"It seems that the relationship between you isn't good."
Maintaining his human-beast form, Drake removed the long sword and one-handed axe hanging from his waist. He held the sword in one hand and the axe in the other, looking at Neru, who also had red hair, and spoke slowly.
"You, who are skilled with guns, moved to a position so close to me!"
Before he finished speaking, Drake suddenly lunged forward.
Although he appeared extraordinarily large in his human-beast form, Drake's speed was not diminished at all. He appeared before Neru in an instant, swinging the long sword and one-handed axe simultaneously.
Clang!
Neru raised the black gun in his hand, blocking Drake's attack with the hard butt. Observing the surprise on the other man's face, a smile played on Neru's lips.
"I'm more proficient with guns, but that doesn't mean I'm unskilled in close combat."
Before he finished speaking, Neru kicked out, striking Drake's tough body. While slightly pushing the opponent back, he retreated and completed the magazine replacement mid-air. Before Drake could react, the black gun in Neru's hand fired in rapid succession.
Bang bang bang!
Seeing Neru raise the gun, Drake's pupils constricted slightly. Just as he was about to dodge, a bullet struck his chest, tearing through his hardened skin after transforming into a beast; his body flickered again, and another bullet hit the same wound, penetrating his muscles; he shifted his body once more, and the third bullet was shot at the same location, following the path of the previous bullet, and entered his body, detonating instantly.
Puff—
Half-kneeling on the ground, Drake reverted from his human-beast form and coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Armor-piercing rounds, penetrating rounds, and explosive rounds. You shouldn't be able to move now."
Neru exhaled slowly, looking at Drake, who had lost his ability to fight, and spoke calmly.
"Is that Kenbunshoku Haki…?"
Unwillingness filled Drake's eyes as he looked at Neru, who was a short distance away.
This feeling of having accumulated all your strength, only to be defeated in an instant, was truly unpleasant.
Moreover, in the brief battle just now, all his actions had been foreseen by the opponent. Even his evasive maneuvers were anticipated. The three consecutive bullets had struck the same spot, and they were three bullets with different functionalities.
In other words, the other party had fully predicted all of this before firing.
The only one capable of such a feat was someone who had trained their Kenbunshoku Haki to an exceptionally profound level!
"I do possess some talent in Observation Haki."
Having already dealt with his opponent, Neru didn't mind engaging in conversation.
Although the battle had lasted only a few seconds, his energy expenditure had been significant.
This fighting style, which pushed his Kenbunshoku Haki to its absolute limit, had drained almost all his stamina and focus, and even he wouldn't be able to fully recover in a short period.
"Why have people like you never made a name for yourselves on the sea before?"
"Perhaps it's because we've only recently come of age and haven't had the time to cause much trouble yet."
"Just coming of age…"
Hearing Neru's words, Drake felt his injuries worsening.
After recovering slightly, Neru sat cross-legged, maintaining a distance of about ten meters from Drake, holding his black gun ready to fire at any moment.
"Now, just feel free to be an audience with me."
······
Clang!
The long knife in Rhode's hand collided with Bastille's saw blade, then his body flashed, appearing ten meters away from the opponent. Before Bastille could adjust his stance, Rhode flashed in front of him again, the long knife in his hand suddenly swinging out.
Too fast!
Colonel Barrow held a gun in his hand, his eyes darting across the battlefield, yet he could never find the right moment to intervene.
Since the battle began, that red-haired brat had moved like a bolt of lightning, slashing around Rear Admiral Bastille. Although it hadn't produced any significant results, judging from the situation, Rear Admiral Bastille seemed unable to inflict any harm on him.
As for himself, he couldn't even track the other person's movements. He could only catch a glimpse of Rhode when the two were briefly engaged in direct combat.
However, in such a short time frame, there was no way to aim and shoot at him.
Damn you, kid!
Unlike Colonel Barrow, Bastille was able to keep up with Rhode's speed. After several exchanges, he already understood Rhode's strategy.
Each time [Shave] was used, the starting position was different, but the distance covered was remarkably precise, almost identical each time.
There was no doubt that this kid was exploiting his skillful mastery of [Shave]!
So…
Blocking Rhode's slash once more, a red light flickered subtly in Bastille's eyes, and an invisible force enveloped the saw blade in his hand.
Bass—
The weapons clashed again, and Bastille's saw blade instantly severed the weapon in Rhode's hand. Seizing the moment when Rhode couldn't use force to retreat, Bastille swung his saw at Rhode with undiminished momentum.
The massive saw blade roared as it swung, the blade itself larger than Rhode's entire body.
Just as the blade was about to strike Rhode, he stepped forward and moved slightly, narrowly avoiding Bastille's fatal blow.
"What a pity!"
Colonel Barrow couldn't help but exclaim.
However, the red-haired bastard who lost his weapon is defeated!
Bastille thought so too!
He had just sensed the opponent's attack trajectory with his still-developing Kenbunshoku Haki and severed the opponent's weapon with his initial grasp of Busoshoku Haki. A swordsman who lost their weapon in battle was already defeated!
With a sudden step, Bastille launched its first offensive. This was his first attack after defending for dozens of moves, and it would also be the attack that ended the battle!
"What a pity!"
As if he had heard Bastille's thoughts, Rhode smiled and spoke, a faint red light flashing in his eyes.
He took two steps back, allowing Bastille's large saw blade to swing down close to his body, slamming it hard into the ground.
Rhode placed his left hand on Bastille's saw blade, gripping it tightly to prevent him from swinging his weapon again, and then looked at Bastille with a sharp gaze.
"I'm not just a swordsman!"
He exerted force in his legs, and the stones on the ground cracked instantly. Rhode's body suddenly surged forward, appearing before Bastille almost instantaneously. He clenched his right hand into a fist, and with terrifying momentum, he smashed Bastille's horned mask fiercely.
Bang!!
The mask on Bastille's face shattered instantly, and his body flew backward violently, crashing through dozens of houses in succession before finally landing amidst the ruins of the Donquixote Family's stronghold in the town center.
"But I will take your saw as a trophy!"
"Rear Admiral Bastille!"
Looking at Bastille being sent flying, Colonel Barrow displayed horror.
Even the Rear Admiral had been punched away by the opponent, so what chance did he stand?
"Win!"
Just as Rhode concluded his battle, with Nia's cheer, the fight on her side also came to an end.
Although the pink-haired female marine on the opposite side was very tenacious and had even managed to trap one of Nia's legs with her black barriers, it was the black barrier locked on Nia's leg that enhanced her striking power, allowing her to knock out the opponent with a single blow.