The Sword Saint's gaze was icy and unyielding.
"Your ability is troublesome; I refuse to be restrained by it any longer!" he declared, slashing sharply at the ground.
A dazzling wave of light surged forth, forming a slash over a thousand meters long. In an instant, before anyone could react, it slammed into the earth with overwhelming force.
Rumble!
The ground erupted violently, sending massive chunks of earth scattering in every direction. Revolutionary Army members leaped into the air to avoid being crushed. It was almost unthinkable that this devastation occurred within World Government territory.
Mori, the West Army Commander, crawled from the shattered ground, his body slick with blood. He was gravely injured, teetering on the edge of death.
"Mori!" the Revolutionary Army shouted in unison, horror etched on their faces.
Before they could even recover, the Sword Saint moved with inhuman speed. In an instant, he appeared behind Crow, the North Army Commander. His Holy Sword gleamed with blinding light as he slashed toward Crow.
"Crow, watch out!" Dragon shouted, urgency in his voice.
Betty, the East Army Commander, steeled herself. She bit her lips, gathering energy through her flag, and a crimson glow flared around her.
The Sword Saint's attack slowed slightly, causing a flicker of surprise to cross his face. He hadn't anticipated this resistance.
The most troublesome opponent wasn't the flamboyant Ivankov, nor the ever-dangerous Crow. It was this woman standing before him. Every time he thought he had an opening, she stopped him.
Truly, the Revolutionary Army's strength lay in her.
Crow transformed into a massive flock of crows, attempting to evade the strike. Yet the Sword Saint's precision was absolute. His sword cut through the air, scattering the crows into a storm of feathers.
The Revolutionary Army members vanished from view once again, leaving the Sword Saint hovering silently.
"Just another trivial tactic…" he murmured, unconcerned.
"But this time, you've miscalculated," he added, a cold smile playing on his lips.
White lightning crackled along his Holy Sword as he closed his eyes.
In a blink, he vanished from his original position. A stream of fresh blood appeared in the sky, falling toward the ground in a horrifying display.
Crow's body appeared next, electrified and trembling under the Sword Saint's lightning. He plummeted from high above, landing atop the gravely injured Mori. Both commanders were on the brink of death, unable to even cry out.
"The second one is dealt with…" the Sword Saint remarked, scanning the battlefield.
The remaining Revolutionary Army members—Dragon, Sabo, Ivankov, Betty, and Lindbergh—stood frozen, staring at him in shock.
This man was terrifying. Observation Haki could not detect the presence of Crow's techniques, yet the Sword Saint possessed a sensory ability far beyond even Haki.
"Quite unexpected, isn't it? This is a powerful sensory ability unique to Celestial Dragons, comparable to the Demon Race's ability to hear all things. Ordinary humans cannot perceive it," he said, voice dripping with menace.
"Yet for you inferior humans to force me into this state… you are strong by this world's standards. But do not presume your strength can match us, we are god!"
His Holy Sword gleamed once more. Without hesitation, he unleashed another devastating slash, tearing the sky and splitting white clouds in half. The force radiated outward, shaking the earth itself.
The Revolutionary Army members felt the true weight of Sword Saint Bickley's power.
His sword aura condensed into a long, white dragon, roaring as it swept toward them. Wherever it passed, the ground cracked and shattered.
Sabo, Ivankov, Betty, and Lindbergh's faces reflected sheer terror. Even elite fighters like them were shaken to their core.
"I've only seen this kind of attack from Ashveil on the big screens!" Ivankov exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.
Sabo, Betty, and Lindbergh swallowed nervously.
"This Sword Saint's slash is just as deadly as Ashveil's… we… we might not survive!"
Dragon's expression darkened. Only he could confront this impossible attack.
With a roar, his body tensed, muscles swelling and clothes tearing as he activated his full power.
The surrounding Revolutionary Army members watched in awe for the first time.
Dragon's body radiated Conqueror's Haki, his blackened hands vibrating with destructive energy. The heavens above darkened as the earth trembled.
Tornadoes erupted from every direction, climbing ten thousand meters into the sky, piercing clouds and tearing at the air.
Thunder rolled across the battlefield, rain pouring in a relentless torrent, dimming the world below.
Sword Saint Bickley's expression twisted into one of disdain.
"You inferiors… even your techniques are so dark. Die beneath the light of my Holy Dragon; I will purify you!"
The blinding white light intensified against the dim storm.
Dragon's sweat beaded, his arms striking a unique stance. One tornado after another surged under his control, each imbued not just with Armament Haki, but also Conqueror's Haki.
This combination, amplified by the whirling tornadoes, made Dragon's attacks exponentially stronger—perhaps the very reason the World Government feared him.
"Interesting fellow," Bickley muttered, lips curling.
The clash of white holy light and black Haki tornadoes erupted across the battlefield with deafening roars.
Each strike met with another, splitting tornado after tornado.
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I'll be dropping a 50% discount code for my Patreon membership on the 15th, in celebration of the upcoming Christmas season.
The code will be active from that day until the end of the month.
Stay tuned