Chapter 131: Powerful Attack

"Damn it—"

Over the churning sea, Saint Howard's face flushed as he heard El's disdainful words. Known for his pride, Saint Howard glared at the Lunarian "monster" before him, his eyes blazing with anger.

In the past, as a scion of the Nerona family—one of the nineteen families of the Celestial Dragons—he had been hailed as a prodigy. Highly esteemed by the nobility of Mary Geoise, he was quickly inducted into the Holy Knight Order and later ascended to the rank of Supreme Commander after surpassing his peers during a triennial hunt of the Celestial Dragons. His prize for victory was an extraordinary Devil Fruit, granting him the powers of the "Mythical Zoan, Model: Angel."

Now, at the pinnacle of power and status, second only to the Five Elders in the World Government, he was being looked down upon by a young Lunarian who should have been hunted down like a rat by now. El had not only mocked him but had also gained the upper hand repeatedly in their earlier clashes—a reality Howard found intolerable.

With his angelic wings flaring, Howard's killing intent surged as he shouted, "A mere Lunarian, you dare underestimate me? I am the Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights!"

"Sword of Judgment!"

An intense radiance erupted, forming a massive, holy sword that glowed with divine light as he slashed at the Fallen Angel, El. "Die, you insolent brat!"

"A glimmer compared to the sun?"

El's expression hardened, his eyes glinting as he raised one hand. His powerful figure, crowned with a golden horn and covered in blue scales, drew energies of storm, lightning, and flame, converging them into an intense beam of light that shot skyward.

"What is that…?"

Two or three kilometers away on Franca Island, Kong's eyes widened in shock, his entire body tensing up. Even from a distance, he could feel the terrifying, destructive energy radiating from El's attack.

"Did El-oniichan come up with a new move?"

Even Linlin was stunned, her beautiful face registering disbelief as she watched the formidable energy. "When did he create something like that?"

"Swoosh—"

In an instant, a massive, blazing sword formed above the sea, matching the size of Howard's holy sword, its brilliance overpowering the surroundings. In Saint Howard's shocked, incredulous gaze, El seized the blazing sword and swung it forward with a smirk, clashing against the giant, holy blade.

"Golden Reincarnation Burst!"

'Boom!'

The clash of light and brilliance shook the heavens. The holy sword and the massive light sword struck each other fiercely, refusing to yield. Hurricane-force winds erupted from the collision, churning the sea below and sending waves crashing into the sky.

In the next moment, Saint Howard's eyes widened in horror as El's blade tore through his holy sword and continued its unstoppable descent toward him.

"Holy Shield!"

Panicked, Howard retreated rapidly while summoning a glowing shield in front of him. But in seconds, his shield shattered, and El's powerful attack continued, slashing downward.

"Aaaaah!"

'Boom!'

The sea boiled as waves surged, and a deep fissure opened in the water, stretching far into the distance, sending chills down the spines of those watching.

Hovering in the sky, El looked down calmly. His latest technique—"Golden Reincarnation Burst"—was a combination of elemental powers he had honed over time, drawing on his control of wind, thunder, and fire. Though he wasn't entirely satisfied with its destructive power, El believed he could perfect it with time and effort.

'Ultimately, I'm just not powerful enough yet.'

In the aftermath of the attack, blood spilled through the air as Saint Howard stumbled back, his angelic wings beating furiously. He was bleeding profusely, his abdomen slashed deeply, revealing muscle and bone.

"Damn… damn it!" Pale-faced and sweating, Howard gritted his teeth, clutching his wounded abdomen as he tried to keep his organs from spilling out. Shrouded in holy light, he murmured, "Holy Restoration!"

A radiant glow enveloped him as his wounds began to close visibly, the healing process aided by his Devil Fruit powers.