"What pirates! Distorting facts, framing good people!!"
Nami's face flushed with anger, her teeth gritting loudly. It was the first time she had seen such shameless people—
"If you were only catching pirates, who would care about you! You're clearly ignoring the lives of the residents! What's wrong with us wanting to save people, and you? Just look down, take a good look at the good deeds your Navy has done!"
Nami's trembling index finger angrily pointed to the collapsed shops and residences on both sides of the plaza.
"Young girl, some words shouldn't be said lightly."
Onigumo's eyes flashed coldly as he stared at Nami, his right hand somehow resting on the sword hilt.
"Those are just collateral damage, unavoidable during the capture of pirates. Didn't your elders teach you that when you're out there facing people of high status, you should show respect…"
Swish!
Before he could finish, he suddenly saw a blur before his eyes, a shadow of a sandbag-sized fist rapidly enlarging, instantly smashing him and sending him flying backward!
Thud! Onigumo fell heavily to the ground, his cigar snapped and extinguished, with a puff, clutching his chest and spraying a mouthful of fresh blood.
"Sorry."
Shano stood towering, his foot on Onigumo's chest, gazing down at him:
"I just recalled, it seems I really wasn't taught that."
...
On the vast plaza, there was a sudden dead silence, except for the sound of rain.
Countless eyes from all directions focused on Onigumo lying on the ground.
Onigumo also sensed these gazes, his face instantly turning the color of a pig's liver.
—He was actually struck and flown in front of everyone's eyes, and a young punk had him beneath his feet?
Ever since he was promoted to Headquarter Vice Admiral, he was revered and chased wherever he went, with pirates fleeing at his name?
When had he ever suffered such humiliation?!
"Damn brat!"
Onigumo suddenly drew his paired swords, crisscrossing them to slash at the opponent's ankle.
Shano sneered, stepping back, and Onigumo took the chance to flip and leap, swinging his twin swords, one after another, wildly slicing, weaving a dense, impenetrable crimson web in the rain.
"Die!!!"
Daring to step on his chest, he couldn't blame him for being ruthless!
At this moment, he seemed to see ahead of time the image of this detestable black-haired brat being shredded into countless pieces by his blade!
However.
The suddenly amplified sound of rain shattered Onigumo's illusion.
The opponent's body seemed barely moving, strolling casually with his hands behind his back while Onigumo slashed, yet the dozens of high-speed slashes were effortlessly dodged.
Not to mention cutting flesh, there wasn't even a trace of blood.
How… how is this possible?
Onigumo's pupils contracted.
The opponent's dodging had precision nearly to the millimeter.
Countless times, his sword edge grazed just by the opponent's skin surface.
Clearly so close, yet utterly unable to touch, as if everything was anticipated by the opponent.
Is it Observation?
No, wrong!
The bizarre body twisting was clearly Kami-e! Perfected Kami-e!!!
Plus, earlier, this group displayed Moonwalk…
"Cowardly rat, all you do is dodge?!" Onigumo roared in anger, "East Sea has people like you who master Rokushiki so well? Who taught you?!"
"Sakazuki."
Hmm?
Onigumo's eyes widened, and as he was momentarily distracted, Shano had already somehow extended his right arm, clamped his neck, and grinned:
"This was your own request, asking me to not dodge anymore."
Thud! Shano's arm muscles suddenly swelled, like shackles of steel, tightly locking Onigumo's neck.
Then forcefully slammed him onto the ground!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!!!
One, two, three times… Shano continued cross-shouldering him back and forth, the terrifying power was utterly unleashed at this moment.
The ground on both sides quickly cracked into web-like fissures.
Onigumo felt himself like a rag doll in a giant's hand, momentarily losing control, unable to break free.
In the dizzying shaking view, he saw those standing far away, whether pirates or Navy, pointing and jeering at him…
"Enough!!!"
The veins on his forehead bulged as he let out a furious roar.
His untidy long hair suddenly began to extend frantically.
Instantly turning into six spider spear-like braids, wildly twisting like octopus tentacles, he suddenly broke free from Shano's grip, and somehow drew a long sword in each hand, gripping them firmly.
Pop!
Onigumo stepped onto the waterlogged ground, stabilizing his stance.
At this moment, paired with the terrifying six spider arms behind him, he stared coldly ahead, exuding immense oppression amidst the torrential rain.
"Today's events, one after another, have completely exceeded my expectations."
Onigumo twisted his neck, producing a series of crackling sounds like popcorn, and looked down expressionlessly at Shano below:
"Originally, I just wanted to toy with you, little brat, but I didn't expect you to have some strength, making me lose some face. However... now, the game should end."
The two swords in his hands, along with the blades of six long swords behind him, gleamed with a black ink-like sheen.
"Eight Swords Style: Annihilation!"
Accompanied by Onigumo's icy voice, all eight swords converged towards the center for a simultaneous strike!
Buzz buzz!
Interlocking sword qi from various directions roared towards Shano, instantly sealing off all retreat paths.
"Rankyaku: White Thunder!!"
Without hesitation, Shano spun and kicked up a vacuum.
The crescent moon-like dark blue blade extended several meters, clashing head-on with all the sword qi!
Boom!!
A thunderous sound rang out, and the airwave stirred by Rankyaku smashed through all eight crisscrossing sword qi!
Tap tap tap.
Onigumo staggered back a few steps in the face of the airwave, only to regain his footing, lifting his head with disbelief in his eyes.
The eight sword qi he struck out all at once were blocked by just a mere Rankyaku?
Shano smirked; this scene was within his expectations.
The system deemed his Rokushiki as the ultimate for a reason.
His mastery of Rokushiki had truly reached a peak level!
In terms of mastery, even the Lucci of the Judicial Island period slightly paled in comparison!
"So, you're an Eight-Blade Sword Master?"
He looked at Onigumo, laughing recklessly, "What a coincidence, so am I!!"
Shhh!
The previous scene seemed to replay at this moment, as Shano's full head of black hair extended wildly like Onigumo's, transforming into tenacious steel-like dozens of braided strands.
"My counting isn't great, looks like there's a bit more."
Feeling the wild dance of the braids above his head, Shano tilted his chin at Onigumo, "I hope you can withstand it."
As soon as he finished speaking.
His figure abruptly disappeared from where he stood, and in the next moment appeared above Onigumo, letting loose a storm of furiously swirling braids towards Onigumo's face!
This guy knows how to do it too!
Onigumo's expression changed drastically, hurriedly urging his blades to counter.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The spider spear-like hair braids, infused with intense Armament Haki, collided with Onigumo's blade edges, producing metallic clashing sounds amidst the fiercely dancing black lines, spraying sparks everywhere.
People around immediately found the scene dizzying.
Meanwhile, the arms of both individuals didn't sit idle, continuously clashing with one another.
Initially, both sides were evenly matched.
But as time gradually passed, five minutes, ten minutes... amidst the continuous clashes, the Armament Haki on the surface of Onigumo's blades began to weaken.
Whereas, on Shano's side, it remained as strong as ever!
Armament Haki's four major techniques.
Entwining, Hardening, Flowing Projection, Internal Destruction!
Apart from Internal Destruction being learned slightly late and still somewhat unfamiliar, he had already mastered the other three!
The intensity, through years of relentless training, had reached a level unattainable to ordinary people!!!
——Clang clang clang clang clang!!
The explosive sound of metallic collisions resounded through the rain, Onigumo's eight long swords were simultaneously shockingly knocked away at this moment, falling to the ground!
The immense force applied by Shano's arms pressed him into a disarray, sliding backward across the plaza's stone brick surface, carving two deep furrows.
"Out of blades now?"
Shano advanced step by step, staring at the ugly face close at hand, smirking an insidious grin, "——I still have mine!"
Bang!
His arms were his strongest asset, the most terrifying weapon! Gripping Onigumo's wrists, he suddenly twisted them inward.
"Ugh——"
A piercing pain struck, Onigumo spewed a mouthful of blood, but the weakness spreading from his shoulders made him temporarily unable to break free.
He could only watch as his arm joints were distorted into bizarre angles under the horrifying force, shattered bones piercing through skin, unleashing a spray of blood.
Rumble!
The rain poured heavier, distant skies faintly began flashing with lightning.
"Power, speed, Rokushiki Body Techniques, Armament Haki intensity... and your proud Life Return! I am above you in them all! Every one!"
Shano pinched Onigumo's neck like gripping a chick, lifting him up, looking mockingly into his eyes:
"I say, is this the caliber of the so-called Headquarter Vice Admirals of the Navy?"