On the battlefield, just as Kaido had predicted, Saitama broke through Ashveil's outer Conqueror's Haki field and immediately launched another powerful punch, aiming straight for Ashveil's unguarded position.
However, within ten meters of Ashveil's body, his fist stopped in midair again.
Saitama froze.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"There's another shield… a huge one within ten meters of your body!" he shouted, horrified by the invisible barrier halting his strike.
Ashveil smiled.
"Actually, this ten-meter radius Conqueror's Haki shield is the real barrier."
"As for the Conqueror's Haki covering a thousand meters… that's only because I have so much Conqueror's Haki that it naturally spreads out around me," Ashveil said casually.
His relaxed explanation sent a shock through the Whitebeard Pirates.
Golden Lion Shiki trembled.
"This guy Ashveil gets more terrifying every time he opens his mouth."
Whitebeard tightened his grip on his Supreme Grade weapon.
"Perhaps… this is Ashveil's true nature. His strength is beyond anything we can predict."
Hearing that, Saitama's lips twitched.
The shield he barely cracked with every ounce of his Consecutive Normal Punches… wasn't truly a shield at all?
It was just the overflow from Ashveil's absurd Conqueror's Haki?
The realization hit Saitama heavily.
"Fine then… I'll break this ten-meter shield in one go!"
Saitama roared, eyes sharp.
Back in the One-Punch Man World, Genos watched his mentor's expression change and nearly collapsed in shock.
Teacher Saitama was never emotional in battle.
For Saitama to shout like this… it meant he had met the strongest opponent of his entire life.
Saitama raised his fist.
His posture tightened.
His body leaned forward.
"Serious Series… Serious Punch!"
"Ashveil! This punch can obliterate stars. Let's see how you block it!"
His body curled into a perfect arc and released all power in a single motion.
The punch tore through the battlefield.
Air collapsed around him.
The sky twisted violently, the sea boiled, and every stone on the surface erupted into a storm.
The heroes watching through the dimensional broadcast were struck speechless.
"This is insane…"
"Is that really the Bald Cape Hero?" Atomic Samurai stuttered.
"With a punch like that… even a God-level monster would vanish instantly!"
Even Tatsumaki stopped looking down on him.
Her jaw hung open in disbelief.
Bang's eyes brightened with hope.
"This time… he might save our world."
Saitama's fist smashed into Ashveil's ten-meter Conqueror's Haki barrier.
The entire planet's clouds dispersed instantly.
The ground split apart like fractured glass.
The blast reached the core.
Debris and dust spiraled upward like a volcanic eruption.
Even the [Space-Time Pendulum] struggled, ringing loudly before unleashing a pulse of light that reconstructed the collapsing planet and expanded it to the size of Venus.
Everyone held their breath.
Then, Ashveil's voice echoed from within the storm.
"Not bad, Saitama. Since I obtained infinite Conqueror's Haki, you're the first person to push this far."
"To get within one centimeter of me," Ashveil added with a faint smile.
The One-Punch Man World felt a collective sting in their hearts.
One centimeter.
Only one centimeter away.
Bang squeezed his hands nervously.
"If only he pushed a little harder…"
Tatsumaki stared wide-eyed.
"One centimeter… that's infuriating!"
Atomic Samurai frowned.
"Come on Bald Cape Hero… can't you go any further?"
But they didn't understand.
Saitama was panting heavily.
Sweat poured down his forehead.
His fist trembled.
That last centimeter was an impenetrable wall.
The closer he got to Ashveil, the denser and purer the Conqueror's Haki became.
The resistance multiplied exponentially.
Within that single centimeter was a layer of invisible armor stronger than any matter in the universe.
It was this armor that stopped his Serious Punch.
Ashveil clapped lightly.
"Yokatta, Saitama. Your Serious Punch came within one centimeter of touching me, if it did I might have died."
The Pirate World fell into silence.
It had been a very long time since anyone came that close to Ashveil.
And this bald man had done it.
Ashveil's smile sharpened slightly.
"Now… it's my turn."
Before Saitama could prepare, a colossal Conqueror's Haki palm appeared above him, blotting out the sky.
Its shadow consumed the battlefield.
Saitama froze in alarm.
"This guy… this is insane!"
He bent his legs and leaped aside.
The giant palm slammed downward, grazing his cheek.
A thunderous explosion rocked the planet.
The impact carved a handprint ten thousand meters deep into the surface.
The darkness inside seemed endless.
Saitama exhaled shakily.
"That was close… way too close."
Ashveil's voice carried across the battlefield with warm admiration.
"Good reflexes. Dodging my Conqueror's Haki fist isn't easy."
The One-Punch Man World completely broke.
Bang's eyes bulged.
"In less than a second… that attack covered the entire sky?"
Tatsumaki trembled.
"My psychic power couldn't stop that. Not even slightly…"
Atomic Samurai dropped his sword.
Just the aftershock would obliterate him.
Genos stared blankly.
Teacher Saitama never dodged.
If he avoided the attack… it meant fear.
How terrifying was Ashveil to scare Saitama?
Saitama, however, wiped his face and grinned.
"I'm excited, Ashveil. Fighting someone like you… I could die happy."
"I've waited for this for so long!"
His muscles tightened.
He kicked off the ground, forming a massive crater.
Saitama shot forward like a cannonball.
"Killer Series… Killer Punch!"
The planet responded violently.
Thunder tore the sky.
Volcanoes erupted.
Oceans boiled.
Storms raged across continents.
The punch split the air and fractured space-time, revealing cracks like shattered glass.
Ashveil smirked.
"That's more like it, Saitama. Even I'm starting to feel thrilled."
Saitama's punch crashed into the inner Conqueror's Haki shield.
The ten-meter barrier shattered.
Fragments of Conqueror's Haki rained across the planet, each piece carving ten-thousand-meter craters into the ground.
The planet turned into a wasteland.
The [Space-Time Pendulum] trembled, reluctant to waste more power repairing the terrain.
Ten meters
One meter
One centimeter
Saitama reached that final point once more.
The Pirate World trembled.
Marco nearly jumped out of his seat.
"He got that close again? Is the shield finally breaking?!"
Since he had known Ashveil, no one ever broke through his shield.
Golden Lion stared blankly.
"So the Conqueror's Haki that seemed indestructible… is being pushed by this bald man?"
Whitebeard wiped sweat from his brow.
"That punch carried the power of a planet. Even Ashveil might not avoid it."
Even Shanks swallowed hard.
"This guy… the Bald Cape Hero… is he truly that strong?"
Beckman's cigarette fell from his lips.
"Yes. The people of that other world… they surpass even Imu now."
Lucky Roux, Yasopp, and the rest of the crew could only gape.
Someone from another world… had pushed Thorne Ashveil within a breath of defeat.
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