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Chapter 73: You Can Only Die by My Hand! (4k words)
Chapter 73: You Can Only Die by My Hand! (4k words)
Bang!
The swift attack, akin to black fire, was struck by Zepha's fist, but the impact also caused his body to hesitate, and his striding motion halted once more.
He stared at the Sag, still flowing like black fire, on his fist, his eyes puzzled.
The power of this attack was amiss.
It was indeed an external technique.
But external techniques are merely a form of 'flow', capable of striking from a distance, but the range should never be this far. It's not impossible to achieve this level of mastery.
"There's a child beneath Polusalino who utilizes 'Lone Steps' to unleash his dominance over great distances. That's possible."
However, whether it's "Solitary Footwork" or the Great Swordmaster's slash attacks imbued with Haki, their power fades in comparison to close-combat techniques.
"Haki is just Haki; although it can enhance one's might, it also requires the user to channel it effectively. Purely long-distance releases will only result in mere concussive force, and the further the distance, the weaker the effect."
Even the Great Swordmaster's slash attacks instilled with Haki and hurled over long distances pale in comparison to their true swordsmanship.
Attacks that incorporate one's physical strength possess true power.
But what's going on now?
This long-range Dominating Aura assault isn't weak at all; it's even slightly amplified. Moreover...
"Full-power Hakai?" Zepha muttered.
It feels like this brat has released all his Domineering Aura. Even if he's wrong, after such a prolonged battle utilizing Domineering Aura, the brat's Domineering Aura reserves should've diminished by now.
But...
This brat's hands are still enshrouded in the same Overlord aura, surging without any signs of abating, just like earlier.
Regardless of Zephyr's thoughts, Sigmar took advantage of the momentary halt after his last attack. He slammed his foot down, propelling himself forward through the air, and as he soared, he flicked his fingers, mustering Haki to envelop his hands in swirling, dark flames.
In terms of external releases, if it were an ordinary person, they wouldn't be able to match Sag's level of control. The power would diminish with distance, perhaps even turning into mere concussive force. However, the North Star Divine Fist could transform this external release into the most substantial offensive power. Whether it's precision or attack range, he could surpass anyone!
Especially...
When every strike is imbued with full-power Dominant Aura!
"Heaven Shattering Death Strike • Meteor Shower!"
His palms struck out repeatedly, and the coiling Haki was launched with each of his continuous swings. In Zeph's field of vision, it was as if a multitude of black flowing flames had descended, overwhelming him!
"Brat!!!"
Zepha roared, his legs stomping into the ground as his fists struck out towards the descending meteor shower.
Boom! Boom!!
Like a barrage of falling cannonballs, Sag's attack blasted the ground of the port into smithereens. Craters formed one after another as the power of his Conqueror's Aura exploded, and shattered rocks flew in all directions.
Lily, who was running towards a ship carrying a box, casually knocked away a piece of debris. As she glanced towards the side of the port, her pupils constricted.
Although she couldn't see "ha ki," it didn't mean she was incapable of sensing its formidable power. Even the ground had been shattered to such an extent that the gust of displaced air rippled through her wavy long hair, causing her skirt to billow and outline her well-toned legs, highlighting the magnificent form of her upper body.
Had the power reached such a terrifying level?
"Sag..."
She anxiously glanced at Sag, who was continuously swinging his arms in the air. This guy seemed to have unleashed all his power, and although he appeared to have the upper hand, Lily had a nagging feeling...
It seemed not so simple.
Boom!
The dominating battle spirit swept across the area, turning the ground into a chaotic mess. Where Zepha stood was shrouded in a large cloud of smoke and dust, but it quickly dispersed.
Zephyr's dominance-imbued strikes struck within the cloud, and he continually punched, splintering the incoming assaults. The ensuing tremors shook everything around him.
Although the speed of his punches couldn't match the frenzied pace of Sag's relentless bombardment, a few strikes akin to flowing fire still landed on his body. However, Zeph's body, coursing with Haki, nullified the impact.
His whole body was saturated with aura, and it wasn't just a straightforward hardening. The twisting, flowing surface was instilled with extraordinarily strong aura!
It was useless!
The Heaven Shattering Death Strike had now truly reached its ultimate form. Even when striking from a distance with Haki, it could still puncture the opponent's vital points and therefore, enable the user to employ the Northern Star Divine Fist.
But the crucial point was...
It couldn't break through defenses!
Boom!
As Zephyr punched, he suddenly stomped forward with one foot, creating a dip in the ground. The Battle Energy surging through his body intensified, forming an upward-rising gale. The quivering vibrations were transmitted to Sag, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
With Zepha's stomp, his figure, like a whirlwind, blew upwards, rushing towards the air. This time, he didn't use his fist to block; instead, he tightly clenched his fist and drew it backward, gathering his strength.
The overwhelming aura of dominance collided with Zepha's body, but it only caused a series of shockwaves, not even slowing him down.
In just a few breaths, Sigmar closed in on Sag, the power gathering in his fists causing even a fool to recognize its weight.
"Don't let it hit me!"
Sag clenched his teeth, his swinging palms suddenly coming to a halt. He brought his fingers together, joining his palms, and the fire-like aura of dominance flowed from his hands, gathering at their center. With a mighty burst, he unleashed it all at once.
"Heaven's Rushing Fury!!"
Boom!!
A mass of black, flowing fire larger than ever before rushed towards Zepha's body, marking the first time Sigmar had used his full aura. Unlike before when he had used only half, this time, with both hands joined, the power was naturally doubled.
The strike landed, a thunderous crack sounding from Zepha's body as the fire-like aura punctured his defenses, causing him to involuntarily spout a mouthful of blood.
"Puh!"
The aura struck true, hitting a vital point, causing Zepha to subconsciously spray a mouthful of blood.
He broke through!
The old man's aura was all focused on his hands, leaving his body less defended!
Sag's expression brightened, the aura that had dissipated quickly recovering after a brief stagnation, once again wrapping around his hands. He was just about to attack again when a flash of red in his eyes caused him to hesitate, his body instinctively dropping from the air.
And there was Sigmar, right in front of him, his fists coming together, aura of dominance gathering at their center as they glared at each other.
"Heaven's..."
"You brat, let me tell you, I can release my aura externally too!"
Blood trickled from the corners of Zepha's mouth as he grinned ferociously. His aura-infused fist tightened, completely disregarding the distance between him and Sag. With a mighty punch, he slammed it down through the air.
"Don't underestimate 'Black Arm'!!!"
A pillar of air rushed forth, descending upon Sag's body.
Boom!!
Amidst the stormy weather, a thunderous boom rang out, momentarily illuminating the dark and gloomy sky, and the ground beneath their feet caved in, seawater seeping through the cracks.
And at its center was a massive crater, a towering plume of smoke rising from it.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Zepha coughed violently in the air, his breathing becoming more and more ragged. The aura around his fist gradually dissipated, and he rapidly gasped for breath, his teeth clenching as he gathered the dissipating aura once more, guiding it along with his falling body. With a hand blade, he slashed downward, a black blade of air cleaving through space.
"It ends here!!"
Hum!
As the hand blade fell, a strange oppressive pressure burst forth from within the plume of smoke, causing Zepha to falter for a moment.
The aura of the conqueror!
Boom!!
The violent hand blade was blocked by two hands extending from the smoke.
The smoke parted, revealing Sigmar's hands, cloaked in black, fire-like aura. His body, lying on the ground, twisted and swelled, his hands firmly bracing Zepha's wrists, his teeth gritting as his eyes filled with bloodshot.
"Oh, cough, cough! So, you can recover your aura quickly, you brat. Your will is truly stronger than I imagined." Zepha grinned.
"You old coot!"
Sag roared, his hands suddenly shifting to the side, forcefully prying open Zepha's hands. His body, twisted and swollen, rapidly straightened, and with a vicious headbutt, he crashed it into Zepha's forehead, causing him to stagger.
"Ugh!"
Zepha's head snapped back as he unleashed a muffled roar, his foot lashing out like a sword, piercing Sigmar's heart. He was sent flying backward, his body reflexively curling.
"Die!"
Sag's eyes gleamed with malice as he grit his teeth, his hand lashing out and slamming into Zepha's face. With a cry, he sent him flying, but at that moment, Zepha's fist also crashed into his face, striking true, sending him flying backward. They both fell to the ground.
Thud!
As they fell, they swiftly bounced back to their feet, rushing towards each other.
Sag swung his arm, his forearm wrapped in aura of dominance, viciously slamming into Zepha's temple. Zepha's straight punch embedded the flowing aura, striking true against Sigmar's chest.
"Puh!"
"Cough!"
Blood sprayed from their mouths as they exchanged blows, Zepha's head snapping to the side as his body rushed forward, his head butting against Sigmar's forehead.
Boom!
The impact sent tremors through Sigmar's body, his shoulders shaking as his face twisted in agony, the veins on his forehead bulging. He clenched his jaw, a vicious kick landing in Zepha's abdomen, sending him tumbling across the ground, his body curling defensively.
But at the same time, his own body fell to the ground.
"Ha, ha!"
Zepha lay on the ground, his hands clutching his chest as he gasped for breath. He staggered to his feet with great effort.
As for Sag, it took him half a day's writhing before he could even get up. His arms hung unnaturally by his sides.
Hu!
The wind blew, carrying bean-sized raindrops that pelted the two men. A sickly but unnaturally strong old man, and a youthful but battered and bruised young man, stared at each other through the wind and rain.
"You little punk, Sag! How does it feel to face an old man?" Zepha suppressed his gasping and roared at Sag.
"Pretty average, I'd say!"
Sag glared at him, his eyes full of malice. "You're about to kick the bucket, so stop struggling!"
"Is that so?"
Zepha chuckled, his eyes narrowing. "Arrogant punk, I'll teach you what it means to respect your elders!"
"I only respect the dead!" Sag snarled. "You're about to kick the bucket, so I'll give you a proper burial!"
Zepha shook his head and laughed. He took a step forward, but suddenly, a loud 'bang' sounded out, and he subconsciously threw a punch to the side. A bomb exploded right on his fist.
Was it a cannonball?
Hu!
Before Zepha could react, another gust of wind came from the side, carrying with it an enormous rock.
Boom!
But before the rock even got close, a red glow flashed in Zepha's eyes, and he casually smashed the rock to pieces.
In the distance, Renitia aimed her Hammer Cannon, targeting Zepha, while Marika maintained her throwing motion. A large chunk of the port's ground had disappeared, revealing the seawater beneath.
Zing!
Just as he smashed the rock, a cold glint flashed, rushing towards Zepha's throat.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Zepha saw the glint rushing towards him, and just as he was about to react, his expression changed, and he began coughing uncontrollably, his breathing becoming rapid and uneven.
No matter how strong one's Haki was, one was still human, after all.
Unless one was a monster with an iron body impervious to blades and bullets, a normal person, no matter how strong, would still be injured by swords and guns.
After all, Zepha was just an ordinary person. Moreover, he had asthma.
Ever since the start of the fight, he had been suppressing his asthma attacks. There had been several instances where his asthma had acted up, giving Sag opportunities to strike. And now, after such an intense battle, his asthma was completely out of control.
And that cold glint was now right before his eyes, about to pierce his throat.
"Lily!!!"
Just then, a loud shout caused the cold glint to pause in midair, and the overwhelming aura of the conqueror even stirred the clouds above, creating a vortex.
Lily froze in her tracks, turning her head to look at Sag.
Sag's eyes were filled with a crimson glow, and he said, "Stop."
Lily bit her lip, her eyes fixed on the coughing Zepha, and she nodded. "Understood."
At that moment, the crimson glow in Sag's eyes faded, and he returned to his normal size. He stood in front of Zepha, his eyes glaring at each other. "Lily, we're ready."
"You old coot!"
Sag glared at the coughing Zepha, his eyes cold. "I'll give you a proper burial!"
"Heh."
Zepha lowered his head and laughed, his eyes glinting. "I'll be waiting for you, punk. My will is stronger than you imagine!"
With that, he turned and strode towards the Death Calamity.
Lily sheathed her thin sword, her eyes still on Zepha. "Sag, I'll make that sword mine."
Then, she quickened her pace and ran towards Sag, catching up to him as they both boarded the Death Calamity.
"Engage engines!"
A charming voice rang out from within the black ship, and the Death Calamity quickly turned, its speed far surpassing that of ordinary ships as it sailed away from the port under the stormy weather. Before long, it had become a silhouette, and then it disappeared over the horizon.
And with it, the torrential storm hanging over Roguetown also disappeared, the dark and gloomy sky revealing a golden sunset, its rays shining upon the town, bringing a touch of brightness to the damp and gloomy atmosphere.
The storm had passed.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Zepha trembled as he reached behind his back, pulling out something resembling an oxygen mask, which he tightly covered his mouth and nose as he breathed heavily. His violent coughing gradually eased, and his rapid breathing slowed.
After a while, he removed the mask, his hand trembling slightly as he lowered it. "Old, am I..."
He sat on the ground, his eyes gazing at the horizon for a long while before he sighed softly. "I'm getting old..."
(End of Chapter)
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