Ben's mind flashed back to Belo Betty, the moment she had first shown him the power of Haki. He remembered how she had effortlessly wielded it. Then he remembered at the time, it was the first time he had ever tapped into Observation Haki, if only for a few fleeting seconds.
Then his thoughts shifted to the battle with Simon. He thought back to the moment when everything had gone dark, when his instinct had taken over, and he had unknowingly used Armament Haki for the first time. He had felt the raw power coursing through his body, but back then, it had been uncontrolled, unrefined.
This was different. This was now.
Ben had been training for this. His crew, his loved ones, they depended on him. His strength wasn't just his own, it was a shield for those he cared about.
He saw her, her lover, his vice captain, Alvida laying on the ground, her body motionless, blood staining the earth beneath her. His mind replayed his own words, his promise: "You won't get hurt. I won't let anything happen to you." He had failed her.
His failure boiled inside him, fueling a rage deeper than anything he had ever known.
"Leave her alone!" Ben roared once again. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked. He focused his will, forcing all of his emotions into a single point. He closed his eyes, drowning out everything, his pain, his exhaustion. Then, he felt it. A surge of energy erupted from within him, power unlike anything before. His skin prickled as if electrified. The weight of the moment pressed down on him.
His hands darkened. No—blackened. A deep, obsidian shade overtook his fists, shining like polished metal, radiating raw Armament Haki, he thought. Ben opened his eyes. "Armament Haki," he muttered.
"Strike for the New World," Phantasm Shanks said as he unsheathed Gryphon in a single motion. The blade crackled with red lightning, illuminating the battlefield as he unleashed a devastating slash toward Ben. The sheer force of the attack split the air, the red arc tearing forward.
Ben stood firm. He clenched his fists. "Armament Hardening: Demon Slash," he said as dark energy surged through his hands, his fists encased in jet-black Haki. He extended his fingers, and black claw-like projectiles erupted from his hands, streaking through the air.
The two attacks collided. A deafening explosion tore through the area, sending shockwaves in all directions. A thick dust cloud swallowed them.
Ben surged forward, bursting through the dust cloud like a demon emerging from the abyss. He took out a can of Heal Drink from his pocket and threw it at Alvida. He continued towards Phantasm Shanks.
Phantasm Shanks' eyes flashed red. He saw Ben closing in. "Counter," Phantasm Shanks said as he shifted his stance. He swung Gryphon in a sharp upward motion, aiming to intercept Ben mid-charge.
Ben's instincts screamed. He twisted his body at the last second, narrowly dodging the blade by mere inches. The air whistled past his face, but he didn't slow down.
"Armament Hardening: Demon Fist," Ben said as he channeled his strength into his next strike. His fist, now a fortress of unbreakable Haki, radiated overwhelming power. It was a new, refined version of his previous attacks, sharper, stronger, faster.
His punch connected, right across Phantasm Shanks' cheek. A shockwave rippled from the impact as the Phantasm's head jerked back. A thin trail of blood dripped from his lip, the first real sign of damage.
Ben thought he was not as strong as the original. He had suspected it before, but now he was certain. Like Phantasm Whitebeard, this copy was wearing down. Over time, their strength, while formidable, was not infinite.
He felt his energy draining very quickly. He thought using haki like this was tiring. He thought no, it was his first time using it. He was not used to it.
"Betting on a New Era," Phantasm Shanks said. With a burst of incredible speed, he closed the distance between them, Gryphon flashing with red lightning. In a single powerful motion, he uppercut Ben with his blade, launching him into the air.
Ben barely had time to react. Then Phantasm Shank took out a shotgun and shot Ben. The bullet pierced Ben's torso mid-air, tearing through his flesh. A spray of red mist followed, and in an instant, his body lost its strength.
Ben then crashed into the ground, his back slamming hard against the dirt. His vision blurred, his breath came in ragged gasps. Pain radiated from the gunshot wound, hot and searing. Blood pooled beneath him. He could feel the life draining from his body.
He reached into his pocket, feeling for the smooth metal of a Heal Drink can. His fingers tightened around it. He popped the tab open. The golden liquid rushed down his throat, instantly mending his flesh from the inside. The bullet was forced out, clinking against the ground. His torn muscles wove themselves back together, and the bleeding stopped.
Ben took a deep breath. The pain was gone. He thought that was close. He knew his bag had more. His pocket only fitted two.
Phantasm Shanks watched him.
Ben clenched his fists, trying to summon his Haki again but nothing happened. He thought he needed more training.
"Demon Abyssal Shackles," Ben said as he thrusted his hands forward. In an instant, dark, metallic chains erupted from his hand. They slithered towards Phantasm Shanks like hungry serpents, clamping onto his wrists and ankles. The black metal burned, pulsating with an eerie energy that sapped his strength little by little.
Alvida saw the Heal Drink can next to her. She reached over and took the can. She popped it open and drank it. Her wounds instantly healed. She got up slowly. She thought he was no joke. He was strong but she will get stronger. She always thought back to Ben and Belo Betty. The words haki ringed in her ears. She had been training continuously for it. She felt that was the secret to keep her love, her sisters, her crewmate safe.
She closed her eyes. She tightened her grip around Seraphina. She focused. She did it in training once. She had seen him use it against her. She knew what it was. Her hand blackened. She saw Ben had trapped him.
"Shave," Alvida said as in a blur, she vanished, reappearing in striking range, in front of Phantasm Shanks. She was in front of Phantasm Shanks. She focused on everything.
"Armament Hardening: Kanabo Swing," Alvida said as she gripped her massive weapon tightly.
Her hands turned jet black, the sheer density of her Haki reinforcing every inch of her weapon. Muscles coiled, her body moved with terrifying power. She swung with all her might. The kanabo smashed into Phantasm Shanks' face with a devastating impact. His head snapped back, blood spraying from his mouth as he staggered. A deep imprint was left on his cheek, the sheer force of the blow momentarily distorting his form.
Ben thought that was a clean hit. He smiled at Alvida. "Good hit," Ben remarked. He also thought did she also use haki right now.
Phantasm Shanks` eyes darkened. A familiar, oppressive aura thickened the air, turning it heavy and suffocating. The battlefield trembled as red lightning crackled around him. "Conqueror's Haki Shockwave," he said. A red wave of raw, undiluted willpower erupted outward, distorting the very air itself. The Abyssal Shackles binding him cracked and shattered.
The shockwave tore through the battlefield, kicking up a storm of dust and debris. The ground split beneath his feet, and the sheer force sent Alvida skidding backward.
She dug her heels in, gritting her teeth.Her hands tightened around Seraphina. She panted. She had given a lot into that attack and he could still do that. However, she thought it was weaker than before.
"Demon Abyssal Lance," Ben said as he forged a spear-shaped mass of dark energy in his hands. The air around him crackled, the sheer pressure of the attack distorting the space around it. With a powerful hurl, the lance ripped through the air at high speed, spiraling toward Phantasm Shanks like a shooting star.
Phantasm Shanks' eyes flashed red. In a split second, he sidestepped the attack, letting it crash into the ground behind him, exploding into a shockwave. Without hesitation, he closed the distance. "Haki-Infused Sword Slash," Phantasm Shanks. He took Gryphon out. It gleamed as red lightning crackled along its edge. He swung the blade at Ben with terrifying force.
"Demon's Inferno Fist," Ben said as he thrust his fist forward, channeling his energy into his hand. Black flames roared to life, engulfing his knuckles in hellish fire as he punched directly into the incoming blade.
The two attacks collided, creating a shockwave that shook the ground beneath them. Sparks and embers erupted from the point of impact as the sheer force of the clash sent Ben hurtling backward, crashing into the dirt with a painful grunt.
His arm throbbed, the force of the impact making it burn.
"Slide Slash," Alvida said as she twisted her body, spinning her arm with impossible speed. The motion generated a compressed blade of air. The slicing gust that howled as it tore through the air towards Phantasm Shanks.
Phantasm Shank's eyes flickered red again. He sidestepped it effortlessly.
Ben got up. He was already on his feet. He inhaled sharply, his chest expanding, his lungs filling with an unholy fire. His body temperature spiked. "Demon Inferno Fire," Ben said as a torrent of black flames erupted from Ben's mouth. The searing stream of hellish fire resembled a flamethrower. The infernal energy engulfed Phantasm Shanks, swallowing him whole in a charcoal-black blaze. The heat distorted the air.
"Divine Departure," Phantasm Shanks said as a single slash was seen. The black flames split apart, cut down the middle. A colossal arc of red energy erupted from Gryphon. It raced towards Ben. The sheer force of the attack was inescapable.
The slash struck head-on. Ben's body twisted violently, the impact sending him soaring backward before he crashed into the dirt, the ground shattering beneath him. A deep, jagged gash ran across his torso once again, blood pouring freely from the wound.
Alvida's eyes widened in horror. "My love!" she gasped.
Ben gritted his teeth, his hands digging into the ground as he forced himself to sit up. He spat blood, his breathing ragged. His vision blurred for a moment, but he clenched his fists.
"I'm okay, Alvida…" he rasped.
His gaze locked onto Phantasm Shanks, who stood in the dissipating embers. The black flames had finally burned away, but not before leaving charred scorch marks on his arms and torso. Ben smiled.
"He is getting weaker," Ben remarked.
Alvida ran up. She had the bag with her. She took a Heal Drink out. She pooped the can and helped drink the Heal Drink. In an instant all his injuries were gone.
Ben got up. "These drinks are very powerful," Ben remarked.
"They are my love," Alvida agreed. She knew she should get as many as possible however supply will be limited.
"Let's end this," Ben declared.
"Yes, my love," Alvida agreed.