"Bucky Cannon."
"Fire!"
Deep within the large pit.
Bucky made his move.
Beams of energy cannons shot upwards towards Bennidick.
Following this, Bucky leaped out of the pit.
Bucky placed his hands in front of him, striking a photographic pose, and aimed at Bennidick.
"Bucky Divine Light!"
A molecular fission energy cannon, unleashed with the split ability, erupted instantly.
In just a moment, it crossed a thousand meters.
Like a great divine light, it tore through heaven and earth.
Bennidick, having just blocked the Bucky Cannon, hadn't even reacted before being bathed in the divine light.
The powerful fission force made Bennidick feel a palpitation as if his body were being torn apart.
Furthermore, the impact of that force against his body felt like being struck by a giant mountain.
His body flew dozens of meters in the air before stopping.
Shanks looked at Bucky with disbelief.
The strength of that attack was beyond anything he could contend with.
He was even certain that if he hadn't blocked that blow, he would have been killed.
At the same time, a parallelogram-shaped hole appeared in Bennidick's clothes.
Bennidick's monstrous body also bore a red imprint, radiating heat as if it had been cooked.
The power of this attack could instantly kill an S-class expert.
Even an S+ class expert would undoubtedly die if caught off guard.
An SS-class expert could block it, but would struggle.
"This strike is quite good."
"Do you have more moves?"
Bennidick looked at Bucky and smiled.
Bucky's expression turned grim.
That attack was already his strongest.
If Bucky possessed such power in the original story, being called a new Yonko would be no exaggeration.
"No more," Bucky said with a wry smile, defeated.
"Is that so? Then you've disappointed me," Bennidick said with a smile. "Then, die."
Bennidick's aura erupted instantly.
Each of his punches could easily kill an SS-class expert.
Bucky's expression changed drastically upon feeling this aura.
He immediately fled for his life.
"Marshal, you can't do this."
"That was truly my full-power attack just now."
"I don't have any stronger moves."
"Please spare me!"
...
Bucky had no choice but to beg for mercy.
Bennidick's overwhelming power had truly terrified him.
"Boom!"
Bucky was hit by Bennidick again.
His body fell heavily into the sea.
The seawater engulfed Bucky.
The curse of the Devil Fruit began to manifest.
His stamina vanished, and his Devil Fruit ability disappeared.
The seawater poured in, forcing Bucky to drink.
"Lox, save me!"
"I'm going to die!"
Bucky had no choice but to seek Lox's help.
However, in response to his cries for help, Lox seemed to have vanished.
Above the void.
Bennidick's Kenbunshoku Haki continuously locked onto Bucky's life energy.
Bucky's life energy was constantly weakening, and its disappearance would signify death.
Bennidick watched coldly, as he confirmed something.
The answer lay with Bucky.
Deep in the sea.
Bucky had already sunk over two hundred meters.
If he wasn't rescued soon, he would truly die.
On the island.
Shanks, seeing that Bennidick had no intention of rescuing Bucky, grew anxious.
At this point, Shanks could no longer hold back. He charged into the sea and swam towards the depths.
However, their distance was too great.
By the time Shanks arrived, Bucky would have drowned.
Bucky, who had already rolled his eyes and lost his strength, felt death drawing very near.
Then, as his eyes closed, Lox took over his body.
The once powerless Bucky opened his eyes again.
His eyes were cold and domineering.
His weakened body erupted with power once more.
Then, Bucky slammed his hands down in the seawater, creating two streams of water that propelled his body upwards.
About five seconds later, Bucky flew out of the sea.
Seeing Bucky emerge from the water, Bennidick's lips curled into a smile.
Shanks, who had fallen into the water, also felt Bucky flying out and quickly swam towards him.
Treading water, half of his body submerged, the upper half above the surface, he looked as if he were standing in the water.
Bucky, who had flown out of the sea, fell back into the water.
Like Shanks, he treaded water and took deep breaths.
"Lox, you are indeed still alive."
Bennidick extended his hand, using Universal Pull to control Bucky's body and lift him into the air.
"The sea curses Devil Fruit users, causing them to lose stamina and their abilities to disappear."
"However, when a person's body contains two souls."
"Then, they can consume the soul of the Devil Fruit, fall into slumber, and allow the other soul to control the body."
"In this way, the lost stamina is instantly restored, but the Devil Fruit abilities cannot be used."
Lox, who had intended to quibble and deny, fell into a moment of contemplation upon hearing Bennidick's words.
Now, he understood the purpose behind Bennidick's repeated probing.
He had suspected something was wrong with Bucky from the very beginning.
However, his identity was known only to two people.
One was Bucky, and the other was Noxus Saint.
Bucky would never expose him.
That left Noxus Saint.
But was this true?
"How did you know I was still alive?"
"Very few people know I'm alive."
Lox no longer denied it, readily admitting it.
But he couldn't help but voice his confusion.
"Noxus Saint."
Bennidick revealed without hesitation, smiling.
Lox fell silent at this.
But after a moment, Lox revealed a cruel smile.
He would not easily trust others.
Even Noxus Saint's threat and his instruction to infiltrate Bennidick's side and assassinate him were merely for show.
After all, Bennidick's terror was not something he could resist at the moment.
He had originally planned to manipulate Bucky, waiting for him to grow stronger and seize an opportunity to make his own plans.
But now, it seemed impossible.
"What do you want now?"
"If you kill me, you'll also kill that kid Bucky."
Although Lox knew he was in a precarious situation, he refused to bow to Bennidick.
The reason was that he and Bucky were now one.
"Not kill you? And let you continue living?"
"I don't want anyone by my side constantly plotting rebellion," Bennidick said calmly.
Lox's pupils instantly constricted at Bennidick's words.
Simultaneously, he felt the killing intent radiating from Bennidick's eyes.
It was utterly undisguised.