"A mere parlor trick."
Watching the three identical figures of Ghost Hand Rowan converge on him from different angles, Vice Admiral Onigumo snorted coldly.
His Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) flared outward.
In the same instant, his twin swords moved like flowing petals, weaving a dense pattern of slashes. Two of the phantom clones were cut apart instantly, dispersing into warped light, while his true strike cut directly toward Rowan's real body.
Even so
The presence of the clones disrupted his rhythm.
Though Rowan's illusions consumed stamina and divided his Warp Power, they imposed an even greater burden on Ghost Spider's perception and timing, subtly weakening the precision of his attacks.
Zzzzt!
Rowan's hands flowed forward like water.
With uncanny precision, he caught multiple incoming blades of compressed air like grasping writhing serpents and twisted them together into a single distorted mass before hurling it back.
Ghost Spider's expression darkened.
He kicked out sharply
"Rankyaku!"
A crescent blade of air shattered the incoming mass of Sword Qi. But in that same instant
Rowan stepped in.
Warp Power gathered violently around his fist as he struck forward.
Simultaneously
The remaining two clones attacked from both sides, forming a pincer.
Even knowing they were illusions
Ghost Spider's body reacted instinctively.
He shifted his stance, blades flashing as he chose to counter Rowan's true body head-on.
Boom!
Fist met steel.
The invisible pressure of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) surrounding Ghost Spider's swords trembled under the impact. The blades vibrated violently, emitting a sharp, metallic hum.
"Seems your 'parlor trick' is working just fine," Rowan said coldly.
Boom!
He stomped forward, activating Soru, his figure blurring as he repositioned instantly. With seamless coordination between himself and the remaining distortions of light, he continuously shifted angles, forcing Ghost Spider into a tightening cage of pressure.
Ghost Spider's gaze turned grim.
Then
He closed his eyes.
Ignoring the visual chaos entirely.
Relying solely on Observation Haki and the evasive technique Kami-e (Paper Painting), his body bent and swayed unnaturally, slipping past Rowan's incoming blows by fractions.
At the same time, he tightened his grip on both swords.
"Armament…!"
Hum!
The Haki surrounding his blades surged violently then condensed.
The swirling aura hardened, coating both swords in a deep, pitch-black sheen.
Armament Haki Hardening.
This was no longer basic reinforcement it was true mastery.
"…So you've reached hardening," Rowan muttered, his eyes sharpening slightly.
But there was no fear.
With a thought, the phantom clones dissipated completely.
All of his power converged inward.
"Warp… Twisted Fist!"
"Two-Sword Style… Nadegiri!"
Ghost Spider's twin blades crossed and descended in a devastating slash.
Hum !
Fist and blade met
but did not touch.
They halted mere centimeters apart.
Between them, invisible forces clashed violently.
Warp Power twisted space itself, while Sword Qi and Haki tore forward in opposition. The air screamed under the strain, crackling like lightning trapped between two forces.
Boom!!!
The collision erupted.
A massive shockwave exploded outward, tearing apart the already-damaged deck. Planks shattered, splinters scattered, and the warship groaned under the impact.
Both figures were forced back.
Rowan slid two steps across the deck.
Ghost Spider staggered two steps in the opposite direction.
A perfect stalemate.
"…To push a Devil Fruit ability to this level…"
Ghost Spider opened his eyes, his gaze now heavy with seriousness.
This was no longer a trivial opponent.
He had expected to crush a mere West Blue pirate with ease but even with Haki pushed to its limits, he had been matched head-on.
Unacceptable.
And yet
Undeniable.
Before he could adjust his strategy
Rowan moved again.
"Warp… Flash."
Hum!
The light around Rowan suddenly distorted.
In the next instant
A blinding radiance erupted from a single point, like a concentrated burst of sunlight, shooting directly into Ghost Spider's eyes.
"Agh !"
Even with Haki, the sudden flash disrupted his vision. Pain surged through his eyes, forcing them shut.
Across the battlefield, Marines cried out, clutching their faces as the light seared their sight.
Whoosh!
Rowan stepped in.
His fist drove forward without hesitation.
Forced to rely purely on instinct, Ghost Spider raised his swords to block but the impact sent him staggering backward.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Rowan pressed forward relentlessly.
Abandoning mobility, he unleashed a direct, overwhelming assault. His fists came like a storm each strike carrying Warp Power that distorted everything it touched.
Ghost Spider's footing faltered.
Even with Armament Haki, he couldn't fully negate the twisting force. Each blow sent destabilizing vibrations through his arms, threatening to break his guard.
"Get back!!"
After being driven back over a dozen steps, Ghost Spider roared.
He leaped upward
"Rankyaku!"
His legs whipped through the air, unleashing multiple air blades while his swords followed with over a dozen slashes, forming a dense, overlapping barrage.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Rowan raised both hands forward.
As if pressing against an invisible wall
All incoming slashes halted.
They twisted violently under his Warp Power, writhing like captured serpents before collapsing into nothing.
Ghost Spider's vision had already recovered
but this time, he kept his eyes closed.
He had no intention of being deceived again.
"You've gone too far, brat of the West Blue."
His voice dropped, cold and sharp.
"Do you know… why they call me 'Ghost Spider'?"
As his words fell
A strange aura surged from his body.
The long hair cascading down his back began to rise strand by strand.
Then
It twisted.
Condensed.
Hardened.
Six spider-like appendages formed from his hair, extending outward like living limbs.
Each one grasped a sword.
Eight blades.
An Eight-Sword Style stance.
"…So it's that," Rowan murmured, a flicker of realization in his eyes.
Not a Devil Fruit.
But mastery of Life Return an advanced technique of Rokushiki allowing total control over one's body, even down to hair and internal functions.
A rare skill, even among elites.
Ghost Spider grinned.
A cold, feral expression spread across his face.
"You've seen Haki."
"You've seen power."
"But now "
All eight blades shifted, locking onto Rowan from every angle.
" you'll see what it means to face a Vice Admiral of Headquarters at full strength."