Chapter 133: The Decisive Battle Begins
BOOM!
An invisible crashing sound seemed to echo through the void itself.
For one person's Conqueror's Haki to reach the point of interfering with reality and affecting physical matter is extremely difficult and rare.
But when two Conqueror's Haki clash, the situation becomes entirely different.
CRACKLE!
When the two Conqueror's Haki collided, heaven and earth lost their color, creating a terrifying phenomenon—like countless pitch-black lightning bolts colliding and exploding. In an instant, the sky darkened and the very air trembled violently.
The once-clear sky suddenly became overcast, and howling winds roared across the mountain!
The Conqueror's Haki clash centered around Rhodes's sword and Don Chinjao's fist, with all their overwhelming power converging at that single point. Therefore, the spectators at the mountain's base weren't directly affected.
However,
just witnessing that terrifying phenomenon, these self-proclaimed West Blue warriors felt shock resonate in their very souls—as if mortals had witnessed a divine miracle.
BZZZZT!
Circles of invisible, intangible ripples spread outward.
Thunder crackled from the void itself.
The roaring sound seemed to resonate deep within everyone's souls—even covering their ears proved useless against it.
And in this monumental clash,
Don Chinjao felt genuine disbelief. His well-honed Conqueror's Haki—considered among the strongest of the previous era—was clearly at a disadvantage!
Conqueror's Haki is a power derived from one's spirit and will, and only when the difference is substantial can such an obvious disparity appear.
In other words, Rhodes's newly awakened Conqueror's Haki was far more powerful than this veteran warrior's refined Haki!
How could this possibly be?!
BOOM!
This clash of Conqueror's Haki, due to the vast difference in power between the two combatants, did not last long.
A few heartbeats later,
at the intersection of fist and blade, an invisible shockwave suddenly erupted, rapidly spreading in both directions.
This wave was like two supreme forces colliding—exploding with tremendous energy that swept outward in all directions.
Behind Rhodes, the air remained calm and still, like an undisturbed pond.
All the explosive force rushed toward Don Chinjao, causing his green cape to flutter violently and sending countless petals from Mount Kano flying through the air. It looked as if an ocean of flowers had manifested from thin air—a breathtaking yet ominous sight.
The result of their first exchange—the clash of Conqueror's Haki—was unmistakable.
How could this be possible?!
The masters of the West Blue trembled in disbelief—from the grand master of Yuezhi Kingdom to the foremost swordsman of the West Blue.
The violent Conqueror's Haki of a legendary warrior from the previous era had been blocked by Rhodes—and without any tricks or techniques, he had been thoroughly overwhelmed!
Everyone stood baffled, eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
"Not only the range, but the intensity is this outrageous..."
Don Chinjao was forced back several steps by the violent blast of air. But as a supreme master, he remained unfazed. Rather than panicking, his confidence actually strengthened.
He was in better physical condition than ever before. Despite lacking his signature drill-shaped head, his physique was as powerful and imposing as at his absolute peak!
BOOM!
The next moment, the probing phase ended—and true battle erupted!
Don Chinjao rushed forward like a streak of green lightning, moving with incredible speed.
He took a single step, vanished from his original position, and instantly appeared before Rhodes—his fist wreathed in brilliant black Armament Haki.
The air itself exploded from the pressure!
His punch was terrifying and awe-inspiring, its surging force sufficient to shatter a small warship entirely. A weaker Vice Admiral from Headquarters would be unable to withstand it—either severely wounded or blasted into bloody mist.
This was the dominance of a great physical-combat pirate: strength like a collapsing mountain, speed like lightning—not to mention the devastating power of the Hasshoken technique.
Rhodes didn't even attempt to dodge. Bathed in crackling thunder, his body surging with electrical energy, he grasped his blade with both hands and slashed forward—colliding head-on with the legendary pirate in a clash that made the air scream.
The impact felt like a deafening thunderclap exploding across the mountainside.
The Revolutionary Army members watching tensed with fear, worried Rhodes wouldn't be able to withstand the blow. After all, Don Chinjao had already mastered the Hasshoken to absolute perfection—far surpassing Sai and the other commanders.
As for Charles and the other royal family members, their smiles returned, remarkably relaxed—not doubting for a moment that Rhodes could match Don Chinjao.
BOOM!
Fist and sword collided. The terrifying impact force clashed with the power of thunder, meeting violently and exploding—sending blasts of devastating residual energy scattering in all directions.
Thunder roared between heaven and earth, and the entire mountain shook as if struck by a massive earthquake!
Terrifying!
Everyone watching felt genuine horror!
The speed and strength of these two combatants were incredible—approaching the speed of sound itself—and their destructive force threatened to shatter the entire mountain!
Charles and Shunai, who had been so relaxed moments ago, now had their smiles frozen on their faces.
Rhodes had actually blocked the Hasshoken from Don Chinjao and was holding his ground!
CRASH!
The ground beneath them crumbled, rocks tumbled and were launched skyward like cannonballs—the result of their combined overwhelming force.
BANG!
Both fighters retreated momentarily, then launched even more devastating attacks.
Amidst dazzling flashes of lightning, two figures engaged in fierce combat, moving so swiftly that observers could barely track them—blinded by the blazing light and explosive impacts.
Only their silhouettes could be discerned. Fists and blade clashed repeatedly, the residual energy radiating from each exchange seemingly capable of devastating everything in its path—utterly unmatched in destructive potential.
"This is the power of the legendary great pirates!"
The young warriors of the West Blue watched, dazzled and captivated.
Their previous doubts about Rhodes vanished entirely. Faced with such power that could easily obliterate a warship, all superficial appearances meant nothing—not to mention the Dragon Slayer's already impressive reputation.
"HAH!"
Don Chinjao roared, clasping his palms together before him. His entire upper body suddenly twisted, and his flattened head thrust toward Rhodes in a devastating headbutt—the air itself exploding from the impact force.
Hasshoken !
Rhodes didn't retreat. He gripped his blade with both hands, the force of thunder and his sword technique synergizing perfectly. With a humming vibration like a violently oscillating chainsaw, he struck directly against Don Chinjao's skull.
Don Chinjao's head—though flattened by Garp's legendary punch and having lost its concentrated drilling impact—still surged with the force of a collapsing mountain, its power truly astonishing.
BOOM!
The blade clashed against Don Chinjao's head, unleashing a deafening roar.
Almost instantly, the mountain beneath Rhodes's feet cracked under the tremendous pressure and shattered into pieces. The surrounding trees and flowers were torn to shreds by the sword's aftermath. Petals filled the sky like snow,
and broken branches littered the ground.
Thunder echoed continuously. Rhodes's hands trembled from the impact, while Don Chinjao's head and neck shook violently. Both combatants unleashed their full strength in this brutal clash of power against power.
CRACK!
After several tense moments, the thunderous force within Rhodes's body surged dramatically and then exploded outward. With a fierce roar, he violently crushed Don Chinjao's impact force—slamming into the legendary pirate's skull and sending him flying backward!
BOOM! BOOM!
Don Chinjao was sent hurtling backward, tumbling across the mountainside and carving a clear destructive path through the terrain—crushing flowers and vegetation beneath him.
(End of Chapter)
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