As the black cloud of flames burned fiercely, an incredibly bizarre scene unfolded.

The wounds torn from Michael's body by Daren immediately stopped bleeding under the mysterious cloud of flames, and signs of healing were visible to the naked eye.

"Hey, hey, hey, this is too much!"

Daren looked at this scene that would make anyone despair, suddenly sighed helplessly, and said unhappily,

"Are all of you Mythical Zoan so despicable?"

Seeing the terrifying recovery power displayed by the Celestial Dragons at this moment, even Daren couldn't help but complain.

The Five Elders are like this, and even you, the leader of God's Knights, are like this!

If the Mythical Zoan are this unbeatable after awakening, then Marco's Phoenix ability seems a bit redundant...

Michael breathed cold air from his mouth and nose and said indifferently,

"Just as I said, the Mythical Zoan are the strongest Devil Fruits. This is the highest level of ability."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure shot out from where he stood once again.

The silvery-white light flashed like a shadow, approaching Daren's face in an instant.

The light and sharp Western sword cut through the void in the most elegant trajectory, and a deadly killing intent suddenly rose.

Clang!

Boom!

Another mountain-like explosion rang out, and the earth sank again under the heavy load. The entire edge of the island was finally shattered in a huge explosion.

Blood splattered everywhere, the shattered ground left only an area large enough for one person to stand. The black-haired youth stood firmly in place.

The tip of the Western sword trembled slightly, hovering above his forehead.

Just three centimeters from his brow, it seemed like an insurmountable chasm, unable to descend even an inch further.

A blood-stained hand gripped the hilt of the Western sword with all its strength.

Blood gushed out between his fingers, the wound nearly exposing bone, trembling and sparks flying, yet the five fingers, like dragon claws, clung desperately to the Western sword.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...

Purple-blue electric arcs flashed and danced on the blade of the Western sword, as if bringing some kind of powerful repulsive force.

There was an invisible force in the void, as if it were being tightly restrained by the huge hand of an invisible giant.

Such a bizarre scene caused a hint of astonishment to flash across the face of Michael, who had always maintained a calm and arrogant expression, and his pupils contracted into fine needles.

"This is impossible!"

He couldn't help but exclaim.

"...Actually, there's a question that's been bothering me."

At this moment, Daren slowly spoke in a hoarse voice.

Bright red blood seeped from his palm and slowly slid down his arm, quickly staining his cuffs red.

"As you said, there has always been a big problem with the development of my Devil Fruit."

"By controlling and changing the magnetic field within a certain range, I can manipulate metal."

"Over the years, I have developed my Devil Fruit ability to enhance the accuracy and range of the magnetic field around me, with the goal of achieving a powerful, wide-range external attack."

Daren's low voice slowly drifted away in the wind, leaving an inexplicable sense of unease.

"Railguns, magnetically controlled swords, cannonball deflection, even rearranging metal into giant robots to fight... To a certain extent, you are right. This does not greatly increase my own strength, but is only an external aid."

"But it was precisely because I was constantly trying to develop my abilities in the direction of radiation and influencing the outside world that I gradually discovered that my progress in developing the Devil Fruit had reached a bottleneck...

I could clearly feel that I was infinitely close to the realm of awakening the Devil Fruit, only one step away…

I was just that little bit short, just one step away, but no matter what I did, I couldn't cross that line."

"This is something very unfamiliar to me... As you can see, I have unparalleled monster-level talent, so even something as difficult as awakening the Devil Fruit shouldn't have kept me stuck for so long."

Daren grinned, seeming a little helpless.

"I used to think the magnetic field I released just wasn't strong enough—or maybe my control wasn't precise enough."

"After all, based on the intel and knowledge I've gathered over the years sailing these seas, there's a consistent explanation about the awakening of Paramecia-type Devil Fruits:

—The awakening of a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit is a process that starts internally and eventually extends to influence and transform the external environment."

"Take Charlotte Katakuri, for example. I've fought him. His Paramecia-type Mochi Mochi no Mi allows him to assimilate all nearby inanimate matter into mochi... I've been working hard to develop my ability in that same direction."

"But what you just said—it made me realize something."

"Why am I so fixated on expanding outward?"

"I have to say, I'm sincerely grateful for your insight, Saint Michael-sama."

Daren slowly raised his head, staring directly at the Commander of the God's Knights. A defiant grin crept across his face, baring teeth stained with blood.

Hearing this, for some reason, a sudden wave of unease surged in Michael's chest.

Could it be that this guy...

"Yes, I finally get it now."

Daren's grin twisted into a savage smile.

"My body... is the ultimate weapon."

Zzzzzzz!!

A surge of electric current exploded violently, streaked in violet and blue, crackling to life like a roaring inferno as it erupted around his body!

The blue lightning was the visible effect of the Lightning Armor and heightened physical activation.

But blooming vividly within it was something else—an unstable magnetic field howling from within, distorting everything around it!

No...!

A red flash flickered deep in Michael's holy eyes, as if he'd caught a glimpse of some terrifying future. His expression changed drastically.

"Let go!"

The arrogance on his face shattered as black-and-red Armament Haki exploded from his sword like lightning.

With a sharp clang, he wrenched the Western sword free from Daren's hand—but the silver-furred werewolf had already opened its mouth wide, unleashing a breath of pure, freezing cold!

At such close range... dodging was impossible!

Michael's eyes flickered with a murderous resolve.

But then—his expression froze.

That human insect in front of him raised a hand with a vicious grin, intending to stop the icy blast with nothing but flesh and bone! As his arm froze over and large ice crystals spread, he pushed forward with bloodshot eyes and let out a feral roar.

And punched!

Clang!

Michael raised his sword to block. As the thunderous impact rang out, his eyes widened in disbelief.

His Meito, coated in Armament Haki... was now covered in countless cracks, bending under the force of the blow in a visible arc!

This power...

Impossible!!

"Spin!!"

The raging magnetic field twisted violently, crashing around inside the black-haired youth's body, bursting outward with unimaginable force!

Daren cackled wildly.

Through his innate perception, he could feel it—his "Devil Fruit development" was undergoing a shift!

Devil Fruit Development +0.39!

Devil Fruit Development: 90.013...

Jiki Jiki no Mi awakened!

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