If it were before, she might have felt her dignity and pride were being challenged by this woman's words, but having spent time with Sage, she understood one thing.
The winner takes all.
Illiterates don't reason, but they prove the point through their actions.
If they lose, they are despicable Pirates.
If they win... then they are noble victors!
She remembered standing on the deck, watching Sage with a smile as he clenched his fist against the storm, and after uttering those words, Sage added...
She raised White Thunder, pointed at Tihana, and said, "Only those with big fists can talk sense!"
"Who are you?" Tihana's gaze sharpened.
She knew 'Disaster' Norton Sage, aside from observing his crazy behavior at the Summit War, she also received images of Sage massacring nobles in Augustine Castle.
Now it seemed, this woman couldn't be underestimated either!
Supreme King Haki isn't that rare in the New World, although Tihana lacked that talent, she didn't think those with talent were necessarily stronger than those without.
That was rather an unstable factor.
However, such a statement was much more formidable than Supreme King Haki, it was simply...
A source of chaos that must be eradicated!
"Bienta Lily."
Speaking, Lily swung her sword sharply, unleashing a Flying Bird Slash, and shouted, "Deal with them!"
The Pirates following behind roared in unison, crashing with the over ten thousand soldiers rushing from behind Tihana, causing droplets of blood to burst under the moonlight, forming a melee.
The attempt to release Supreme King Haki was blocked by this woman, but it didn't matter...
Sword Masters are fearless of these!
"Moon Shadow!"
Clang!
The Soaring Slash was swiftly countered by Tihana's whip blade, a flash of silver shot upward as she darted forward like a serpent in attack, turning into an afterimage, reaching Lily.
But this strike was empty, as Lily was faster than this incoming attack, dashing a bolt of lightning to Tihana's side, the slender sword reflecting a silver glow in the moonlight, thrusting straight at Tihana.
"Mastering speed, are you..."
A red dot flickered in Tihana's eyes as she sensed it through Observation Haki, sidestepping, the whip blade in her hand vibrated instantly, forming wave-like shapes that collided with the thrusting slender sword, creating a crisp sound, also forcing the slender sword upward, taking advantage of this, she swung over the vibrating whip blade.
Hiss hiss hiss!
The wave-like whip blade struck two battling Pirates, instantly cutting their bodies with rows of slits, making them stumble.
Lily flashed to the other side, swinging her sword with a thunderous strike, severing the heads of several soldiers.
"Mastery in technique."
She flicked the slender sword, casting off the blood droplets from the blade, looking at Tihana.
Sword Masters on the sea mostly excel in technique, speed, and strength, though not fully all-rounded, they have their specialties.
Lily had once fought against Roronoa Zoro of the Straw Hat Pirates, whose advantage was strength.
This woman, using a whip blade, excels more in controlling technique.
Very formidable!
"If I don't defeat you, I can't get to Augustine?"
Tihana glanced around at the battle situation, slightly frowning, though she had the numbers and elite troops to suppress a batch of Pirates, some Pirates stood out and even gained an upper hand in battle.
Those might be executives of the Disaster Pirates, likely holding bounties, having such power was not unexpected, but those with entirely black eyes numbering roughly two to three hundred were indeed a big nuisance, almost unscathed, immediately eliminating a soldier from her side with each move.
If the battle isn't resolved quickly, even reaching Augustine might leave her alone.
In terms of war... she's on the brink of defeat!
If there's less than ten thousand, she cannot stop William's advance.
Need a swift, decisive battle!
Tihana took a deep breath, clenching her whip blade fiercely, swinging surgically towards Lily, the whip vibrating, rapidly becoming layer upon layer of silver glows like flowing water.
"Water Moon of Chaos!"
Soaring Slash!
Lily held the sword grip tightly, swiftly thrusting forward, turning into paths of afterimages, almost like a needle bar, dispatching a flock of flying birds.
"Flying Bird Forest!"
Boom boom boom boom!
Flying birds clashed with the moon, echoing waves of impacts, Lily's form flashed, carrying flashes of lightning, darting low to Tihana's side, delivering a vertical slash.
"Flying Bird Raid!"
"New Moon!"
Tihana swiftly swung the whip blade to defend, forming a crescent shape on the side, blocking Lily's powerful slash, clashing with the sword blade, shaking the whip blade from side to side, angling White Thunder away, turning into a circle, sweeping across.
"Full Moon!"
"Moon Step..."
Bang!
Lily stomped the air, floating above, reversed the sword grip gracefully while air stepping, quickly slicing White Thunder downward, creating three vertical slash lines reminiscent of cat's claw marks.
"Gale Attack!"
Sizzle!!
The slash struck the ground, cutting three deep furrows into the earth, Tihana already sidestepping to dodge revealed surprise, yet kept moving, flicking the whip blade upwards, creating two intertwined moon-like slash wheels.
"Twin Moon!"
Bang bang bang!
Lily rapidly air-stepped, forming a chain of smoke rings, the blade in her hand like a thunderbolt tearing through the night sky, showing a curved arc, dodging the two wheels of Soaring Slashes and heading straight for Tihana.
"This move..."
Tihana's red lips curled, her eyes with red dots, gazing at the approaching shadow, saying: "It can curve."
Swoosh!
Just before Lily's thrust, something seemed to sense, the thrusting sword blade suddenly raised higher, hearing two crisp sounds, the curving slash wheels collided with her sword blade, the impact causing a tremor in her hand.
At this moment, she caught a glimpse of a dark shadow from the corner of her eye.
That silver-white whip blade tainted with a black aura, in a bizarre angle that couldn't be evaded, enveloped Lily.
"Tsukuyomi·String!"
Haki!
Lily's pupils contracted, gritting her silver teeth, gripping the sword grip, stopping the blade's tremble, raising it high entwined with two spirals of blackness, also wrapped in Haki, slicing downward.
"Flying Bird·Falcon!"
As her Haki exploded with the downward slice, external Haki first blocked the cunning whip blade, causing a momentary stall, during which Lily retracted, changing the sword from slash to thrust, aiming for Tihana's chest.
Screech!
The same tearing sound echoed, bringing their figures to retreat.
Lily glanced down, the armor skirt near her waist was torn open, revealing much of her grip-able waist, and the upper section with a bit trembling white smoothness.
Tihana instead clutched the top of her chest, the water drop-shaped armor was largely torn, only hanging over the essential points, covered by her hand, oozing crimson between her slender fingers.
Their gaze locked in unison, Lily's sword blade glimmered blacklight, striking the flowing water-like whip blade.
Clang!
Clang clang clang!!
Crisp sounds incessantly rang, amidst the black light of slashes and thrusts, the flow-like whip blade guarded entirely, waiting to counterattack, yet unable to capture Lily's speed.
But Lily's speed couldn't penetrate the seemingly water-tight whip blade, only able to persistently change direction and angle, her speed almost invisible, only seen through the flashing black thunder from the sword blade, surrounding the almost spherical whip blade's attack.
Speed and technique.
Offense and defense.
Increasingly clever angles and nearing-perfect flexibility.
Woman... against woman!