Chapter 29: The Strongest One
Meanwhile, Shanuo found himself in a rather awkward position on the field.
As captain of the first reserve squad and the undisputed strongest among them, Shanuo should have been the final challenger to step forward—a move befitting his status.
However, he hadn't expected his teammates to be defeated so quickly and decisively, practically swept aside.
With two losses already on the board, if he too were defeated, the headquarters' performance would become a complete laughingstock.
Just then, he sensed movement from behind and quickly turned to look.
He saw the scene—or rather, the person—he had most hoped to see.
Rhodes had finally arrived, standing calmly at the back of the formation, observing from a distance.
"Phew..."
Shanuo breathed a sigh of relief, stepped forward, and engaged Kuro in what would be a true duel between swordsmen.
Clang!
The blades, wrapped in tremendous force, collided. The clash of steel rang out violently, sparks flying everywhere.
"What?!"
Shanuo's expression shifted slightly as he involuntarily took several steps back, while Kuro merely staggered slightly.
The clash of pure strength between the two clearly demonstrated Kuro's superiority, the impact leaving Shanuo's arms numb.
"I have no choice then..."
Shanuo steadied himself, his eyes sharpening as he summoned a newly cultivated power.
"Armament Haki... Coating!"
Jet-black Armament Haki enveloped his gleaming blade—one black, one silver—radiating an aura of deadly power.
Squad captains like Nia couldn't help but gasp in amazement, their faces lighting up with excitement. This was the power of Haki!
No one had expected that so close to graduation, Shanuo had mastered Armament Haki and could even perform Haki coating!
Hack, who had been watching the battle intently, breathed a sigh of relief. If the headquarters reserves were completely defeated, he as their instructor would be thoroughly humiliated.
"Armament Haki? How interesting..."
Kuro nodded slightly at the sight.
Sabo chuckled softly. "Although it's still somewhat unstable, you've definitely managed Armament Haki coating. Not bad at all."
Koala looked on with admiration. With this ability alone, Shanuo was qualified to be a full Revolutionary Army member.
Whoosh!
The next moment, Shanuo charged forward, reaching Kuro in an instant. His blade, brimming with Armament Haki's overwhelming presence, slashed downward with seemingly unstoppable force. The sharp wind pressure alone stung painfully against exposed skin.
Rez and the others watched with rapt attention. As expected of the First Squad captain—the power of this strike could easily cleave through steel.
Kuro, however, stood perfectly still, neither blocking nor dodging. When the blade drew near, he smiled softly and struck out with his own sword. His movement was silent, yet perfectly timed to intercept.
Clang!
The two swords collided, sending massive sparks flying. Shanuo was sent flying backward, even losing his grip on his blade.
But Kuro showed no mercy. Instead, he flickered forward, caught up to Shanuo's airborne form, and delivered a devastating kick.
Bang!
Shanuo was sent crashing down, spitting blood as he hit the ground in a rather pathetic state.
He struggled to his feet but was clearly unable to continue fighting.
Moreover, anyone with decent perception could see that Kuro's speed and strength were overwhelmingly superior, leaving Shanuo with absolutely no chance of victory.
"Even Captain Shanuo was defeated so decisively..."
"That guy can use Armament Haki too! He's ridiculously strong!"
The reserves present were horrified.
Kuro, roughly their own age, possessed such overwhelming power that he'd easily defeated Captain Shanuo.
"So this is the extent of the headquarters reserves' strength."
Watching Shanuo slowly rise, Kuro ceased his pursuit and spoke calmly. "You headquarters reserves possess the most resources, the most advanced intelligence, the most comprehensive training methods, yet you only amount to this much. How disappointing."
Nia and the other reserves were furious upon hearing this, but they had no rebuttal.
Shanuo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, looked at the crowd behind him, and chuckled. "I'm not the strongest among the headquarters reserves."
"Oh?" Kuro, showing slight interest, followed his gaze.
The crowd parted like waves, revealing a young man standing calmly in place.
He didn't appear particularly strong—in fact, he seemed somewhat slighter in build than most—yet he possessed a unique presence that was genuinely compelling.
"Is Rhodes finally going to make his move?"
The reserves couldn't help but look at him with anticipation.
While some worried that Rhodes might not be able to defeat Kuro, the majority had complete confidence in him.
Ever since witnessing Rhodes' stunning performance during their actual combat mission, everyone had developed an inexplicable feeling that Rhodes was unbeatable, no matter who he faced.
"Is it him?" Sabo asked, slightly surprised.
"You know him?" Koala looked at him curiously. Logically, the two shouldn't have crossed paths.
"Yeah."
Sabo nodded and recounted what had happened at the restaurant a month and a half ago.
"Oh? That does sound like him,"
Koala smiled somewhat mysteriously. "Just wait and see. This guy might surprise you."
Hearing this, even Northern Army Commander Karasu couldn't help but show a hint of curiosity.
Koala was no lightweight, and her judgment was exceptionally sharp. For her to speak such words, this young man must possess considerable ability.
"Not bad..."
Dragon suddenly spoke, his voice low and steady.
This startled the Revolutionary Army officers. They had never expected their leader to comment on such a young person!
Until now, neither Kuro nor Shanuo had been able to elicit even a flicker of emotion from Dragon, much less earn any comment.
No one questioned Dragon's discernment.
Curious, the officers focused their attention in that direction.
Under the gazes of those watching—some expectant, some curious, some disdainful, some scrutinizing—Rhodes remained calm and composed, as if a gentle breeze had passed by, completely unaffected.
This composure left a favorable impression on the Revolutionary Army officers, who were secretly impressed.
"Be careful,"
Shanuo warned seriously as Rhodes passed by him. "I can sense this guy has some hidden techniques up his sleeve."
He didn't know Rhodes' true strength, but judging by his dominance throughout their actual combat mission, even after just two months in the reserves, he was undoubtedly superior.
Furthermore, during his own Haki training, he had heard Hack describe Rhodes' training process, learning that Rhodes had already mastered dual-color Haki and could even occasionally unleash Armament Haki Hardening!
Now everything depended on whether Rhodes could defeat Kuro. Otherwise, the entire headquarters reserves—including Instructor Hack—would suffer severe humiliation.
(End of Chapter)
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