless flames.

At that moment, Beckman, Roux, and Limejuice rushed back, landing on the deck. They exchanged grave looks with their crewmates. The power behind King’s stance promised a devastating attack, and they would have to fight with everything they had.

"Fire Dragon Emperor!" King declared from mid-air, ignoring the tension below. (Fire Dragon Emperor = Imperial Flaming Wings)

Endless flames coiled around his samurai sword, erupting into the shape of a massive fire dragon.

"Roar!"

The fire dragon let out a deafening roar, its flaming maw wide enough to swallow the entire Red Force. It surged downward with terrifying force.

This Fire Dragon Emperor was unlike King’s previous attacks. His enhanced flame abilities had made this move even more formidable, surpassing even his former Assisting Guardian Fire Dragon Emperor.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sea churned violently, and the fiery red light bathed the world in crimson. The sheer force of the attack sent shockwaves through the atmosphere.

The Andre Pirates, Higuma, and others watching from a distance could not help but widen their eyes at the sight of the colossal fire dragon. This was the true power of the Beasts Pirates.

How terrifying! What a monster!

For pirates on the open sea, these were the simplest words to describe the awe-inspiring spectacle before them—much like modern exclamations such as "damn" or "holy crap."

( End of this Chapter )