In an instant, Sword Saint Bickley unleashed a heaven-shattering slash toward the Crow in front of him. The force of the strike pierced the sky, sending a wave of sword intent that disintegrated the dense black Crows in an instant, leaving only a mist of blood.
Crows fell from the sky one by one, their remains staining the ground. The Northern Army Commander, Crow, wiped sweat from his forehead. The combat power of the man before him was staggering; the slash he had just executed was indisputably superior even to the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk.
Beyond the collapsing illusion of the Crows, volleys of fire cannonballs rained down on Bickley. He curled his lips in a faint smirk, disdain evident in his expression.
"You Revolutionary Army, before Ashveil appeared, you were deemed the World Government's most wanted. Is this truly all the skill you possess? Attempting to defeat me with such petty tricks is laughable!" Bickley said with icy contempt.
His body glowed faintly with Armament Haki, allowing him to take the full brunt of the cannon fire without raising his sword. Volleys exploded against him, producing smoke and fire, yet not a scratch appeared on him.
The Southern District Commander's frown deepened. These bombs were Tech No. 8, created through advanced experimentation. Even if they couldn't harm Bickley, they should have at least forced him into defense. Yet his abnormal resilience rendered them useless.
"Do not underestimate us, Sword Saint!" Sabo suddenly appeared in the sky, his iron staff turning pitch-black, swinging it with lethal precision.
Bickley did not draw his Holy Sword. With a calm, effortless motion, he blocked the strike with his left arm.
Boom!
The collision sent a shockwave through the air. Sabo's eyes widened in disbelief—his Dragon Fist-enhanced attack was easily repelled. Worse, the Sword Saint moved with such ease, revealing he had not even exerted his full strength.
In an instant, Bickley exerted a measured counterforce from his arm, unleashing a terrifying power that sent Sabo flying backward despite his aerial advantage.
"Your martial arts are decent, kid, but still insufficient," Bickley remarked, his calm expression unshaken.
Before the stalemate could continue, two more forces approached, their presence amplified by a crimson glow. Ivankov and Revolutionary Army Dragon surged forward simultaneously.
Ivankov, having enhanced his strength with a dose of special medicine, launched a Death Wink, his legs a blur of deadly power. The attack struck Bickley's left arm, yet the Sword Saint's Armament Haki manifested as a sacred white aura, barely holding the strike at bay.
Then came Dragon.
"Well done!" Dragon shouted. The previous attacks, though seemingly insignificant, had forced the Sword Saint into using one arm plus Haki, destabilizing his aura slightly.
Dragon seized this opening, channeling his power into a devastating close-range strike. Dark clouds blanketed the sky, lightning danced across his body, and his fist became a spinning whirlwind—a level 20 tornado infused with Devil Fruit power, capable of tearing apart anything in its path.
"This is Dragon's ultimate move! Countless peerless warriors have fallen to this technique!" Ivankov exclaimed.
Even Sabo stared in shock. He had underestimated Dragon, assuming his dominance relied mostly on martial prowess akin to Garp's. Yet the sheer destructive potential of Dragon's fist revealed his mastery of Devil Fruit power and Haki in combination.
The Sword Saint narrowed his eyes. The man before him was far stronger than anticipated, explaining why Dragon had been a significant threat to the World Government even before Ashveil's appearance.
Activating his Observation Haki to its peak, Bickley's right arm swelled with muscle, and his Holy Sword blazed with divine light. He swung it against Dragon's fist, releasing a white sword intent that filled the heavens and earth.
The collision of storm and sword power left the sky in chaos, lightning and thunder clashing violently. Winds and rain whipped in a furious storm as the two titans faced off, their battle threatening to tear apart the surrounding World Headquarters.
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I'll be dropping a 50% discount code for my Patreon membership on the 15th, in celebration of the upcoming Christmas season.
The code will be active from that day until the end of the month.
Stay tuned