Hearing them report their names, Creed made no outward response. He simply stood there, calmly watching the two blood-robed swordsmen.
But inwardly, he was truly taken aback.
The one who had tried to rescue Akainu earlier—the Second Blade—held a SSSS-tier Chi Satsu Ken'i (Blood-Slaughter Sword Intent).
The one who had just now saved Onigumo and Doberman—the Third Blade—actually possessed a SSSS-tier Kage Satsu Ken'i (Shadow-Slaughter Sword Intent).
Perhaps the title "Blood Shadow" itself came from these two top-tier sword intents.
"System, lock onto the Third Blade and extract his Kage Satsu Ken'i (Shadow-Slaughter Sword Intent) for me…"
Of course Creed wouldn't let this opportunity slip past. When it came to sword intents of the SSSS tier, there was no such thing as "too many" in his book.
…
Several miles away from where the three of them faced off, a pulsing mass of mangled flesh and blood was squirming, as if it were struggling to pull itself back into human form.
Yet every so often, black flames would flare up on its surface, and every attempt collapsed into failure.
"Urgh… Creed…"
Before long, that thing heaved and spat out a mouthful of blood.
It was Akainu.
Creed's Amaterasu had been driven deep into his body, clinging to his bones and burning unceasingly. With the help of the Second Blade, he had barely managed to use elementalization to escape from the net of spatial fissures—but the bone-deep Amaterasu flames afterward kept forcing him out of elemental form, plunging him into a state of extreme danger and chaos.
The shadow of death draped heavily over his heart. Despair crept through his mind like a spreading stain.
A powerful premonition surged up inside him: this time, he might not make it out alive.
"For absolute justice, I cannot die here! Even if I die, I'm dragging you down with me, Creed, you damn demon!"
He roared and struggled with everything he had.
Shraaap!
A soft, slicing sound tore across the sky, echoing through a radius of over a hundred miles. The entire world seemed to shudder—and then dim.
It was clearly a bright day with not a cloud in the sky, sunlight blazing down on the ocean. Yet in the blink of an eye, everything was swallowed by night.
Creed's An'ya Ken'i (Dark Night Sword)!
"Mm? Dark Night Sword? Isn't that a supreme sword intent that only those who've comprehended a Supreme Grade blade can control? Don't tell me Mihawk's black blade, Yoru, is in your hands…?"
The Second Blade was shocked.
"Dark…"
The Third Blade's figure, on the other hand, simply melted away—vanishing without a trace.
Creed's sword intent had wiped away all light, plunging the world back into darkness. For someone like the Third Blade, who possessed Kage Satsu Ken'i (Shadow-Slaughter Sword Intent), this was undoubtedly the most favorable battlefield.
He thought Creed didn't know about his trump card. So the very first thing he did was disappear into the shadows, searching for a chance to deliver a fatal blow from the dark.
Meanwhile, the Second Blade—expert at coordinated attacks with him—unleashed his Chi Satsu Ken'i (Blood-Slaughter Sword Intent). A rolling sea of blood-soaked killing intent rose once more, boiling up beneath the night sky to clash with the darkness overhead.
In an instant, pitch-black night covered the heavens, and a scarlet blood sea churned below. Black and red light intertwined and clashed, splitting the world in two.
Far away, the peak-level powerhouses observing this battle couldn't help but feel a strange sense of revulsion stir in their hearts at the sight of that phenomenon.
Whether it was that ultimate darkness or that ultimate blood sea, both touched upon a dread rooted deep in the origin of living beings.
Even so, within the range of their extended senses, they could faintly feel two supreme swords radiating razor-sharp sword intent, scouring the eight directions and even locking the very space around them in place.
It was a scene entirely different from the earlier battle against Akainu.
At the highest point of a distant main battleship, Kong stood watching the spectacle, unable to stop himself from letting out a sigh.
"Hard to believe… he's actually grown to this level. Good thing we came today."
"Lord Imu was right. Creed must not be allowed to live. His growth is too monstrous. Compared to him, even Roger and Whitebeard in their prime fall far short."
At his side, Aegis spoke slowly after a moment of silence.
In just a few short years, Creed had gone from Marine Vice Admiral to the top Emperor of the New World. That rate of growth was not much weaker than the way Lord Imu had once risen to power.
In his heart, Aegis couldn't help having other thoughts.
"In the ancient legends, it's said that the king of this world is replaced once every thousand years. The one born bearing the mandate of heaven is the Child of the World… the King of the World. Could it be…?"
His loyalty to Imu was beyond question—but everything Creed had shown so far shook him to his core, forcing the old legend to the forefront of his mind.
In that moment, Aegis felt a faint, almost imperceptible wavering in his faith in Imu.
He quickly forced those "chaotic thoughts," as he called them, back down.
"What virtue or ability does he have to replace Lord Imu? Lord Imu has already become a god. A god cannot be replaced."
"So, Creed, you must die today. We can't give you the chance to become a god."
Aegis looked toward Creed, who hung suspended in midair. His gaze was cold and deep, his killing intent boiling.
Creed's clash of sword intents with the Second Blade even caused a distraction for Redfield, who was currently fighting Kizaru.
The Chi Satsu Ken'i (Blood-Slaughter Sword Intent) revealed by the Second Blade made him glance over despite himself.
Different paths, same destination—his own Chi Umi Ken'i (Blood-Sea Sword Intent) and the other man's Blood-Slaughter Sword Intent seemed to spring from the same lineage.
But thanks to the power of his Koumori Koumori no Mi (Bat-Bat Fruit), Redfield's Blood-Sea Sword Intent had far greater influence over the blood of others than Blood-Slaughter Sword Intent did.
Of course, in raw offensive power, Blood-Slaughter Sword Intent had the upper hand.
"Oi oi… you're still looking around while fighting me? Haven't you ever been kicked at the speed of light before?"
Kizaru, who was trading blows with him, sounded a little annoyed.
In a flash, he appeared behind Redfield and lashed out with a vicious side kick. Golden light exploded, ripping open the air and sending rings of spatial ripples blasting outward.
Boom!
On the frozen island far from that battlefield, Dragon and Garp stood facing one another from a distance.
"Dragon, seems you haven't done too great a job either. You, who always held yourself so high and mighty, still need to rely on Creed now?"
Garp had finished loosening up. He shrugged off his coat of justice and tossed it aside, looking every bit like he was ready to start throwing punches.
"Father… as long as this world can become a fair and free place, a world full of dreams, what does it matter if I'm smashed to pieces… So please, Father, step aside. Don't stand in our way."
Dragon's expression was complicated as he spoke.
He could still remember all too clearly how Garp had "disciplined" him back when he defected from the Marines. His body almost started aching again just thinking about it.
Even toward his own son, Garp's way of teaching was the same as with Luffy—delivering brutal "iron fists of love" without mercy.
"Your ideals and dreams are too far-fetched, too unrealistic. What you really need is for me to beat some sense into you again! And if you can't even get past me today, then all that big talk of yours is nothing but illusions! Brat—show me whether you can actually become someone I can be proud of!"
A mocking grin tugged at Garp's lips as he charged forward, both fists coated in a thick layer of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki).
"Father… please, teach me!"
Dragon's eyes hardened. He stopped speaking and let the words fall away. Fierce, tornado-like winds burst up around him, spiraling into the sky.
In the Monkey D. family, strength had always spoken louder than age or status.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For 20+ Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!] [[email protected]/Draumel]
[Thank You For Your Support!]