"I've figured out your ability."
Barrett stared at Jon, then suddenly smirked. "Your power depends on your surroundings. Your injuries haven't fully healed because there aren't enough trees here. More importantly, your ability consumes a ton of stamina. Let's see how long you can last!"
He was a veteran of over ten years on the battlefield. Despite his youth, his experience ran deep.
Jon had been relying on surrounding trees to use his powers. If Barrett couldn't deduce that much, he would've never survived the battlefield for so long.
Jon's expression shifted slightly. He wasn't surprised Barrett had seen through his techniques.
What worried him was his inability to recover stamina. Fighting against a devil-formed Barrett in this state would put him at a huge disadvantage.
Sure, he could keep creating trees—but that, too, drained stamina. Using energy-consuming methods to redirect damage while unable to replenish his strength was a losing battle.
"Yo, looks like you could use a hand, huh?"
A flippant voice suddenly rang out, followed by a flash of golden light that quickly materialized into a person beside Jon.
"You're here?" Jon exhaled in relief upon seeing Borsalino.
"Of course! My dear friend's in trouble—I heard your call, so I came," Borsalino replied with a teasing grin.
"You look awful! I rarely see you this beat up. No wonder Fleet Admiral Sengoku issued a Buster Call for this guy."
Jon nodded. "You showed up at just the right time. Otherwise, I'd be in serious trouble. This guy's stamina is ridiculous, and his defense is insane. This environment's totally against me—I can't outlast him."
Admitting defeat wasn't difficult. Jon had confidence in his strength, but his powers heavily depended on the environment.
If there were enough plants around, he could be nearly unbeatable. But in a barren zone like this, he couldn't make full use of his abilities.
And unfortunately, he'd run into a tank like Barrett—high offense, high defense, immense stamina, and the ability to power up.
The worst possible matchup for Jon.
"So, should I handle him alone, or should we tag team?" Borsalino asked, not mockingly but sincerely seeking Jon's opinion.
"Go first," Jon said without hesitation. "I need to recover. If you can't take him down, then we'll go together."
"No problem. I've been meaning to test how strong he really is." Borsalino turned his gaze toward Barrett.
Barrett had been on alert since Borsalino's appearance. He recognized the golden light and knew Borsalino's reputation in the New World, so he'd refrained from acting rashly.
Without a word, Borsalino fired a laser beam at him.
"Oh? That fast? Let's see if your speed's better than mine," Borsalino grinned, transforming into golden light and dashing toward Barrett.
Barrett roared—he didn't care who stood in his way. If anyone blocked his path, they'd die.
And so, the second intense battle erupted, this time between Barrett and Borsalino. The chaos rivaled the earlier clash with Jon.
Jon didn't watch. He moved aside to focus on recovery. No matter how fierce the fight became, he didn't waver.
Time passed.
When Jon opened his eyes, the fight had moved further away. Borsalino had likely shifted the battlefield intentionally to avoid collateral damage.
Despite his usual laziness, Borsalino could be very thoughtful in his own way.
Boom!
After a massive explosion, Borsalino returned to Jon in a flash of light.
"How's your recovery going?"
"About 80%. You?"
Borsalino sighed. "You were right. This guy's tough—takes hits like a tank. We'll need our 'ultimate combo' to beat him."
Jon rolled his eyes. "You just didn't want to go all-out. Looked more like playing around."
"Tch," Borsalino scoffed. "I was just giving you a shot at the spotlight. I could've flicked him into the ground any time."
"Enough with the bragging. Let's just take him down," Jon cut off his boasting.
"Alright! The strongest combo—assemble!"
Borsalino shouted so theatrically that it made Jon cringe.
"Quit the chatter—just light me up already!"
Borsalino began radiating dazzling golden light, which made Jon feel warm and invigorated.
"Iron Birch!"
With his stamina restored, Jon didn't hold back. He activated his ability and covered his body in Iron Birch, making him taller and more formidable.
"Let's go!"
With a loud yell, Jon charged at Barrett, who had already resumed his battle stance. Borsalino followed close behind, continuously emitting light.
Boom!
This time, it was a full-power showdown. Jon's Iron Birch armor and Borsalino's energy support allowed him to go all-in with no worries.
Barrett's speed was fast—but not as fast as Borsalino. While Jon attacked, Borsalino's laser strikes kept Barrett off balance.
The Yellow-Green Combo overwhelmed Barrett, forcing him on the defensive.
But Barrett wasn't one to take hits passively. Backed into a corner, he unleashed both his demonic aura and Haki, merging them for an even more powerful form.
His strength surged, and he managed to resist their attacks—holding his ground even while outnumbered.
"Jon! He's gone berserk! Our strongest combo can't lose face—time to turn it up!"
As Borsalino amped up his light, Jon silently activated both Armament Haki and his ability, ignoring the drain on his stamina.
The trio's battle shook the land with thunderous explosions. Even from afar, the noise was deafening.
But such an intense fight couldn't go on forever.
After almost half an hour, Jon and Barrett were both covered in wounds and blood, their clothes in tatters.
Borsalino, having fought more passively, remained mostly unharmed.
Boom!
Jon and Barrett staggered apart, gasping for breath.
Jon glanced sideways at Borsalino, too tired to complain. They'd fought tooth and nail while Borsalino barely broke a sweat.
"Finish him, Jon! He's almost down—one more hit should do it!"
"Shut up," Jon snapped. Even with Borsalino's support, he was nearly out of stamina. If he didn't end it now, he'd collapse.
Fortunately, Barrett looked just as drained—his attacks had lost their earlier ferocity.
It was a battle of attrition now.
"Borsalino! Give me everything you've got! I'm going to end this with one blow!"
Without plants around, Jon's recovery depended on Borsalino's light. But it wasn't enough. He needed to finish this now.
He took a deep breath, gathering all his power into his right fist. Haki surged, and his right arm hardened to its absolute limit.
He wasn't worried about landing the hit. With his Observation Haki and Borsalino's support, Barrett couldn't dodge. And likely wouldn't even try.
Sure enough, Barrett thought the same. With stamina running low and Borsalino still nearby, he needed to defeat Jon first, then deal with Borsalino.
Both men charged—intent on a final clash.
"RAAAAH!" Barrett roared and lunged forward.
Jon did the same, head down and fist raised.
BOOM!
Their punches collided—Barrett's strongest fist vs. Jon's all-out strike.
The already fractured ground shattered completely. Seawater surged upward, and debris flew everywhere.
Dust engulfed them. Their figures disappeared in the haze, the violent noise continuing.
Moments later, Borsalino's expression changed. He darted forward.
At the bottom of a deep crater, he found Jon, battered and unconscious. Barrett was nowhere in sight.
"Jon! Are you okay?"
Borsalino propped him up. Jon was in bad shape—bleeding, pale, and dazed.
"Not… dead yet," Jon coughed, spitting blood. "I can't move… I lost that last hit. Barrett escaped…"
Seeing Jon wasn't in critical danger, Borsalino chuckled. "Don't worry. He won't get far."
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