Chapter 248 Have You Ever Experienced a Light-Speed Kick?
A yellow cross-shaped glow danced at his fingertip, growing brighter and brighter, aimed straight at Akame. The devastating laser was about to fire.
"Your opponent is me!"
Esdeath's rapier swept across in a dazzling arc, unleashing a brilliant white slash. The cross-shaped glow at Borsalino's fingertip instantly vanished as he shifted backward in a blink, dodging the strike by mere millimeters.
The residual yellow light shattered beneath her blade, dispersing into nothingness. The blinding glare finally faded, and everyone whose eyes had been squinting open just a crack could now look up again.
"What a terrifying slash. As expected of a 'Four Emperors' crew." Borsalino's drawling tone was infuriating as his gaze returned to his earlier target. "I was hoping to take one of you out right away…"
Akame had already sensed through her Observation Haki that she had been Borsalino's intended target. Even if Esdeath hadn't cut off the attack, she could have easily evaded the laser. Wordlessly, she slowly drew Murasame.
Everyone studied Borsalino's tall, lanky frame. At three meters in height, his thin build did not carry much physical intimidation, but even Wendy, who had never learned Observation Haki, could feel the overwhelming force radiating from him. She shrank her shoulders nervously.
Borsalino's gaze flicked toward the young Wendy, a subtle shift in his expression. "I'd heard rumors that the Dawn Pirates were a 'justice-dealing' crew. Didn't think even such a small girl would be dragged into this…"
"No! I stand here by my own will!" Wendy shouted, eyes shut tight from the strain, her small fists clenched, body leaning forward in determination.
Not only did Borsalino sense her unwavering will, even Esdeath recognized how much Wendy had grown today.
"Po… Po…" Eric stepped to Wendy's side. "Borsalino, as long as I'm here, you won't lay a single finger on her."
Realizing Eric hadn't even remembered his name properly, the usually carefree admiral furrowed his brows.
"Your opponent is me." Esdeath's left hand touched her chest lightly, the curve of her lips forming a bloodthirsty smile. Her rapier, angled toward the ground, exhaled a chilling white frost. Even the patch of grass beneath its tip froze solid.
"What terrifying killing intent~ Just how many people have you slaughtered to cultivate this aura?"
His tone was still lazy, but Borsalino's eyes sharpened. From Esdeath radiated the murderous will of one who had climbed over mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
Instead of his signature Light-Speed Kick, he clenched his right hand into a fist and drew forth a shining greatsword of pure golden light from his left palm.
"Totsuka-no-Tsurugi!"
The radiant blade of light, glowing with holy brilliance, cleaved downward toward Esdeath.
The battle-hardened Ice Queen instantly pulled her rapier back, angling it across her body. The two swords collided in a blinding crash.
Clang!
Neither fighter moved an inch as their blades trembled violently against one another.
"…A year ago, your strength hadn't reached this level." Borsalino's expression darkened. From the reports he recalled, Esdeath's Haki and power were nowhere near an admiral's. She had even lost her entire right arm to Akainu's Hellhound.
Yet now, her right hand held the rapier—completely intact. Not a limb of ice, but her real arm, whole and uninjured.
"Your arm… it's fine?!"
"If you still fight by comparing me to my old self… you'll die here."
Her hat brim obscured her eyes, but the wide grin splitting her lips sent a chill down his spine.
Suddenly, frost surged from Esdeath's body, white waves of cold rolling outward to engulf him.
"!" Alarmed, Borsalino leapt back. Her rapier slashed once more along its previous path, driving him further away.
In the blink of an eye, his previous position had frozen solid, replaced by jagged ice.
"Terrifying… if I'd been a step slower, I'd be an ice sculpture right now~"
Wendy shut her eyes, thrusting her palms forward toward Esdeath's back. White streams of magic surged from her feet upward. "Attack, defense, and speed enhancement for Esdeath—Amzī, Alma, Vania!"
A complex white magic circle bloomed before her hands. A pale aura wrapped around Esdeath's body.
"What's this?" Esdeath flexed her fist, testing her power. "Well done. Didn't expect you had this kind of ability."
"My body feels lighter too…" She hopped twice in her high-heeled boots, then stomped down hard on the red mangrove root beneath her. The massive root splintered, exploding into shards as shockwaves burst behind her.
The Ice Queen shot forward like a storm, charging straight at Borsalino.
Her rapier traced a gleaming line of light, thrusting toward him. In an instant, she was upon him. The Totsuka-no-Tsurugi swept horizontally, intercepting the incoming strike.
The blades clashed, the rebound force driving Borsalino backward. His shoes ground deep furrows into the roots beneath his feet.
The sheer power numbed his arms. His habitual smirk vanished, replaced by a grim scowl.
'She didn't have this power before. Was it… that little girl's doing?!'
Noticing his gaze, Eric and Scáthach subtly stepped forward, blocking his line of sight.
'And those two… are about as strong as Esdeath herself.' For the admiral who only wanted an easy life, the thought of retreat bloomed instantly.
"You dare look away?!" Furious, Esdeath lifted her left leg in a wide arc. The heel of her boot, infused with Haki and frost, swung viciously at Borsalino's abdomen.
The blow landed—but his torso dispersed into golden light. His whole body reformed a few meters to the side. Leaning forward with one leg raised, his mocking voice rang out:
"Speed is weight. Have you ever been kicked by light?"
His glowing boot came crashing down toward Esdeath's exposed stance like a colossal hammer.
"Hmph—Iceberg!"
A massive glacier erupted upward, sealing her within. The blinding leg strike smashed into the solid ice.
BOOM!!
The earth-shaking impact made even Eric worry that Esdeath's bones might have shattered beneath it.
Even Wendy, who always feared Esdeath, couldn't stop herself from crying out: "Esdeath-neesan!"
Light clashed against ice, raw technique against ability. The blast shrouded the battlefield in a dense white mist.
If Eric hadn't sensed her aura still steady, he would have already rushed in.
Boom… Boom… Boom!
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
Whoooosh—!
A towering figure parted the icy fog. Everyone saw her at last—Esdeath, encased within an Ice Giant. The tremors had been caused by its colossal steps.
"Come," her voice rang cold and clear. "Let round two begin!"
(END CHAPTER)
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