One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

"What did you say?"

Dorry wore a helmet that closely resembled a Nordic-style war helm, a battle helmet full of Elbaf's ethnic characteristics, providing solid protection for the wearer.

The wavy-edged top extended all the way to the back of the head and the vulnerable neck. The front of the helmet featured a heavy nasal guard, along with half-face covering armored plates, leaving only a slit at the eye area for vision, ensuring a clear field of view.

Lindemann's mouth twitched slightly as he caught sight of the giant's wide-open eyes through the slit in his helmet.

The ever-smiling officer braced himself and repeated Sakazuki's words: "The Vice Admiral said he is training inside the volcano. If you are not afraid of death, go ahead and—"

Before he could finish speaking, a massive, battle-worn greatsword was thrust into the ground right beside him.

"Inside the volcano? What kind of joke is this? Not to mention whether that little Vice Admiral brat can even survive in lava," Dorry scoffed at the idea. However, when it came to the Navy's provocation, he gladly accepted it. "And! He actually dares to question the courage of an Elbaf warrior? Death is nothing!"

The coat draped over the Marine officer's shoulders was caught in the shockwave of the giant's roar, fluttering wildly backward.

The air, carrying specks of saliva, blasted against Lindemann's face, forcing him to shut his eyes. He simply pointed backward and said: "Vice Admiral Sakazuki is on that largest volcano over there!"

—

Sakazuki, maintaining his elemental state, slowly stepped onto the fragile surface of a lava lake, walking across the gray-brown, semi-cooled magma as if treading on fire.

The lower the temperature, the higher the viscosity, and the slower the flow, giving the lava lake a decent load-bearing capacity.

However, for an adult's weight, it was still too unstable—especially for someone of Sakazuki's massive build. The moment he stepped toward the center of the lake, half of his body, already in a semi-elementalized state, sank into the seething, boiling magma.

Sakazuki attempted to gradually expand the range of his elementalization, striving for complete and absolute control over the magma he generated.

In battle, he had always produced magma for offense and defense, but a Logia user's potential was far beyond just that.

The awakening of Paramecia-type Devil Fruits allowed users to influence their surroundings, assimilating them with their own abilities—an ability often considered closest to that of Logia users.

However, from the perspective of a Logia user, this was nothing impressive.

What Paramecia users had to painstakingly develop in their abilities, Logia users could do as a basic function of their Devil Fruits.

Aokiji could easily freeze seawater into solid ice.

Borsalino could freely gather and condense photons around him at will.

In the original story, Crocodile could effortlessly extract all the moisture from objects, reducing them to fine sand.

Even that weakling with the Marsh-Marsh Fruit could turn solid ground into a man-eating swamp with ease.

This process was known as assimilation reaction or contaminative assimilation.

Due to magma's extreme temperature and intense chemical activity, it could melt or dissolve surrounding rocks. When the magma completely absorbed these surrounding materials, blending them into itself seamlessly, it was called complete assimilation reaction.

Sakazuki sought to verify a theory: he was not merely a producer of magma—he was a mover of nature itself.

Setting aside the assimilation effects, the only feeling left was a return home.

Power, endless and boundless, surged into him from his already-elementalized lower body.

A Logia Devil Fruit did not merely generate or control a specific natural element—it embodied a natural phenomenon itself.

Raising his arm from the magma, Sakazuki slowly lifted a colossal, deep-red, molten hound's head.

His face remained expressionless, but in his eyes, there was a faint trace of satisfaction.

He wanted to evolve his self-created technique, "Red Lotus Dog Bite," by harnessing this immense and primordial power.

And theoretically, it was possible.

Moreover, with this vast reservoir of energy at his disposal, the scale and destructive force of the attack would be more than twice as powerful as it was on solid ground.

However, staring at the vaguely shaped mass of magma, Sakazuki let out a small sigh.

Compared to the lifelike hunting hound he used to create, this time, he hadn't even been able to sculpt the nose or eyes of his molten beast.

Clearly, he had reached a limit in his fine control over magma.

Having enormous energy but lacking the precision to wield it properly—this, to him, was nothing but a waste.

The higher the temperature, the lower the viscosity, and the greater the fluidity.

Watching the drooling hound above his head, with lava dripping incessantly from its gaping mouth, Sakazuki knew—

He had months of training ahead.

—

When his elementalization had already expanded to cover the entire lava lake, Sakazuki closed his eyes, heightening his perception.

The lava and magma around him were surging.

And deeper within the volcano, the magma seemed to become an extension of his body, as though—

If he willed it, he could direct this vast power to reshape the land itself.

—

The volcano trembled.

Sakazuki was controlling its energy as if a child playing with his favorite toy.

Except this toy could alter landscapes, annihilate life, and erase civilizations.

Standing on the mountainside, Dorry felt the tremors from the very earth beneath him.

At first, it was barely noticeable.

Then, it intensified, growing stronger and stronger.

The volcano was shaking violently.

Weathered boulders and rocks, eroded over the years, started tumbling down.

Soil and trees were swept along in the collapse.

The largest volcano in this archipelago—was on the verge of an eruption.

"That brat… don't tell me he's triggering an eruption?!"

Faced with the impending cataclysm, Dorry raised his head and frowned toward the summit.

As Elbaf's finest warrior, he did not retreat—he advanced.

He walked, step by step, maintaining a steady pace.

He had already decided to uphold his promise and await the Marine at the crater's peak.

Even if all that awaited him was a monstrous wave of magma, he had no regrets.

Dorry, the Blue Ogre, knew—

The spirits of the War Gods were watching him.

Elbaf warriors kept their word.

They did not easily make promises, but when they did, they fulfilled them—even at the cost of their lives.

For this, they formed the Giant Warrior Pirates, a massive pirate and mercenary organization.

At sea, the giants of Elbaf carried forward their village's traditions—revering strength, honoring glory, and embracing adventure.

With their thick nerves, fearless spirit, and unmatched seafaring skills, they never feared storms or rough seas.

They were brutal yet fearless, but unlike true raiders who preyed on the weak,

Elbaf's giants preferred to take difficult contracts or hunt down powerful pirates—

To prove to their comrades and their War Gods that they were the strongest warriors.

—

Dorry climbed to the crater's edge.

The violent tremors shook the ground beneath his feet.

At the mountain's peak, lava had begun to emerge.

Dorry knew—this was the sign of an imminent eruption.

He scanned the area, but—found no one.

Standing atop this soon-to-explode volcanic peak, only his massive and towering figure stood tall.

"Hah! Coward!"

The giant warlord spat at his feet, already convinced—

That Marine wasn't some explorer.

And that so-called Vice Admiral—

Had merely used some underhanded trick to force the volcano into an early eruption, planning to kill a renowned giant pirate with such treacherous means.

Exactly the kind of thing the World Government would do.

—

The next moment, the volcanic tremors ceased.

As if everything had been an illusion.

A cold and low voice rose from the depths of the crater—

Laced with an unmistakable fury and disdain.

"Why did you wake me? Why did you disturb me, pirate?"

"!?"

Dorry's eyes snapped downward—

A colossal, ten-meter-long, ferocious molten beast vaporized his spit mid-air.

The giant beast's head tilted slightly—

And at last, Dorry saw him.

Half-submerged in the churning lake of fire—

Lava leapt and danced around him, cheering, rejoicing!

The entire magma lake rolled and churned, surging in rhythmic waves—

As if playing the grand overture of a symphony.

The volcano's magma was restless.

But rather than engulfing him—

It gathered around him—

Worshiping him!

Deep within the lake, a sudden surge of lava erupted—

Turning the entire molten lake into a dazzling, golden-red Manjushage flower.

Its blazing petals unfurled—

Welcoming their sovereign of magma.

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