The battle… had only just begun!
Clang~!
Redfield's arm glistened with a metallic black sheen as Armament Haki covered it, his parasol blade also cloaked in the same darkness. His aura surged skyward, sword intent piercing the heavens.
Creed clenched his fist, coating himself in Armament Haki. His blade, Rinne, already black, grew even darker, his aura rising just as fiercely, reaching into the skies.
Both raised their swords. Their blades gleamed brilliantly as they swung. Several massive sword slashes erupted, colliding midair, empowered by Armament Haki.
Boom!!
The impact tore apart the ice, splitting it into two halves and leaving a deep chasm. The violent clash of sword energy shredded the ground, far stronger than before.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Shockwaves ripped into prison walls, gouging deep marks into the stone. Prisoners screamed in terror. Even Hannibal and the others were forced to retreat further.
"One Sword Style: Roaring Dragon!!"
Redfield's blade descended. His sword intent flared like dusk, and in the twilight, a blazing red slash descended from the sky. In the eyes of all, it was as if a scarlet dragon soared from the heavens, roaring toward Creed.
"Rinne: Akuma-dō!! (Demon Path)"
The air dimmed around Creed, his aura condensing into countless spectral demons. Black light surged, swarming about him like malevolent spirits.
Boom!!
The slashes collided again.
"ROOM."
A transparent dome appeared.
Whoosh~!
Creed's body vanished, instantly reappearing before Redfield with his sword mid-swing.
Slash!
But Redfield's Observation Haki was extraordinary. He sensed Creed's murderous intent and dodged just in time, leaving only a cut along his robe.
He countered with a swift slash, forcing Creed back.
Redfield glanced at his torn robe, eyes narrowing. "As expected of the Ope Ope no Mi… such a troublesome power."
He analyzed quickly. "It must be position-swapping. But it can't be done freely. There must be conditions—like locking his gaze on a marked spot."
If so, then forcing him into close combat would prevent him from focusing on using it.
Determined, Redfield's body flashed forward.
Creed's eyes narrowed. As expected of a legendary monster—he'd already spotted the weakness of the Ope Ope no Mi.
Indeed, if forced into melee, Creed had no chance to split his focus between combat and making "marks."
Seeing Redfield charging in, Creed grinned.
Boom!!
In the blink of an eye, their figures vanished. A thunderous impact followed as their blades collided midair.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their swords clashed endlessly, sword light soaring skyward. Each impact cracked the frozen ground further.
They battled fiercely for minutes before separating, both panting, their bodies bearing cuts and wounds.
Creed's eyes glinted. Even weakened by twenty years of imprisonment, Redfield's strength remained terrifying. Now reduced to SSS-level, one could only imagine how invincible his peak had been.
Suddenly, Redfield swung his blade. No light, no flash, no obvious slash.
Creed tensed. Was it hidden in the ice again?
No…
His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan caught it—distorted ripples in the air. Not water, but a nearly invisible sword slash, thin as a cicada's wing, slicing through the air at terrifying speed.
"An invisible slash?!"
He twisted aside, barely evading as the attack cleaved an ice sculpture in half.
The thin sword aura wasn't deadly on its own—but with Armament Haki, it became sharper and faster, deadly enough to sever steel.
Redfield chuckled. "Try this on for size."
He swept his blade. Countless invisible slashes filled the air, refracting in all directions, dense and deadly.
Creed's aura softened. "Rinne: Ningen-dō!! (Human Path)"
His blade swept outward, sword energy scattering into countless raindrops, meeting the invisible slashes in midair.
For dozens of seconds, the two forces collided until silence fell once more.
The battlefield lay in ruins, no intact ground left.
Redfield panted heavily, muttering self-mockingly, "Hah… people really do get old. My body isn't what it used to be."
He looked at Creed. "Boy, you're impressive. If you live on, the future is yours."
He straightened. "My Haki and stamina are nearly gone. Now let me show you—the conditions required to claim the title of the world's greatest swordsman."
He inhaled deeply, eyes blazing with brilliance, his aura condensing.
He swung once.
No—his muscles trembled, and Creed's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan revealed the truth. Each strike layered atop the last, five in total.
By the third slash, a red sun rose behind him.
By the fourth, a crimson dragon roared in the sunset.
By the fifth, the sun blazed at its zenith, blinding in its majesty.
"Gōshin!! (Divine Five-Slash Unity!)"
To the others watching, it looked like one slash. But only Creed saw the truth—the speed surpassed human sight, fusing into a single devastating strike.
The slash seemed to split the heavens, shatter the earth, the very air wailing under its weight, as it descended upon Creed.
Creed felt the suffocating threat.
He drew in a deep breath, lightning crackling around him. His aura erupted, divine and untouchable, transforming him into a god of thunder.
"Rinne: Tenjin-dō!!! (Heavenly God Path)"
Boom!!!
…
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For 20+ Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!]
[[email protected]/Draumel]
[Thank You For Your Support!]