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"I hear the roar of violent thunder..."
Issho mused, his blind eyes turned toward the source. "Like the irresistible wrath of heaven itself. To command such ferocious lightning... it must be the Thunder Emperor, Arthur."
He calmly collected his winnings, gently pushing aside the dealer's greedy hand as he rose. He was a tall, powerfully built man, exuding an aura of immense gravity—solid and unshakeable as the earth itself.
He began walking toward Arthur and Redfield, his cane tapping rhythmically against the stone street.
'Those eyes... they are different,' Arthur thought, his relaxed posture sharpening. He had been focused on Redfield, ignoring the ambient noise of the city. Yet now, locking onto the blind man... he felt a power that rivaled monsters.
"I blinded myself because I grew weary of witnessing the filth of this world," Issho's voice resonated across the thousand-meter distance, calm yet carrying immense weight. His cane tapped steadily, sensing the path. "In blindness, I found a measure of peace, spared from the sight of so much... ugliness."
A man with the courage, the conviction, and the sheer power to tear out his own eyes... Issho was terrifying. He had traded sight for something far greater—an Observation Haki that bordered on the divine.
"I overheard your destination, Thunder Emperor... Earl Vladimir of Spring Queen City. Might I ask you to leave him to me? A man guilty of such heinous crimes must face the judgment of justice."
Though not a Marine, Issho's personal code of justice burned brighter than most. His Benevolent Justice stood in stark contrast to Akainu's Absolute Justice.
Vladimir, the user of the Vampire Fruit, sustained his unnatural youth by feeding on the blood of young women. Year after year, lives vanished—sacrifices to his vanity. And now, this unknown powerhouse had come seeking retribution.
"Justice?"
Arthur scoffed. "Does it matter who kills him?" He glanced at Redfield.
"Redfield. Go capture Vladimir. I will handle this."
He was not underestimating the blind man. Someone whose Observation Haki had reached such heights was among the most dangerous opponents imaginable.
"Very well," Redfield replied, giving Issho a measuring look. "I hope you are finished by the time I return." He turned and melted into the crowd. His parting words drifted back, carrying a low warning.
"Obstructing one of the strongest men on the seas, blind man... that is not a wise decision."
He could see it too. This man intended to block Arthur's path. A fight was unavoidable.
—
"The unjust must face judgment," Issho stated calmly, his tone unwavering. "Whether they be nobles or pirates." His left hand gripped his cane-sword, his right resting on the hilt.
"Capturing a man as powerful as Earl Vladimir will inevitably endanger the civilians nearby. And you, Thunder Emperor... you are one of the greatest sources of suffering on these seas. My conscience will not allow me to stand idly by."
"Your journey ends here."
"BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!"
The ground beneath Arthur violently erupted. Massive fissures tore through the street, isolating him from the surrounding crowds.
"AAAAAH!"
"HELP!"
Civilians screamed, thrown off their feet, desperately clawing for purchase as the very earth buckled beneath them.
"CRACK!"
With a sound like continents colliding, the entire port district—nearly a fifth of the island—was ripped free by an invisible force. It lifted into the air, slowly drifting away into the distance.
"Gravity Control," Issho murmured, his blind eyes closed, his cane-sword held horizontally before him, the blade partially drawn.
'Unreasonable justice... but impressive power,' Arthur thought, watching the purple gravitational waves ripple around the blade. He remained unmoved, rooted to the spot as if his feet had grown into the stone.
"A man can only do so much alone. The World Government is rotten to the core. Why not join the side of evil? Perhaps your benevolence can temper it?" It was an instinctive reaction—upon encountering such power, his first thought was recruitment.
"Two years ago," Issho said softly, his voice heavy with memory, "—an island in the New World refused to fly the flag of the Thunder God Pirates. Your First Division Captain, Shiryu of the Rain, slaughtered every man, woman, and child."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"That island... was my home."
'Ah. So that is it,' Arthur understood immediately.
A man like Issho would not normally seek out a fight with someone like him. Not from fear, but because the collateral damage would violate his code. Bringing down evil was not worth harming innocents.
Revenge, however... revenge was a different matter.
"Issho. That is your name, right?" Arthur asked casually. He felt no guilt for the massacre.
Yet to encounter a man whose Observation Haki rivaled the legends... the opportunity was too valuable to pass up.
Since consuming the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, his own Haki had been top-tier. Yet there was a difference between top-tier and the absolute pinnacle. He had trained relentlessly, yet a barrier remained.
Perhaps it was the fruit's overwhelming power interfering, or perhaps he simply lacked the innate talent. He could not achieve the level he envisioned—the perfect Image Manifestation he sought, Katakuri's Future Sight, Queen Otohime's ability to Hear Hearts, or Aisa's power to See Life and Death.
The last was a distant dream. Yet the other three... he felt he was on the verge, yet unable to break through.
He lacked a true rival, someone who could push his Haki to its absolute limit. Roger had told him years ago: 'To reach the next level, you either need innate genius, or you need to fight someone stronger.'
Shiryu's fight with Katakuri had been instructive, yet ultimately disappointing. Katakuri's Haki possessed depth but lacked breadth. He could not challenge Arthur's own vast range. Redfield possessed Future Sight, yet even he could not offer the specific challenge Arthur needed.
Yet this man, Issho...
"Issho," Arthur said again, rare, genuine excitement building within him—the thrill of meeting a true equal, a worthy opponent. It was a feeling he had not experienced since the surgery in Drum Kingdom. "If we fight here, how many people in Spring Queen City do you think will die?"
He saw the conflict flicker across the blind man's face.
"You do not want innocents caught in the crossfire, right? Then let us settle this another way. A duel. Observation Haki only. Winner takes all. What do you say?"
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