Chapter 206: Flower Blade
Having just shattered the iceberg with a single sword strike, Rhodes had already become one of the most watched figures on the battlefield.
His movement immediately caused tremendous commotion, drawing countless gazes.
The division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates all felt chills run down their spines, sensing imminent danger.
Meanwhile, Rhodes had already leaped from the platform, landing gracefully on the frozen harbor.
The sensation of overlooking the battlefield from above was entirely different from standing upon it directly.
"This feeling..."
Rhodes took a deep breath, absorbing the overwhelming scents of gunpowder and blood. The Yubashiri he gripped trembled with excitement, as if sensing countless delicious souls and flowing blood nearby.
This type of cursed blade undoubtedly relished such scenes.
Rhodes loved it as well.
Because only in this atmosphere could his strength advance further.
At Rhodes's level, beyond daily diligent training, only endless battles could facilitate continued improvement.
Combat was always the supreme catalyst for increasing power.
"War..."
Rhodes remained calm and indifferent.
He began walking forward step by step, his body shimmering with faint silver luminescence—like a war god emerging from ancient times, making him difficult to gaze upon directly.
"It's the Dragon Slayer Swordsman!"
"Brothers, charge! We have to hold him back!"
Those who'd reached this position were the elite of the Whitebeard Pirates—sufficient to serve as officers in most pirate crews. They certainly didn't lack courage.
But almost the instant they rushed forward, a dazzling silver flash erupted—as if a blade of light had traversed the heavens like a falling star.
Thud, thud, thud, thud...
Under Rhodes's extreme speed, these pirates didn't even have time to react—their faces still contorted with ferocious battle lust as their consciousness fell into permanent silence.
Their corpses collapsed to the ground, blood spraying across the ice.
Rhodes casually flicked his blade clean without even glancing down, continuing forward.
Having chosen to enter this battlefield, one must be prepared to die.
This occurred in merely one corner of the conflict, yet still attracted considerable attention.
Whether from the Navy or the pirates, everyone felt chills upon witnessing Rhodes's indifferent and ruthless demeanor.
On the elevated platform, Hawkeye—who'd been observing Rhodes closely—witnessed this scene, and a glint of light flashed through his sharp eyes.
That speed was something even he couldn't match.
"No wonder he could fight Admiral Kizaru to a standstill."
Hawkeye's experience was unparalleled; he instantly formulated several theories.
"Truly worthy of being the man I've chosen..." Hancock cupped her face in her hands, feeling secretly delighted.
"..."
Hawkeye was rendered speechless. Was this really the legendary proud and domineering Pirate Empress? She seemed like an ordinary girl experiencing her first love.
Doflamingo, observing this display, showed profound apprehension.
He could accept Rhodes shattering the iceberg with a single strike—after all, he could accomplish that himself, though perhaps not quite as decisively.
But the speed Rhodes now displayed was genuinely terrifying.
Powerful attacks and formidable defense were manageable—after all, if you couldn't win, you could always retreat.
But this incredible speed was troublesome.
You might defeat him, but you couldn't kill him. And if you couldn't defeat him, you were finished—because escape became impossible!
"I wonder if Blackbeard's plan is reliable..." Doflamingo worried internally. Rhodes's strength exceeded his expectations—he couldn't handle this man alone and required a powerful ally.
Due to their previous discussions in Mariejois, he and Blackbeard had reached certain agreements.
At this moment, after eliminating another group of elite pirates, Rhodes finally encountered a worthy opponent.
Vista—one of the world's few Great Swordsmen.
"I heard you knew Ace. Why are you trying to kill him?" Vista, a dual-wielding swordsman, crossed his blades and stared coldly at Rhodes.
"Don't be ridiculous—this is a battlefield." Rhodes's expression remained indifferent, his right hand gripping his sword, the tip angled diagonally toward the ground.
"Come. Let me witness a Great Swordsman's power. If you can stop me here, I naturally won't trouble the Whitebeard Pirates further."
Vista's expression turned frigid, though he knew Rhodes spoke truthfully.
On the battlefield, there existed only opposing sides.
"I won't hold back."
Even without Rhodes's declaration, Vista wouldn't have let him pass—the man was too fast and his blade too sharp. Without a sufficiently powerful figure restraining him, Rhodes alone could inflict catastrophic casualties upon the Whitebeard Pirates.
"That's exactly what I'm hoping for."
Rhodes's expression remained composed, though his mind quietly focused and sharpened.
Vista of the Flower Swords might not match Mihawk's level, but he was definitely a Great Swordsman no weaker than Vice Admiral Momousagi—he couldn't be underestimated.
The next moment, Vista moved.
His speed wasn't exceptional, but his footwork proved unpredictable—shifting left and right, highly deceptive.
Flower Sword Style: Rose Rondo!
Like petals appearing and vanishing in an instant.
As Vista rushed before Rhodes, his figure suddenly trembled—as if flower petals were blooming—splitting into two additional images, six blades simultaneously slashing toward Rhodes.
"Hmm?"
Rhodes's expression shifted slightly, keenly sensing that all six strikes possessed genuine lethality. Without hesitation, he kicked off the ice.
Amidst flying ice fragments, a silver flash erupted, and Rhodes vanished from his position, evading Vista's assault.
"So fast?!"
Vista's strike slashed across the ice, leaving six sword marks of varying depths. Ignoring them, he whirled to locate Rhodes, his expression grave.
"A technique similar to Zoro's Demon Aura manifestation?" Rhodes frowned slightly, observing the sword marks on the ground. He hadn't expected this Great Swordsman to surprise him so quickly.
Perhaps due to the war's intensity, Vista's flower sword techniques constituted lethal strikes from the outset—no probing whatsoever.
"The advantage of dual-wielding is quite significant."
Rhodes shook his head thoughtfully. Single-sword style excelled in delivering unparalleled singular strikes—like Hawkeye's approach—while dual-wielding, triple-wielding, or greater numbers excelled through complex and unpredictable techniques, making them extraordinarily difficult to defend against.
Considering this, Rhodes reached out with his free left hand and drew his long-unused Sandai Kitetsu from his waist.
"You're also a dual-wielding swordsman?" Vista asked, slightly surprised.
"No, this is my first time attempting it. Please teach me well."
Rhodes replied calmly.
"You're seeking death."
Vista sneered. Regardless of whether Rhodes spoke truthfully, this constituted blatant disrespect toward him, a Great Swordsman.
Whoosh!
The next moment, he charged forward, engaging Rhodes in close combat, attempting to overwhelm him with superior swordsmanship.
Rhodes, however, showed no fear, also wielding dual blades to meet him.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The four swords clashed repeatedly, erupting into cascading sparks, the ear-splitting sound of metal collision echoing in all directions.
Occasionally, streaks of sword energy would rage outward, transforming the area surrounding them into a death zone—even slicing through the frozen ground.
"Blooming Petals!"
In the midst of fierce combat, Vista suddenly roared, swinging both swords in a blur—afterimages appearing around his body as he simultaneously slashed at Rhodes from multiple angles.
Yet Rhodes, also wielding dual blades, easily parried the attacks coming from all directions.
"This is his first time using dual swords?! Is he mocking me?!"
Vista maintained outward composure, but internally he cursed vehemently.
Little did he realize—this truly was Rhodes's first time employing dual swords in combat.
"The dual-wielding style suits me surprisingly well..."
Rhodes remained calm throughout the exchange.
The so-called dual-wielding style wasn't as simple as it appeared. Swinging a sword in each hand was naturally straightforward.
However, unleashing the peak power of both blades simultaneously—or coordinating them to produce devastating combination attacks—proved extremely difficult.
Setting aside physical coordination issues, even simple multitasking proved insufficient. One required at least three, or even four separate streams of consciousness to effortlessly control both swords and unleash their maximum potential simultaneously.
Otherwise, everyone would become a dual-wielding swordsman.
But with Rhodes's extraordinary mental processing and reflexes, wielding two swords posed no challenge whatsoever.
Initially, he was somewhat inexperienced, but his reaction speed was unparalleled in this world—he quickly adapted and matured in technique.
"I truly am a genius."
(End of Chapter)
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+10 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Review!
P*atreon/Soulforger (30+ advanced chapters)
Buy me coffee - ko-fi*com/soulforger01