https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-80-The-Battle-Alongside-the-Ship/12608598/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-82-The-Ocean-is-Quite-Magical-7k-words-/12608600/
Chapter 81: Shattering the Hurricane with Thunder! (5k)
Chapter 81: Shattering the Hurricane with Thunder! (5k)
Three Navy soldiers appeared, with the other two following closely behind, seemingly subordinates. One wielded a knife while the other held a gun, and the leader had a sturdy build that rivaled even Miote, one of Sage's men.
Miote was a mute giant, standing at three meters tall, and he was quite the standout among Sage's recruits. His immense stature, coupled with the massive katana he acquired from Rogue Town, now allowed him to effortlessly take on ten opponents in battle.
The man cloaked in a mantle of justice was cut from the same cloth. Towering over everyone, he carried a katana that matched his imposing frame, and he stood before Lily, who had just dispatched two groups of Navy soldiers and was preparing to press further.
"Don't get too cocky!"
The two subordinates shouted in unison. The knife-wielding subordinate lunged forward swiftly, and the gunman quickly took aim and pulled the trigger.
Zhit!
The bullet and the deputy's knife attacked Lily simultaneously. Just then, Lily's figure flickered, and the icy radiance emanating from her sword formed a curved line, diverting from the knife-wielding deputy to his gun-toting companion. A spray of blood blossomed, and the radiant light veered sharply toward the tall Navy soldier.
Clang!!
The rapier was blocked by the massive blade, revealing Lily's high-speed movement.
"Binda Lily, a pirate with a bounty of thirty-six million!"
The Navy soldier's expression turned solemn as he gripped the hilt with one hand and shook off Lily's rapier with a single vibration. Taking advantage of this opening, he brought his sword down in a powerful slash. "I am 'Wind Wall' Blade, a Navy Headquarters Colonel! Prepare to die!"
Lily's body was slightly sideways, about to dodge the blade, when she countered with a thrust of her sword toward the Navy colonel. However, at that very moment, she seemed to sense something, and her feet rapidly tapped the ground.
"Shave!"
Boom!
The slightly sideways body suddenly vanished from sight, blasting backward, and the swinging giant blade seemed to carry a peculiar force, carving a rectangular trench in the deck that extended all the way to the bow of the ship.
"Flying Slash?" Lily asked.
"Shave, you despicable pirate!"
Seeing that his first strike missed, Blade gripped the hilt with both hands and viciously swung his sword toward Lily's direction.
Swish!
This powerful swing was surprisingly swift, and the massive body seemed to possess not only strength but also speed.
Boom!
As the blade slashed through the air, a wall-like gust of cutting wind rushed forward, effortlessly slicing through the edge of the warship and a large chunk of the deck, creating a gaping hole.
Lily nimbly moved her feet, having dodged the blade even before it was swung, and used Shave to dash to Blade's other side with high-speed movement.
"You can't escape!"
But Blade was quick to react. The giant blade, which had just been swung, abruptly changed direction, creating an afterimage as it whipped around. The gust of cutting wind flipped over the deck, relentlessly pursuing the evading Lily.
The group of about ten pirates, who had just gained the upper hand against a Navy unit thanks to Aijin and Palu's attacks, were hit by this pursuit of cutting wind and sprayed with blood as they fell.
"If he keeps this up, there won't be anyone left on this ship to fight." Lily's pupils narrowed, and her high-speed movement halted. The foot she was about to step forward with suddenly stamped on the air, and she leaped into the air as if climbing stairs, bouncing several times.
"Oh, have you mastered it already?" Sage took a sip of wine but didn't seem overly surprised.
Mastering Shave meant that Moon Step wasn't far behind. Lily's increasing proficiency with Shave indicated that she would soon master Moon Step as well.
Boom!
Lily's sudden ascent drew Blade's attention upward, and he swung his blade horizontally, bringing it up in a swift reverse grip that unleashed a whirlwind-like slash.
This slash, with its vast range, couldn't simply be dodged; it had to be broken.
"It has a wide range, but the power is lacking. So..."
Lily tightened her grip on White Thunder and forcefully kicked off the air with both feet, propelling herself like a missile. The sunlight reflected off White Thunder's blade as her body moved, resembling a bolt of descending lightning.
"Pierce the surface with a point! Space-breaking Slash!"
It was like tearing through a piece of cloth. The center of the wild gust of cutting wind was penetrated by this lightning-like strike.
"Oh?"
Sage paused for a moment, not because he was surprised by Lily's sudden attack, but because he was somewhat familiar with her strength. Breaking through this kind of slash, which focused on range rather than solidity, was not a problem for her. However, it was her sudden burst of speed after using Moon Step that caught his attention.
"It's like my Moon Step: Comet, have you remembered it?" Sage chuckled and shook his head. "But it's not enough to just do that, Lily."
"Wind Wall!"
After the lightning-like strike swiftly broke through the slash, Blade spun the sword outward with both hands, pressing one hand against the sword's spine. The massive blade whirled like a whirlwind in front of him, and the gust of cutting wind also followed the blade's movement, countering the downward strike.
Clang!!
The two-finger-wide rapier blade noticeably slowed as it broke through the gust, but it was only for an instant before it was blocked by the halted blade, emitting a crisp sound.
"Useless!"
Blade roared and swung his blade to deflect Lily's sword, then slashed at her. Lily quickly retreated, tapping her foot during her backward movement and kicking off the air to the left and right, dodging the slash and the cutting wind it generated. She then charged downward once more.
Clang!
White Thunder stabbed downward but was blocked again by the spinning blade. Realizing this, Lily didn't linger and kicked off the air, distancing herself from Blade. She landed on the ground and focused her attention on him.
The blade's spinning didn't stop, and Blade's body remained hidden behind the whirlwind-like sword. "My 'Wind Wall' defense is as strong as iron! Your sword can't break through my attacks!" he shouted.
"Oh? That doesn't seem like the strength a Navy Headquarters Colonel should have. Are you limited by your position?"
"Sitting on the fringes of the Dead Omen, Sage set down his wine glass, picking up a cigar and biting it in his mouth. He took a puff and exhaled a cloud of white mist, glancing at Blade.
"A calamity, is it?"
Blade looked up and shouted, "Wait for me to finish off your men before coming for you! Once I catch you, the credit will be enough for my promotion!"
In the Navy, ranks only represent positions. There are always those limited by their positions, but their true strength far surpasses their titles. After all, credit weighs more heavily than strength.
"Hehehe, then you'd better step up your game."
Sage chuckled, his eyes landing on Lily. "Lily, if you can't grasp 'Iron-cutting' to face him, you will lose."
"The breath of all things."
Lily nodded, her expression turning serene.
As Sage had mentioned, Observation Haki, though it enhances perception, is not of the same nature as the breath of all things. And while Armament Haki amplifies power, it, too, is unrelated to this realm.
There are simply too many ways to boost one's might. The vast sea presents a myriad of techniques—from the power-accumulating King's Punch to peculiar martial arts and energy cultivation.
Haki itself is merely about harnessing will and amplifying it. But the breath of all things—it's about attaining a profound understanding of oneself and all existence. It's akin to a meditative state like 'Life Return,' where even the sharpest blade can touch a leaf without cutting it and cleave through steel.
Even a swordsman capable of flying slashes might not necessarily grasp this insight. It's a realization unique to swordsmen.
Against such an opponent, there is no other option but 'Iron-cutting.'
Yet, this realization...
"Blade Wind!"
The spinning blade abruptly halted, and Blade gripped the hilt with both hands, unleashing the swirling winds that had gathered around him. With a mighty swing, he sent forth a spiraling, entwined blast.
Lily's pupils constricted as she prepared to use Moon Step to bounce away. But just as she pressed down on the air, the surrounding atmosphere seemed to fall into disarray, disrupting her Moon Step. In that instant, the spiraling strike arrived before her.
Boom!!
Lily held her rapier in front of her, firmly meeting the spiraling strike, and the force sent her flying backward. The rapier trembled violently in her grasp, and even her arms struggled to maintain their hold. Her sleeves were shredded, exposing her snow-white arms, and the hem of her skirt was sliced apart, revealing her slender legs sheathed in black silk.
This attack, unlike the previous brute force strike, was accompanied by the whirling winds that had coalesced around Blade. As the spiraling strike hit its mark, it unleashed a torrent of chaotic wind blades, akin to miniature Storm Feet, in addition to the inherent power of the slash itself.
Even if one blocked the initial strike, the subsequent gusts would continue the assault.
Lily's eyes widened as she saw the Dead Omen looming ahead, and she braced her rapier, determined to withstand the impact and prevent herself from crashing into the ship.
Boom!!
The spiraling blast slammed into the warship, sending a shockwave rippling through the deck and tearing it apart, wood splinters flying in all directions.
However, the ship remained unscathed, its hull as sturdy as iron, impervious to the onslaught.
It wasn't that the wood was exceptionally resilient, as such a powerful blast would leave its mark on even the toughest timber.
It was purely due to Sage's presence on the ship.
He glanced at Blade, his eyes glinting coldly. "Hey, watch it. If you wreck my ship, you won't even get a chance to spar with me."
From Sage's perspective, streams of Haki flowed downward from where he sat, enveloping the Dead Omen's hull and fortifying it against the strike. Whether it was hardening or entanglement, Haki could be released onto objects. Hardening required physical contact with the object, while entanglement could propel the object away.
Since Sage was currently sitting on the ship, it was undoubtedly in contact with the hull.
Under that piercing gaze, Blade suddenly froze, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
He didn't understand why, but the weight of Sage's stare made his heart quiver.
"As expected of the man known as 'Calamity,'" Blade muttered, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "But a Navy champion bearing the mantle of justice knows no fear! In the name of justice, I shall arrest you!"
"A mangy cur talking about justice? How rich."
Sage took a drag on his cigar, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Justice isn't the sole prerogative of the Navy, you know. Defeat my men first, then we'll talk about justice, Lily."
"Yes."
Lily rose from the deck, dusting herself off and gripping White Thunder firmly. "I won't lose!"
"Without 'Iron-cutting,' you're no match for him!"
Blade roared, leaping upward. The blade spun wildly around him, and as he descended toward Lily, he whipped the whirlwind around his blade, infusing the descending strike with spiraling force.
"Blade Wind!"
Just then, Lily closed her eyes.
This was a formidable foe—an iron-willed adversary. As a swordsman, she knew she stood no chance without grasping 'Iron-cutting.'
Escape?
Of course, she could. Lily was confident that Blade couldn't catch her.
But what good would fleeing do? Would she just leave Sage to deal with this opponent? Sage might not mind, perhaps even offering words of comfort, reassuring her that she'd grow stronger with time, and there was no need to rush.
"I won't run away!"
Lily's fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword, her knuckles turning white as she exerted force.
She refused to be a burden to Sage, always needing his help. If she fled now, would she have to rely on him again next time she encountered an opponent he didn't even want to face himself?
"I'm an executive officer, a navigator, Sage's first recruit, and someone who strives to prevent oppression. I won't be a burden!"
Lily's eyes widened as she unleashed her sword, White Thunder, toward Blade, who was descending upon her.
Even if it meant a deadly battle, she was determined to defeat this opponent and not be a hindrance to Sage!
Clang!
The sword blade stabbed into the knife blade, bringing with it a slashing wind pressure that stagnated. The massive whirlwind attack enveloped Lily, and even though it hadn't come close yet, the resulting disturbance blew her golden strands of hair, even cutting a few.
A threat of death loomed in Lily's mind, simultaneously clearing her thoughts, allowing her to sense the chaotic airflow caused by the crossing winds of such a violent strike.
"...
"Do you like swords, Lily? From now on, I'll teach you how to wield one. You're still young, but it's a good time to lay the foundation."
In the royal palace's garden, a blurred figure spoke to a three or four-year-old Lily, his face obscured but a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"You don't have to swing it so forcefully; that's a crude approach. What you need now is observation, followed by meditation."
"Remember this, a sword is indeed very sharp, but not everything needs to be cut down. Leaves have their flow, stones have their aura, and the earth and air each have distinct feelings. Cutting down everything is merely the sword itself, but when you, the wielder, can control what it cuts, then you become a true swordsman."
The young Lily, holding a wooden sword tailored to her size, meditated daily upon the figure's words, practicing by striking leaves, branches, stones, and steel.
A forceful swing could shatter leaves and branches, but it couldn't break stones or steel.
Until one day, when her wooden sword, having grown accustomed to striking leaves and branches, effortlessly glided over them and struck a stone, leaving a crack in its wake. She was twelve years old then, and the blurred figure had vanished, replaced by the detestable Ennio!
The memory of that blurred figure faded, but Lily saw, as Ennio laughed at her, the stone her wooden sword had struck now bore a fissure.
That figure...
Swish!
The rapier blade pierced the knife blade, and Lily's body moved to the side, dodging the attack.
Bang!!
The massive blade slammed into the deck, creating a cavity, and the sweeping strike enveloped the area around the cavity, slicing through the deck and leaving cracks in its wake.
"Don't think about running away!" Blade shouted.
"I won't run!" Lily asserted as she leaped into the air, using Moon Step to bounce off the ground. Once again, she propelled herself like a bolt of lightning, descending upon Blade.
"Break the Air!"
"It's useless!" Blade countered, spinning his blade to deflect Lily's attack. He leaped upward, the blade spinning wildly around him, and as he descended upon Lily, he whipped the whirlwind around his blade, infusing the descending strike with a spiraling force.
"Blade Wind!"
Just then, Lily closed her eyes.
This was a formidable foe, an iron-willed adversary. As a swordsman herself, she knew she stood no chance without mastering 'Iron-cutting.'
Escape?
Of course, she could. Lily was confident that Blade couldn't catch her.
But what good would fleeing do? Would she just leave Sage to deal with this opponent? Sage might not mind, perhaps even offering words of comfort, assuring her that she'd grow stronger with time and that there was no need to rush.
(End of Chapter)
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