Chapter 283: Sword Aura Sweeps Across the Sky
To be honest, it had been quite some time since Rhodes had felt his battle spirit truly ignite.
Neither Doflamingo nor Jack the Drought could force him to go all out.
But Sakazuki's overall strength was undoubtedly on par with his own—second only to the Yonko themselves!
Even among top-tier combatants, there existed varying levels of power.
CP agent Kalos was undoubtedly at the bottom.
Above him were Borsalino and Kuzan, as well as the aged, weakened, and heavily injured Shiki.
Above that tier were Rhodes, Sakazuki, and Blackbeard with his single Devil Fruit ability.
Finally, there were the Yonko.
The difference between each level wasn't dramatic—just marginally stronger.
And that "marginally stronger" was genuinely slight. Specifically, in a battle to the death, the win rate hovered around fifty-fifty.
Of course, win rates fluctuated depending on individual characteristics and matchups.
For example, if Kaido of the Beasts and Sakazuki fought to the death, relying on his near-immortal vitality, Sakazuki would most likely fall first.
But in a duel between Rhodes and Sakazuki at the same tier, the odds were roughly even.
Rhodes' swordsmanship was incredibly sharp, while Sakazuki's combat techniques were equally domineering and explosive.
The power of lightning and the power of magma weren't mutually exclusive—their strengths roughly balanced.
While Rhodes' speed surpassed Sakazuki's, he was slightly weaker in Armament Haki and raw physical power.
"This is exactly the kind of opponent I need."
Rhodes chuckled. Only through combat—genuine battles against equal opponents—could Rhodes feel sufficient pressure to glimpse the realm of a true Dai-Kengo, the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two pillars of magma erupted from the ground, attacking Rhodes from both flanks.
Rhodes remained composed, conjuring two lightning spears to intercept them head-on while simultaneously unleashing a sword slash. A massive silver sword aura tore through the air, seemingly capable of severing anything in its path.
Sakazuki, charging forward at tremendous speed, couldn't evade in time and was forced to halt, unleashing a devastating breath of fire.
BOOM!
The collision between magma and sword aura resembled a clash between a dark crimson world and a silver world, weaving together earth-shattering energy fluctuations.
Swoosh!
Almost instantly, a figure wreathed in silver light appeared beside Sakazuki, slashing downward with his blade.
Sakazuki's Observation Haki detected Rhodes' attack. He threw a punch, Armament Haki coating his magma fist as it collided with the blade.
CLANG!
Rhodes' free left hand suddenly gripped the hilt of his Raigiri at his waist, abruptly executing an iai strike.
Swoosh!
A flash of cold light appeared.
Raigiri's lightning-infused properties fully exploited its speed advantage. In the blink of an eye, Sakazuki was instantly cleaved in two by Raigiri.
But Rhodes showed no satisfaction. As a Marine Admiral proficient in Observation Haki, preemptively transforming into elemental form to avoid attacks was child's play.
He immediately turned to his right.
Almost instantly, from the churning magma pooling on the ground, Sakazuki's figure reformed. His eyes cold, he threw a devastating punch aimed directly at Rhodes' head.
"Inugami Guren!"
This attack was incredibly fast, possessing the explosive impact of a volcanic eruption—but Rhodes was prepared, calmly intercepting with his sword.
CLANG!
Raigiri and the magma fist collided, sparks flying instantly—the result of blade striking Armament Haki.
"Thunder Slash!"
Rhodes unleashed the advantage of his dual-wielding style, wielding Shusui in his other hand and releasing a surge of intense lightning power as he cleaved through the air.
"Tch!"
Sakazuki was too slow to dodge completely. Although he'd preemptively transformed into elemental form to avoid the sword aura from Shusui, he couldn't escape the wide-ranging lightning discharge and was blasted backward, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki!"
In the distance, the Marines were shaken. Aside from the initial two exchanges, their Fleet Admiral hadn't gained any clear advantage!
Was this truly the strength of the strongest rookie, the Thunder God Swordsman?
"Is the battle this intense already?"
Jinbe and the others in the research institute couldn't help but feel worried and tense.
The facility was far from the coastline, yet they could still clearly feel the increasingly violent tremors.
The battle's energy seemed capable of sinking the entire island. The terrifying roars were deafening even from this distance.
It was absolutely terrifying!
By this time, most of the equipment and materials in the research institute had been relocated, and Jinbe and the others were organizing the children to enter the dimensional portal.
Rhodes had promised Monet he would properly care for these children—and he never broke his word!
The children clearly sensed the terror as well. Though their eyes brimmed with tears and fear filled their hearts, they still ran into the spatial passage under the Dressrosa soldiers' careful guidance.
"I will incinerate all evil—and you will be no exception!"
After being blasted backward by Rhodes, Sakazuki's eyes turned ice-cold. The magma coating his body surged rapidly. Ignoring his injuries, he charged toward Rhodes with fierce, almost suicidal determination.
"Meigomu!"
The magma surged and transformed into a massive canine form as Sakazuki launched his attack, spinning and lunging at Rhodes with devastating force.
"Enough with the self-righteous speeches. If you've got the strength, then kill me."
Rhodes remained expressionless, taking a step forward without dodging or retreating. He crossed both swords, unleashing a cross-shaped sword aura that instantly shattered the magma hound.
The remaining sword energy continued forward, tearing through the earth and creating a fissure hundreds of meters long.
Swoosh!
Sakazuki dodged the sword aura first before bursting forward to Rhodes' side, engaging him in close-quarters combat.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Thunderous explosions resounded across the battlefield like countless artillery shells detonating simultaneously.
Waves of destructive energy rippled outward in all directions, hurling massive boulders and ancient trees alike.
Wherever the two combatants passed, it was like a bulldozer tearing through—rending the earth apart and destroying everything in their path!
"Too powerful!"
The Marine officers stood dumbfounded, staring at the deep chasms that had opened up, seawater already pouring in.
They could clearly feel the island sinking incrementally, showing ominous signs of complete collapse!
"What should we do? Provide support?"
A Rear Admiral swallowed hard, speaking hoarsely.
A Vice Admiral glared at him in exasperation,
"What are you thinking? Didn't you see those shockwaves? We'd probably have to go all out just to withstand even a single one. If we go over there, we'll only distract Fleet Admiral Sakazuki!"
Or perhaps even get killed by him, the Vice Admiral silently added mentally.
The Marine officers understood Sakazuki's combat philosophy all too well.
If anyone dared interfere and hinder him, Sakazuki would show absolutely no mercy.
"The Thunder God Swordsman..."
Vergo's expression grew heavy, and a hint of regret inevitably arose within him.
Back when Rhodes had just debuted, he'd offended the Donquixote Family. Vergo had actually possessed opportunities to act against him, but due to certain concerns, he hadn't given the rookie much thought.
Who could have imagined that in less than a year, the once-inexperienced newcomer would grow into such a terrifying monster?
Even the mighty Donquixote Family had crumbled because of him, and Doflamingo himself had paid the ultimate price.
Now, Rhodes was fighting the Fleet Admiral to a standstill.
A sense of foreboding gradually rose in Vergo's heart.
Could today's deadly trap truly capture the Thunder God Swordsman?
(End of Chapter)
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