The two enormous blades crashed together in the next instant, and a violent gust exploded outward in every direction.
'Bzzzz...!'
An overwhelming pressure compressed the air, building higher and higher as though it were about to unleash a terrifying force.
'Clang! Clang! Clang!'
The points where the blades met trembled violently as dazzling sparks burst out one after another like flashes of lightning.
The swords remained locked in midair. Visible to the naked eye, a ring-shaped ripple spread slowly from beneath the crossing blades, expanding in all directions.
'Whoosh!'
Like a raging storm, the ripple suddenly erupted, forming a transparent spherical shockwave that expanded outward. In the blink of an eye, it had spread over a hundred meters. The spectators' pupils instantly shrank.
'Boom!'
The pressure that had been building finally exploded. The ground beneath the island seemed to sink slightly as the compressed air burst free with unimaginable force. A fierce gale swept across the area, forcing everyone watching to shield their faces.
"What terrifying power!" Just one clash between their swords had created a storm. Everyone present was stunned.
The next moment, Mihawk suddenly pulled back Yoru. Like a bolt of lightning, the black blade scraped against the horse-chopping blade, throwing off a shower of sparks before disappearing from sight.
The ripple-patterned eyes of Agson's Naraka Path narrowed, then snapped open. At the same instant, his horse-chopping blade slashed out with explosive force.
'Slash!'
This time, the blades didn't collide. Instead, both swords cut straight for the other's throat. The attacks were ruthless and precise.
In the blink of an eye, Yoru was less than three inches from Agson's neck. Yet even facing such a deadly strike, Agson showed no intention of withdrawing his own attack.
At the very same moment, a dark sheen flashed across the edge of the enormous horse-chopping blade as it closed to within three inches of Mihawk's throat.
Both swords moved at exactly the same speed, their momentum driving them ever faster. Neither man's eyes showed the slightest trace of fear, only unwavering resolve.
Three inches vanished in an instant. Anyone else would have panicked with a blade this close to their throat, but these two remained perfectly calm.
'Whoosh!'
The razor-sharp sword auras grazed their necks, leaving thin lines of blood. Two inches. The blades kept advancing, and neither expression changed. One inch.
At that very moment, both men's pupils contracted. Each sensed the terrifying danger contained within the other's strike. In an instant, their swords accelerated beyond the limit of what the eye could follow. Neither could see the other's blade anymore; they relied entirely on instinct and perception.
'Whoosh...'
A flash of light cut through the darkness. The arc of Yoru suddenly shifted. Instead of slicing across Agson's neck, the slash transformed into a thrust.
Agson's pupils narrowed. Far from surprised, he burst into hearty laughter. "Hahaha! As expected of the world's greatest swordsman!"
As he laughed, the horse-chopping blade swept forward with even greater force, charging relentlessly toward Mihawk's throat.
Since his opponent had changed the path of his blade... then he would simply keep pressing straight through with overwhelming power. Like twin bolts of lightning, neither hesitated in the face of the other's killing strike.
Only when the enemy's blade was less than a hair's breadth from piercing their throats did their figures suddenly blur.
'Whoosh!'
Two flashes of steel swept past each other, cutting through nothing but air. The violent sword auras threw the surrounding currents into chaos.
'Pop!'
Two invisible shockwaves burst into existence, crossing paths in midair. One shot toward the sea, while the other raced into the distant forest.
Three seconds later, deafening explosions echoed out. Towering columns of water erupted from the sea, sending waves crashing in every direction. In the forest, countless trees were sliced clean through and toppled to the ground. Dust billowed into the sky as frightened birds scattered in panic.
By then, the two men stood ten meters apart. In that final, heart-stopping instant, both had avoided the other's killing blow, but the thin cuts across their necks, left by the opposing blade, were plain to see.
"You've given me a wonderful surprise," Mihawk took a deep breath and smiled. It was a smile of excitement and satisfaction. He had never expected to meet someone here who could truly match him.
Although their fighting styles were completely different, Agson's unique and overwhelming attacks had shown him an entirely new side of swordsmanship, broadening his own understanding of the blade. There really were still many worthy opponents in this world.
Mihawk rotated Yoru, its tip once again pointing at Agson. "From here on, I'll be getting serious. Please be careful."
There was now a trace of respect in Mihawk's eyes. It was respect reserved for an opponent capable of standing against him as an equal, and that filled him with genuine joy.
"Hahaha! Good! Mihawk, then I'll stop holding back too!" Agson laughed heartily. With a swing of his arm, the massive horse-chopping blade began spinning above his head.
The weapon weighed well over three hundred pounds, yet in Agson's hands it seemed as light as a feather. The gigantic blade spun like an enormous disc, whipping up fierce winds and clouds of dust.
Then Agson took a single step. That one stride carried him across ten meters, bringing him directly before Mihawk.
"Spiraling Strike!"
The horse-chopping blade whirled like a gigantic, unguarded circular saw as it descended upon Mihawk. Its attack covered an enormous area, and its cutting power was terrifying. Even the slightest touch would mean certain death.
Mihawk immediately recognized how dangerous the move was. He raised Yoru before his chest, his hawk-like eyes blazing with light. "Then take this!"
Neither man gave an inch. Both attacks were equally fierce and overbearing, neither willing to retreat as they met head-on.
'Whoosh!'
Mihawk suddenly leaped into the air. Yoru shot straight toward the spinning wall of steel created by the horse-chopping blade.
'Creeeak!'
In an instant, the streak of black light plunged into the giant spinning disc. The moment they made contact, the harsh groan of old wooden doors grinding against each other echoed through the air.
'Clang! Clang! Clang!'
Then came a rapid barrage of metallic impacts, as dense as pearls pouring onto a jade plate. Blinding showers of sparks erupted, so bright that the spectators had to squeeze their eyes shut.
"What kind of attack is this?!" Cricket covered his eyes and cried out in shock.
He could clearly see Mihawk gripping Yoru and thrusting it forward at an unbelievable speed. Every thrust slowed the spinning blade for an instant, sending another explosion of sparks into the air.
The aftermath of their clash alone caused the ground around them to explode again and again, throwing up towering clouds of dust.
(End Of This Chapter)
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