Chapter 43: Chaos
"Lightning?"
"He's a Devil Fruit user?"
Momousagi's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Koala with some displeasure.
Pure swordsmen, or those pursuing the pinnacle of swordsmanship, generally disdain Devil Fruits. They prioritize precision and dedication, devoting themselves entirely to the art of the blade.
"No," Koala quickly shook her head. "Rhodes isn't a Devil Fruit user. I know that better than anyone."
"This is Lightning Sword Intent!"
Koala said, looking at Momousagi with confusion. As a master swordswoman, how could she not recognize sword intent?
Momousagi's expression froze at that, a hint of surprise crossing her usually composed face.
Lightning Sword Intent? What kind of sword intent could reach this level?!
Momousagi stared at Koala, asking doubtfully, "Are you certain?"
"Absolutely!" Koala nodded without hesitation.
Momousagi frowned. She could tell Koala wasn't lying, but it was precisely because it was true that she found it so hard to believe.
As a master swordswoman who had reached the pinnacle of sword arts, Momousagi's understanding of sword intent, while not complete, was profound. Few in the world possessed deeper knowledge than hers.
Rhodes' sword intent was truly extraordinary—so remarkable that one might mistake it for the Logia-type Goro Goro no Mi!
The three powerful figures on the platform—Stussy, Barkley, and Bell—were equally startled.
"This isn't ordinary lightning power! Even Reynard couldn't withstand it. This strength shouldn't be underestimated," Bell said, slightly horrified. With his own abilities, he could only temporarily evade such an electrical assault.
"Interesting kid! This guy probably isn't here for the Devil Fruit," Barkley chuckled, his eyes gleaming with predatory interest.
Stussy, surprised as she was, couldn't help but wonder: Could this young man be Momousagi's apprentice? Or perhaps a relative?
With such potential, they should definitely have a conversation if the opportunity arose.
Lost in thought, Stussy couldn't help but lick her lips, her gaze burning as she watched the proud, sword-wielding figure.
Meanwhile, in the arena...
Looking at the distant Reynard, Rhodes said calmly, "What now?"
Reynard's face flushed at those words, though fortunately his hardened Armament Haki concealed his embarrassment.
"Don't get so cocky!"
He roared, stomped the ground, and charged toward Rhodes.
Whoosh!
Before even getting close, he slashed through the air with his sword, sending a burst of turquoise sword energy flying toward Rhodes.
"Too slow."
In his lightning-enhanced state, Rhodes' physical speed and neural reflexes were amplified, surpassing Reynard's capabilities. Combined with his superior Observation Haki, Reynard had no chance of victory!
However, fueled by rage and unleashing his full power in a final burst, Reynard barely managed to keep pace with Rhodes for a brief time.
Blades clashed, figures intersected, and dazzling lightning obscured everything. Only two faint shadows could be seen colliding in the arena. Only the most powerful spectators could penetrate the electrical storm and observe the battle within.
Gradually, as the thunderous force enveloping the field completely transformed from pale blue to deep blue, a charred figure was suddenly blasted out.
This was truly charred black—not just the darkness of hardened Armament Haki.
Reynard crashed to the ground in the distance, his body covered in sword cuts, his clothes torn and burned everywhere. He looked like a tree struck by lightning, in a state of complete devastation.
He barely raised his head to look at Rhodes, who remained standing with only slightly disheveled clothing and steady breathing. Reynard couldn't help but sigh softly, though even that small movement caused his wounds to tear, making him gasp in pain.
Anyone with decent judgment could see that Reynard was completely unable to continue fighting!
Rhodes stood in the center of the arena, his expression perfectly calm, and said evenly, "Anyone else want to challenge me?"
The entire crowd fell silent.
Everyone stared in amazement at Reynard lying defeated on the ground.
Until this moment, everyone had believed the tournament was over once "Silver Sword" Reynard made his entrance.
Unexpectedly, a young swordsman who appeared only seventeen or eighteen years old had suddenly emerged, wielding the power of lightning, and struck down the veteran captain.
Everyone present was worldly—wealthy or powerful—and they all understood what this level of potential meant.
Stussy secretly swallowed hard, wondering how to coordinate with Momousagi's actions if a conflict erupted.
But then she reconsidered—with Momousagi's strength, she likely wouldn't find a worthy opponent on this small island, so there wasn't much to worry about.
Bell didn't think too deeply about it. Compared to being a warrior, he was more of a businessman, managing this island as a vassal of the Beast Pirates.
Barkley's expression became much more serious.
"If we can't recruit him..."
"We must eliminate him preemptively!"
"This kind of potential, once it matures, will inevitably become a formidable enemy!"
A murderous glint flashed in Barkley's eyes as he prepared to take action.
Suddenly, a series of booming explosions erupted from Bell's stronghold in the distance, the terrifying vibrations reaching even the stadium.
People stumbled and fell as the entire scene descended into instant chaos. Everyone fled, fearing they'd be caught in whatever conflict was unfolding.
"What's happening?"
Bell immediately stood up and rushed toward his base.
Barkley frowned slightly, gave orders to his subordinates, and followed.
The Beast Pirates were mostly brute-force fighters with few capable administrators, so Bell's safety was paramount.
"With my men taking action, that intruder shouldn't be able to escape," he thought to himself, speeding up to catch up with Bell as they left the scene.
Stussy, relieved that no major conflict would break out here, quietly disappeared from the platform.
She was looking for an opportunity to get acquainted with Rhodes—such a promising prospect. If possible, Stussy wouldn't mind a little... interaction with this young and handsome man.
As the Queen of the Pleasure District, she was absolutely confident she could captivate an inexperienced, immature youth with her extraordinary skills.
Chaos reigned throughout the arena. Rhodes gestured to Koala in the VIP section, then followed the crowd out.
It was obvious that Sabo had caused the disturbance.
The three of them had already agreed on a rendezvous point, though this time, he probably wouldn't be returning to headquarters with Sabo and the others.
Seeing Rhodes leave, Koala—though internally complaining about Sabo's recklessness and the commotion he'd caused—remained silent. She addressed Momousagi respectfully: "Please follow me. We've arranged to meet at a designated location."
"Very well."
Momousagi rose gracefully. Her tall, elegant figure made Koala feel somewhat diminished, as she was considerably shorter than the swordswoman...
Of course, the main reason was that this female master swordsman possessed such a powerful aura that Koala subconsciously felt overawed.
(End of Chapter)
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