As they spoke, Hawkins was enveloped in straw, causing his body to swell and transform into a terrifying scarecrow.
"Demon-Subduing Aspect."
He swiftly opened his mouth, spewing a barrage of iron nails, "Nail Control!"
Masses of iron nails attacked, leaving nowhere to hide. Sipher crossed his dual blades in front, rapidly slicing out afterimages, creating a gust barrier as the blades swung.
"Double Blade Martial Arts: Concealed Pavilion Barrier!"
Clang clang clang!
He swiftly moved forward, using the gust barrier to approach, deflecting the iron nails with his blade's continuous motion, allowing Sipher to get close to the giant scarecrow.
Hawkins raised his massive straw arm, and the sword it held also transformed into a thick bundle of straw, forcefully chopping down.
Essentially still a sword, but the straw's elasticity allowed it to whip like a lash. Underestimating it because of the straw would be a costly mistake.
Clang!
The descending straw sword was caught by Sipher's dual blades but continued forward, causing sparks where the blades clashed.
Hawkins didn't have time to press further as Sipher darted beneath his arm, sliding his dual blades parallel up and down, cutting past like a fish swimming through water, slicing at Hawkins' chest.
"Double Blade Martial Arts: Swimming Fish!"
Not only the chest but also the right side, the back, and the left side, with a spin of his body, all were sliced. Hawkins only reacted once his right side was sliced to the left side, retreating as the straw claw embedded with nails moved, emitting a black light.
Clang!
The straw claw clearly hit something hard, creating a sound and spark.
Sipher raised his dual blades and leapt backward, blocking Hawkins' attack while spinning rapidly, like a swiftly rotating fan, slicing the scarecrow's neck.
"Double Blade Martial Arts: Continuous Neck Cutting!"
After several rapid spins, Sipher sprang backward, evading Hawkins' renewed assault, landing far behind.
Shhhh!
Only then did the surrounding sounds of slashing through rend the air.
The soldiers lying on the ground, among them four, had one sliced open on the chest, one on the back, and two on their left and right sides.
Furthermore, the necks of four others were severed, their heads separated from their bodies.
"Eight times..."
Hawkins' eyes showed a serious expression, and smoke emerged from the injured spots, revealing eight damaged straw dolls from the smoking area, dropping to the ground.
This guy, with that set just now, killed him eight times.
And such power...
Though unseen, Hawkins knew, this guy definitely used Haki.
"Obviously weaker in strength, yet so powerful in technique." Hawkins said indifferently.
Sipher's speed seemed slow, but because it was so smooth, every movement was visible, yet it was an illusion.
Though visible, if one's body cannot keep up, it only creates an illusion of 'being able to block,' thus leading to being attacked.
His speed is indeed swift.
"And preemptively anticipating my attack... is it Observation? Your moves are full of the use of Observation Haki, truly a troublesome foe."
As he spoke, Hawkins' body shrank, returning to a normal form.
To deal with such a technically skilled opponent who moves too fast for him to respond, enlarging recklessly would only make him a target.
"Ah... this should count as killing you eight times, yet you're still not dead. Ability Users are indeed convenient, accomplishing miracles beyond ordinary capabilities."
Sipher sighed, "If I had your ability, I would be more reckless... no, more in tune with destiny's choices."
"Hey, Hawkins, should the monk join the battle?"
Urouge thrust his pillar into the ground, maintaining his peculiar smile.
He didn't engage immediately; the prior fight was to prevent Sipher's escape, but with the two now clearly in conflict, there's no urgency.
Four noteworthy individuals, leaving two high-ranking officers each to ensure absolute victory.
Even winning isn't necessary, as long as Sipher is stalled until Gares' ten thousand troops are annihilated, the mission is accomplished.
"Two of them, it's destiny indeed..."
Sipher raised an eyebrow. "Fine, I wasn't planning on alerting anyone, my troop's already failed, so according to destiny, I will stay, and once I defeat you, I'll follow another destiny."
His words carried absolute confidence, as if he had already overpowered the two.
"You seem to underestimate me."
Hawkins gripped his long sword, sighing slightly, "I'm not merely an Ability User, my sword..."
"Soru."
Whoosh!
Hawkins moved his feet, transformed into a blur, flashing before Sipher, bringing the long sword down in Sipher's slightly open pupils.
"is not without advantage."
Clang!
Sipher crossed his dual blades upward, blocking Hawkins' swift slash, as his hands prepared to move again, Hawkins vanished again, appearing at the side, another slash swung forth.
Clang!
Sipher's left arm rapidly extended, blade blocking beneath the long sword, forcefully parrying it upward, his right-hand blade ready to slash forward, but Hawkins once more transformed into a blur, reappearing elsewhere, delivering another slash.