Chapter 56: A Clash of Cadres
Shoulders, knees, flanks...
In that brief window of opportunity, Ian delivered a flurry of high-speed internal strikes. With every blow, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly—this guy Jack's health pool was ridiculously massive! The giant's body was stained with blood, yet his tangible vitality had barely diminished.
Within the darkness of his severed senses, Jack's consciousness struggled. With every blow Ian landed, the intense physical and mental pain served as a beacon, gradually guiding his senses back. This terrifying ability made him realize, with chilling clarity, that he could no longer afford to underestimate this young Major General!
Finally, as Ian aimed a decisive strike at his jaw, Jack's Observation Haki recovered just enough to sense the killing intent.
BOOM!
Ian's attack landed, sending Jack's massive body flying and carving out a crater half a street wide. But there was no spray of blood this time. Ian's expression turned serious. He didn't press the attack with high speed. Instead, he stopped, cracking his knuckles.
The last attack had been blocked by a desperate surge of Armament Haki defense!
This proved that Jack had managed to recover from the state of sensory deprivation through sheer willpower and Haki!
"No wonder this guy dared to intercept a fleet carrying an Admiral and a Fleet Marshal," Ian muttered under his breath. "He's really, really hard to kill!"
BOOM!
BOOM!
From within the distant crater, the mammoth in its full Beast Form emerged once more through the smoke and dust.
"You brat... is this your Devil Fruit's ability?" Jack's voice roared out, thick with rage and pain. "The Human-Human Fruit... can it be used like this?! You truly took me by surprise!"
His form was limping, a sight that made Ian grin fiercely. Jack hadn't maintained his Human Form or shifted back to his Hybrid Form. Instead, he had reverted to his most cumbersome but defensively superior full Beast Form. It was a clear sign—Jack was seriously injured, his mobility greatly compromised. He could only hold the line in his mammoth posture, buying himself precious time to recover.
"Hahaha! I've seen a lot of four-legged turtles, but this is the first time I've seen a three-legged elephant!" Ian taunted.
Outside the main battle circle...
The duels between the cadres of both sides reached their climax after a fierce struggle.
Among Jack's cadre, the strongest was Holdem, the Lion SMILE user. Yet, his situation was now the most embarrassing.
"Nijiro! Are you crazy?! Let go of my hand!" Holdem shrieked, his face contorted in pain as he repeatedly punched the animate lion head on his own abdomen with his free hand. "We're on the same side! Why are you biting me?!"
Simultaneously, he fled deeper into the ruins. Because chasing him was the weapon he had used for years—his "Machine Sword"—which now, as if possessed, hacked at him while its mechanisms spat fire uncontrollably.
His own weapon! His trusted Leo partner!
During the battle, after being struck by Peacock's whip, it had been completely tamed and turned against its master.
Peacock transformed into a phantom, flashing through the ruins. "Fool, you really know how to pick your own grave, hehe. The more clutter around, the better it suits my fighting style!" She swung her combat whip at high speed, but this time her target wasn't the fleeing Holdem. Instead, she struck a cluster of dilapidated, unrecognizable buildings nearby.
"Where is she?! Where is that hateful woman?!" Holdem panicked, looking back for Peacock but not daring to stop his flight. "I clearly heard the whip, but I can't see her anywhere! What kind of weird ability user is she?!"
BOOM!
A ruined house suddenly materialized on the path directly in front of him. Holdem had no time to stop and crashed straight into it.
CRASH! THUD!
"Gah... Ahhh! It hurts! What the...?" He groaned, dazed. "H-How did a house suddenly appear here?!"
He was certain he had been running down a narrow but clear path. Just a moment ago, the way forward had been open. In the blink of an eye, this house had appeared out of nowhere.
Creak...
Groan...
After Holdem fell, strange noises surrounded him. He looked around in horror and suddenly realized something was terribly wrong. "The houses around here... they're moving! How can this be?!"
Within the building complex on the other side...
The surrounding civilians had been completely evacuated. Several low houses, built around the ubiquitous soap bubbles, became the arena for a duel between an archer and a sniper.
Fwoosh!
Fwoosh!
Two Armament Haki-infused arrows pierced straight through the wooden walls of a building, attacking Skylark who was using the structure as cover.
"Tsk..." Skylark glided out smoothly, her nimble body leaping onto a nearby giant soap bubble. The moment she stabilized, she swapped her magazine with practiced ease and aimed her rifle in Speed's direction.
BANG!
An explosive shell shot out violently!
Tap, tap, tap...
Hearing the sound of the bullet cutting through the air, Speed took two quick steps forward, discerned and dodged the bullet's trajectory, not paying it excessive mind. The two had been in a stalemate for a while. The power of Skylark's bullets was greater than an ordinary sniper's, but it wasn't a fatal threat yet, and Speed was confident she could handle it.
What made Skylark truly formidable wasn't just her firepower, but her highly mobile, evasive style. She was as nimble as a rabbit, escaping swiftly every time Speed tried to lock onto her. But this time, she had jumped onto a soap bubble and crouched into a stable sniper's position. In that posture, it would be nearly impossible for her to dodge as quickly as before.
"I finally found your weak point!" Speed exclaimed, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "Little one, you're finished!"
She quickly drew her bow, aiming directly at the huddled form of Skylark.
However...
BOOM!
The explosive shell she had just dodged slammed into the ground behind her and detonated with the force of a cannonball.