Duma's expression changed drastically in an instant.
Because he saw it clearly—Bai Yu, with just a subtle shift of his stance, had avoided his sneak attack.
Duma's blade struck not Bai Yu's body, but the Dragon Flame Taidao hanging at his waist!
The attack had been effortlessly deflected.
It all seemed like a coincidence—yet it was anything but.
"As a swordsman, resorting to sneak attacks like that..."
"You're not worthy of the title."
Bai Yu's voice was calm but scathing.
Hearing this, Duma quickly withdrew, putting distance between them, his brows furrowing tightly.
"You saw through my feint… from the beginning?"
He realized it—Bai Yu hadn't shown even the slightest surprise when attacked. It was as if… he had known all along. As if Duma's fake injury was never convincing.
Bai Yu shook his head.
"With someone like Isaac guarding the Holy Sword, there was no way you'd escape so easily."
"Besides... your killing intent was far too obvious."
Bai Yu explained plainly.
No matter how deep one hides their true intentions, the instant they strike, their killing aura inevitably leaks.
Maybe others wouldn't have picked it up.
But Bai Yu—ever cautious and sharply attuned to danger—had long been on guard. It was thanks to his own reflexes that the Dragon Flame Sword had blocked the strike.
What Duma didn't realize was—even if Bai Yu hadn't drawn his sword—his mastery of the Rokushiki's Iron Body was more than enough to block the attack without a scratch.
"You… You're Bai Yu. The one the Marines have been talking about lately."
Seeing the attack fail and being so easily seen through, Duma didn't show anger. Instead, he smiled coldly.
"You joined the Marines... is it because you want to climb to the top?"
He paused.
"Join us instead. Once the Holy Sword is fully revived, we'll take over the Marines."
"You—can be an Admiral, second only to the Marshal!"
He was serious. An olive branch, extended mid-battle.
Duma wasn't lying. Saga had been manipulated by the Holy Sword precisely because of his desire for power—his ambition to sit at the very top of the Marine hierarchy.
And if Bai Yu agreed to join them, he'd be granted the rank of Admiral—the highest military position after the Fleet Admiral!
"Admiral, huh?"
Bai Yu raised an eyebrow, eyes glinting slightly with interest.
"Exactly! Think about it!" Duma pressed. "No matter how talented you are, it'll take years—decades!—to climb up under the current system."
"With us, all of that becomes meaningless!"
But before Duma could finish persuading him, Bai Yu lifted his hand to stop him.
Duma paused, confused.
"Admiral… yes, that's certainly a tempting offer," Bai Yu said slowly.
"But I'm aiming for something higher."
A sudden smile broke across Bai Yu's face.
A chill ran down Duma's spine.
He understood immediately—Bai Yu wasn't content with being an Admiral. He was aiming for the Marshal's seat. The very peak of the Marine world.
"Such arrogance," Duma spat, eyes narrowing.
"With ambition that big, aren't you afraid it'll consume you?"
Bai Yu's voice remained steady.
"That's only something the weak need to worry about."
The message was clear—he had the strength to match his ambition.
"Hmph… interesting."
"Then let's test that power of yours—the so-called future hope of the Marines."
Duma crouched slightly, lowering his center of gravity.
His left hand steadied the scabbard, his right gripping the hilt tightly as he slowly retracted his sword.
The next moment, his eyes sharpened like blades.
Whoooosh…!
Around him, the wind began to howl unnaturally.
A faint, chilling sword intent began to rise.
Duma had spent years training in traditional dojos—and it showed.
He had, undoubtedly, begun to grasp the elusive concept of Sword Intent.
"A decisive move, huh?"
"A clash of sword wills... That's a game I never lose."
Bai Yu spoke with the calm confidence of someone used to dueling with monsters.
Duma practiced Iaido, the art of drawing and striking in a single movement.
A blade unsheathed only once—to end it all.
And with sword intent imbued into the slash, the strike could easily tear down even solid iron.
But Bai Yu had no fear.
Hummm…
He grasped the hilt of his Dragon Flame Taidao with one hand.
With a breath, the mighty Azure Dragon Sword Intent surged from his palm.
It wrapped around the blade like a living force, radiating heat and pressure.
Whoosh!
But it didn't stop there.
As the sword intent cycled continuously, it suddenly erupted into a blazing flame with a faint snap.
Turquoise flames—burning like the breath of a mythical beast—danced on the blade's surface.
"That sword intent... is materializing?!"
Duma's pupils shrank.
To most swordsmen, Sword Intent was a vague, intangible force—a feeling, a presence. Even grasping a trace of it was a mark of genius.
But Bai Yu?
He made it look effortless.
His sword seemed to ooze sword intent endlessly.
More than that—it had manifested as real fire, something only legends could do.
In Duma's experience, even Saga—blessed by the Holy Sword—couldn't achieve this.
Only Hawkeye Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, was said to have reached that level.
"This… This is impossible!"
"It's just some trick! He must be using some kind of device!"
Unable to accept it, Duma clenched his teeth.
His pride wouldn't let him believe Bai Yu could possess such overwhelming talent in swordsmanship.
"A fake technique, huh?" he growled.
"Then watch as I shatter your illusion!"
He convinced himself.
Boom!
Duma launched forward, his feet smashing against the ground as he propelled toward Bai Yu like a cannonball.
In the blink of an eye, he was upon him.
Draw—Strike—Diagonal Cut!
It was a single, fluid motion.
But Bai Yu was ready.
As Duma's blade slashed toward him, Bai Yu swung the Dragon Flame Taidao downward in a clean, powerful arc.
CLANG!!
The moment the blades collided, a deafening crash rang out like thunder.
Shockwaves of sword aura burst in every direction, cutting and rending the earth beneath their feet.
Boom!
Cracks spiderwebbed across the stone floor.
"Urgh... such strength!"
Duma's face turned pale.
That single clash had told him everything—he was completely outmatched.
The power surging from Bai Yu's sword was beyond his ability to bear!
CRACK!
Before Duma could retreat, the Dragon Flame Taidao ignited with brilliant green fire.
With a thunderous roar, the sheer force and razor-sharp sword intent shattered Duma's blade like glass.
WHOOSH!
And without hesitation, the Dragon Flame Taidao continued its arc, swinging straight toward Duma's defenseless chest.