Chapter 840: Turbulent Clash
Chapter 840: Turbulent Clash
"Those still standing aren't many left."
After defeating the weakling, the black-and-blue Conqueror's Haki abruptly dissipated, like the sudden calm after a storm—yet also the eerie silence before another tempest.
Bartholomew grinned at them. "Come on, let's have a proper fight!"
With a deep breath, he exhaled a straight wisp of steam through his nose, which struck the ground and kicked up a ring of smoke and dust.
Boom!
Bartholomew stomped hard, scattering the smoke and dust even wider. Like a cannonball, he lunged forward and threw a devastating punch.
Clang!
A Black Blade blocked his fist.
Bartholomew grinned maliciously at its wielder. "You're still the best sparring partner for me!"
Dracule Mihawk, gripping his sword, slightly relaxed his stance as he glanced toward the side.
But this wasn't Mihawk. The Black Blade's true master was Kuro.
Kuro raised his blade, deflecting Bartholomew's punch, but the sheer force sent him skidding backward, his feet digging into the ground.
Bartholomew's strength surpassed his!
"Haa!!"
Bartholomew roared again, intensifying the pressure of his fist, attempting to overpower Kuro.
Swoosh!
Yet in an instant, his fist struck empty air, passing through Kuro's afterimage. It slammed into the ground, punching a crater into the earth.
A wisp of black light flashed from his side as Kuro reappeared beside him, slashing downward with his blade.
Bartholomew twisted his body, his massive hand shooting out to grab.
"Trying to seize my sword?"
Kuro's pupils narrowed. In a flash, he vanished, his footwork creating a shockwave mid-air as he teleported to Bartholomew's other side, bringing Autumn Water down in a slash.
Clang!!
The blade struck Bartholomew's shoulder, forcing his body down and shattering the ground beneath him.
As the slash continued, Kuro slid Autumn Water along Bartholomew's shoulder, aiming straight for his neck.
Bartholomew's eyes widened in astonishment. His body suddenly convulsed like a roaring dragon, propelling himself upward to deflect the blade slightly. Leaning back, he evaded the slash while his leg shot upward, knocking the blade aside with a whistling sound before delivering a crushing kick toward Kuro.
But Kuro vanished in a flash, landing far away on the ground. He flicked his blade, his cigar clenched between his teeth, and fixed Bartholomew with a cold stare.
Boom!
Bartholomew landed with a thunderous crash, turning his head to grin. "Lucius?"
That speed technique—it was Lucius's signature.
"Just Spoils", Kuro exhaled a puff of smoke, his tone indifferent. "And you will become Spoils too."
"Then let's see if you've got the skill, Kuro!"
Bartholomew's grin turned sinister. Planting his foot, he surged forward like a tiger, his massive fist swirling with blue-black Haki.
Unified Haki!
Crackle!
Kuro gripped Autumn Water tightly, his blade crackling with golden electric sparks. He sheathed Autumn Water in one fluid motion, assuming an Iaijutsu stance.
Boom!
Bartholomew's fist shattered the air with a deafening boom. The strike passed through Kuro's head, the figure dissolving like ripples in water.
"Afterimage·Crescent Moon Slash!"
As Kuro's voice erupted behind him, a blinding black-gold crescent moon flashed into existence, cleaving toward Bartholomew's back.
Yet at that moment, Unified Haki erupted from Bartholomew's occiput.
Bang!!
The moonlight erupted, staggering Bartholomew. In an instant, he seized Autumn Water mid-swing with his hand.
He caught it!
Twisting his head, Bartholomew examined his palm—now smeared with crimson—and his grin grew more ferocious. "That hurt!"
Whoosh!
With tremendous force, Bartholomew hurled Autumn Water backward, sending Kuro's body crashing into the ground.
But as his arm descended, a stone pillar suddenly erupted below, blocking his downward strike.
Crack!
The pillar shattered under Bartholomew's force, but the delay bought a fleeting moment.
A fleeting moment was enough.
Kuro twisted his grip, Autumn Water spinning in Bartholomew's palm. "True Thousand Cutting Valleys!"
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
Countless black-gold slashes exploded from Bartholomew's hand, forcing his fingers apart and tearing toward his face.
Bartholomew stepped back, his fists a blur as he shattered the slashes with extreme speed, creating afterimages in his wake. Then, with a stomp, he charged toward the still-recovering Kuro, throwing a devastating punch.
This time, Kuro couldn't evade. Suspended mid-air, he gritted his teeth and thrust his blade tip-first.
Bang!!!
Bartholomew's fist drove through the blade's point, the immense force sending the hilt into Kuro's own chest. The impact blew him backward through the air.
Kuro soared upward before abruptly halting, adjusting his posture mid-air to face his opponent.
He rubbed his chest, glaring down at Bartholomew with a snarl. "Your strength's pretty impressive."
"Your speed isn't bad either!" Bartholomew grinned back. "That's right! This is the kind of fight I've been craving since Roger's time. Come on, Kuro—give me more pressure!"
"This is getting too—"
Klah, watching from a distance, swallowed hard. He'd been waiting for an opening to attack Bartholomew, but this battle was both blistering fast and oppressively intense. Truthfully, he could barely track Bartholomew's movements, let alone Kuro's lightning-fast techniques.
No chance to intervene.
"Hey, you guys should join in too!" Lida shouted at the elite Vice Admirals.
Storbery shook his head. "Under current conditions, we can't keep up."
Lida faltered. Deep down, she knew they couldn't match the pace either.
Of course, the elite Vice Admirals—including herself—could participate eventually. But right now, the enemy's physical prowess was overwhelming. Rushing in recklessly wouldn't help Kuro—it might even disrupt his rhythm.
There were no openings to exploit, or rather, their strength simply wasn't enough to find one.
Only when Bartholomew's stamina drained would they have their chance.
At this moment, the only one capable of seizing an opening was—
Lida turned her gaze toward the Seven Warlords of the Sea observing nearby.
Buggy...
Well, skip him. It was already a miracle he wasn't unconscious.
Buggy, still lying face-down from Bartholomew's previous Conqueror's Haki, looked dazed and confused, as if vaguely insulted but unsure why.
Rather irritating.
Lida shifted her attention to the remaining three—Crocodile, Boa Hancock, and Dracule Mihawk. They could keep up.
Yet the trio wore expressions of idle spectators, watching the fight unfold. Lida twitched her lips.
After all, they weren't Navy.
(End of Chapter)
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