Chapter 26: "William's Wrath"

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The night burned around them. Fires from the chaos engulfing Mary Geoise reflected in William's glowing, slit-pupiled eyes. His rage, so intense and primal, had taken on a dark, twisted kind of joy. He was no longer simply angry—he was reveling in the revenge that was about to unfold, savoring the pain he was about to inflict on Vice Admiral Onigumo, one of the monsters who had led the Buster Call on Ohara.

As William moved forward, the transformation began. Dark black scales crept up his arms, spreading over his body. His cheeks were covered in those same dark scales, and in the center of his chest, golden scales gleamed in the flickering firelight. His arms morphed into long, clawed dragon arms, the muscles bulging with raw power. His lips twisted into a sadistic smile, a smile that could chill even the bravest of men to their core.

Onigumo stood still, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the creature walking toward him. Though the Vice Admiral was no stranger to power, something about this boy—no, this beast—made him uneasy. The aura surrounding William was suffocating, like the promise of death itself.

"Who are you?" Onigumo asked, his voice steady, though deep down, he could feel the danger radiating from the boy. He reached for his swords, but before he could even blink, William vanished.

There was no time to react—William reappeared in front of him, his claws slicing through the air with deadly precision. Onigumo barely managed to raise his swords in defense, but it wasn't enough. A deep, bloody gash tore across his chest, the force of the blow sending him skidding backward.

Onigumo's face darkened, but not from the pain. It was the realization that the boy wasn't just strong—he was a monster.

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William's voice was a low growl as he spoke, "You don't remember me, do you?"

Onigumo, gritting his teeth, didn't respond. His gaze fixated on William's rapidly changing form. He had faced all manner of powerful enemies during his years as a Vice Admiral, but this... this was something else. This was no mere Zoan transformation. The dragon-like boy in front of him exuded an overwhelming presence—a mixture of bloodlust and mastery that rivaled even the greatest fighters Onigumo had encountered.

"I'll remind you," William said, his grin widening. "I was there... seven years ago. You watched Ohara burn. You made sure everyone died." His voice dropped lower, laced with venom. "Everyone... except me."

Onigumo's breath caught in his throat. The mention of Ohara pierced through him like a blade, and the truth settled in his mind. This boy, this dragon... was a survivor of Ohara.

"You…" Onigumo muttered, but before he could finish, William attacked again.

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The battle erupted with a terrifying ferocity. William was faster than lightning, his claws slashing through the air with incredible speed. Onigumo parried the strikes as best he could, his Haki-coated swords clashing against William's dragon claws. Sparks flew with each impact, but it became increasingly clear that Onigumo was on the defensive.

William's fighting style was brutal and relentless, honed by years of bloodshed in the arena. He attacked like a predator playing with its prey, his every movement calculated to cause maximum pain. His strikes were infused with Haki, and his dragon scales made him almost impervious to Onigumo's counterattacks. Every time Onigumo swung his blades, they barely scratched the surface of William's hardened scales.

With every passing second, Onigumo's heart pounded harder. He had faced Demon Fruit users before—powerful ones—but this was different. The boy's monstrous strength, speed, and bloodthirstiness made him an unstoppable force. Onigumo's instincts, honed from years of war, screamed at him that he was facing something far beyond his usual foes.

William's strikes grew more vicious. He dodged Onigumo's attempts to retaliate with ease, his speed overwhelming. With a sharp turn, William landed a brutal kick to Onigumo's side, sending the Vice Admiral crashing into a nearby wall. The force of the blow cracked the stone, and Onigumo coughed, blood dripping from his lips.

He pushed himself to his feet, but his body was trembling. Fear crept into his chest, something he hadn't felt in years. He raised his swords again, but deep down, he knew he was outmatched.

William's twisted smile remained as he stalked closer, his eyes locked onto Onigumo's with a disturbing intensity.

"You're scared," William said in a low, menacing tone. "Good. That's how my people felt before you slaughtered them."

Onigumo slashed at him again, but William ducked under the blade, his claws flashing through the air. Onigumo felt the sting of another wound, this time across his back. The Vice Admiral gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the pain, but it was becoming harder and harder to move.

William's strength and speed were terrifying, but what was even more horrifying was his precision. He wasn't fighting like a boy consumed by rage—he was fighting like a predator enjoying every second of his prey's suffering.

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The more they fought, the more Onigumo's fear grew. William was too fast, too strong, and too ruthless. Every blow the boy landed was more devastating than the last. Every strike Onigumo attempted was deflected with ease, his swords barely leaving a scratch on William's dragon scales. Even when Onigumo coated his blades in Haki, the results were the same.

William's laughter echoed through the battlefield. It was the laughter of someone enjoying the pain he was causing. His years in the Celestial Dragons' arena had turned him into something far more dangerous than just a survivor—he was a killing machine, trained to annihilate.

The Vice Admiral was no match.

In a desperate move, Onigumo lunged forward, both swords aimed at William's chest, hoping to land a decisive blow. But William sidestepped the attack effortlessly. Before Onigumo could react, William's dragon arm slashed across his body, tearing through flesh and muscle with ease.

Onigumo cried out in pain, falling to one knee, his breath ragged.

William stood over him, his eyes cold and unfeeling. He raised his clawed hand, the dragon scales glistening in the firelight, and brought it down with brutal force. Onigumo barely managed to raise his sword to block the attack, but the impact shattered the blade, sending pieces of steel flying.

William's face twisted into a sick smile. "This is for Ohara."

With one swift motion, William's claws tore through Onigumo's right arm. Blood sprayed into the air as the Vice Admiral's arm was severed at the shoulder. Onigumo screamed in agony, collapsing to the ground, clutching the stump where his arm used to be.

William stood over him, his breath heavy, his eyes still glowing with that reptilian intensity. He could feel the satisfaction bubbling inside him, the twisted joy of vengeance. But it wasn't enough.

Not yet.

As Onigumo writhed on the ground, William's bloodlust surged even higher. The Vice Admiral was broken, but William wasn't finished. He wanted to make sure Onigumo suffered just as much as the people of Ohara had. Just as much as William had.