Chapter 68: Thunderstorm
Poison Wolf, operating such a vast slave farm, naturally commanded a massive army of well over a thousand men.
Most were recruited pirates, with a smaller number being assassins or mercenaries from the underworld. Regardless of their backgrounds, they were all battle-hardened veterans, skilled in combat.
Upon seeing Rhodes and the others, they all revealed bloodlust and excitement, their eyes blazing with cruelty, as if they were witnessing walking treasure chests.
The combined presence of thousands of men created a murderous atmosphere that permeated the air, instantly chilling like the arrival of winter. Those watching from afar instinctively shuddered and retreated.
"Go!"
Regardless of their position or the situation, neither side needed further discussion.
Poison Wolf and Sabo burst forth from their respective groups almost simultaneously, clashing with each other.
Thud!
Fists collided, but Poison Wolf remained undaunted. His eyes narrowed slightly, showing a hint of gravity, but more than that was anger.
Operating such illegal establishments relies on reputation and intimidation. If challenged and unable to retaliate, they'd likely be treated as easy prey.
Crack!
Sabo and Poison Wolf exchanged blows, their movements so rapid that ordinary people could only see two dark shadows entangled in mid-air. The speed was incredible!
Both men were top-tier masters of physical combat. Every punch and kick was powerful and devastating. Wherever they passed, the street cracked and cratered, stirring up raging winds that swept in all directions—a terrifying sight.
As the fight intensified, Sabo and Poison Wolf crashed into the nearby streets, clearing the battlefield for the main confrontation.
"Brothers, charge! Capture them all!"
"That girl with the short orange hair is mine!"
"You fool! What's so great about women? That handsome young man in white looks so refined and arrogant. I love breaking that type!"
From the enemy side came waves of crude banter, as if victory was already assured.
The New World was unlike any other sea. The average strength in this region was on an entirely different level. A force of over a thousand men was naturally formidable; even a Rear Admiral from Marine Headquarters could easily be surrounded and overwhelmed.
However, how could Rhodes' strength be compared to that of a mere Rear Admiral?
Almost instantly,
Rhodes suddenly moved.
Bang!
With a single step, an invisible gust of wind scattered the dust. The ground shook violently, cracking in a spider-web pattern. Simultaneously, he shot forward like lightning—a blur of pure speed!
Whoosh!
A flash of movement, and his figure instantly covered over twenty meters, crashing into the enemy lines before anyone could even react!
Bang, bang, bang...
In mere seconds, the enemy formation was pierced through, sending dozens of figures flying, completely unable to resist.
"What the hell?!"
The squad leaders in the front ranks were all stunned. It felt like something had slipped past them without them even noticing.
And at this moment...
Rhodes had already reached the heart of the enemy formation. Looking around, he saw nothing but enemies surrounding him!
Seeing the increasingly vicious expressions on the faces of those around him, Rhodes smiled softly, revealing his white teeth.
"Have you ever seen... a thunderstorm?"
Before he could finish his words, his entire body suddenly blazed with brilliant blue light. This radiance grew increasingly intense, gradually becoming like a small sun descending to earth—mysterious and terrifying.
The murderous intent in the eyes of those around him hadn't yet faded when fear already became evident on their faces.
Even though they hadn't mastered Observation Haki, an instinctive dread crept over them, like humans witnessing divine lightning about to strike.
"Run—"
Before anyone could finish the word,
Rhodes lightly stamped his foot, his black hair suddenly flowing without any wind, and a terrifying arc of azure lightning instantly erupted upward.
Crackle, crackle...
The next moment, seemingly endless electrical power surged forth, transforming into silver serpent-like bolts as thick as arms, sweeping across the battlefield in an instant.
His thunder was so immense that even these elite warriors were merely ordinary humans before it, unable to withstand such force. Instantly, they were charred from head to toe, as if struck down by heaven's judgment.
"Ahhhhh..."
Anguished screams echoed through the air, reverberating across the entire area.
Rhodes remained calm.
Human traffickers and slave owners, who oppressed the enslaved and trafficked human beings, had completely lost their humanity and deserved death.
Every single one of them was worthless scum.
"What a shame this doesn't address the real problem."
Thinking of Momousagi's frustration in dealing with these matters, Rhodes couldn't help but sigh.
The slave trade thrived in the pirate world not just due to massive profits, but more importantly because of the example set by the World Nobles, which corrupted society at its very foundation.
To truly end this phenomenon, destroying individual slave farms was meaningless. One could only start from the root—overthrow the World Government and drag the Celestial Dragons down from their pedestal.
Rumble!
The thunderstorm roared with terrifying power, illuminating the sky and visible across much of the island. Crowds watching from afar trembled in awe.
Koala and the other Revolutionary Army members nearby were completely speechless.
Not only did the enemy lack time to react, but Koala and the others hadn't reacted either.
They had just assumed combat stances, preparing for a bloody battle, when a figure burst from their ranks, and then... the battle seemed to be over?
"Is this for real?"
one Revolutionary muttered, his dark eyes reflecting the distant roar of thunder. As the words left his mouth, his body trembled.
"He's really gotten stronger."
"And by so much..."
Koala's eyes gleamed, as if piercing through the lightning to catch sight of the proud figure in white.
Elsewhere, the battle between Sabo and Poison Wolf was also affected.
"The Logia-type Goro Goro no Mi?!!"
Gazing at the roaring power of thunder in the distance, Poison Wolf's expression showed pure horror, as if he had seen a ghost.
A sense of impending doom slowly grew within him.
Even Sabo was shocked and said with a wry smile:
"Such powerful lightning... it seems Koala really guessed correctly."
"I can't fall behind."
He murmured to himself, and a trace of fighting spirit couldn't help but show on his usually calm face, feeling a sense of urgency.
As the most talented of the younger generation in the Revolutionary Army, he too had his pride and wouldn't give up easily.
Besides, Rhodes specialized in destruction, and this wasn't the first time he'd witnessed his amazing offensive power. He was confident he wasn't inferior to Rhodes!
"Let's finish this with you."
Sabo became serious, and Poison Wolf was quickly overwhelmed. He began taking damage and coughing up blood.
He was horrified to discover that the physical abilities of the young man before him were even stronger than his own!
Especially a unique claw technique that could easily break through his Armament Haki defense, tearing through his skin and muscle to inflict serious wounds.
End of Chapter 68
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