Chapter 325: The Mystery of Physique
The entire New World was shaken by this impending duel. Amidst the turmoil, countless pirates set sail for Chesterton Island.
Ten days was neither a long nor short period.
Those with capability within the New World had sufficient time to arrive.
But those from other seas could only watch from afar.
Of course, they weren't without a chance to witness the battle—reporters and newspapers would broadcast the clash.
"Whitebeard's era has passed, a new era is about to begin... This decisive battle might reveal who will dominate the future!"
A veteran pirate murmured.
The previous era was called "Whitebeard's Era."
The one before that was "Roger's Era."
This current era remained undefined—no supreme ruler like Whitebeard or Roger had yet emerged.
Though the Thunder God Swordsman had been tremendously popular for a time, he might simply be a precursor paving the way for the true king.
Even the wisest strategist cannot foresee the entirety of an era.
To some extent, Shanks's trip to observe the battle was also a way to confirm his theories and gather intelligence.
After all, he'd already staked his future on another person.
Time passed day by day.
Rhodes still hadn't appeared, and an atmosphere of anxiety and unease permeated Dressrosa.
Jinbe was deeply worried. Tomorrow was the day of the decisive battle, yet Rhodes hadn't emerged from the secret chamber, preventing him from remaining calm.
"Could something have gone wrong?"
"No. When has he ever let us down?"
Robin smiled faintly, her elegant face projecting composure, though a hint of worry unconsciously arose in her heart.
The more she learned, the clearer she became about Kaido of the Beasts' strength.
Those vicious pirates in the New World who dared launch attacks against the Navy were all lawless beings, yet most turned pale at the mere mention of "Beasts," filled with fear and dread.
The Beasts Pirates were a mountain pressing down on all the great pirates of the New World.
And Rhodes was about to face such a figure—one could imagine the immense pressure he bore.
Nearby, Rebecca, Kyros, King Riku, and other high-ranking members of the Dressrosa royal family watched silently.
Everything in Dressrosa now hinged almost entirely on Rhodes.
Without him, there would be no prosperous Dressrosa as it existed today.
"Lord Rhodes is so kind and approachable, countless times better than Doflamingo. He'll be fine."
Rebecca thought to herself, then mentally scolded herself. How could anyone compare Doflamingo to Lord Rhodes?
What blasphemy!
Just as Rebecca was contemplating this, she heard Jinbe's surprised exclamation.
Rebecca hurriedly looked up and witnessed a shocking scene.
The air around the secret chamber, which had been as calm as a mirror-smooth lake, suddenly trembled violently, like a boulder crashing into a pond, creating ripples.
Wind howled, and a sense of oppression seemed to descend upon the world.
Upon closer inspection, the air itself appeared to shimmer with aurora-like phenomena and electromagnetic light, eerily beautiful.
"What's happening?"
Rebecca stared in disbelief.
Kyros and the others were equally bewildered. It wasn't that they were ignorant—such a phenomenon had never occurred before in the world.
"What kind of ability is this..."
Robin's eyes flickered as she subtly extended her Observation Haki, but it was severely disrupted, preventing her from penetrating deeper.
Robin narrowed her eyes slightly, activating her Devil Fruit ability, and attempted to extend her perception deeper into the chamber through the structure itself.
Her delicate arm had just manifested inside the chamber when she heard a soft hum, and then her arm dissolved into flower petals, as if struck by an invisible force.
"Carelessly peeping isn't a good habit."
Suddenly, the door to the secret chamber burst open, and a golden figure emerged, hands clasped behind his back.
The first thing Robin saw was a pair of eyes radiating dazzling divine light, gazing down upon the world.
"Crackle!"
It was as if golden lightning split heaven and earth.
Robin and the others all closed their eyes, unable to look directly at the brilliance.
After several moments, when they opened their eyes again, they found the divine radiance had gradually diminished, revealing Rhodes's figure.
"You're... Rhodes?"
Robin frowned in disbelief at the golden figure before her.
Standing there was a young man dressed in white robes.
His thick, jet-black hair cascaded over his shoulders, his eyes still gleamed with golden light, and his skin appeared translucent, like the finest white jade.
Most importantly, while his facial features were eight or nine parts similar to Rhodes's, and his aura nearly identical, his height had increased significantly, even surpassing Robin who wore high heels.
"It's me."
Rhodes smiled faintly.
His voice remained the same as before, but now possessed a magnetic quality that sounded to everyone like the most beautiful melody in the world.
"Is that really Lord Rhodes?"
Rebecca and the others in the distance were all stunned.
Don't try to fool us!
It hadn't been that long since they'd last met—how could someone suddenly grow so much taller?
"It seems your strength has improved further. Are you confident in facing Kaido of the Beasts?"
Jinbe asked expectantly.
Rhodes's transformation was astonishing. Even Jinbe, who'd initially lacked confidence, unconsciously gained hope.
"We'll know after the battle."
Rhodes said without elaboration. Discussing such things before a fight was meaningless. Though his strength had increased dramatically, who truly knew just how powerful Kaido of the Beasts was?
Besides, the unknown outcome was part of life's excitement.
"I'll go alone tomorrow. You can all leave now. I need to adjust to my new power."
Without waiting for Robin and the others' response, he turned and walked back into the secret chamber.
Inside the Secret Chamber
This time, Rhodes wasn't training, but rather processing the effects of his transformation.
"I've almost exhausted all the Faith Power from before, finally advancing my physical evolution to thirty percent..."
Rhodes closed his eyes slightly, sensing the energy within his body.
His physique was vastly, tremendously stronger than before, having likely broken through human limitations, surpassed mortal boundaries, and entered an unknown realm.
In this world, very few had honed their physique to his current level.
Now, with just his physical body alone, he could defeat Jack the Drought and roam the seas freely.
"The key isn't just strength..."
Rhodes's eyes flashed.
No matter how strong he became, he couldn't match a monster like Kaido of the Beasts in raw power alone.
If this evolution only resulted in increased strength, it would be truly disappointing.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his heartbeat gradually slowed—from dozens of beats per second to twenty... ten...
Generally speaking, ordinary people cannot control their internal organs unless they master the Rokushiki to their ultimate level and comprehend the profound secrets of Life Return (Seimei Kikan).
But Rhodes was different.
His body, strengthened by Faith Power, initially showed no unusual characteristics, but after surpassing the thirty percent threshold, some special effects had emerged.
His will could reach almost every corner of his body, achieving a level of free control over his body hair and internal organs similar to Life Return.
A few seconds later, his heart stopped beating completely.
(End of Chapter)
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