Chapter 35: Great Maelstrom Spider
Haki, a universal power in the pirate world, has a profound impact on combat. Armament Haki directly enhances offense and defense, while Observation Haki allows one to predict enemy attacks.
Silver Fox, though clearly inferior to Rhodes in both strength and speed, relied on his slightly superior Observation Haki to withstand Rhodes' assault, parrying each strike one by one.
As the saying goes, a long defense leads to inevitable loss—if the battle continued, Silver Fox would undoubtedly be defeated. However, he had no intention of fighting Rhodes to the death; he simply waited for the Whitebeard Pirates to arrive.
However, as the battle progressed, Silver Fox gradually felt his strength waning. His movements became noticeably slower, his body increasingly unresponsive.
"Damn! It's the lightning corrosion!"
He panicked, becoming increasingly reluctant to clash directly with Rhodes. The electricity, transmitted through sword contact, would accelerate the deteriorating effect on his body, forcing him to fight defensively.
The two moved at such incredible speed that to most observers, they appeared as merely two dark shadows flickering alternately, separating upon contact, and occasionally generating invisible shockwaves.
Periodically, streaks of sword energy tore through the air, ripping apart the earth and demolishing buildings.
The terrifying power was heart-stopping.
"That young man looks only seventeen or eighteen, yet he's so formidable—completely dominating his opponent!"
"But the Whitebeard Pirates are almost here. Those monsters won't ignore anyone who dares cause trouble on their territory."
"Looks like this battle is about to end badly."
People buzzed with discussion, commenting on the fight. The pirate world revered strength, and battles between powerful fighters were the most thrilling spectacles.
And just then, something decisive happened on the battlefield.
Silver Fox finally succumbed to the lightning's effects—his legs became paralyzed, and his evasive movement was a fraction too slow!
With their speed and reflexes, that split second was enough to be fatal.
Whoosh!
The sword pierced the air like a silver thread, instantly slashing toward Silver Fox's head.
Even with his Armament Haki, Silver Fox was no match for Rhodes' devastating strike.
"Move! Damn it!"
Silver Fox's eyes flashed with desperation. He summoned every ounce of strength, pushing his body beyond its limits. Finally, at the critical moment, he managed to shift his body sideways slightly.
Slash!
An arm flew through the air, blood splattering across the ground.
Searing pain shot through the severed limb. Silver Fox gritted his teeth, enduring the agony as he quickly created distance from Rhodes. A glimmer of fear and despair gradually filled his eyes as he looked at his opponent.
As one of the most powerful intelligence brokers in the underworld, he had faced countless formidable individuals—many even stronger than Rhodes.
Yet none had ever put him under greater pressure.
Throughout their battle, Rhodes had maintained complete control of the tempo, keeping a calm and composed demeanor while employing brutally violent tactics—like two conflicting personalities merged into one.
He seemed less like a young man in his first real battle and more like a seasoned pirate who had dominated the Grand Line for years!
Silver Fox lost all hope of resistance. In truth, he no longer possessed the ability to resist.
After losing his arm, not only had his balance deteriorated, but the lightning that had penetrated his body continued to wreak havoc, burning his internal organs and causing his muscles to spasm and numb, preventing him from mustering any strength.
The fact that Silver Fox remained standing was testament to his incredible resilience.
Watching Rhodes approach slowly with that impassive expression, Silver Fox opened his mouth as if to speak—a final, desperate gambit.
Rhodes had no habit of conversing with the dead; he gripped his sword, prepared to deliver the finishing blow.
But at that moment, a sudden, explosive shout erupted from behind.
"Stop!"
The voice was accompanied by a series of piercing whistles.
A figure approached with incredible speed, generating a wind like a typhoon that scattered everything on the street.
Seeing this, Silver Fox's dim eyes suddenly gleamed with startling hope—a ray of light piercing his despair.
"Squard's here! He's my ally! If you kill me, you'll make an enemy of the Whitebeard Pirates, and you'll never leave this island!"
He spoke rapidly but calmly, avoiding aggression for fear of provoking Rhodes.
"I see," Rhodes replied softly, then casually slashed with his sword.
Slash!
A head flew off, blood spraying across the ground.
Silver Fox's wide-open eyes still held that glimmer of joy and hope, as if he couldn't believe Rhodes would completely disregard the Whitebeard Pirates' authority and kill him so decisively.
This was Whitebeard's territory!
"Damn it!"
Squard had just arrived at the scene. Seeing Silver Fox's corpse, his expression darkened with irritation.
He was one of the captains under the Whitebeard Pirates. On this island, his word was law, and no one dared disobey him!
"Kid, you're challenging my authority!"
Squard wielded his massive blade with an imposing presence that could terrify grown men.
"So what? What are you going to do about it?" Rhodes stood with sword in hand, calm and composed, as if facing not some infamous pirate captain but an ordinary stray dog.
"Hah..." Squard chuckled coldly, his voice icy. "Then die!"
Before the words had fully left his lips, Squard suddenly charged forward, wreathed in murderous intent, rushing at Rhodes with lightning speed.
Setting aside his portrayal in the original story, as one of Whitebeard's allied captains operating in the New World, Squard's strength was undeniable.
Almost the moment Squard charged, Rhodes struck first.
Flash!
In an instant, Rhodes' form became a fleeting shadow, then, matching Squard's explosive momentum, he suddenly unleashed a devastating strike!
"Ittoryu: Raikiri!"
Rhodes hadn't expected to encounter an opponent of Squard's caliber at this stage, but now that battle had been joined, he harbored no hesitation.
Sword in hand, his only option was to fight!
Whoever dared stand in his way was destined for death.
BOOM!
Thunder so violent it overflowed from the sword energy formed a curtain of lightning, electrical arcs crackling as they surged toward Squard.
Everywhere one looked was thunder, seemingly capable of annihilating everything!
This battle had significantly empowered Rhodes. Combined with his previous fight against Kuro, his training sessions, and the experience gained from this mission, the accumulated energy in his Book of Knowledge had reached a terrifying level: a full 456 points!
Correspondingly, his thunder techniques had reached devastating intensity.
Crackle, crackle, crackle...
Rhodes unleashed his lightning power to its absolute limit, bathing the entire area in dazzling blue radiance.
Thunder roared and whistled, seeming to change the very color of heaven and earth.
"How terrifying!"
"This level of thunder power—could it be the Logia-type Goro Goro no Mi?!"
Spectators retreated, squinting at the battlefield as the intense light seared their eyes.
In the pirate world, many abilities were lightning-related, but only the legendary Goro Goro no Mi could produce such large-scale, high-intensity electrical attacks!
(End of Chapter)
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