Chapter 147: Can't Even Hit a Guy?
Shave!
Lucci's figure vanished, as fast as lightning, and he was instantly in front of Shane!
He bent his index finger, the knuckle cutting through the air with a sharp whistle, aiming straight for Shane's face—
"Finger Pistol: Yellow Lotus!"
In an instant, he had struck hundreds, thousands of times, a blur of afterimages, like a high-speed machine gun, spewing fire at close range.
The intersecting trajectories, from a distance, looked like a blooming lotus flower.
This was an enhanced version of the Finger Pistol that Lucci had created himself, and in his half-beast form, its power was even greater.
The incompetent only imitate.
Only a true genius, a true powerhouse, like him, would forge his own path!
BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!
A continuous series of explosions shattered the silence of the night.
The force of the impacts, far greater than that of a bullet, instantly enveloped Shane's entire upper body, from his head to his chest. But Shane just stood there, unmoving.
Can't he dodge?
Even with a little bit of Paper Art, he should be able to dodge some of them, right?
So the great swordsman who is famous across the Four Seas is actually weak in speed!
Lucci could already see it: when he stopped his attack, his opponent's entire body would be riddled with bloody holes, like a sieve!
The corner of his mouth had just begun to turn up, his savage grin not yet fully formed—
CRACK!
A sharp, cracking sound suddenly rang out.
His index finger, the deadly weapon that could pierce through steel, was caught firmly between Shane's two fingers.
Lucci's pupils suddenly constricted, and the smile on his face froze.
"When…?!"
He hadn't even seen Shane move!
One second, his Finger Pistol was a torrential storm.
And the next, Shane had, as if he had already predicted his every move, precisely and accurately caught his index finger.
And then—
With a gentle twist.
"Argh—!"
A searing pain shot through him. Lucci gritted his teeth and subconsciously tried to pull his finger back.
But no matter how hard he pulled, Shane's two fingers were like an iron clamp, unmoving, not even trembling from his resistance.
In the next moment, Shane's thumb applied a little pressure and pushed down—
CRACK!
Lucci's index finger, the deadly weapon that had pierced through countless chests, was snapped like a dry twig!
But Shane wasn't done yet.
He held the broken finger bone and, with a sharp tug, he tore it from Lucci's hand!
SQUELCH!
Blood sprayed, and tendons ripped!
The entire index finger, bone and all, was completely torn from Lucci's hand!
"AAAAAAAAAH—!"
Lucci finally couldn't hold it in any longer and let out a heart-wrenching scream, stumbling back several steps.
He clutched his right wrist with his left hand, blood pouring from between his fingers and pattering on the ground.
But he didn't care about that. He looked up, his eyes wide with disbelief, at Shane.
Under that kind of assault, his opponent was completely unharmed!
"Don't embarrass yourself with such childish tricks,"
Shane said, as if he could read his mind. He casually tossed the severed finger to the ground and shook his head. "Just bring out your best stuff. Let me see what the so-called 'strongest in 800 years of CP9' is really made of."
Childish tricks?
The ultimate Finger Pistol technique that he had painstakingly created…
and his opponent had insulted it like this??
Lucci's face flushed red, and his veins bulged, but his expression grew even more savage, as if he wanted to tear Shane's mouth open.
"You… bastard…!"
He took a step forward, his eyes bloodshot, a hoarse growl in his throat.
"You only broke one of my fingers! You think that's enough… to affect me?!"
Before he could finish his sentence, his body began to change again.
First, his muscles bulged and writhed, and leopard-like spots appeared on his skin. His nails grew into sharp, beast-like claws. After pushing his half-beast state to its absolute limit…
his body suddenly began to shrink rapidly!
In the span of a single breath, he had returned to his normal human height.
Oh?
Shane raised an eyebrow and looked Lucci over.
Lucci's muscles were now as sharp as a blade, no longer the gnarled, twisted mess from before.
His breathing was long and deep, and his every move had the air of a martial arts master. Every inch of his skin seemed to be crackling with explosive power.
"This is the strongest form I have mastered, after pushing my Life Return to its limit!"
In this state, Lucci's shaken confidence quickly returned.
His face was cold and impassive. "I call this form 'Paper Art: Martial Body'!"
"You've probably never seen anything like it. I wonder if you'll be able to maintain your composure in the face of this form."
"Is that so?"
Shane smiled.
Never seen anything like it?
I don't think so.
He was all too familiar with this form…
"It's finally getting a little interesting,"
Shane said, turning to look at Iceburg on the ground. "Uncle, you should back up a bit. And while you're at it, evacuate the people in this villa. This guy seems to be finally getting serious, and the aftershocks could easily hurt someone."
"I've been wanting to back up for a while now…"
Iceburg said, pointing to his knees, his face a mask of misery. "But, my lord, I can't walk!"
Is that so?
Shane scratched his head, a little troubled. He turned to look at Lucci. "Then I guess we'll have to find another place to fight."
"Are you asking me?"
Lucci sneered. "A pirate, and you're still so concerned about the lives of ants? You have no sense of a powerhouse's dignity. Why should I ag—"
He hadn't even finished the word "agree" when Shane grabbed him by the chest and, with a yank, pulled him through the broken window and up to the roof of the villa.
Shane looked around and his gaze finally settled on the empty space in the Galley-La Company's Dock One, hundreds of meters away.
There were no ships being built, and the shipwrights had all gone home. The massive shipyard was empty, save for a few scattered pieces of wood. A good place for a fight.
He casually tossed the struggling Lucci.
WHOOSH—!
Lucci's body shot through the air like a javelin, heading for the empty shipyard!
And Shane, with a flicker, landed squarely on Lucci's chest, his hands behind his back, standing against the wind.
It all happened in a flash.
"..."
Lucci was stunned for a moment, and then, in a fit of rage, he realized that he had been used as a surfboard, and he crashed into the empty shipyard!
The dust flew, and Shane leisurely walked down, turning to look at Lucci.
"YOU—?!"
Lucci looked up, his features twisted in a mask of fury, his eyes blazing!
He had been stepped on, used as a vehicle, as a surfboard?!
"I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Lucci roared, his entire body tensing, and his figure blurred, disappearing!
This time, he was even faster than before, so fast that he barely left an afterimage. In the next instant, he was high in the sky above Shane.
"Tempest Kick: Sky Bird!"
Lucci hung upside down in the air, his legs spreading like the wings of a giant bird!
SWISH—!!!
Two intersecting blue vacuum slashes shot down, in the shape of a soaring bird, tearing through the night wind and heading straight for Shane's head!
This was a killing move that perfectly combined the Tempest Kick with his "Paper Art: Martial Body" form. It was so powerful that it could slice a giant warship in two in an instant.
But Shane just yawned, not even bothering to look up.
He's not dodging?
Compared to the Finger Pistol, which focused on efficiency, this move, though he couldn't fire it in rapid succession, was all about destructive power!
A look of joy flashed in Lucci's eyes. I've got him!
CLANG!
The blue vacuum slash hit his skull with a sharp, metallic sound, but it didn't even leave a white mark… no! It didn't even cut a single strand of his hair!
How is that possible???
What is this guy's body made of!!!
Lucci's throat went dry, and a look of horror appeared in his eyes.
…
In the center of Water 7, on top of the giant fountain that stood at the highest point, Blueno was lying on his stomach, holding his breath, his body completely hidden. He carefully poked his head out.
Lucci! You can do it!
Blueno clenched his fists, cheering on his comrade in a voice only he could hear.
Only if you win will this long and arduous undercover mission not be in vain! And then we'll have a chance to save Kaku and Kalifa!
But…
When Blueno got a clear look at the scene in the shipyard, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Lucci… does he really have a chance?
…
In the empty shipyard in the distance, Lucci had been driven into a frenzy by his panic and horror. His figure flashed like a phantom, his Tempest Kicks and Finger Pistols… he used every physical technique he had, frantically attacking Shane!
Every attack was at full power, the air constantly booming.
But the black-haired young man just stood there, unmoving, the entire time.
Blueno had watched the entire thing.
How could this be? How could this be?!
Blueno's cold sweat turned into a torrent, and his pupils trembled violently.
He had never seen Lucci so helpless.
The strongest genius in 800 years of CP9, the always-cool and powerful Lucci, who was always in control…
was now like a helpless child, fighting for his life in the darkness, unable to even scratch his opponent.
The mist from the fountain dampened his back, a bone-chilling cold.
Blueno glanced at the tachi in his hand and finally realized a terrifying but undeniable truth.
They had been wrong, completely wrong.
This man named Shane was not some ordinary swordsman who would be greatly weakened without his sword.
Even without the tachi that had become his epithet and made him famous throughout the world, he was still a terrifying being with a monster-like physique!
Wasn't the battle before him proof of that?!
No, that's not right. This wasn't a battle at all. It was a one-sided slaughter!
The black-haired young man wasn't even being serious. He was just playing with Lucci's life, like a cat toying with a mouse!
…
In the shipyard, Lucci was still frantically attacking. His elbows, legs, feet, forehead, tail… they had all become deadly weapons, but he still couldn't break through Shane's defense.
And Shane, at first, had been watching with interest.
After all, the moves his opponent had created were indeed numerous and dazzling. He had actually wanted to see if he could learn anything from Lucci's moves.
But unfortunately…
It seemed not.
Flashy but useless, with no reference value.
And he was finally starting to lose his patience.
"Enough."
He casually waved his right hand.
BOOM!!!
A terrifying shockwave erupted, and Lucci was sent flying like a rag doll, carving a trench hundreds of meters long before he finally managed to stop himself.
"I told you, I have no interest in these childish tricks,"
Shane said, looking at the gasping Lucci with a slight frown, a look of displeasure on his face. "I'll give you one last chance. Show me your trump card. Otherwise, this fight is over."
Lucci's face turned a deep, ugly shade of red.
Those words again?
So arrogant!
But after fighting for so long, he had to admit, his opponent had the right to be arrogant. His incredible physical strength had even made him feel a sense of fear.
It seemed…
He really had no choice but to use that move!
Lucci's eyes were bloodshot, his entire body tensed to its limit. He pulled his fists to his waist, gathering all his strength, and then, with a thunderous roar, he shot them forward!
"Six Powers Secret Art: Six King Gun!!!"
BOOM!
The air was compressed to its absolute limit, forming a visible shockwave that shot out like a raging torrent and slammed into Shane's body!
This was the pinnacle of his life's work in the physical arts, his strongest and most deadly move!
The shockwave it released could penetrate even the toughest of bodies, and it could even shatter an opponent's internal organs without breaking the skin!
He refused to believe that Shane could just stand there and take a move like this!
BOOM—!!!
The shockwave from the Six King Gun slammed into Shane's chest with a deafening roar that pierced the clouds and swept out in all directions!
"What was that?"
"Such a loud explosion… what's going on?"
"It seems to be coming from the Galley-La Company's Dock One! Let's go and see!"
In an instant, half of Water 7 had been alerted by the commotion.
On the nearby waterways, many of the citizens couldn't contain their curiosity and were heading this way on their Bulls.
And in the empty shipyard, Lucci was breathing heavily, like a bellows. This one blow had drained almost all of his remaining strength. He braced himself on his knees to keep from collapsing.
His gaze was fixed on the dust and smoke in front of him.
After a long time, the dust slowly settled, and Shane's figure was finally revealed.
This time, under the full force of his Six Powers Secret Art, Shane had not been able to just stand there. He had taken half a step back.
But that was all. He had only taken half a step back.
He was completely unharmed, and his breathing was as calm as ever, without a hint of disruption.
"..."
Lucci stared at the scene, dazed.
His strongest attack… had only managed to push his opponent back half a step?
He had given it his all, and he still couldn't even scratch him!!!
Lucci's entire body trembled, and he was filled with a sense of complete despair.
His prized physical arts, his prized physical strength, in front of this man, they were all a joke…
"You can't even hit a guy?"
Shane also sighed. He grabbed Lucci by the hair and looked down at him with disappointment. "So this is really all you've got…"
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