Chapter 1175: How Many Moves Can You Block Now?
Chapter 1175: How Many Moves Can You Block Now?
"That sword is really dangerous. I've made my decision - I won't let you touch it!"
Luffy bounced on his feet, took a deep breath, and planted his feet firmly in a horse stance, staring at Kuro. "Here I come, Incense Burner!"
"Stop calling me Old Man!"
He hadn't even finished speaking when an explosive boom erupted from Luffy's position. His figure vanished in a cloud of dust and debris, leaving a crater in the ground from the sheer force of his momentum.
Kuro's eyes burned crimson as he scanned the battlefield, finally locking onto a direction. His arm blurred into a wisp of afterimage, swiftly sheathing the Yokai Blade at his waist with his left hand before drawing it in a single fluid motion.
"Crescent Moon Slash!"
Hiss!
The blood-red blade cleaved through the air with a screech, colliding with a massive fist rocketing toward it. Luffy maintained his charging posture, his fist slamming against Kuro's blade.
Boom!!
The moment fist met steel, a shockwave erupted outward with elastic force, sending Kuro's blade rebounding as he staggered backward.
His eyes widened in surprise as he planted his feet and vanished in another wisp of afterimage, reappearing behind Luffy who still maintained his charging stance.
"Afterimage Slash!"
The blade sliced downward toward Luffy's head.
Whoosh!
The strike barely missed as Luffy ducked low and thrust his backside outward. "Gomu Gomu·Frog Gun!"
He pushed off the ground with both arms, launching his legs backward toward Kuro.
The Awakening-enhanced elasticity and instantaneous force created a sonic boom in the air. Kuro's eyes narrowed as he hastily withdrew his blade to block Luffy's retaliatory kick.
Bang!
Before Luffy's legs even reached the blade, Haki's innate spatial attack struck first, detonating in an explosion that sent Kuro soaring skyward, only stabilizing his trajectory once he reached midair.
"This guy..." Kuro glanced at his trembling hand, his expression darkening.
After kicking backward, Luffy flipped in the air and landed facing Kuro's airborne form, grinning. "Hehe, how was that? Pretty good, right?"
The power was there - force comparable to Kaido's.
The Awakening's elasticity and explosive speed were impressive too.
If this continued, they wouldn't be able to determine the winner anytime soon.
"Indeed, you've gained the combat power of the Four Emperors."
Kuro continued, "Initially, I thought we could maintain mutual respect. I wanted to avoid awkwardness with Garp in the future. If you had come back to Impel Down with me willingly, this could have ended peacefully. But you had to defy me at every turn, even burning your life force in the process."
He closed his eyes, and blood-colored ribbons began encasing his armor, wrapping around his shoulders, waist, and thighs. They fluttered in the wind as three ethereal cloaks materialized, six ribbons swirling together like a deity descending from heaven.
As this transformation completed, Luffy's expression turned serious. Despite his steam-powered body, sweat began forming on his face.
"Luffy, that thing!" Zoro shouted in warning.
"Yeah, I know!" Luffy's gaze hardened as he clenched his fists, staring down Kuro.
"How many moves can you block now?" Kuro opened his eyes, slightly crouching as he sheathed the Yokai Blade. With his left hand empty, a surge of blood qi concentrated within his body.
"Mystic Art, One Cut to Sever."
This sight made Luffy's eyes widen. He crouched low, his legs powering up as he pulled his arms back. His forearms began swelling like balloons.
He sensed it - this move carried immense might!
Though Luffy in his Awakening state could grow larger, it often proved unnecessary and burdensome. But now was no time to consider efficiency!
"Gomu Gomu!"
"Final Thought White Tiger Slaughter."
Whoosh!
A sudden breeze swept across the battlefield, dissolving Kuro's form into nothingness. The wind moved with incredible speed, yet carried no tyranny - just a gentle caress.
But if that breeze actually touched someone...
Their life would end!
"Karma Flame Lion Gun!!"
Luffy launched both fists forward, erupting in massive flames that countered the incoming wind.
Boom!!!
Instantly, Luffy's fists were repelled as his arms flung outward. But this revealed Kuro's form, who slashed in close. Just as he reached Luffy, his blade completed its arc.
Kuro observed his opponent. Luffy grimaced in pain, his repelled fists deflating like deflated balloons as they flailed backward. His hands bore deep gashes - his defense had been shattered.
"Not bad."
Even Kuro had to admit admiration. His Mystic Art wasn't something just anyone could withstand.
"But this is where it ends. Through all phenomena, through all existence, I stand as the world. There is nothing in this world I cannot sever."
Chanting, Kuro sent a ribbon flying from his left shoulder toward Luffy's head.
"No Self No Slay·Wu Sheng Kong Sha!"
The ultimate killing technique, Wu Sheng Kong Sha, roared forward.
Luffy's pupils constricted. Without waiting for his arms to return, he propelled his body upward just as the ribbon approached, twisting desperately to avoid. Still, the ribbon struck his right chest.
The air around the attack collapsed inward. Visibly, all the surrounding air was drawn toward the impact point, even lifting dust from the battlefield into the vortex.
Boom!!!
An explosive blast sent smoke and debris flying.
From the smoke, Luffy's body burst forth, skidding along the ground while leaking steam. His previously perfect combat form shrank, returning to his original one-meter-seven height. His mouth hung open, his eyes glazed over, and his right chest was completely caved in.
"Luffy!!" Zoro shouted, rushing toward him.
"Oh? Not bad at all."
From the smoke emerged Kuro's silhouette. He glanced at Luffy's battered form. "Expended one Wu Sheng Kong Sha, and yet I didn't pierce you? That elasticity, huh?"
He had expected that single ribbon to pierce straight through Luffy's head. But his combat awareness was sharp - he'd avoided having any vital areas struck, though he'd still taken the impact with his body.
The elasticity and resilience of Gear Five absorbed much of the Wu Sheng Kong Sha's power, but still left his defense completely shattered. Even Gear Five's form couldn't be maintained anymore.
But it was precisely because of that elasticity that he wasn't pierced.
Otherwise, with the power behind Kuro's ribbon, even Kaido in his Full Power absolute defensive stance would have a chunk torn from his body.
(End of Chapter)
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