Chapter 136: Don Chinjao's Death
Don Chinjao roared with primal fury.
He suddenly launched himself skyward, soaring dozens of meters high. Then, inverting his body headfirst, he concentrated his full Armament Haki and plummeted toward Rhodes like a falling meteor.
Tremendous impact force converged on his flattened skull. Don Chinjao's momentum was so ferocious it felt like he could pierce straight through to the Earth's core itself.
Despite this devastating aerial assault,
Rhodes remained utterly expressionless.
He gripped his blade with both hands and stomped his foot lightly. Electrical current surged through his body, creating an electromagnetic field that generated a faint repulsive force against the ground.
Then, he stomped again with explosive power.
BOOM!
Like a cataclysmic eruption, the already crumbling Mount Kano was instantly shattered by the immense force. Rocks flew through the air, and chunks of earth the size of houses were hurled in all directions—the mountain nearly collapsing entirely.
And Rhodes, like a human cannonball, was launched skyward.
SHRIIIIIEK!
A piercing whistle echoed through the air.
Above the shattered mountain, a startling white shockwave cone formed around Rhodes's body as he broke the sound barrier. This phenomenon was similar to the air compression Rhodes had created when his sword strikes exceeded the speed of sound—but the difference in scale was astronomical.
One was merely a blade cutting through air. The other was an entire person.
The two were fundamentally different in their impact.
"This is..."
Everyone stood speechless. Rhodes had actually broken the sound barrier through sheer physical force.
At this speed exceeding sound itself, Rhodes—though clearly launching his attack second—arrived first, his blade slashing through the air in a devastating arc.
"GAHHH!"
Don Chinjao, unable to adjust mid-descent, could only muster his overwhelming impact force and Armament Haki, charging headfirst into the attack.
But Rhodes's strike was simply too powerful.
Having broken the sound barrier, the force of this blow had leaped to an entirely new dimension—enough to overwhelm any Great Swordsman, perhaps even approaching the realm of a Supreme Grade swordsman's attack.
Before this supersonic strike,
Don Chinjao's supposedly unbreakable Armament Haki was shattered like thin paper. Then the surging sword energy tore through his impact force inch by inch, finally cleaving into Don Chinjao's incredibly dense skull—fracturing it deeply.
But that should have been the limit.
Had Rhodes's swordsmanship technique not improved—becoming fundamentally sharper and more refined—this sonic slash would likely have only severely injured Don Chinjao, not killed him outright.
After all, he was a great pirate approaching peak strength, possessing mastery of every aspect of physical combat and Haki.
SPLURT!
Don Chinjao erupted in a spray of blood.
The blade split his skull, and the residual force radiated into his brain—even the strongest constitution couldn't withstand such catastrophic damage.
This rejuvenated, supremely powerful warrior whose prestige had dominated the West Blue was practically cleaved in two by Rhodes's strike, plummeting from the sky—his fate sealed.
BOOM!
Only then did the thunderous sound of Rhodes breaking the sound barrier reach everyone's ears, resonating like a clap of divine judgment.
A deathly silence fell over the entire scene. No one spoke as everyone stared in absolute shock.
Minutes ago, veteran warriors of the West Blue had confidently declared the Dragon Slayer swordsman's defeat inevitable—merely a matter of time.
But no one had expected
such a sudden, dramatic reversal.
It was as if Rhodes had heard their predictions and decided to shatter them. He'd suddenly erupted with overwhelming power, breaking the sound barrier with his own body and delivering a strike that defied all expectations—cutting down the legendary Don Chinjao.
It was a resounding slap in the face to every doubter.
But no one cared about their wounded pride anymore.
"Don Chinjao... is truly dead?"
the grand master of Yuezhi Kingdom uttered, his voice trembling.
"Don Chinjao is dead,"
Nicholas confirmed, his gaze more solemn than ever before, slowly nodding his head.
Every powerful warrior present gazed with absolute reverence at the young man in white standing in midair—regarding him with nearly divine awe.
They understood that from this day forward, a legend had fallen and a new myth had risen.
The Dragon Slayer swordsman—the most brilliant star of Sea Circle Calendar year 1521—now shone radiantly across the seas, his fame potentially surpassing even the Marine Admirals and rivaling the Yonko themselves.
In recent years, the Grand Line had been relatively peaceful, and the West Blue even more so. Few truly comprehended the immense power of the Admirals or the Yonko.
But everyone now understood that this young prodigy had slain a champion of the previous era—a warrior restored to his prime—with a single devastating blow. Even if Rhodes wasn't yet as strong as those peak figures, he was clearly within striking distance. Perhaps two years? Or maybe even just one?
"Breaking the sound barrier through force, slaying legends with his blade."
"The name of the Dragon Slayer swordsman will echo throughout the entire world,"
Nicholas declared, his gaze fixed and voice measured with absolute certainty.
This legendary assassin from the underworld had set the final verdict on this battle of the century.
Everyone present felt a profound sense of awe.
Ten days ago, despite Rhodes single-handedly conquering an entire city and overwhelming tens of thousands of soldiers with his youthful might, many had still harbored doubts—believing his reputation might be exaggerated.
But today, Rhodes had sacrificed the legendary Don Chinjao to announce to the world the arrival of an unstoppable, overwhelming powerhouse.
Yet in the sky above,
Rhodes was far less comfortable than he appeared.
Breaking the sound barrier required immense power—far beyond Rhodes's current natural capabilities. He'd relied entirely on electrical current, employing principles similar to a railgun to accelerate himself beyond his physical limits.
The dangers of such overload were severe.
At this moment, Rhodes's muscles and internal organs burned with searing pain. Combined with the accumulated damage from Don Chinjao's impact attacks, he nearly collapsed after delivering that final devastating blow.
But sensing the awe and admiration radiating from the crowd below, Rhodes forced himself to maintain his composure—using Geppo with a calm expression as he slowly descended from the sky.
Kings, nobles, and powerful masters all bowed their heads in respect. Even figures like Nicholas paid homage to the Dragon Slayer.
Only King Charles slowly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"The King of the Kano Country?"
Rhodes glanced at him with mild interest.
He had an adversarial relationship with this man. For Charles to approach now—wasn't he afraid of being cut down with a single strike?
"Your Excellency stands among the world's strongest. It was an honor for Lord Chinjao to be defeated by you and die on the battlefield,"
Charles said respectfully, allowing a touch of sorrow to show. "I only wish to claim Lord Chinjao's remains and provide him a proper burial."
"Interesting."
Rhodes narrowed his eyes slightly.
In front of so many witnesses, if Charles had been foolish enough to show hostility, Rhodes—riding high on his victory—could have killed him on the spot. The others might have muttered privately, but no one would have openly objected.
But Charles's attitude was respectful and his request impeccable. If Rhodes killed him brazenly now, it would be impossible to justify. The World Government would undoubtedly intervene, potentially causing complications with his Warlord appointment.
Under Rhodes's penetrating gaze, Charles's back went cold with sweat streaming down his forehead.
But he didn't dare retreat even a single step.
At this critical juncture,
while Charles deeply regretted provoking Rhodes, he was more concerned with cutting his losses and maintaining the Kano Country's remaining prestige.
kingdoms like his desperately needed powerful protectors to ensure their survival.
Although Don Chinjao was dead, his extraordinarily tempered body—forged through decades of hellish training—still held immense value.
As the king of a World Government member nation, Charles possessed some knowledge of certain government scientific research projects. He knew that the corpse of a warrior at this level could be invaluable.
Perhaps he could use it to purchase the Kano Country a more loyal—and controllable—guardian.
The calculating king lived up to his ruthless reputation.
"Go ahead."
After a long, tense moment, Rhodes withdrew his gaze and slowly descended to the ground—nearly blacking out from exhaustion as his feet touched earth.
However, feeling the admiring gazes of beautiful women like Silvia and Princess Yuffie, Rhodes maintained his composed expression, sheathed his blade with deliberate grace, and walked away with his hands clasped behind his back.
(End of Chapter)
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