"Vinsmoke has only two choices today: compromise, or… annihilation."
These words instantly plunged the scene into a dead silence, the kind of stillness that precedes the ignition of gunpowder.
Vinsmoke Judge's face darkened. The air grew so heavy one could hear a pin drop. An icy aura radiated from his being, rapidly influencing the emotions of the surrounding soldiers, and along with it, a chilling, murderous intent began to spread.
Faced with this oppressive atmosphere, an atmosphere that would have made ordinary individuals retreat long ago, Wilder and the men behind him remained utterly unfazed. Some, indeed, even wore expressions of benevolent amusement, casually swirling the wine in their cups.
"Are you implying… that you can slaughter Vinsmoke at will?" Vinsmoke Judge's eyelids lifted, his eyes, sharp as razor blades, boring straight into Wilder. In that instant, a terrifying web of blood vessels spread across his eyeballs, his killing intent and fury erupting like a volcano!
However, Wilder merely gave a light, almost dismissive nod. "Ah… that's roughly the meaning."
"Any problem with that?"
Any problem with that?
Veins bulged on Vinsmoke Judge's temples, his eyes wide with disbelief and rage. "Yes! Today, I'd like to see just who can accomplish such a feat!"
As his voice fell, the countless soldiers behind and around him expressionlessly raised their firearms, muzzles aimed squarely at Wilder and his contingent, their faces impassive to the extreme.
"Is that so…"
Wilder's eyes turned cold. "Advance!"
The Black Serpent contingent behind him moved as one! With a series of swish, swish, swish sounds, they surged forward, bypassing Wilder, and charged with incredible speed towards the surrounding artificial human soldiers!
"Hahaha! Let's see who dares to approach!" Vinsmoke Judge laughed, a laugh born of extreme anger, his eyes glinting with a man-eating light. A strangely shaped long spear—or perhaps a lance—had appeared in his hand. He spun it a few times, whipping up a fierce gale, then brought it crashing down in a devastating strike aimed at General Kuchiel, who was at the vanguard of the charge!
CLANG!
Wilder's tall figure materialized before Vinsmoke Judge as if from nowhere. His arm, encased in hardened armor and wreathed in a thick layer of Armament Haki, met the descending spear with a powerful punch!
Crackle-crackle-CRACKLE…!
A powerful gust of wind exploded outwards from the point of impact, forcing some of the weaker soldiers to struggle to maintain their footing. Immediately following, dense arcs of electricity crackled into existence at the epicenter of the clash, the sizzling sound growing more intense as their opposing forces locked in a stalemate!
Seeing his attack blocked, Vinsmoke Judge's expression tightened, his face darkening. "Wilder! Do you truly wish to make an enemy of Germa 66?!"
Wilder's fist remained pressed against the spear, his body as unmovable as a mountain. Hearing Judge's words, he calmly retorted, "Where are Jesse, Korosar, and the others?"
Vinsmoke Judge's face sank. Wilder's question made it clear that there was no room for further negotiation.
"Then go to hell!" Judge's eyebrows shot upwards, his expression twisting into a ferocious snarl! Yet, the words had barely left his lips when, in the next second, his face underwent a drastic change, his pupils contracting violently!
Vice and the others, who had already engaged the enemy soldiers, exchanged a knowing glance and tacitly executed a swift retreat, falling back behind Wilder!
"Great Swamp Heaven!" a deep voice, like a rumble from the depths of hell, resounded.
BOOM! In the next instant, a monstrous, overwhelming tide of swamp erupted from Wilder's entire being, surging upwards to pierce the very sky! It was like a colossal, sky-obscuring muddy wave, its shadow engulfing Vinsmoke Judge and his soldiers below!
"Retreat, quickly!" Judge's face, unable to maintain its composure, drained of all color. He let out a hysterical roar and, leading by example, leaped high into the air, landing in an area not yet covered by the encroaching shadow. Then, with a powerful swing of his spear, he unleashed a blinding arc of electricity!
Pfft! The electric blast tore through the sky-blotting swamp, yet it was like a pebble dropped into the ocean; in a mere instant, it vanished without a ripple.
"How is that possible!" Vinsmoke Judge stared in disbelief. He tried to launch another attack, but it was already too late. The swamp crashed down with devastating force! Every single soldier within its range was engulfed, none escaping!
However, it wasn't over. In the next second, Wilder's cold, deep voice echoed once more.
"Hell—Underworld Swamp!"
An invisible ripple spread rapidly outwards from the palm he had pressed against the ground, in an instant blanketing the entire area.
Buzz…!
Before the horrified eyes of the onlookers, the original ground began to bubble and distort. Its color shifted to a blackish-gray, and then, in the blink of an eye, it softened, transforming into a treacherous mire!
"Ah!" The soldiers who had narrowly escaped the previous deluge were not so fortunate this time. Their bodies began to sink relentlessly! They struggled, trying to escape, only to find themselves sinking even faster!
"Gulp."
"The boss is getting more and more terrifying," Vice muttered, unable to stop himself from swallowing hard as he surveyed the scene. The others shared his sentiment. From the moment Wilder had attacked to the point where all the enemy soldiers were swallowed by the swamp had taken no more than a dozen seconds. The sheer scale and speed of the attack were enough to instill shock and horror in anyone.
"Wilder! Come and die!" Vinsmoke Judge, witnessing this devastation, was beyond shocked, his rage now utterly uncontainable. His spear whistled through the air, whipping up a furious wind as he leaped from his high perch, bringing his weapon down in a savage, cleaving strike aimed at Wilder!
"You all go and find Jesse and Korosar first," Wilder instructed, rising to his feet, his expression calm yet frigid as he looked up at the sky.
"Yes, sir." Vice and the others also glanced upwards before hurrying off. The soldiers they had just faced were not the entirety of the castle's forces, but… at least for now, not a single enemy soldier remained standing in this immediate vicinity. This saved Vice's group a considerable amount of effort.
Wilder knew that their success thus far was largely due to Vinsmoke Judge's overconfidence and lack of prior preparation for their arrival. Additionally, a significant portion of Germa 66's main forces were currently engaged in campaigns against other nations, leaving Judge effectively a "commander without an army," naturally unable to cope with Wilder's full contingent.
But it was undeniable: Vinsmoke Judge was strong! At the very least, among those beneath the rank of Admiral, he belonged to the absolute top tier!
"Just right. This time, I'll use you to test out the Swamp General," Wilder said. As he spoke, a copious amount of swamp began to surge from his body. This swamp then undulated and roiled, finally coalescing and solidifying into the form of an armor-clad demon king, enveloping his entire frame. Simultaneously, a sword, also crafted from swamp compressed to its utmost limit, materialized in Wilder's hand!
CLANG! The spear and the Swamp Sword crashed against each other, producing a heavy, metallic clang. Sparks flew as both combatants were forced to rapidly retreat! They stared intently at each other.
"What is this? Is it also swamp?" Vinsmoke Judge's entire demeanor had shifted in the heat of battle; he was now serious and cautious. He was captivated by the transformation Wilder had undergone, his gaze filled with grave concern. In that last exchange, he was certain his attack had carried immense force! The cleaving strike from above should have, if not injured Wilder, at least forced his body down or caused him to stumble back. Yet, his opponent hadn't been pressed down, nor had he lost his balance or twisted an ankle from the heavy blow. Instead, he had parried it with ease, as if it were an attack on the same plane! No! It couldn't even be called a parry; it was more like he had actively attacked Judge's own attack. This left Vinsmoke Judge feeling both troubled and astonished.
Wilder, hearing Vinsmoke Judge's words, let a small smirk play on his lips but offered no reply. This kind of battle, where the enemy is left guessing, is truly interesting.
Hard Armor! This was the current state of Wilder's armor. It not only endowed him with incredibly resilient defensive capabilities but also significantly enhanced his offensive power while he was clad in it. Its hardness, the strength it imparted, and the "stable chassis" it provided due to its sheer weight were all considerable advantages. The only discernible drawback was a slight reduction in speed.
"That thing is armor made of swamp, correct? Very hard, harder than steel, and also very heavy, I presume. It grants you formidable defense and attack power, along with enhanced stability. A truly impressive ability. However… that's all there is to it, isn't it! Your speed is noticeably slower than before!" Vinsmoke Judge, a veteran of countless battles, had astutely analyzed Wilder's current state in an instant.
Wilder was somewhat taken aback. He hadn't expected his opponent's insight to be so sharp, to deduce so much from a single exchange of blows.
But… so what? Wilder didn't rely on speed to win his battles. While speed was an important component of his fighting style, it wasn't the decisive factor. So, despite his surprise, the exposure of this "secret" was of little consequence to him. Similarly, for his opponent, this analysis offered no substantial, tangible advantage. Both understood that the ultimate outcome of a battle, especially when both combatants were at full stamina, was not determined by such minor factors.
Without further words, the battle resumed!
Clang! Vinsmoke Judge was the first to charge, his speed incredibly fast, reaching Wilder in the blink of an eye. Wilder, unhurried, swept his sword out in a horizontal arc! The razor-sharp edge flashed before Judge's eyes. Judge narrowed his eyes and abruptly twisted his body! His spear, like a cunning dragon emerging from the sea, thrust towards Wilder's abdomen from an incredibly tricky angle.
If this spear were to connect, the damage would be considerable. Wilder had no intention of taking it head-on. His right hand moved with fluid grace, the Swamp Sword shifting its orientation, preemptively positioning itself to block!
CLANG! Their weapons collided once more!
Wilder's swordsmanship wasn't particularly weak. His predecessor had set out to sea as a swordsman. And indeed, he could wield a sword, but he wasn't a dedicated specialist. His skill was founded on basic swordsmanship, augmented by extensive combat experience and a powerful physique. This was the key to his ability to contend with specialists despite not being one himself. Ordinary, unremarkable swordsmanship, when executed with superior physical attributes and refined combat experience, could produce effects that were anything but ordinary.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!!
The exchange of blows became increasingly fierce and rapid. Vinsmoke Judge's spear became a whirlwind, his attacks suddenly shifting, growing more urgent and ferocious, as if he intended to break through Wilder's defense by sheer overwhelming force!
Yet, even under such a relentless onslaught, Wilder, with his superhuman reflexes and keen eyesight, wielded the Swamp Sword with such speed that it became a blur of light and shadow. The attacks between them merged into an indistinct flurry, only the a_flashing_ sparks revealing the terrifying swiftness and danger of their strikes!
Gradually, however, Wilder began to feel the strain. He was not, by nature, a specialist in swordsmanship. It was, therefore, already a commendable feat to have held his own for this long against an opponent of Vinsmoke Judge's caliber. Wilder wasn't the type to stubbornly persist in a losing strategy when he knew it was futile. So, he decided it was time to change his approach to the fight.
"After all… when it comes down to it, my abilities are my true strong suit!" Wilder launched another sword strike, but this time it met only air. He then felt a sensation of being lifted, as Judge's spear sent him flying heavily through the air! However, protected by the Hard Armor, he sustained no significant damage. This was precisely why he had confidently chosen this method to test his combat prowess from the outset.
"But… it clearly still needs further strengthening." Wilder's purpose in developing the Swamp General was for it to be usable one day in critical situations. For instance… when Kizaru came at him with a light sword, he could rely on this to block it. Or… when faced with an unavoidable deluge of magma, he could use this technique to defend himself.
"So, it simply won't do if it can be easily shattered," Wilder mused, feeling himself sent flying again. Vinsmoke Judge seemed to have seized an opportunity, relentlessly combo-attacking Wilder in mid-air, where he was unable to quickly readjust and stabilize his form. Judge was strong; Wilder had been mentally prepared for this. However, Logia-type ability users could rarely be accurately judged by conventional martial prowess alone. It was like… a very strong person might still be incapable of achieving truly transcendent feats. And the strength of a powerful Logia Devil Fruit user never depended solely on their physical combat skills, but rather because… they could achieve transcendent feats!
"Just like this…" Suspended in mid-air and under continuous assault, Wilder began to release swamp from both hands. This swamp rapidly coalesced into a massive, spherical swamp ball, completely enveloping his figure.
Then…
As Vinsmoke Judge launched another attack, his spear plunged directly into the swamp. A powerful suction force emanated from within, pulling not only the spear but also a portion of his spear-wielding arm into its murky depths.
Vinsmoke Judge's expression shifted slightly. Wilder's voice then came from within the swamp, "Swamp created with a depth exceeding the length of your spear should be sufficient to make it sink, don't you think?"
"And next, if… I were to pull you completely into the swamp at this moment, what would happen? I imagine… I probably couldn't manage that just yet. After all… you are quite the strong one yourself."
"Then, this should suffice." Wilder's words paused for a beat.
At this moment, a terrible premonition gripped Vinsmoke Judge. He hastily tried to pull himself free, but… it was too late.
"Giant General!"
BOOM! The sudden appearance of any object of immense size, even without significant movement, will invariably produce a considerable sound.
Vice and the others, having located Jesse and his companions in the dungeons and just escorted them out of the castle, were all drawn by the deafening roar. Their gazes simultaneously snapped towards the distant source of the sound.
And then…
Those who personally witnessed the spectacle that unfolded that night would forever recall the scene with a sense of profound, unshakeable shock. Some would say it was a giant. Others would claim it was the legendary demon, Oars. There were even those who would insist it was a monster far taller even than Oars!
In short, on that night, the colossal snail, upon whose back a castle could be built, was severely injured by an overwhelming, crushing weight.
Though the manifestation of that incredible sight was brief, it left a deep and indelible mark upon the hearts of all who beheld it.
Perhaps, yet another legend of the seas had just been born.
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