Chapter 231: Zoan-Type Powerhouse
"This power... it can definitely..."
Seeing this scene from afar, Law's eyes lit up with an astonishing gleam, as if he had glimpsed hope itself.
The more he witnessed on the Grand Line, the clearer Law became about the true strength of the Donquixote Family and Doflamingo.
He knew deeply that his own strength alone was absolutely insufficient to defeat the powerful Doflamingo and avenge Corazon.
Therefore, he had long been paying attention to the new generation of powerful figures on the seas, trying to find suitable allies.
He had considered his fellow Supernovas—Luffy and Kid—but Kid was dead, and although Luffy had shown sufficient potential, he was still far too immature.
At that time, the Dragon Slayer Swordsman, who had a grudge against Doflamingo, came into his view. Rhodes was remarkably famous, having easily defeated the previous Supernova Cavendish, and later even fighting on par with Admiral Kizaru.
This excited Law, but he hadn't fully committed yet—after all, even a Marine Admiral's strength might not be enough to kill Doflamingo.
However, during the Marineford War, Rhodes' performance was truly astounding, shaking the entire world.
Law finally made up his mind.
But after waiting for over a month in Sabaody Archipelago without seeing Rhodes, he had reluctantly given up.
"I wonder who's stronger between these two," Bepo the polar bear whispered nervously, implying that if Rhodes was weaker, they should flee immediately.
"The Dragon Slayer Swordsman should be stronger, right?" Law said uncertainly.
"That's not necessarily true. I heard Spark is an Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit user with incredible regenerative abilities—he might not be weaker than Rhodes."
"In a fight between these two, Rhodes has a very slim margin for error. After all, he's just an ordinary human without any special regenerative powers."
Bonney, the gluttonous Supernova, was somewhat annoyed with Rhodes because he had injured Whitebeard during the Marineford War.
Although it had been a fair one-on-one duel, she was still displeased.
Of course, what she said did make some sense.
Meanwhile, in the battlefield,
Rhodes, observing Spark's rapid recovery, couldn't help but feel impressed.
A Zoan-type Devil Fruit ability developed to a high level was indeed incredibly powerful.
Normal warriors, even powerhouses like Rhodes who possessed monstrous physical strength and vitality, only had average recovery abilities—making it impossible for them to heal injuries as quickly as Spark.
"This rapid healing must have its limits and consume stamina or life force, right?"
Rhodes narrowed his eyes slightly.
Conquering the New World would almost inevitably involve facing Kaido's Beast Pirates, so Rhodes needed a thorough understanding of Zoan-type Devil Fruit users.
Know your enemy and you need not fear a hundred battles.
After observing for a moment, Rhodes couldn't discern any clear weaknesses—perhaps because the injury wasn't severe enough.
So he suddenly moved.
Having undergone his life transformation, Rhodes' physique had strengthened considerably. His power had increased dramatically, and although his speed didn't increase as much as his strength, it was still significantly improved.
Whoosh!
A flash of silver-blue light appeared, creating a violent gust of wind. Those watching could barely track the moving figure with their eyes.
This was extreme speed!
Spark's Kenbunshoku Haki buzzed wildly, but he couldn't predict Rhodes' movements at all. However, he was experienced—he had encountered opponents with such incredible speed before.
He suddenly let out a bestial roar, transforming into his half-beast form.
While this form lacked the raw power of his fully transformed beast state, it granted him greater agility and flexibility, making him better suited to dealing with speed-based opponents. The thick scales covering his body also enhanced his defense significantly.
Almost the instant he completed his transformation,
a bolt of silver-blue lightning suddenly tore through the air, striking Spark's body and briefly paralyzing him.
Immediately afterward, a figure materialized, thrusting a sword directly toward Spark's heart.
Whoosh!
The air hissed and crackled, layers of shockwaves swirling around the blade's tip.
The sword easily breached Spark's Armament Haki defenses and continued its lethal thrust toward his heart.
However, after penetrating several inches, Rhodes noticed that Spark's muscles contracted violently, clamping down on the blade. The sword tip encountered immense resistance, only able to advance inch by agonizing inch.
By this time, Spark had recovered from the paralysis. He could feel the blade piercing deeper into his body, the searing pain of electrical burns returning with vengeance.
But Spark ignored the agony, instead clenching his massive fist and slamming it down at Rhodes, adopting a stance of mutual destruction.
This was actually a favorite combat tactic of Zoan-type Devil Fruit users—trading damage for damage.
"He recovered from the paralysis so quickly?"
Rhodes hadn't expected Spark's resistance to lightning to be so strong. His recovery time was nearly on par with what Blackbeard had demonstrated.
At this moment, Shodai Kitetsu was still embedded in Spark's chest, and Rhodes didn't have time to react before being struck squarely in the chest by Spark's devastating punch.
Before the impact, Rhodes had coated his chest with a massive concentration of Armament Haki.
His Busoshoku Haki, enhanced by his transformed physique, had improved significantly, making his defense incredibly formidable. Concentrated at his chest, it resembled an indestructible suit of armor.
BOOM!
With a thunderous impact, an invisible shockwave exploded through the air.
Rhodes was sent flying by Spark's punch, his entire body seemingly transformed into a cannonball, crashing heavily through the tall building behind him.
With a deafening roar, the structure was demolished by Rhodes' body, but his trajectory showed no sign of stopping.
Spark's punch had clearly been delivered with all his fury and might.
In mid-air,
Rhodes coughed up a small amount of blood, feeling the pressure ease in his chest, and then began using Geppo to slow his momentum.
However, he found this method too slow. Relying solely on Geppo, he would still fly at least several hundred meters, demolishing several more buildings in the process.
While this wouldn't result in serious injury, it would still be embarrassing.
He could lose anything but face.
At that moment, inspiration struck Rhodes, and he suddenly released a sphere of electromagnetic energy toward a steel lamppost he had just passed.
Meanwhile, Rhodes, still hurtling through the air at breakneck speed, conjured another sphere of electromagnetic energy in his hand.
The intense electromagnetic force within the two spheres attracted each other, causing Rhodes to gradually decelerate before finally landing smoothly on the ground.
After landing, Rhodes wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked up at Spark.
Spark was also in terrible condition. The portion of the blade that had pierced his body earlier could still be felt—that terrifying sensation of the sword tip threatening his heart remained sharp and cold.
After knocking Rhodes away, he himself had paid a heavy price.
Due to the angle, Shodai Kitetsu had tilted upward as it was withdrawn from his body, leaving a gruesome vertical gash across his chest.
Upon closer inspection, one could even glimpse his beating heart through the wound.
Such an injury would be considered critical even for a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user.
Spark's face was pale, turning ashen, as if the recovery from such a severe wound had consumed a tremendous amount of his stamina and life force.
"It's recovering again... but his aura seems noticeably weaker..."
In the distance, Rhodes observed intently, noting important details.
Spark was an Ancient Zoan user, a powerful pirate of considerable reputation. While perhaps not as formidable as Jack the Drought or Kaido himself, he still provided valuable data, allowing Rhodes to better understand the capabilities and limitations of Zoan-type users.
(End of Chapter)
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