Chapter 132: The Battle of the Century
At the base of Mount Kano, hundreds of royal guards lined the road. Behind them, scores of powerful young warriors from across the West Blue cast their gazes in astonishment at the incredibly handsome young man in snow-white robes.
"He's so young! Much younger than he appears in the newspapers!"
"I feel like I could take on ten guys who look like that. Can he really stand up to Don Chinjao?"
Those who had previously expressed confidence in the Dragon Slayer began voicing their doubts.
Rhodes was simply too young—not even reaching the age of many in the crowd. He was also of average height without a particularly imposing build, looking more like a refined young nobleman with no fighting capability whatsoever.
Although Rhodes's age had been mentioned in the newspapers, everyone knew to take such reports with a grain of salt.
Most had assumed that the Dragon Slayer swordsman—renowned across the Grand Line and accomplished in so many incredible feats—must be at least twenty-five, perhaps even over thirty years old.
Otherwise, why would Don Chinjao bother challenging him?
As the young warriors puzzled over this, the royal guards lining the road suddenly bowed in unwavering respect.
Regardless of political stance, Rhodes's immense strength alone commanded the guards' respect.
Hundreds—nearly a thousand—bowed simultaneously in salute. The scene instantly shifted the atmosphere. Even the skeptical young warriors could only suppress their doubts for the moment, though their inner predictions about the battle's outcome shifted dramatically.
At that moment,
from the mountaintop, a voice suddenly boomed—thunderous and overflowing with raw power:
"Dragon Slayer! I've been waiting for you! Come up here and fight!"
Don Chinjao stood atop the mountain, his beard no longer gray but pitch black.
Aside from his flattened head—the lasting mark of Garp's legendary punch—he looked remarkably similar to his prime, appearing twenty or thirty years younger than his actual age.
He wore the green cape of his youth. His exposed muscles seemed cast from steel, their defined lines perfectly showcasing the terrifying physique of a master martial artist.
"He looks exactly the same as back then?!"
The grand master from Yuezhi Kingdom's eyes widened in shock, recalling the moment he'd been thrashed by Don Chinjao decades ago. He instinctively took a step back, a bead of cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
He'd assumed that Chinjao—having been severely injured by Garp and now in his seventies—would be burdened with old wounds and unlikely to defeat the Dragon Slayer.
But he hadn't expected Don Chinjao to look like a man in his prime forties or fifties!
It was unbelievable!
All the veteran warriors who had witnessed Don Chinjao in the past gaped in astonishment, as if they'd seen a ghost.
"This battle's outcome seems decided already,"
the veteran warriors exchanged glances, each now gazing at Rhodes with sympathy in their eyes.
Previously, they'd believed Rhodes had the better chance of victory in this clash.
Since ancient times, both beauties and warriors were forbidden to grow old gracefully.
If the Dragon Slayer represented the rising sun, then Don Chinjao should have been the setting sun.
Between the two, anyone with discerning eyes should have clearly seen that Rhodes held the advantage.
But no one had expected
Don Chinjao to return to near-peak condition! Even without his signature drill-shaped head, his physical prowess remained remarkably formidable—he was still the world-renowned great pirate of legend!
"The Kano Country's national treasure is that potent?!"
"This has probably restored seventy to eighty percent of his combat power. He's a true top-tier pirate again."
A grave expression crossed West Army Commander Morley's face. Hela asked nervously, "Commander Morley, should we stop Rhodes from entering this battle?"
Any top-tier pirate was powerful enough to terrorize the New World—a dominant force capable of serving as a key executive within a Yonko's crew, just one step away from the absolute pinnacle of power.
"No,"
Morley shook his head firmly.
"Retreating at this point would be worse than losing."
A king possessed the qualities of a king. One could lose, one could be defeated—but one could never retreat or show fear before battle. Only by facing overwhelming odds head-on could one truly reach the summit, transcending all limitations.
With Don Chinjao's appearance displaying such a youthful and powerful form,
the atmosphere at Mount Kano's base suddenly shifted dramatically against Rhodes.
Whether veteran warriors or young hopefuls...
whether kings and nobles or ordinary fighters—almost no one believed Rhodes had any real chance of victory anymore.
Even the swordswoman Silvia, who had the greatest faith in Rhodes, and Third Princess Yuffie shared this grim assessment.
Amidst the gazes of everyone—some expressing regret, some worried, some sighing, and some barely concealing their schadenfreude—
Rhodes remained utterly calm, like a casual tourist visiting Mount Kano. He walked step by step along the path toward the mountain's base.
Here, King Charles, Crown Prince Shunai, and other royal family members stood with their heads bowed respectfully.
A king might possess greater status and authority than even a powerhouse like Rhodes, but they still had to show basic respect. After all, this was a world where strength was paramount—might made right.
Rhodes didn't even glance at them, walking steadily to the base of Mount Kano's stone stairway.
On both sides bloomed colorful flowers, petals drifting through the air in an extremely gorgeous display—yet also carrying a poignant, melancholic beauty, like a funeral procession foreshadowing something ominous.
Step.
Rhodes, hands clasped behind his back, ascended the first step.
At that precise moment, Don Chinjao's eyes suddenly snapped open with a gleam of brilliant intensity, locking onto his opponent.
"Gahahaha! What a young man full of vitality! You dare to challenge me in my current form?"
Don Chinjao's tone was calm, yet it carried an imposing aura as majestic and unmovable as a mountain itself. Hearing those words would have made ordinary people feel immediate anxiety and lose their composure entirely.
Rhodes, however, seemed completely oblivious to the pressure. His expression remained serene as he spoke calmly,
"A great pirate of legend. I hope you won't disappoint me."
"How arrogant!"
Don Chinjao laughed heartily, and at the moment his momentum reached its absolute peak, he launched a devastating attack.
WHOOSH!
In a split second, he'd covered over a hundred meters and thrust his fist toward Rhodes.
This punch didn't employ the Hasshoken technique—it simply utilized hardened Armament Haki in its most basic form. Yet it was still a tremendously powerful blow, radiating a terrifying battle aura.
Facing Don Chinjao's brazen assault, Rhodes felt no fear whatsoever—instead, a surge of excitement rushed through him!
It felt like over a year had passed since he'd arrived in this world. He'd risen from an ordinary person to master iron-cutting swordsmanship, controlled the power of thunder, and finally awakened his Conqueror's Haki...
During this time, he'd fought many battles. The strongest opponent had been Vice Admiral Momonga, but that had merely been a sparring match—not a true life-or-death struggle—and there'd been no real tension.
But this time was completely different. Under the gaze of the entire West Blue, he and Don Chinjao faced each other in a decisive battle—a genuine life-or-death confrontation!
Moreover, Don Chinjao in his restored prime was undoubtedly a full class above Vice Admiral Momonga—a true great pirate second only to the Navy Admirals themselves!
CLANG!
Facing Don Chinjao's attack, Rhodes's reaction was elegantly simple: he drew his sword with Armament Haki coating the blade and clashed directly against the legendary pirate's fist.
This exchange was straightforward, unleashing no special techniques, yet both strikes contained terrifying pressure.
These weren't the auras of ordinary masters, but rather the overwhelming presence of kings!
Conqueror's Haki... clashing!
Don Chinjao was attempting to use his seasoned king's Conqueror's Haki to intimidate the arrogant young upstart Rhodes!
To teach him the meaning of respect!
(End of Chapter)
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