Thud.
William slumped to the ground, only gasping for breath.
"No matter how strong the will is, without a physique that can keep up, it's still useless. This is enough..."
Sage looked down and said, "To fight me to this extent, I acknowledge you as the strongest in the Gares Kingdom. As my fame grows, so will yours. Dying in this battle does not disgrace you."
Such a man, if he does not agree now, would never agree to the invitation even if spared.
Moreover, Sage sensed that this fatigue was not merely mental; it was as if something was forcing him to move forward. Even though both his will and body were extremely exhausted, he still needed to continue attacking.
Just like now...
William's arm trembled slightly. He grasped the heavy sword, which had never left his hand, and slowly moved it upward, stabbing it at Sage's chest.
Tap.
The light clang of the blade touching the chest sounded abruptly in the surroundings.
Bam!!
A shadowy leg violently kicked William's head, sending him flying far away like a cannonball into the West District, tearing through a row of buildings and raising a huge cloud of dust.
Sage patted his chest, expressionless, and said, "You should be dead."
Saying this, he opened his hand in that direction and shot a Haki Bullet, piercing through the scattered ruins, aiming at the dust cloud.
Boom!
A wave of impact spread from within the dust, blowing away the billowing haze, causing Sage a slight surprise.
Didn't hit?
No, it was blocked.
In the dispersing dust, William was indeed lying there, his fingers loose on the sword hilt, nearing death. Beside him, a short figure in a black robe knelt, pressing one hand on William's back.
The small person in the black robe emitted an outward Haki, forming a barrier in front of them, relying on it to block the Haki Bullet.
"It's enough."
A gentle voice, neither male nor female, spoke from within the black robe, "You've worked hard enough..."
William struggled to open his eyes, glancing at the black-robed figure, his hand not holding the sword slightly lifted, seemingly wanting to reach towards them but unable to.
"I..."
He slowly spoke, "must protect..."
"Yes, you have always been protecting me."
The black-robed figure softly said, "You have always kept your vow, but you have tried your best. Now... it's my turn to protect you, Sod."
The enveloping hood unknowingly fell off, revealing a head of fiery red hair, like flames, and beneath it, a face that could not be distinguished as male or female, with the softness of a woman and the firmness of a man, appearing to be around fourteen or fifteen years old.
"Pirate..."
He turned his head, looking through the ruins towards Sage in the distance, his voice light yet unmistakably reaching Sage's ears.
"A rare strongman, I sensed a very strong desire in your actions, but this is not correct."
"Without desire, humanity can achieve peace and progress. But strongmen like you probably wouldn't listen, just like Kaido, so..."
The black-robed figure slowly leaned down, laying on William's back, their head turned towards Sage's position, saying:
"We will commence the path to peace through force, founding a nation without desire, along with William..."
The fiery red-haired body seemed to become light and thin, merging bit by bit into the body of the person on the ground, who closed their eyes as if letting go of something.
"And my Guardian, Sod, to complete this together."
A flame-colored cloak appeared on the knight's back, like it was igniting into flames, spreading across his body with scattered sparks, as if burning open.
Bearing these sparks, 'William's body rose into the air without wind, standing up, the sparks also clinging to the heavy sword, covering it with spots of searing red.
Haki!
Even stronger than before!
Buzz!
'William' opened his once-closed eyes, those eyes seeming to have flames flicker through, burning in the pupils, raising the heavy sword forward, and slashing across in one swift move.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Sage's pupils shrank, instinctively crossing his arms.
Boom!!
A massive black slash impacted against his arms, and after a moment of trembling resistance, Sage tipped it upwards, diverting the slash, which tilted and swept past his head, shooting upward.
Sizzle!
The remaining buildings behind him were severed in a massive area, the cut smooth as if sliced by a sharp blade.
Merely the aftermath of a Haki Slash...
Sage clenched his hand, noticing a wisp of white smoke emerging from his arm, watching his torn wound where he had resisted the slash heal, he exclaimed:
"You damn well also have a second phase, huh?!"
'William' thrust the sword upwards after one move, gripping it tightly with both hands, the flame cloak behind him unfolding, and said sternly:
"William is the Cloak Man who ate the Cloak-Cloak Fruit, possessing immense will, merely limited by his body to exhibit it. And I... am his protector and acting agent. Now, strongman..."
He moved his steps, the flame cloak behind him suddenly splitting left and right, like fiery wings, flaring open and transforming into a meteor flame, shooting straight at Sage in the sky, the searing heavy sword striking fiercely downward.
"Continue fighting until the victor is decided!!"