Another night had passed.
The battle on Wild Island raged on with a ferocity that sent shivers down everyone's spine.
Marco clenched his fists, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"The island... It's completely split apart!"
Even the surface soil has been scorched into molten lava by the lightning!"
"What a terrifying war!"
Every gaze remained fixed on the battlefield ahead, hearts pounding wildly. For a full day and night, the two figures in the arena clashed in an epic struggle of unparalleled intensity, every minute and every second of it.
Such a battle demanded an unimaginable expenditure of stamina and energy, far beyond anything they could have conceived.
"To think he could fight Kojin to this extent... Whitebeard truly lives up to his title as the World's Strongest Man!"
Crocodile's expression was equally grave as he stared intently at the battlefield.
In his mind, Kojin was the monster of all monsters. In this world, few could match him in an all-out war. Even during the Ohara incident, when Kojin fought two opponents simultaneously, he had the upper hand for most of the battle.
But the current battle against Whitebeard was a true clash of equals.
The rhythm of their attacks was almost perfectly synchronized.
"The Old Man is wounded!"
Someone in the crowd suddenly cried out in alarm, and everyone's eyes widened.
On Wild Island, the two combatants froze mid-clash.
Drip!
A drop of blood slid down Whitebeard's cheek and splattered on the ground like a crimson petal.
Kojin sheathed his sword, a manic gleam in his eyes.
"Gulalala!" Whitebeard roared with laughter, wiping the blood from his cheek.
A razor-sharp blade had grazed the skin beneath his left eye, coming within a hair's breadth of slicing through the eyeball itself.
"Amazing... This is truly exhilarating!"
Kojin grinned and laughed wildly. "Me too! My whole body is trembling with excitement!'
The next instant, their eyes locked, both radiating a fierce, piercing light.
Whitebeard vanished in a blur and reappeared behind Kojin. Clutching his right fist tightly, he swung down with tremendous force, the tremor wave emanating a hazy, shimmering glow.
The punch was lightning fast, slamming into the back of Kojin's head instantly.
A violent tremor wave flooded his mind instantly, causing his eyes to roll back in their sockets.
But only for a split second. His eyes snapped open, and divine light coalesced once more as he vanished in a flash of thunderlight.
"Oh?" Whitebeard's eyes flashed as he slammed his fist into the ground, shattering the earth once more. His figure immediately blurred as he whirled around with his legs slightly bent and sprang backward with explosive force.
Almost simultaneously, the Thunderguns pierced the void, crackling with crimson-black lightning as they hurtled towards him. In the blink of an eye, they were upon him, piercing his forehead.
"A cunning and sharp little brat!" Whitebeard roared with laughter.
With a swift motion, his right hand shot out and gripped the Thunderguns.
Buzz!
Crimson-black lightning erupted as the Thunder Guns froze mid-motion, captured in his palm somehow.
Kojin's pupils constricted.
Even the Longinus Divine Guns, moving at impossible speeds, had been caught.
Just how overwhelmingly powerful this man truly was was unfathomable.
"There are few left who can exchange blows with me!" Whitebeard boomed. "Kojin, you are one of them!"
Whitebeard roared with laughter and flicked his right hand, sending the Longinus Divine Guns soaring into the sky. They erupted into countless bolts of lightning.
"Your lightning is beautiful! Just like the most unforgettable fireworks I saw as a boy. But..."
By the time the last syllable had left his lips, Whitebeard was already in front of Kojin, throwing a simple, unadorned punch.
"It's purely for show!"
He spoke the words as his fist slammed thunderously into Kojin's abdomen.
"Gah!"
Kojin doubled over instantly and spat out a mouthful of blood. Behind him, a shattering crack echoed like breaking glass.
Yet in the blink of an eye, Kojin straightened up, gritting his teeth and clenching his right fist.
"Iron Body!"
"Armament Haki: Flowing Sakura!"
"Conqueror's Haki!"
"Twenty-One Volt Lightning Fist!"
His right fist shot out, black-crimson lightning surging outwards for almost a hundred meters and coiling with scorching thunder. The blow crashed heavily into Whitebeard's abdomen.
"Gah!"
Whitebeard's towering frame doubled over instantly, with blood gushing from his mouth. A burn mark, visible to the naked eye, appeared on his abdomen, and a violent surge of energy erupted from his back, roaring towards the heavens.
The identical wound in the same location almost caused both fighters to lose consciousness, their breathing ceasing momentarily.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Whitebeard staggered backwards, leaving bloody footprints on the ground.
Kojin shook his head, gradually clearing his blurred vision as he gasped for air.
By this point, the battle had descended into a brutal, head-on clash, with each punch landing with bone-jarring force. Neither combatant attempted to dodge or evade; such tactics were unnecessary and unthinkable.
"Hahahaha"
Kojin suddenly threw his head back and roared with laughter, his eyes fixed on Whitebeard.
"Whitebeard! If we keep fighting like this, neither of us will ever claim victory!"
Whitebeard wiped the blood from his lips, ignoring the burn wound the size of a bowl on his abdomen. He tensed, shattering the crackling arcs of electricity that had been surging through his body.
"Oh?" He replied, his gaze shifting to Kojin. "Then what do you suggest? I have not had my fill of battle yet!"
Kojin laughed heartily. "Same here!"
"How about this!"
His eyes narrowed as he roared with laughter.
"From this moment on, neither of us will dodge a single one of the other's attacks! The one who can stand their ground until the very end will be the victor!"
Hearing this, Whitebeard narrowed his eyes before bursting into thunderous laughter.
"A head-on brawl, eh?"
"Excellent! Just my kind of fight!"
"Then let's begin!"
He strode forward, stopping barely a meter from Kojin. Their gazes locked, locking horns.
"From this moment onward! Anyone who dodges a single punch will be branded a lesser warrior!"
Kojin roared with laughter. "Agreed!"
The sudden shift in tactics left the onlookers exchanging uneasy glances. But their expressions quickly turned grave as they realized the sheer brutality of the impending clash.
Each fighter would have to endure every attack with their bare flesh, pushing their physical resilience, stamina, and willpower to their absolute limits.
In essence, it was a severe test of the warriors' overall capabilities.
Any weakness, no matter how minor, could lead to ultimate defeat.
However, their willingness to accept such a decisive method of victory undoubtedly demonstrated their unwavering confidence in their own strength.
Whoosh!
The wind swept past, stirring the tattered robes of the two combatants.
Every inch of their bodies was covered in shocking wounds. The fierce battle had left scarcely a single unscathed spot.
"You make the first move, Kojin!" Whitebeard declared, folding his arms and planting his naginata, Murakumogiri, into the ground beside him, grinning confidently.
Kojin didn't hesitate, sheathing his blade.
Then, with unwavering decisiveness, he punched Whitebeard straight in the face.
Crimson-black lightning crackled explosively, and a savage aura instantly engulfed the sky above, stretching tens of thousands of meters.
"After such a prolonged battle, he still possesses such formidable Haki!" Diamond Jozu exclaimed in awe. "This man is truly a monster!"
Haki, physical strength and Devil Fruit abilities were all intrinsically linked to stamina and energy reserves. Once these reserves were depleted, it would become exceedingly difficult to use Haki.
The very next second...
Boom!
A dull, thunderous impact echoed as a violent gust of wind swept across the island.
Whitebeard's massive frame shook violently and his head buzzed deafeningly, threatening to split open. The confidence on his face vanished instantly as his pupils dilated wildly.
But he quickly regained his composure.
A shockwave of energy surged outwards from his body, and after staggering slightly, he steadied himself ruthlessly.
Huff!
"That was one hell of a punch, kid!" Whitebeard growled, flames blazing in his eyes.
"Your turn now!" Kojin replied with a faint smile, crossing his arms in a similar stance.
This clash might have seemed like a mere sparring match, but it was the most effective way for them to overcome their opponent.
And both knew one crucial truth: This wasn't a fight to the death!
It was a battle fuelled by their burning martial spirit, a clash of ambitions to claim the title of strongest. Even if they wanted to kill each other, it wouldn't be easy.
"I won't hold back even a sliver, kid!" Whitebeard roared.
"Kid!"
He clenched his right fist, which was almost the same size as Kojin's head.
Blood streamed from between strands of his golden hair, staining his cheeks crimson. This clearly showed that Whitebeard's earlier punch had caused a serious injury.
Poof!
Tremor waves coalesced and materialized around Whitebeard's right fist. His eyes blazed with fury as he swung his fist downwards with ruthless force.
It was simple and direct, without any embellishments.
Bang!
The punch crashed into Kojin's head. The colossal force of the blow caused his eyes to glaze over instantly and his entire body to slam violently into the ground.
Crack! Shatter!
Whitebeard's punch drove Kojin's head deep into the ground, shattering it in the process. A shockwave radiated outwards, sweeping across the sea.
There was no mercy, no restraint... just the pure, unadulterated power of the Tremor Punch!
"Kojin!!"
Crocodile's pupils contracted and his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white; he was on the verge of suffocating from tension.
As the smoke cleared, a figure staggered to its feet, its face already drenched in blood.
"I almost... died there!" Kojin muttered, straightening his posture abruptly.
With a violent tug, he tore his tattered robes apart, revealing his awe-inspiring, muscular physique.
"Alright, then. It's my turn again!" Kojin grinned with madness gleaming in his eyes.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit was undoubtedly the simplest and most direct way to bypass defenses and inflict true damage; its destructive force against the human body was particularly lethal.
But his own fist was no less formidable, a genuine Iron Fist capable of leveling entire cities with a single blow!
"Come at me... Kojin!" Whitebeard roared, clasping his hands together once more.
Yet the solemn expression on his face betrayed his grave concern and wariness towards this punch. Even he couldn't predict which strike would finally defeat him.
Kojin coiled his energy, leaping high into the air. His right fist was clenched tightly and crackled with black-red lightning. An invisible ripple radiated outwards, distorting the Void itself.
Then, with a maniacal grin, he dived downwards.
Whitebeard's eyes widened and his heart pounded.
That brat is taking a running start!
Before he could react, the furious fist was upon him, growing rapidly between his eyes.
"Fist-Bone Aerolite!!!"
(End of Chapter)
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