https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-281-Speed-and-Technique-Lily-vs-Tihana/12612602/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-283-The-Golden-Kingdom-s-Rending-Slash/12612610/
Chapter 282: Boxer Briefs!
Chapter 282: Boxer Briefs!
The battle raged on until the moon in the sky gradually sank in the west, and the darkness of night began to retreat. With a mighty roar from Arjin, his mace spun like a fan and slammed down, smashing a resisting soldier into the ground. The force of the impact also blew away several soldiers nearby, and the ground was littered with corpses and severely wounded individuals.
Only five hundred remained standing!
Three hundred Demon Clan members with injuries but not a single death, and some survivors.
The junior officers led by Arjin were also panting heavily. Bellamy nonchalantly sat on a corpse, his hands and feet covered in viscous blood, unaware of how many people he had pierced through after the spring impact.
A brief battle might be exciting, but a prolonged engagement, coupled with heavy casualties, eventually led to nothing but numbness.
"Is this war?"
Bellamy exhaled deeply several times, took a deep breath, but then coughed it out due to the thick, pungent smell of blood that permeated the air. He swallowed, pressed his lips together, and gazed at the tragic scene around him, a trace of awe appearing in his eyes.
This is war!
The old Bellamy didn't understand. He was a pirate who had discarded his dreams and sought a new era of survival, thinking that pirates should just rob and revel. He saw no need for dreams or treasures.
Hence, he developed an arrogant and flamboyant personality. Even after following Captain Sag, this aspect of him remained unchanged.
Sag didn't mind such things. As long as there was loyalty and action, it didn't matter if Bellamy went a little crazy in private. After all, he was just a mad dog.
Even during their previous mission two days ago, they had encountered no difficulties. It was a lopsided victory, and no one could resist Lily's Overlord Aura. That triumph brought only straightforward joy and excitement, devoid of anything else.
But this time was different.
He truly felt the bloody slaughter.
In the past, the deaths were just those who perished during robberies, and there wouldn't be too many.
Perhaps there was some sadness as they were companions, but everyone was already accustomed to it. Being a pirate meant leading a vagrant life, and Captain Sag's handling was also fair. Even if they died, no one held any grudges.
This time, however, too many had perished!
The newly joined pirates were somewhat better off. After all, it had only been two days since they set off, and although they had fought together, their emotions definitely weren't as deep as those of the previous companions.
But for those companions with whom they had spent day and night, those with whom they had feasted, laughed, and drunkenly leaned on each other on ordinary days, they had all died here. They had originally brought a thousand two hundred people, and now, only five hundred plus remained.
Excluding the three hundred Demon Clan members, only two hundred plus companions were left.
At this moment, Bellamy cherished peace.
Clang!
The entangled duo separated once again. Lily dashed into the rear airspace, her slender sword slashing out and delivering a strike. Tiana retreated two steps, her whip-blade dancing like a snake, swaying and then suddenly straightening to strike the incoming attack, creating a shockwave that forced her to retreat further.
"Ha, ha..."
Tiana panted heavily, her chest heaving, making her ample bosom even more prominent. Lily descended from the air, her breathing also becoming rapid and disordered. Beads of sweat appeared on her face, making her skin appear even paler.
The uninterrupted intense attacks and defenses for two hours had exhausted both of them significantly.
At this moment, Tiana finally looked around, her panting abruptly halting as her eyes revealed a trace of desolation.
"You lost." Lily raised her slender sword and pointed it at her, declaring her defeat.
Her soldiers were gone, while none of their core members had been lost. For the sake of Sag's plan, she could set aside the honor of a swordsman's battle!
"I didn't lose!"
In that instant, Tiana's eyes regained their determination. She lifted her hand that tightly gripped the whip-blade's hilt and shouted, "There's still a chance! As long as I kill all of you, I can go to Augustinburgh myself!"
Lily slightly calmed her breath and said, "What can you do by yourself in Augustinburgh? You have no soldiers left."
"Soldiers can always be recruited again. I have to thank your captain for that. Although I don't like your methods, I must admit that he has helped me a lot."
"Without those nobles obstructing me, I can enter August and recruit citizens. That's enough!" Tiana said.
As she spoke, she suddenly swung her whip-blade, resembling a rhythmic gymnastics rod. The whip-blade spun in circles around her, and in the midst of the vibrations, it transformed into wave shapes, then from waves into a series of gigantic crescent moons.
Tiana charged towards Lily, her eyes narrowed, "I won't lose! I absolutely can't lose!"
At this moment, her teeth were clenched, her eyes bloodshot, and she had lost the calm she previously possessed. Her eyes, filled with bloodshot, resembled that of a gambler.
"If you can't calm down, you won't be able to focus your senses. Your mind is in chaos."
Lily looked over and slowly sheathed her slender sword, kneeling with her knees slightly bent and assuming a stance of drawing the sword. "What a pity. I wanted to defeat you fairly, but you lack the qualifications now!"
"Don't be ridiculous. Can you break my absolute defense? You can't even dodge me!"
Tiana's arm trembled, and the black moonlight that surrounded her suddenly bloomed outward, revealing a white moonlight slash that resembled the 'Double Moon' technique she had previously unleashed.
These slashes were capable of tracking her target, effectively blocking their escape routes and preventing them from dodging until she could close in and defeat them with her surrounding aura of intimidation!
"Sixteen Nights of Moonlight!"
"No, I won't dodge or run away."
Lily took a deep breath, and her slender fingers were enveloped in a layer of Overwhelming Aura as she spiraled her hand around the sword hilt.
"Who do you think I am?"
Zing!
A flash of black lightning appeared, like a shimmering straight line in the air, piercing through the incoming white moonlight slashes, zipping past Tiana's vicinity, and extending all the way to the rear.
Lily appeared behind Tiana, holding the white lightning and maintaining a thrusting stance, while Tiana halted her movements, and the black moonlight that had enveloped her dissipated at this moment.
The surroundings seemed to freeze, with both parties standing motionless, their backs turned to each other.
Sss!
The next moment, Lily's battle skirt was completely torn apart, revealing the tight undershirt beneath, which was also ripped open with several large gashes. Her skin was punctured, and fresh blood sprayed from her body.
"Lady Lily!"
Her surviving subordinates exclaimed in shock.
"It's nothing."
Lily's body swayed, and she finally spoke, her left hand reaching down to grasp the sword sheath that had loosened along with her battle skirt. She held the sword hilt upside down and slowly sheathed the blade.
Hoo!
A gust of night wind howled, dispelling the thick, pungent scent of blood that permeated the air.
Lily slowly spoke, "In your current state, you can't even sense my speed, so..."
The white lightning retracted into the sword sheath, emitting a friction-like sound until it was fully sheathed.
"You've lost!"
Ka!
Pu! !
As the blade was fully sheathed, producing a clicking sound, a puff of blood mist burst from Tiana's chest, and a gaping hole appeared right at the center.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
The emergence of the hole allowed Tiana to move, and she coughed out several mouthfuls of blood, her hand pressing against her chest as she struggled to turn her body. With trembling arms, she raised her whip-blade, aiming it at the crowd.
"I... I can't lose... I absolutely can't lose... You guys..."
She tried to shout out, but the hole in her chest only caused her voice to grow softer and weaker.
"I must not lose. I truly cannot lose. I have to go to Augustinburgh. I must..."
Tiana bit her lip, unaware that her teeth had already pierced through her lips, drawing another line of crimson blood that trickled down from the corner of her mouth. Yet, she took only a few faltering steps.
Lily turned around, her eyes fixed on Tiana, who was weak but stubbornly resolute. "In your current state, moving that body of yours will only hasten your death. Surrender, and as long as you give up your ruling rights, we'll treat your wounds."
She was a swordswoman, and so was Tiana. In the midst of their battle, she could sense that this woman was not just a formidable foe but also shared a similar intellect.
Both nobles, both swordswomen, and both possessing keen minds. Whether in combat or command, they could instantly analyze the current situation.
They were of a kind, and their battle prowess was closely matched. Even without defeating such an opponent, Lily felt she had gained a lot, just as Captain Sag had said—battling a worthy foe was the true path to strengthening one's will.
However, at the final moment, this opponent had lost her rationality, which was somewhat regrettable.
Tiana seemed to ignore Lily's words, her eyes gradually losing focus. Yet, she continued to move toward Augustinburgh.
Lily furrowed her brows and asked, "Is the status of a king truly that important? Are you willing to lose your sanity over it?"
Their victorious battle had caused Tiana to lose her calm first. Now, despite her severe injuries, her thoughts still revolved around becoming a king.
Was that position so alluring?
Thud!
Tiana's body softened, and she knelt down, the hole in her chest making it difficult for her to move any further.
She lowered her head, looking at her own legs, as if she still wanted to move them, but ultimately, she only spilled more blood, and at this moment, a bitter smile appeared on her face, and she softly spoke, "It's not about that boring king stuff."
"Hmm?" Lily looked puzzled.
"I'm not interested in that dull king business. All I want is to stop William from winning."
Tiana's eyes regained their sparkle, and she lifted her head, looking around at the pirates who were standing or sitting. She shook her head. "Do you really think you've won?
"You don't understand, just like those nobles don't understand. No one can comprehend that if that person wanted to, he would have allowed William to ascend the throne long ago. The purpose of gathering an army is not for the position of king. It's because I know that only by doing this, by joining forces, will he willingly retreat."
"Whether it's the nobles or the common folk, as long as they unite and show him that we have this power, that will be enough. Only then will there be a reason for him to retreat, and William will not ascend the throne. Hehehe... It's already over."
"As pirates, you must know about the 'Four Emperors' and Kaido. He's a man capable of fighting Kaido, and no one can defeat him. We've lost now, too. Without one of the pledges, he will definitely let William ascend the throne. He will definitely—"
"You've brought about the demon's descent!" Tiana said bitterly. "He will destroy Garus! Pirates, you haven't won, either! None of us are winners!"
She tilted her head back, her eyes closing slightly, and her arms rose swiftly.
Pu!
Before anyone could react, the whip-blade in her hand pierced her heart.
"Daddy, what is a noble?"
"It means to be unafraid of evil, brave and fearless, upholding justice, never forgetting your original intention, never yielding to adversity, and also pursuing hope. Tiana, this country is hope. You must protect this place in the future, do you understand?"
A blurry large hand appeared in her memory, ruffling the young Tiana's hair.
A clear tear slid down the corner of her eye.
"I'm sorry, I failed to protect this country," Tiana murmured, falling to the ground.
Lily stared at Tiana, who had fallen silent, her knuckles turning white as she clenched her fists. After a long silence, she picked up a cloak from a nearby corpse and draped it over Tiana, who had lost most of her clothes during the battle, and bowed deeply.
"Although I don't know the reason, I think I misunderstood you, and I apologize."
Their circumstances were similar.
Lily didn't understand what had happened, but she could sense a similar aura—a desire to save the country, a sense of powerlessness, and even a hint of despair.
However, the difference was that she had met Sag.
After pausing for three breaths, Lily stood up, looking down at Tiana, and slowly said:
"But we won't lose. Sag's plan will definitely be executed successfully!"
William?
The kingdom's strongest?
Lily didn't know how strong he was, but she knew that Sag was very confident. He might have had some bad luck, but so far, his plans had never failed!
As the night sky faded, a pale light appeared on the eastern horizon, brightening the land. Though the night had not yet fully retreated, the dawn was near.
...
In Augustinburgh, the most severely damaged North District wasn't the only area affected. The other three districts, especially those close to the central square, had also sustained varying degrees of damage. The most noticeable feature was the giant gully that had been carved out in each district, surrounded by a vast expanse of flattened land.
Bang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the center square, a terrifying figure was locked in combat with a scarred knight whose armor was damaged.
The knight wildly swung his heavy sword at the terrifying figure but was blocked by his outstretched arms. The figure then punched the knight, sending him flying back before he crashed to the ground and swung his sword again.
A day and a night.
Sag and William's battle had lasted an entire day and night. Although the destructive death beam Sag had unleashed earlier seemed to have taken a toll on William, his willpower was exceptionally strong, and he had endured until now.
Sag wasn't shocked by this development. He was confident that William's power was no laughing matter, at the very minimum, he surpassed the Seven Warlords of the Sea. As for the Eagle-Eyed Empress and Queen Regnant, who he hadn't crossed paths with before, he couldn't pass judgement. However, he had confronted the bear.
Based on the brief exchange he'd had with the bear on Moria's turf, this guy might even be stronger than the bear.
He was indeed qualified to confront Kaido.
However,
He could only hold on until now.
Bang!
William's sword, which he had swung at Sag, stopped just outside of Sag's shoulder, unable to advance any further.
The sword blade was blocked by a mass of black flame-like Haoshoku Haki.
That heavy sword...
Sag glanced at it, baring his teeth in a grin that could only be described as sinister. "Your Haoshoku Haki is lacking!"
His own strength, when unleashed at full power, was slightly stronger than William's. Normally, defeating him would likely come at a cost.
But the situation now was a little abnormal.
No one's Haoshoku Haki could withstand constant attrition.
Except for his own!
(End of Chapter)
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