The strength of Haihou was immense; merely the power radiating from him, accompanied by the crackling of thunder, enveloped the entire island within his aura.
At this moment, Vanma Yujiro, who had been in the midst of a slaughter, was drawn by this presence. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he laughed, "What a terrifying aura." "A true master, hahahaha!"
Vanma Yujiro then abandoned the shrimp and crab soldiers, charging towards Haihou's location. Meanwhile, Jing Ke, Dao Zhi, and Yaso also launched a fierce assault on Haihou. Without the power of his Devil Fruit, Haihou's strength had already reached S-class, possessing the might of an Admiral.
As his Devil Fruit power awakened and was unleashed to its fullest, Haihou's strength multiplied. His speed, power, stamina, and even his regenerative abilities were all terrifying.
"Ahahaha, come at me, unleash your full might," Haihou declared, "I will twist off your heads one by one." Facing the pincer attack from the three, Haihou showed no signs of distress or anger from the immense pressure; on the contrary, he was exhilarated. Every move was filled with power and explosive force, and each strike carried the destructive potential of a thunderclap.
Dao Zhi was not suited for direct confrontation. Jing Ke, while capable of engaging in direct combat, preferred to operate as an assassin. Therefore, Yaso bore the brunt of Haihou's attacks.
"Dash Slash!" Yaso parried relentlessly, his blade clashing with Haihou's sharp, claw-like nails. Jing Ke and Dao Zhi followed up with swift, opportunistic strikes. Despite their combined efforts, and even though they inflicted various wounds upon Haihou, he remained like a war machine, heedless of his injuries, driven solely by the urge to kill. With each clash, his wounds began to heal within moments.
"Damn it, this guy is too much to handle," Dao Zhi exclaimed. "He's unkillable!" "My Shunfei Lun left him with hundreds of cuts and he bled so much, yet he can still fight like this." "Why does this cursed monkey possess the power of thunder?"
Every attack from Dao Zhi nearly cost him his life. Though he managed to evade the fatal blows, he was left in a disheveled state. Even as Admirals, their combat prowess differed. As a thief excelling in speed, Dao Zhi was at a disadvantage against an Admiral with such astonishing combat power.
"Shadow Clone, Swap!" Jing Ke deflected Haihou's attack with his dagger. Just as he prepared to disengage, Haihou's foot erupted with lightning, emanating a terrifying aura akin to a nuclear blast. "Thunder Hoof!"
As the immense power was about to strike his face, Jing Ke quickly used his shadow to replace his own body. With a thunderous crash, the powerful attack instantly obliterated Jing Ke's shadow. A crater ten meters in diameter appeared before their eyes.
"Truly terrifying power. I never imagined the World Government could hide such a formidable individual," Jing Ke gasped, unable to suppress his admiration.
"Storm of the Heavens!" Yaso maintained his cool and serious demeanor, deciding not to wait any longer. His form blurred into an afterimage as he launched his most ferocious assault on Haihou. Haihou's pupils contracted sharply, and the next moment, he went berserk. Lightning surged from his body, causing his blue fur to stand on end. As Armament Haki coated his fur, it turned pitch-black and became incredibly hard.
"Armament Lightning Core." The normally blue lightning turned black, and it was subtly apparent that space itself seemed to warp. The two terrifying forces collided instantly, the ensuing roar echoing across the entire island. The tremendous power generated an energy storm, shattering rocks and snapping trees. Dao Zhi and Jing Ke watched in awe.
However, Jing Ke did not forget his role. He instantly unleashed dozens of shadows, which converged behind Haihou and coalesced into a powerful armored warrior. "Shadow Judgment!" The armored warrior, wielding a long spear, unleashed a terrifying force and thrust it towards Haihou.
Haihou's Observation Haki sensed the anomaly behind him. Startled, he found himself unable to evade. "You damn fool, why aren't you coming down?" Haihou roared, his voice resonating across the island. Simultaneously, a portal opened, revealing a void space directly in front of the spear's path. The spear entered the void space unimpeded and reappeared a hundred meters high in the sky.
This was not the end. A portal appeared behind Yaso, and a hand reached out, aiming for his neck. "Die!" Yaso's gaze was icy. The earth, controlled by his Float-Float Fruit ability, transformed into a series of spears and pierced into the being within the portal. Yaso's Observation Haki was equally formidable, allowing him to foresee the future. The moment the portal opened, he retaliated. His hand reached into the void, the spears missing their target as the portal was forcefully closed.
Beside Haihou, a portal opened, and a man wearing a plain white mask, devoid of any markings, stood within the void space. He spoke calmly, "Let's go. Another Admiral is coming. Fighting four against one, your mission has failed." "However, it's not a complete failure. At least, we now know who the 'Phantom Squad' are."
Haihou still wished to continue fighting, confident he could take down one or two of them. But sensing Vanma Yujiro's powerful presence locking onto him, he hesitated no longer and flashed into the void space. "Get out here!" Vanma Yujiro arrived, seeing Haihou about to escape. His accumulated power exploded from his fist, descending towards Haihou's location. Seeing this, Haihou sneered, "Our game is not yet over." The portal closed completely, leaving Vanma Yujiro's attack to strike empty air. The immense force caused Jing Ke and Dao Zhi to flee swiftly. With a thunderous boom, the spot where they had stood was struck, creating a crater twenty meters in diameter.
"Truly a monster," Dao Zhi muttered, looking at the massive crater, his spirit seemingly broken. Among the four members of the Phantom Squad, in terms of raw combat strength, he was at the bottom, followed by Jing Ke, and then Yaso.
"Useless!" Vanma Yujiro was deeply frustrated, his gaze sweeping over the trio of Dao Zhi, Jing Ke, and Yaso, and he spoke coldly. Hearing himself called useless by Vanma Yujiro, Dao Zhi's displeasure flared. "Hey, hey, hey, are you looking for a fight?" "I'm not afraid of you." Vanma Yujiro clenched his fist and sneered, "Is that so? Then come and try." Jing Ke glanced at Vanma Yujiro and chuckled. Although he said nothing, if Vanma Yujiro were to make a move, he would stand with Dao Zhi.
Yaso had no intention of intervening, but seeing Vanma Yujiro's gaze fixed on him and displaying a desire for battle, he spoke, "Even the three of us combined couldn't defeat him. This matter must be reported to the Fleet Admiral immediately." "And that Devil Fruit user who can open doors in the air at will is also extremely dangerous." "With the two of them coordinating, we are highly susceptible to sneak attacks." "Everyone must be extremely cautious."