The whirlwind of clashing forces slowly dissipated, leaving Garp and A facing each other in a crater of their own making.
The black lightning surrounding the Raikage crackled with an intensity that made even the seasoned Marine raise an eyebrow in appreciation.
"Black Lightning, eh?" Garp grinned, rolling his shoulders as he discarded his coat, unveiling his clothes beneath. "That's a neat trick. It definitely upped your speed and power. Try not to burn out toon soon!!"
A's response was immediate and explosive. He vanished in a flash of dark lightning, reappearing above Garp with both fists charged with his enhanced chakra as he made a hammer gesture with them.
"Lightning Release: Thunder God's Descent!"
The attack came from above with devastating force, but Garp's Observation Haki tracked every movement. Instead of dodging, he met the attack head-on with a smile, his fists coated in layered Armament Haki.
The collision created a dome of pure force, black lightning crackling against Haki-infused power. The ground beneath them cratered further, the impact sending shockwaves that forced even the observing Kumo shinobi to brace themselves.
"Not bad!" Garp commented, pushing back against A's attack. "But let me show you how it's done!"
With a sudden burst of strength, Garp broke through A's technique, his fist connecting with the Raikage's chest.
"Impact Wave!"
The punch sent A flying backward, with the attack utilizing Internal Destruction to do even more damage, but the Raikage turned his momentum into an advantage. As he flew back, he used his Lightning Release to create multiple afterimages, each one seemingly solid and crackling with black lightning.
"Black Lightning Release: Thunder Dragon Storm!"
The afterimages converged on Garp, each one attacking from a different angle with lightning-enhanced strikes that showcased a mastery of Shape Transformation as they transformed into Dragon Heads. It was a technique that had overwhelmed countless opponents, the combination of speed and power usually proving insurmountable.
But Garp merely grinned wider. His body moved with fluid precision, each movement calculated and efficient. Where others would see chaos, his Haki showed him the truth - the real A's position and the path of each attack.
"Soru: Tempest!"
Garp's own speed technique created multiple afterimages, as he destroyed each of A's attacks as they circled back a second time. The two warriors became blur of motion, their clashes creating small explosions of force across the battlefield.
The real A, seeing an opening, appeared directly behind Garp.
"Three-Finger Nukite: Black Lightning!!"
But Garp had anticipated this. As A's attack approached, Garp used another application of Armament Haki. His skin took on a metallic sheen as he turned to face the attack, while his body tightened as it awaited the attack..
"Iron Body: Diamond Form!"
The Black Lightning Spear connected with Garp's enhanced defense, creating a blast of energy that temporarily blinded everyone present. When the light faded, both warriors stood unmoving, A's technique still pressed against Garp's defense.
"Incredible!" A growled, a bit frustrated at seeing no damage to his opponent while increasing the power of his attack. "But can you handle this?"
"Black Lightning: Voltage Increase!"
The black lightning intensified, the power output doubling, then tripling. The very air began to ionize, small arcs of electricity jumping between particles of dust.
Garp's grin never faltered. "Now that's more like it! But you're still not quite there!"
With a burst of strength, Garp not only ignored A's attack but countered with a technique of his own.
"Shigan: Rapid Fire!"
His fingers moved with blinding speed, each strike targeting a different vital point. A's Lightning Armor managed to absorb most of the attacks, but a few got through, leaving small but precise wounds.
The Raikage leaped back while grunting, his breathing slightly heavier, but his grin matching Garp's own. "You're the first person to wound me through my Black Lightning Armor. But don't think that means you've won!"
A's chakra surged to new heights, the black lightning around him becoming so dense it appeared almost solid. "This is my ultimate technique. The one that earned me the title of Supreme Shield of the Cloud!"
The three observing Kumo shinobi's eyes widened in shock. "Lord Raikage is using that technique?" Blue B muttered in awe. "He must really be serious..."
"Black Lightning Release: Thunder God's Armor!"
The black lightning condensed even further around A's body, forming what appeared to be actual skin armor made of solidified lightning as it became far more concentrated, while his body seemingly disappeared under it, leaving only his white pupils to stare out at them. Each movement he made created small thunderclaps, the very air distorting around him.
[Image]
A's Thunder God's Armor crackled with concentrated power, each movement leaving afterimages of black lightning in its wake, yet the lightning no longer seemed wild and erratic, instead it became calm and controlled as A looked at his opponent.
Garp studied his opponent with interest, noting how the technique seemed to combine all the prior benefits and amp them a bit more.
"Oh? So you're going all out?" Garp commented, cracking his knuckles. "Finally getting serious, eh?"
A's response was immediate. He vanished, moving faster than he had at any point in the battle. The black lightning trailing behind him created a web of electrical energy, making it seem as if space itself was being torn apart.
"Black Lightning Style: Thunder God's Hunt!"
Multiple versions of A appeared, each one perfectly solid and radiating the same intense power as the original. Unlike his previous clone technique, these weren't mere afterimages - they were actual bodies created from solidified black lightning.
Garp's Observation Haki tracked them all, but even he had to admit - the speed and coordination of the attack was impressive. Each clone moved with perfect synchronization, attacking from angles that would force even the most skilled warrior to make impossible choices about which attack to block.
"Not bad at all!" Garp laughed, his body moving with fluid grace as he avoided the initial wave of attacks. "But still not enough!"
Garp's fist shot out, his Haki not only expelling from his fist but also layering it with such an immense amount of Armament Haki that turned red.
"Red Impact!"
The punch connected with one of the lightning clones, causing it to explode in a burst of black electricity that tried to fry Garp's nervous system. But A had anticipated this, using the explosion as cover for his real attack.
"Black Destroyer: Four-Finger Nukite!"
The attack, enhanced by the Thunder God's Armor, carried power that surpassed anything A had shown before. It pierced through the electrical discharge from the destroyed clone, heading straight for Garp's chest.
But Garp was ready. He shifted slightly, letting the attack graze his side instead of hitting center mass. At the same time, his hand shot out, grabbing A's extended arm.
"Grand Meteor!!"
The attack was meant to send devastating shockwaves through A's body, but the Thunder God's Armor proved its worth. While the impact sent A flying backward, the damage was significantly reduced.
A landed on his feet, skidding back several meters. His armor crackled and sparked where Garp's attack had connected, but quickly reformed.
"That was pretty good!!" Garp acknowledged. "But let's see how that armor holds up against this!"
Garp's body seemed to blur as he used Soru to close the distance instantly and delivered thundering blows, enjoying his new punc- opponent!
A crossed his arms in front of him, channeling more power into his armor.
"Thunder God's Shield!"
The collision created a massive shockwave that carved a new crater in the already devastated landscape. The observing Kumo shinobi were forced to retreat further back as the force of the impact threatened to blow them away.
When the dust settled, both warriors stood their ground, neither showing signs of backing down. A's armor showed cracks where Garp's fist had connected, while Garp's clothes bore slight burns from the black lightning.
"Impressive defense." Garp praised. "But you're burning through chakra at an insane rate to maintain it. How much longer can you keep this up?"
A's response was to intensify his armor further while he breathe. "Long enough to land that hit you promised would make you take me seriously!"
The battle continued with increasing intensity, each warrior pushing their respective techniques to new limits. A's Thunder God's Armor proved capable of both incredible offense and defense, while Garp's mastery of Haki allowed him to counter even the most devastating attacks.
Yet as the fight progressed, it became clear that A was indeed reaching his limits. His chakra reserves, while vast, were not infinite. The Thunder God's Armor, for all its power, was an incredibly taxing technique.
Garp, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying himself more with each passing moment. His movements remained crisp and powerful, his attacks showing no sign of weakening.
"One last attack!" A declared, gathering his remaining chakra. "Everything I have left!"
The black lightning surrounding him intensified to unprecedented levels. The Thunder God's Armor began to change shape, forming what appeared to be wings of solidified lightning as he pointed out a single finger.
"Black Lightning Release: One-Finger Nukite!!!"
A launched himself at Garp with speed that surpassed anything he'd shown before. The wings of black lightning trailing behind him created a vision that truly lived up to the technique's name - he appeared as a god of thunder descending to deliver divine punishment.
Garp's eyes narrowed as he sensed the power behind the attack. "Now that's more like it! Let me respond in kind!"
He drew back his fist, coating it in his most powerful application of Haki yet, as Armament Haki, Pure Haki, and Conquerer's Haki all coalesced into a monstrous attack. The air around his arm began to distort from the concentrated power.
"Galaxy Impact!!"
The two titans clashed in mid-air, their techniques meeting with catastrophic force. The resulting explosion lit up the sky over Amegakure, momentarily turning night to day. The shockwave flattened trees for hundreds of meters in every direction.
As the light faded and the dust began to settle, two figures could be seen standing in the epicenter of the destruction. A's Thunder God's Armor was cracking and falling away in pieces, while Garp stood tall, his shirt singed but his grin unchanged.
"That." Garp said appreciatively, "was a good attack."
A managed a tired grin of his own before his legs finally gave out as he collapsed on the ground. The three Kumo shinobi rushed forward to support their leader, but A waved them off.
"No need." he said, his voice tired but satisfied. "I lost this fight fair and square." He looked up at Garp with newfound respect. "Though I notice you still never took me completely seriously. It even felt like you were holding back in your last attack."
Garp laughed heartily. "Maybe next time, eh? When you've had a chance to work on that armor technique some more. It has more potential."
As Blue B and the others helped A to his feet, the Raikage gave Garp one last considering look. "The rumors didn't do you justice, Monkey D. Garp. I look forward to our next bout."
"Next time." Garp called out as they prepared to leave, "Send a letter first! My grandkids are going to be mad about having to fix the yard again!"
Yet, before any of them could move, a figure landed on the ground, with four others appearing a moment later.
His eyes locked onto the Raikage, with the dark creatures surrounding him all prepared to assault the leader of the Kumogakure.
"Are you declaring war, A?"
~
End Chapter!!
So, how did you guys like it? Looking back at the 4th Great Ninja War, none of the Kage their were going all out (Except maybe Rasa...), so I took the liberty to expand upon Third Rakiage A's strength.
Do you guys think Black Clover will end or get cancelled?
Read Chapters Ahead on [email protected]/KillerDJ2023