Chapter 280: Disappointment
The Flower Capital at this point was utterly reduced to Ruins, with only some peripheral Architecture teetering on the verge of collapse.
Thunder, Gale, Flames, Fist winds, and Slashes
It could be said that the Flower Capital at this moment had become a forbidden land for the living.
People without Strength who stepped onto the Battlefield would be reduced to ashes in mere seconds.
And that seemingly earth-shattering, vast Power couldn't even scratch Nicholas, who possessed the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, the thick-skinned Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin with her naturally steel-like skin.
To them, this was more like an incredibly grand fireworks display.
Only their own Attacks could inflict Damage on each other.
After once again instantly dodging a Sword strike from Charlotte Linlin, imbued with Monstrous Strength, Nicholas grew bored.
Aside from that one Move, Conqueror of the Seas, launched jointly by the two, there was no longer any hint of teamwork between Charlotte Linlin and Kaido.
They certainly understood how to cooperate in Battle, but to call it cooperation was an overstatement; it was more accurate to say they were still primarily fighting on their own.
At times, they would even obstruct each other's Attacks.
For example, when Kaido transformed into his Dragon Form and unleashed Skills from afar, Charlotte Linlin would directly appear in the Skill's Trajectory, directly blocking a significant portion of the Damage.
Or, when Kaido in his Hybrid Form was clashing with Nicholas, Charlotte Linlin would directly launch a large-scale Attack, engulfing both of them.
If they were only capable of this...
Saying it was one against two was a bit of a stretch; describing it as a three-way free-for-all would be more accurate.
For Nicholas, it was likely he wouldn't get what he wanted.
However, it wasn't as if there were no gains.
At the very least, in the Battle against the two, Nicholas's Intelligence on them had been greatly supplemented once more, and his Observation Haki had seen a significant Improvement.
Nicholas could 'see' Charlotte Linlin's Fury, which was plain to see, and Kaido's increasingly intense Fighting Spirit.
He also saw Orochi leading the Oniwabanshu hastily retreating, and Kozuki Retainer Denjiro, who had come from afar and was hiding in the shadows to observe.
"If you two are only capable of this much, then I must say, I'm quite disappointed."
A slightly cold voice echoed across the Battlefield, as if it had become the only Sound in the area.
After uttering these Words, Nicholas, under the Gaze of countless eyes, frowned and looked towards Kaido and Charlotte Linlin in the distance.
For a moment, everyone's Line of Sight involuntarily turned towards Nicholas, who stood in the Sky.
This level?
Disappointment?
What does this mean?
The crowd staring at Nicholas inexplicably sensed a feeling of Disappointment emanating from Nicholas.
That was a feeling of Disappointment directed at the Power displayed by Sea Emperor Charlotte Linlin and Kaido when they teamed up.
The onlookers from the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom Pirates, who had witnessed the Battle, suddenly felt a bit numb.
After all, such Words were truly a bit Outrageous. You had to understand that these two People undoubtedly stood at the very pinnacle of the entire Grand Line. For them to team up against you was practically an honor, yet you dared to say you were Disappointed with their combined performance. Bro, you were laying it on a bit thick.
Anyone with a bit of insight could see that, as Time went on, if the fight continued, the chances of you losing were almost as high as sixty percent.
Even these underlings were somewhat indignant, let alone Charlotte Linlin and Kaido themselves...
Although neither of them spoke Words, the Fury in their chests had almost materialized.
Teaming up to face a single person was already considered a Disgrace in their eyes, yet the other party dared to say they were Disappointed with the Strength they had displayed. What did this mean?
"Nicholas!"
"Lightning Brat!"
Nicholas paid no mind to the angry Reactions of his Enemies, and instead began to ponder.
Without a doubt, the combined efforts of Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, while achieving more than a one-plus-one effect, clearly didn't reach the level of three or four, more like something in the two-point range.
It wasn't even comparable to the level of teamwork displayed by Whitebeard and Roger back then.
Originally, he had also planned to further improve his Strength in this Battle, but seeing their performance now, it was clearly unnecessary.
After all, while Teacher Kaido was quite competent, he himself wasn't some Kid who had just entered the New World. The Things Kaido could offer him were pitifully few.
Nicholas's thoughts shifted slightly, and he saw the Azure Dragon hovering in the Sky angrily open its massive jaws, followed by a deep red Radiance illuminating the depths of its maw.
Simultaneously, visible whirlwinds began to materialize around the Azure Dragon's Form.
This was Kaido's response, more Powerfully expressive than any Words.
And Charlotte Linlin was the same, leaping directly down from Zeus Thundercloud, then raising her left hand high.
Zeus Thundercloud's massive Form took the opportunity to coil around her, and unleashed bolts of Thunder, striking Charlotte Linlin's left hand with precision.
The Thunder thus transformed into a raging, surging current of Lightning, coursing over her left hand, adorned with numerous Rings and thick knuckles.
Then, the Long Sword Napoleon was tossed aside, and Prometheus above her head coiled around her now-free Right Hand.
The giant Charlotte Linlin, left hand crackling with Lightning, right hand ablaze with Flames, strode towards Nicholas.
That massive Form exuded an Aura that warned all living beings to keep away.
Clearly, she had abandoned her less-than-proficient Swordsmanship, intending to use raw Power and her own Form to show Nicholas why she had become the strongest woman on the Grand Line!
Charlotte Linlin had only taken about ten steps when Kaido, whose Form was now that of an Azure Dragon winding through the Sky, took the initiative and launched an Attack.
A rainbow-piercing Heat Breath erupted from his gaping maw, fusing with the Wind around him, transforming in the Sky into a high-speed spinning Heat Breath, descending upon Nicholas from above.
This was an Attack with even greater Power than before.
Nicholas looked up, the Radiance of the Spiral Heat Breath reflected in his Eyes.
Then he raised his hand, a Long Sword materializing in his grasp. Gripping the Sword with both hands, in the blink of an eye, a Longsword Phantom, hundreds of meters long, materialized, intercepting the Trajectory of the Spiral Heat Breath.
Nicholas pressed down with both hands.
The massive Sword in the Sky moved abruptly, slashing down upon Kaido's Spiral Heat Breath.
The Spiral Heat Breath, infused with Fūjin, was cleaved in two by the Slash, falling away to either side.
"Boom!"
The Spiral Heat Breath, split and falling to either side, landed far behind Nicholas, triggering a violent Explosion.
Flames erupted skyward.
Heatwaves rolled up countless pieces of Sand and Stone, washing over Nicholas, and whipping his hair and the hem of his coat.
Nicholas remained unmoved, his Calm Gaze fixed upon the Azure Dragon that was stirring up wind and clouds.
"Kaido, haven't you figured out the situation yet?"
Nicholas instantly appeared atop Kaido's Dragon Head, muttering to himself.
"Huh?"
Kaido's Dragon Eyes shifted upwards, focusing on Nicholas who had appeared out of thin air.
Then, before he could even open his mouth, he saw Nicholas's Armament Haki rapidly engulf his Right Arm, and then a Fist slammed down directly.
Boom!
The Power of this Fist was so immense that it even generated a sonic boom on Kaido's Head. As the massive Air Wave erupted outwards, Kaido's enormous Form was sent crashing downwards.
Kaido, plummeting straight down, crashed towards Charlotte Linlin, who was charging wildly across the Ground.
"Huh?!"
At this moment, Charlotte Linlin, whose eyes were solely fixed on Nicholas.
Subconsciously, she looked up, only to see a vast Shadow looming overhead.
Bang!!!
Kaido's massive Form as the Azure Dragon, slammed Charlotte Linlin heavily into the Ground.
The immense impact force unleashed billowing Dust Clouds, completely engulfing both of them.
In the Sky.
Nicholas's expression remained Calm. At the same time, his original Thunder Clone rejoined him, and from within the clouds in the Sky, another 'Nicholas,' his Whole Body wreathed in Lightning, radiating a dazzling white Radiance, slowly descended to Nicholas's Side.
The two 'Nicholases' standing at Nicholas's Side suddenly dissolved, transforming into bolts of Thunder that illuminated the Sky. These Thunderbolts then began to split and morph in the Sky.
Finally, the vast amount of Lightning that had split off coalesced into a dense array of Lightning Spears, suspended directly above the billowing Dust Clouds.
Nicholas raised his Index Finger and swiped it downwards.
The countless Lightning Spears suspended in the Sky rained down into the Dust Clouds like a torrential downpour.
The dense spear array pierced through the Dust Clouds suspended in the Sky, creating round holes, and then kicked up even more Dust Clouds from the Ground below.
Several minutes later.
The Dust Clouds dissipated, revealing a Ground bristling with dense Lightning Spears.
And Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, who had coiled themselves up, stood in the Thunder Marsh, glaring angrily at Nicholas in the Sky. Although they looked disheveled, they were completely unscathed.
"Indeed, it's just as I thought."
Relying solely on this kind of storm-like Attack, cleaning up Cannon Fodder would naturally be effortlessly effective, but it couldn't even scratch Kaido and Charlotte Linlin.
If Nicholas so desired, that kind of Attack could be unleashed continuously.
It's just that such an action would be pointless.
It was just like Luffy in Gear Fourth using Moves like Gum-Gum Gatling, which could pin Kaido to the Ground and pummel him.
But in reality, every Fist that landed on Kaido barely inflicted any substantial Damage.
It was merely a waste of Stamina.
(End of Chapter)