But this was only the beginning.
Katie's cross-shaped slash struck Sadi's whip dead-on. The hidden tearing effect within the slash erupted in the next instant, shattering the whip before Sadi could react—and the attack didn't stop there. The remaining force surged toward her body.
At the critical moment, Sadi demonstrated the formidable strength befitting a Chief Jailer. She twisted her body at the last possible second, narrowly avoiding the lethal slash.
The cold gleam of the blade grazed her skin. A single centimeter's difference, and Sadi would have been either dead or grievously wounded.
Turning her head, she stared at the massive hole torn into the wall behind her. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead. Had that attack landed, she would have been finished.
Clearly, this wasn't just an ordinary slash. Otherwise, it wouldn't have destroyed her whip so easily, nor would it have retained enough power to wreck the wall like that.
What puzzled Sadi even more was that, despite it being a single cross-shaped slash, the wall bore over ten distinct slashing marks. Combined with the strange sensation she felt when her whip was destroyed, Sadi's frown deepened. She couldn't figure out how this was possible—unless this man possessed some unknown, special ability.
Katie, of course, had no intention of explaining anything to her. The saying strike while the iron is hot applied perfectly—even if Sadi had dodged the attack, she was still at a disadvantage. With her weapon destroyed, now was the time to press the attack.
Katie's figure blurred as she repeatedly activated Soru, her mastery of the technique surpassing what Sadi's eyes could track.
Seizing an opening, Kitty struck from behind, her blade flashing toward Sadi's back.
Faced with this sudden attack, Sadi truly couldn't react in time. By the time she sensed the danger, the blade was already upon her—so close that she could feel its deadly edge against her skin.
The blade rose and fell, slashing directly at Sadi's shoulder.
Yet, the expected spray of blood never came. Instead, the blade met something as hard as steel.
Kitty's brow furrowed slightly as she saw the patch of pitch-black darkness beneath her blade.
"Haki? And Armament Haki at that… This just got troublesome."
"Now that you see the difference, why not surrender? Maybe I'll go easy on you."
All traces of panic had vanished from Sadi's demeanor. Armament Haki had given her a surge of confidence.
"Heh. Armament Haki's strength depends on the user. If I'm not mistaken, yours has only just awakened. How many more hits can you really take?"
Though the attack hadn't drawn blood, Kitty had noticed something—her blade had left a clear white mark on Sadi's hardened skin.
"Tch. It's more than enough to deal with you!"
Seemingly stung by Katie's words, Sadi didn't bother arguing further. Instead, she launched her own assault.
"If that's how it is, then I won't hold back either."
Watching Sadi charge toward her, Kitty smirked. The presence of Armament Haki had indeed surprised her, but this just made Sadi the perfect punching bag—someone she could unleash her full strength on.
"Soru."
The moment the word left her lips, Katie vanished from Sadi's sight once more.
Sadi barely had time to react before a flash of white light streaked across her peripheral vision—faster than anything before. With no time to question why, she hastily reinforced her body with Armament Haki.
The instant she did, the cold bite of steel grazed her again—gone before she could even think of countering.
At this moment, the speed Kitty displayed left Sadi utterly shocked. While speed wasn't her forte, she had never been this outclassed before. But what truly stunned her was the sheer force behind Katie's strikes. Even with Armament Haki defending her, the spots where she'd been hit throbbed with pain, a tearing sensation lingering beneath her skin.
Beads of cold sweat rolled down her forehead. For the first time, Sadi felt genuine fear. Her Armament Haki, rather than giving her security, only deepened her dread. She couldn't fathom how to defend against slashes that even Haki couldn't fully block. Just as Kitty had said, her Haki had only awakened a week ago—far from enough to sustain a prolonged battle. Once it broke, she'd be defenseless.
Katie, of course, had no idea—nor any interest—in Sadi's thoughts. Right now, she was completely immersed in the exhilaration of unrestrained combat. Her Mastery-level Soru granted her blinding speed, and her previously acquired sword skill—Extreme Light Slash—pushed that speed even further.
Unlike Cross Slash or Crescent Moon Slash, Extreme Light Slash didn't release flying sword waves. Instead, it was a high-speed thrusting slash. Initially, Katie hadn't thought much of it—until she had a sudden idea. Combining Soru with Extreme Light Slash, she tested it out—and the results were beyond expectations. The resistance she felt when striking was no longer insurmountable. Breaking through Sadi's Armament Haki was now only a matter of time.
Katie's form had vanished from sight entirely. The only proof of her existence was the countless slashes flickering through the air like a storm of blades. Cross slashes, crescent slashes, and extreme light slashes—each carrying the tearing effect—rained down on Sadi relentlessly. In mere seconds, every inch of Sadi's body had been struck.
Crimson blood dripped steadily, splashing against the ground in hauntingly beautiful blossoms. Faced with such an onslaught, Sadi couldn't defend every part of her body. She could only prioritize vital areas, leaving the rest exposed.
Debris flew, dust billowed. In just moments, Katie had unleashed nearly a hundred slashes. Sadi's figure had long since disappeared into the swirling smoke, and the surrounding area had been reduced to a war-torn wasteland.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
With one final slash, Katie finally stopped. Beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down her face. Though the battle had been briefing, the toll it took was terrifying. In that short span, she had pushed herself beyond her limits. Had it not been for her enhanced physique, she wouldn't have been able to sustain such an assault. Even now, her body was on the verge of collapse.
A scorching wind blew, dispersing the smoke. A blurred figure gradually came into focus—until finally, a blood-soaked Sadi stood before Katie. Blood streamed from her wounds like rivulets, the thick metallic scent permeating the air even from a distance.
Yet, despite her grievous injuries, Sadi's chest still rose and fell. She was alive. Considering her position as Chief Jailer, Katie wasn't entirely surprised. Those Jailer Beasts were monstrous in endurance—after all, her own enhanced physique had come from them. She knew firsthand just how tough they were.