Chapter 172 End
"This is troublesome, Whitebeard."
Roger said, looking at Nicholas floating in the Sky, unable to help but speak in a deep voice.
At this time, Nicholas could be said to be no longer Nicholas. If he had to be described, he was a Lightning aggregate with Nicholas's appearance.
Devoid of emotion, devoid of consciousness, he battled purely on Nicholas's Combat Sense, yet he was incomparably powerful.
If Nicholas had previously unleashed one hundred percent of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's Power, he was now unleashing one hundred and fifty percent of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's Ability!
Throughout the Battle against Roger and Whitebeard, Nicholas had actually been observing from a third-person Perspective.
This State was, for him, a first-time experience. Unlike Demigod Mode, Demigod Mode could be completely controlled by him, allowing him to decide whether to enter or exit.
However, this State was beyond his control. In other words, it was like hiring a stand-in. The account was still his, but the operator was not him. To regain control, he would either have to squeeze out the stand-in and log in himself, or wait for the stand-in to disconnect on their own.
Nicholas was constantly pondering, because in this State, he was unable to control his Form, and his Will seemed to be squeezed into a corner of his Body.
Fortunately, the stand-in did not possess its own consciousness and was acting more on instinct.
Although in Body Technique and Combat Sense, it was not as refined as his usual self, its application of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit had erupted with Power far surpassing his own.
Many Ultimate Move that Nicholas needed to prepare in advance, establishing a connection with the Thundercloud in the Sky, could now be effortlessly unleashed. This was why he could Battle against Whitebeard and Roger's combined assault for so long.
Subtly, it seemed to be acting according to instinct – the instinct of Lightning itself.
Though it sounded unbelievable, it was Nicholas's most direct sensation.
According to the most widespread theory on the Grand Line, among Devil Fruit, only Zoan and Paramecia-type were capable of Awakening.
One of the effects of Paramecia-type Awakening was the ability to influence surrounding matter, transforming it into substances corresponding to their Ability. Awakening, in essence, required maximizing the Development of their Ability.
Zoan-type Awakening, however, was more dangerous. A misstep could transform the user into the Animal represented by the Ability itself, like the Jailer Beast in Impel Down.
Success, on the other hand, granted immense Physical Prowess and regenerative power.
It could even be said that Zoan-type Devil Fruit were a Shortcut to rapidly increase the Strength of Ordinary People. Consuming a Zoan-type Devil Fruit, even a common one, and consistently undergoing Exercise, enduring beatings, and continuing Exercise after being beaten, could swiftly integrate the user with the Devil Fruit's Power within their Body.
As for Logia type, Nicholas could roughly guess why there was no concept of Awakening.
The so-called Awakening of Logia type was likely the process of one's Will merging with the natural element represented by the Devil Fruit Ability. The Will had to contend not only with the elemental Power of the Devil Fruit, but also the Will of the entire world.
An individual's Will was simply too insignificant before the world's Will. The most common outcome was assimilation and oblivion, where the assimilated individual transformed into a natural element, returning to the world.
Of course, those who could even reach this stage were likely few and far between.
"Zoan-type Awakening allows one to autonomously transform into the Animal represented by the Fruit, enhancing their Ability. Logia type Awakening… could it be converging towards the element itself?"
"If that goes wrong, wouldn't you just completely return to nature?! Zoan-type Awakening failure turns you into an Animal, Logia type just scatters your ashes. Paramecia-type Devil Fruit seem to be the most forgiving of the three."
Nicholas was already too exhausted to even retort.
In the outside world, Nicholas, akin to a God, was sent flying by the combined blow of Whitebeard and Roger, crashing across the Sea Surface. Amidst the rumbling Sound, vast plumes of mist erupted from the Sea Surface, carving a deep furrow into the Sea Surface.
Clearly, the two intended to use Seawater to suppress Nicholas.
"Whitebeard, I'll hold that Weapon off! You hurry and use Sea Quake!"
Roger roared at Whitebeard, then dashed forward, pursuing Nicholas across the Sea Surface.
He had obviously realized that Nicholas was currently being controlled by a stand-in.
The real Nicholas would never possess such Strength. This Mode consumed immense Stamina constantly, something Ordinary People could barely endure, let alone sustain for so long against their combined might.
Given Nicholas's age, even exaggerating his potential, he could not possibly maintain this State and Battle them to this extent for so long.
Even Roger himself was starting to feel the strain.
"God Demise!"
The wind howled past his ears. At this moment, Roger unleashed his Combat Power to its Limit, reaching Nicholas and unleashing a direct Slash.
"Clang!"
The purple Thunder Dragon beneath Nicholas snapped its jaws on Roger's descending Sword. But in an instant, the Terror-inducing Thunder Dragon was annihilated and dissipated under Roger's blade.
"Tear!"
Then, 'Nicholas' chest abruptly contorted. A terrifying Slash mark stretched from his left shoulder to his right abdomen, almost bisecting him. The entire Body composed of Lightning buzzed, and a flicker of confusion seemed to appear in his emotionless eyes.
"Boom!"
The surroundings convulsed again. Accompanied by a deafening Rumbling Sound, an invisible Air Wave expanded outwards, sending large chunks of the shattered Island flying into the Sky.
This Island, after their three-way Battle, was finally liberated.
"Sea Quake!!"
Accompanied by Whitebeard's roar, swallowed by the Rumbling Sound, the Seawater surged outwards in all directions. In the blink of an eye, a massive depression, dozens of miles in radius, formed on the Sea Surface beneath them, revealing the lower half of the Island, submerged in Seawater for countless years.
"You Weapon, if you survive this, you owe me a good drink, no matter what!"
Roger brandished Ace, slashing down at Nicholas Sword after Sword.
Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki erupted, all crashing down on Nicholas. For a moment, even the God-like Nicholas was suppressed.
"Tear!"
Despite being suppressed, the Lightning Robe on Nicholas and the mysterious Lightning Rune upon it continued to blaze. Evading Roger's Slash, Nicholas raised his hand, unleashing Electric Arc after Electric Arc directly at Roger.
Simultaneously, Nicholas transformed into Lightning Flash, charging towards Roger.
In a Lightning Flash, the two clashed hundreds of times again in the Sky.
Lightning was cleaved apart by Roger, Slash were effortlessly neutralized by Nicholas.
Suddenly, 'Nicholas', who had remained silent from beginning to end, without even a Sound, abruptly opened his mouth and roared.
It was a Sound utterly beyond Human capacity, more akin to Thunder echoing across the Sky, a roar belonging to nature itself.
With the roar, a Gale swept through, and visible Air Wave rippled through the Air, causing Roger's Complexion to turn grim as he braced his Sword defensively.
"Roger, it's coming! Stop him!"
Whitebeard's voice suddenly boomed. He stood above them, Naginata in hand.
His fingers, previously almost broken, had been reset.
Following Whitebeard's Words, a Rumbling Sound echoed from afar, and then Sea Waves hundreds of meters high surged towards their location from the distance.
The Battle was about to end!
"Boom!"
Accompanied by hundreds of millions of tons of Seawater crashing down from the Sky, the Figures of Nicholas and Roger were simultaneously plunged into the Deep Sea.
Amidst the churning Seawater, incandescent Radiance flickered intermittently in the Deep Sea.
"Splash!"
After a long while, with the Sound of Seawater breaking, a Figure leaped from beneath the Sea Surface – Roger.
And slung over his shoulder was Nicholas, his eyes tightly shut.
(End of chapter)