https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-836-The-Iron-Gantry-is-Just-a-Protective-Color-/13539347/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-838-Unarmed-Combat-Techniques-Version-of-Kuro-/13539349/
Chapter 837: True Men Master Grandeur and Minute Precision
Chapter 837: True Men Master Grandeur and Minute Precision
All he had displayed moments ago were merely the abilities of his Fusion Devil Fruit combined with a touch of Haki.
Bartholomew’s true might, however, extended far beyond Devil Fruits.
Unarmed combat techniques, ability, and Haki—each at their peak could crown someone a tyrant. But to master all three at such a level? That forged a ruler among tyrants.
That was the realm of pirates’ Emperors, the domain of Navy Admirals.
The pinnacle of strongmen.
Earlier, Bartholomew had relied on sheer size and defense. Yet even the strongest defense had limits. At that colossal scale, utilizing the highest-tier Haki would’ve been futile—not because he couldn’t, but because it served no purpose.
Any combatant with basic awareness would conserve energy. After all, against those capable of piercing his ability, ultimate Haki made no difference. And for those who couldn’t? Ultimate Haki was equally irrelevant.
That massive form was just a big target, not Bartholomew’s true trump card. His real strength lay in his inherent power.
Bartholomew gazed at the swarm of Marine Elites ahead, his smile twisting slightly. He spread his arms wide, lifted his head, and closed his eyes as if savoring the tense, electrifying atmosphere.
"Exhilarating", he murmured.
Aokiji seized the moment, barking, "Attack!!"
Boom! Boom!
The first to strike were Navy artillery units. Following deafening cannon roars, a barrage of cannonballs hurtled toward Bartholomew.
He didn’t even open his eyes, merely extending his arms slightly forward.
Crack!
A hollow sound echoed.
The incoming cannonballs were casually batted away, swatted aside like pebbles to explode harmlessly in the distance.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
His fists moved as if imbued with rebounding force—contact meant instant redirection.
Klah, now in a shrunken beast-human form, gulped audibly, staring in disbelief. "He can do this?"
Returning cannonballs was possible, yes—but only standard Navy-issue ones. Pirate-grade shells shared similar traits: heavy iron construction, slower detonation designed for both ship damage and explosive impact.
Navies and pirates favored these for their dual utility in chasing prey or raiding merchant ships, making them easy to deflect.
But Navy Commanders wielded different ammunition—immediate detonation rounds. Anyone reaching Commander-tier rejected standard shells, opting instead for specialized extremes. Instant-explosion types were most common, designed to detonate on impact near enemies, unleashing devastating damage.
Touching those was suicide—even grazing them triggered explosions.
New World Navies layered Haki over such shells for extra potency.
Avoiding? Sure. Returning? Impossible. Klah knew this too well.
Lida saw deeper. Her unarmed combat talent ranked among the Grand Line’s finest, letting her grasp the sheer finesse required to casually "flick" cannonballs aside, as if manipulating inert objects.
"This is ridiculous! Even Kuro could barely manage this with his blades!" she exclaimed.
This delicate force proved Bartholomew wasn’t merely a brute of strength and speed.
Strength and speed often sufficed for unarmed fighters—superior power and velocity rendered opponents’ techniques useless.
But combining explosive strength with precision? Terrifying.
Snap!
Bartholomew caught the final cannonball, spreading his five fingers wide.
Eyes snapping open, he fixed the tense Navy forces with a satisfied emerald gaze.
"Excellent tension."
His cannonball-clench hand shimmered with mosaic-like particles. His fist—now encased in a black metallic glove—swelled to a sandpot’s size.
"Hope this doesn’t vanish!"
Whoosh!
He vanished.
Boa Hancock barely had time to react before he materialized before her.
She arched backward, balancing on one leg while her long legs lashed forward like a whip, striking before he even arrived.
Crash!!
The high-arching kick smashed into his neck, staggering him sideways.
Boa Hancock’s eyes narrowed. "Daring to target me first? Do you think I’m some weakling?!"
But her expression turned grave.
"Heh!"
Bartholomew gripped her leg, slowly straightening until towering over her. "Your force was delightful. Now try this."
Bang!
He swung the black-gloved fist downward.
Boa Hancock twisted her grounded leg, spinning her body to retract her trapped limb. She coiled her legs, intercepting the fist’s path with a counter-blow.
Boom!
Impact shook the ground.
Despite her resistance, the sheer force shoved her backward, carving residual energy furrows into the earth.
Crash!!
Before she could react, the fist erupted. A fiery mist engulfed both.
Smoke parted. Boa Hancock soared backward in a graceful mid-air flip, landing with an elegant backflip before finalizing with a forceful stomp, one leg raised—her expression dark.
Her clothes were torn, revealing glimpses of her waist, her hem ragged.
"Damn brute! You dare ruin my elegant attire!" she hissed.
The fist had exploded—had he fused the cannonball earlier?
Smoke parted. Bartholomew emerged, his glove restored to pristine white. He grinned at her. "This is the Seven Warlords of the Sea? Impressive."
Truthfully, he’d only heard of them within the prison.
Back then, the Seven Warlords were newly established, incomplete in numbers. Later, two joined their ranks—only then could he estimate their strength. Especially considering that crocodile was among them.
"Fighters using weapons—remember Haki!"
Togeko shouted urgently. "Without Haki, he’ll fuse with your weapons!"
Even inanimate objects weren’t safe.
Devil Fruit users’ potential far exceeded mere "expansion." That was basic.
When Kuro first gained his ability, he’d already mastered "Heavenly Treasure Vault"—a fundamental application.
But if you could go beyond "grand" to "minute", to shift between scale and precision?
That made you a true man—like Kuro.
For true men mastered grand and minute, supple and rigid.
(End of Chapter)
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