The air crackled with electricity as A burst from the crater, his Lightning Release Chakra Mode turning him into a living bolt of lightning.
His previous jovial demeanor had been replaced by intense focus, though the wild grin remained on his face.
"""Lord Raikage!!""" Three Shinobi spoke as they landed on the ground beside the crater, with Garp narrowing his eyes at one of the three Shinobi.
'A Jinchuriki? Must be Blue B. I wonder how Octopus meat tastes? Like Sea King?' Garp thought to himself.
"Don't interfere!!" Almighty A spoke as he stared at the man across from him.
Garp stood casually, but his eyes tracked every minute movement of his opponent. His Observation Haki painted a clear picture of the Raikage's physical capabilities - the man's chakra was dense and powerful while appearing as if it was superchaged, but it was his speed and endurance that had made him famous.
'A is likely the person in the Shinobi world with stamina closest to the monsters in the One Piece world. But I wonder if his Chakra could hold out as long as his body could? Either way, he may give me a good workout.' Garp thought as he decided to limit himself so that he could have a bit of fun.
"Let's see if you can keep up, bastard!" A's voice boomed across the gravel before he vanished in a flash of lightning.
Even with his enhanced perception, Garp had to admit - the Raikage was fast. A appeared behind him, lightning-charged fist already in motion. But Garp's Observation Haki had tracked the attack's trajectory before it began.
Without turning, Garp raised his arm, coating it in Armament Haki. The Raikage's lightning-enhanced punch met Garp's defense with a thunderous crash. The impact sent shockwaves through the surrounding area, shattering what few windows had survived the initial clash.
"Oh?" A's grin widened. "You can keep up!"
"You bastard!!! I'll have to fix that!!" 'Or Yahiko and Nagato will.'
The Raikage disappeared again, this time attacking from multiple angles in rapid succession. His speed was such that it appeared there were multiple copies of him attacking simultaneously through a combination of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode and the Body Flicker Technique.
Garp stood his ground, his Haki-coated arms moving with precise efficiency to block or deflect each strike with an appropriate level of ease. While A's speed was impressive, Garp's decades of combat experience and mastery of Haki allowed him to read and respond to each attack.
"You're pretty quick." Garp commented, as if they were having a casual conversation rather than an intense battle. "But speed alone isn't enough for someone like me!!!"
As A came in for another lightning-fast attack, Garp's fist shot out with perfect timing.
"Shigan!"
The finger thrust caught A in the shoulder, the focused point of impact penetrating even his lightning armor. The Raikage leaped back, blood trickling from a small wound that pierced his flesh.
"First blood to you." A acknowledged, his grin never faltering. "But I'm just getting started! Let's kick it up a notch!!!
'Lightning Release Chakra Mode: Stage 2!!'
The lightning surrounding A intensified, becoming even more dense and powerful. His next movement was so fast it broke the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom that shook the earth.
This time, even Garp had to move quickly to avoid the attack as the speed nearly doubled. A's fist passed through the space where Garp's head had been, the lightning extension of his attack singeing a few hairs.
"Now that's more like it!" Garp laughed, genuinely enjoying himself despite his earlier annoyance. "Show me what the strongest Raikage can do! Let's have some fun!!"
A launched into a blistering combination of attacks, each punch and kick enhanced by his lightning chakra and delivered at speeds that would have been invisible to normal eyes.
"Four-Finger Nukite!!"
The concentrated lightning attack shot towards Garp like a spear of pure electricity. Instead of dodging, Garp met it head-on, his Haki-coated fist colliding with A's technique as he finally used an advanced application of Armament Haki: Layering.
The resulting explosion lit up the sky, temporarily turning gloomy Ame into a bright day. The concentrated lightning spread wildly as it combined with the shockwave to knock back the three shinobi and force Nagato to use gravity to make a shield. When the light faded, both warriors stood unharmed, though the ground around them had been ravaged by the clash.
"Impressive defense." A commented, flexing his slightly numbed finger. "But how long can you keep it up? My Lightning Armor never runs out of chakra!"
Garp's response was to crack his knuckles. "Want to test that theory?"
What followed was an exchange of blows that each would have likely leveled a small village. A's lightning-enhanced speed allowed him to attack from every possible angle, while Garp's Observation Haki and decades of combat experience let him respond to each assault.
The Raikage was living up to his reputation as one of the most powerful shinobi alive. His attacks carried enough force to shatter mountains, and his speed made him almost impossible to pin down. But Garp, while impressed, remained firmly in control of the battle.
"You're holding back." A accused, pausing momentarily in his assault. "Show me your true power!"
Garp shrugged, casually blocking another lightning-fast punch. "You haven't earned that yet. But I'll tell you what - land one solid hit on me, and I'll take this fight seriously."
A's eyes narrowed at the challenge. His lightning chakra surged, reaching new levels of intensity before he jumped into the air.
"Three-Finger Nukite!!"
The Raikage's second strongest technique shot toward Garp, the concentrated lightning taking the form of a massive streak of lightning once again. The attack moved so fast it distorted the air itself, leaving trails of superheated plasma in its wake.
But Garp had seen the attack coming before A had even begun to move. With perfect timing, he shifted slightly to the side, letting the powerful technique pass harmlessly by. In the same motion, his Haki-coated fist shot out, catching A in the side with an unnamed punch.
The impact sent the Raikage flying backward, his Lightning Armor crackling and sputtering from the force of the blow. A crashed through several trees before managing to right himself, skidding to a stop nearly a hundred meters away.
"Not bad." Garp called out, still standing in the same spot. "But you're still too predictable. Speed is good, but it needs to be paired with maneuverability. If not, it's pointless."
'Looks like the Fourth Raikage was greater in that department. He maximized speed in exchange for sheer density. It could be a useful technique if someone mastered both concepts.' Garp thought.
"Well, I guess it was worth the effort. Here's your reward!! Try not to die!!"
Garp then surged towards the dark skinned man, a maniacle grin on his face that morphed into laughter as Haki surged around him, his Conquerer's Haki bursting out for the first time in the battle.
Garp appeared before A, with his hand crackling as he punched towards his chest with immense force, his Haki taking on the shape of a drill.
"Red Hole!!!"
[Image]
The attack devastated A, blasting him over 50 meters away.
As the dust and the rubble settled, as well as the three Kumo Shinobi contemplating getting involved, a loud laugh broke them out of their stupor.
"So this is you when your serious? It feels like my whole body's in pain and my organs are in the wrong place!! Fine! Let me go all out then too, BASTARD!!!"
Suddenly, the Chakra cloak around A began to morph, as if a fundamental change was occurring.
Slowly, but sure, the monster began to be coated in a deep and dark black Chakra, with his eyes peering through the destructive lightning as if an abysmal monster had awoken.
"Round 2."
A spoke as the lightning enveloping him struck the ground beneath him and destroyed it, each moment sounding like thunder.
Instantaneously, he arrived in front of Garp and attempted a lariat, yet rather than dodge, the man returned one of his own.
The two created a whirlwind around themselves, one that resembled a storm once the lightning began to intermingle with it.
The two finally separated, with Garp looking at A with a predatory grin on his face.
"Don't give out on me too soon!! I'm just beginning to have fun!!"
~
Author's Note:
Hey folks!! Today's chapter was a bit short, so when we hit 100 Powerstones, I'll give you the next chapter early!!
Still currently stockpiling chapters for all my books so that they can last until July.
People may disagree with how I'm scaling the Third Raikage A, but I believe at the time he was alive, he was probably the Shinobi closest to reaching the level of the Gods like Hashirama and Madara.
Right now, I'd put him and Hanzo on the same tier, followed by Hiruzen and Onoki a bit below, and then finally the Kazekage and Mizukage.
Overall, I hope you guys enjoy!!
Question: How do you scale Black Clover to Naruto in terms of strength and Hax?