Chapter 318: It's Time to End
"It seems Luke is about to lose. If I don't run now, will I miss my chance?"
Reiju wanted to flee, but she hesitated, remembering the massive sword wave that had just slashed past her from just a few meters away. She felt it was a warning.
"The Thunder God Swordsman is too strong. Facing a powerful enemy like Luke, he still has the leisure to warn me."
Reiju sighed softly, not daring to gamble. She'd wait a little longer—Luke wouldn't give up easily. Something unexpected should happen in his final moments.
At this moment, Luke, enveloped in a near-burning Busoshoku Haki, flapped his wings and charged toward Rhodes like lightning, throwing a punch.
BOOM!
The air exploded, the void trembling.
Luke was confident that this punch would easily pierce a large warship.
"Slash!"
Rhodes, unfazed, casually slashed out with his sword.
BOOM!
Sword and fist collided, silver light and black flames blooming together, like a collision of two worlds, weaving together heart-palpitating energy fluctuations.
With a deafening roar, the area erupted in an astonishing explosion.
The ground was torn apart, riddled with countless black cracks. The venue could no longer withstand the force—steel pillars snapped, the foundation crumbled, and the entire structure collapsed, impacting surrounding buildings. One could imagine the sheer destructive power they unleashed.
The two moved swiftly, locked in fierce combat. In the blinding light, only their silhouettes could be seen, like two demonic gods clashing violently.
After Luke unleashed his Metsu Busō, although the burning black flames and intense heat were gone, his attack power increased dramatically. He held his own against Rhodes, showing no signs of being at a disadvantage.
The two continued to clash, terrifying power radiating outward, shaking the earth. Bricks and stones churned like mud, forming massive waves that swept outward, forcing people to retreat once more.
Electromagnetic shockwave!
Rhodes unleashed even stronger and more abundant lightning power, slashing down with his sword. However, he unexpectedly discovered that the special sharpness of his attack was not fully utilized—it was as if he'd struck into a quagmire, encountering immense resistance.
Clearly, this special state of Busoshoku Haki not only enhanced attack but also defense.
"Interesting,"
Rhodes thought inwardly.
These top-tier fighters were indeed skilled—both Issho's summoned meteors and Sakazuki's volcanic bombardment were incredibly powerful. Only Borsalino, that lazy fellow, didn't seem to have any truly formidable finishing moves.
But that's not necessarily true—it's just that no one could push Borsalino to that point.
Rhodes guessed that such powerful techniques must consume tremendous energy, and even Luke, a Zoan-type powerhouse, probably couldn't sustain it for long.
Therefore, he remained calm and composed, patiently dealing with Luke's outburst.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
In a mere half-minute, the two exchanged blows, their path like giant Sea Kings ashore, crushing and flattening everything in their way.
Buildings and houses alike couldn't withstand the onslaught even for a second.
The spectators had long since vanished, leaving only a few self-proclaimed experts watching quietly from afar.
Rhodes's strength was simply too great.
Even with Luke's full-scale power-up, he was still firmly suppressed by Rhodes, the situation only slightly improving.
During this time, members of the Kurman family did attempt sneak attacks to support Luke, but Kuzan easily dealt with them all.
"Ah!"
Luke roared, unleashing his Metsu Busō, yet he was still steadily suppressed by Rhodes, which he found unbelievable.
His previous confidence in becoming one of the Yonko after unifying the underworld stemmed from this technique.
The fusion of black flames and Busoshoku Haki could be continuously developed!
"Thunder Dragon!"
Rhodes said calmly, unleashing his ultimate sword technique. A thunder dragon, tens of meters long, could be clearly seen coiled around the sword, cleaving through the void and tearing apart heaven and earth, swooping down toward Luke.
This was Rhodes's sword aura—domineering and overwhelming, sweeping away all enemies.
It could be said that by condensing this aura, Rhodes was only one step away from becoming a Dai-Kengo, the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
BANG!
Luke was sent flying backward by the thunder dragon, staggering and covered in charred soot. He clenched his fist, his pupils turning icy cold, and let out a long howl—a terrifying sonic attack.
The earth trembled, mud, rocks, and debris flew everywhere, forming a terrifying area where everything collapsed.
Rhodes, undeterred, cleaved through the air with a single sword strike, even severing the sound waves, and with overwhelming force, reached Luke, aiming for his unguarded throat.
"..."
Luke hadn't expected Rhodes's fighting style to be so ferocious. He was slightly startled, only managing to clench his fist and throw a punch.
Bang!
The fist didn't generate much force—it was a feint!
Luke's combat instincts were astounding—without thinking, his other fist struck to the side.
BOOM!
A surge of violent power swept over him, causing Luke to stagger backward. A horrible gash appeared on his fist, revealing bare, blackened bone—damaged by the violent lightning. To heal, he would need to expend even more of his life force.
Luke's eyes were cold—he was about to use the momentum to retaliate when a chilling aura suddenly swept from behind him.
"Ice Block: Partisan!"
Two ice spears pierced the air, instantly striking Luke. The freezing power within them spread outward, forming a considerable layer of ice shards on Luke's surface.
"Cough."
Kuzan's attack was not quite as powerful as Rhodes's, but it was not weak either. Luke couldn't help but cough up blood, which froze into clots before hitting the ground, radiating a chilling aura.
Ignoring his anger toward Kuzan, Luke lowered his body, clenched his fist, and struck, clashing with Rhodes.
BOOM! BOOM!
As time passed, Luke, who'd initially managed to hold on, gradually felt his strength waning, slowly falling into a state of severe injury.
Rhodes's improving condition allowed him to fight with increasing ease, even finding time to sense the details of Luke's Metsu Busō.
Luke seemed to have just developed this ability, and Rhodes quickly grasped the essence of the Metsu Busō.
It really was just a fusion of Busoshoku Haki and fire!
"Busoshoku Haki truly lives up to its reputation as the foundational power of the pirate world, containing countless possibilities,"
Rhodes thought to himself. Sensing Luke was severely injured and somewhat outmatched, his eyes flickered, and he slightly reduced his strength, using Luke as practice to hone his swordsmanship while simultaneously studying that wondrous fusion power.
Whoosh!
Through continuous battles, Rhodes developed some insights into the fusion of Busoshoku Haki with other energies, gradually gaining a deeper understanding.
Furthermore, Rhodes's swordsmanship had become flawless.
He vaguely felt as if he'd touched upon some profound and unfathomable realm, but unfortunately, this feeling was fleeting and he couldn't grasp it.
Perhaps just one exhilarating, high-intensity battle would give him a chance to break through to Dai-Kengo level.
Just like when he fought against Kuzan and broke through to top-tier swordsman level.
Swordsmen are born for battle—no great swordsman has ever achieved this through seclusion at home.
"It's time to end this."
Watching Luke being frozen again by Kuzan and rendered stiff, he took a deep breath, no longer suppressing his power. With a cross of his two swords, he thrust them toward Luke's head and heart, respectively.
(End of Chapter)
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