’As expected, no world-renowned pirate is easy to deal with!’
Issho exhaled a breath of turbid air, steadying his internal circulation. He stepped forward, his blade dancing in a flurry of backhand slashes. The strikes were fierce, accompanied by howling winds.
’He really does favor the reverse grip!’ Aeridar noted. Facing the storm of blade light, he coated his arms in Armant Haki until they shone with a tallic black luster. He swung his fists like heavy hamrs, eting the blade head-on.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The cane sword and fists collided at high speeds, a rhythmic symphony of tal ringing out as sparks flew and shockwaves rippled across the deck.
BOOM—!
A dark shadow slamd down, and one side of the ship’s hull caved in as if struck by a literal wrecking ball.
Shing—!
A sharp flash of blade light sheared off a corner of the bow’s railing. The upper half slid off with a perfectly smooth cut.
"Hah!"
Issho gave a short shout. The air within two ters of him beca impossibly heavy. The thick wooden deck beneath his feet sank into a circular crater.
"The air is getting heavier!" Aeridar’s body sagged. He stumbled, his movents slowing as if he were being pressed down by a mountain of iron.
Issho didn’t stop. He whipped his blade around, aiming a lethal strike at Aeridar’s neck.
"Shinra Tensei!!"
Aeridar roared. A powerful shock erupted, repelling the heavy air and the gravitational pressure. The invisible force acted like an absolute shield, stopping Issho’s blade half a ter away.
"What intense impact... it feels almost like a repulsive force!" Issho gritted his teeth, pouring more power into the swing.
Creeeak— CRACK—!
The gravity intensified. The deck, unable to withstand the pressure, shattered into a web of cracks. Knowing he was about to be crushed through the floor, Aeridar took a deep breath and exhaled sharply toward Issho.
SHOO—!
A visible stream of white air shot out like an arrow. Bolstered by his shockwave ability, it broke the sound barrier with a piercing shriek, resembling a legendary flying sword.
"Nani?"
Sensing the projectile, Issho instinctively increased the gravity in front of him while dodging to the right.
CRASH—!
In that split second, the gravity multiplied. The deck beneath Aeridar gave way completely, and he plumted into the lower cabins. anwhile, the air-arrow grazed Issho’s cheek, traveled ten ters, and punched a thumb-sized hole clean through the steel plating of a triple-mounted turret.
"That was close," Issho muttered, touching his left cheek. A thin red line appeared, and a trickle of blood ran down.
BOOM—!
The other side of the bow exploded as Aeridar burst through the wreckage, lunging at Issho again.
Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!
Issho’s face hardened. He manipulated the gravity ahead of him, causing circular holes to spontaneously collapse into the deck one after another, chasing Aeridar’s path. Aeridar skidded to a halt, retreating to avoid being pinned.
Pop~
Aeridar vanished again.
CLANG—!
Issho raised his cane sword just in ti. Aeridar appeared in mid-air, his foot coming down in a heavy kick right onto the blade. A powerful shockwave swept the field, kicking up a shroud of dust.
Vrummm—
Issho increased the gravity around him, cratering the deck. But at that exact mont, Aeridar vanished again, reappearing high in the sky. Issho traced a pattern in the air with his sword; the shattered circular section of the deck beneath him rose into the air, carrying him up like a platform.
"Moving the fight to the sky to save your ship, I see," Aeridar sneered. "Think you can handle in an aerial dogfight?"
Aeridar blurred, appearing instantly in front of Issho with a punch aid at his head.
"Against you, Aeridar-dono, who would dare claim to be an expert in the air?" Issho replied humbly, shifting his sword. The gravity around them shifted.
"Dammit! Gravity’s been lightened!" Aeridar cursed as his punch overshot, hitting nothing but air above Issho’s head.
Issho countered with a backhand slash toward Aeridar’s chest.
CLANG—!
With a dull thud, Aeridar’s blackened, tallic fingers clamped onto the blade.
"You fell for it!" Aeridar grinned savagely.
"...! Not good!" Issho tried to wrench the blade free, but it wouldn’t budge.
"Shinra Tensei!!!"
With a low roar, a 360-degree shockwave exploded from Aeridar’s body.
BOOM—!
Issho took the hit full-on. The wooden platform beneath him disintegrated, and he was sent hurtling backward.
KABOOM—!
Issho flew over a hundred ters, slamming back onto his own warship. The vessel rocked violently under the impact as a pillar of dust and debris shot into the sky.
"Admiral Issho!"
"Issho-san!"
The Marines cried out in disbelief.
"Hahahaha— PUNCH BURST!!!"
With everyone distracted by Fujitora, Arlan seized the opening. He slamd his fist into the center of the deck.
BOOM—!
An ear-splitting explosion followed. The deck was blown to smithereens, sending Marines flying. Burning fragnts of wood rained down as black smoke billowed toward the heavens.
The massive warship groaned, snapping clean in half and beginning its slow descent into the sea.
"He’s a monster! He caused an explosion with a punch! He broke the ship!"
"It’s over! We’re all going to the bottom!"
"Agh— I don’t want to die!"
Panic took over. Even the Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals looked on helplessly; only those capable of Geppo managed to scramble into the air.
Through the rolling black smoke, Arlan stepped through the air using Geppo, returning to the Chris completely unscathed.
"Hahaha! Great job, Arlan!"
"Blow those Marine bastards to hell!"
"That’s what you get for blocking our door!"
Watching the warship sink, Dimitri, Smythe Betilla, and the others cheered wildly, eager to give the Marines a taste of their own dicine.
———————
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