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Strictly speaking, this was Rowen and Shanks' first serious fight.
During their last encounter in the New World War, both sides understood that the conflict wouldn't escalate to its full potential. Their battle was restrained, primarily focused on probing each other's strengths and weaknesses.
But this time, Shanks was genuinely enraged!
Whether it was Rowen weighing his character aboard his ship years ago or Rayleigh and Mihawk both falling to Rowen's strength, Shanks could understand it. Everyone has their own path to walk; those were choices they made themselves. Shanks wouldn't blame others for such things; he respected their decisions.
But this time was different!
This time, Rowen had harmed his companion!
For Shanks, who considered adventuring alongside his crew his everything, this was unacceptable. He would let his sword teach Rowen what it meant to harm his comrades!
"Die!"
High in the air, the two clashed fiercely. Shanks suddenly pulled back his Griffin and thrust it toward Rowen, whose previous momentum had been spent.
"As expected of a swordsman who dueled Mihawk at Reverse Mountain. Even with just one hand, your swordsmanship is unmatched!"
Faced with the incoming blade, Rowen's eyes burned with battle intent. He swung his Thunder Dragon Crescent-Sided Halberd upward, slicing horizontally to counter.
In the world of martial arts, speed is invincible.
No matter how exquisite the sword technique is, it must hit its target to be effective!
Clang!!!
With a deafening screech, both fighters froze in place before suddenly plummeting downward. The rushing wind howled past their ears as the weightless sensation of falling from high above struck them.
Between them, the dark and fierce crescent weapon locked tightly against Griffin's hilt. Rowen rotated his hand, using the crescent blade as a fulcrum and the halberd's pole as leverage, locking Griffin firmly in place.
Shanks frowned and exerted his strength, but from this angle, breaking free would require triple his usual power.
At this moment, in pure muscular strength, Shanks found himself evenly matched with Rowen!
"He's grown stronger again?!"
Shanks took a sharp breath. He vividly recalled their last clash during the New World War when his strength still held the advantage. Yet now, after only a short time, Rowen's power had increased yet again.
"This monster… does he have no limits?!"
Most people plateau after reaching a certain level of strength, often struggling for their entire lives to break through. Progress becomes rare. But each time Shanks encountered Rowen, the latter had grown stronger than before, seemingly without end, his power unfathomable.
'Super Electromagnetic Cannon Punch!'
Rowen cared little for what Shanks was thinking. Prolonging this stalemate would send them both into the sea, which was unfavorable for him. But he had one advantage—two hands.
One hand abruptly released the halberd's pole, forming a fist that struck Shanks' chest at close range.
"Bring it on!!"
Shanks calmed his thoughts, his arm muscles swelling as he wrenched Griffin free from his single-handed grasp on the halberd and countered with an upward slash.
Boom!!
Dozens of meters away, the seawater exploded violently, and white spray erupted like a towering fountain.
In the next instant, two figures shot out from the spray, landing in front of their respective flagships.
Thud! Thud!
The heavy impacts caused the Qilin and The Red Force to tilt, causing their sterns to rise.
Amid the cascading spray, Rowen's left hand bore a deep wound down to the bone, while Shanks' arm trembled slightly, showing that breaking through Rowen's punch had not been easy for him either.
"Heh!"
"So, you're getting old, Shanks."
Waiting for his hand wound to heal, Rowen smirked coldly.
"It seems the only one in the New World truly at their peak… is Kaido, huh?"
Whether it was Shanks, Big Mom, or Whitebeard, Rowen had observed the marks of time on them. The most direct evidence was that Shanks' attacks no longer gave him a sense of mortal danger.
Perhaps his strength had risen after surpassing Whitebeard and Blackbeard, lifting a mental block. Still, Rowen clearly felt that Shanks' strikes had gradually weakened with time.
Of course, this was natural. Such changes occur over the years. To ordinary people, unable to stand at their level, these shifts would be imperceptible.
"Everyone grows old, Soryu (Azure Dragon). That is the world's way, the law of all things."
"But… isn't it a bit early for you to lecture me on this?"
Swoosh! Splash!
Suddenly, The Red Force's stern, having risen high, slammed downward as its momentum ceased, causing the bow to jerk upward violently. Similar in size to the Qilin, but significantly lighter, The Red Force fell first, catapulting Shanks forward like a seesaw.
''Overlord Sword: Emperor Comes'!'
With one sword stroke, the heavens changed color. The terrifying Haoshoku Haki seemed to freeze time itself. A suffocating pressure stilled the sea, silencing all wind, water, and cannon fire. The world plunged into eerie silence.
Rowen's composed and stern expression froze on his face. His sharp eyes locked forward… but Shanks was no longer there.
Shanks had already rushed forward, closing the distance in an instant.
In the spiritual realm constructed by Emperor Comes, Shanks alone moved at normal speed. Unless someone wielded stronger Haoshoku Haki to break through it, he was the sole master of this world.
So, he was hailed as the "most Haki-infused man in the world" because, to this day, no one had ever directly broken through this move!
Neither Kaido, Whitebeard, nor Big Mom dared to face Shanks' ultimate attack head-on.
But!
"Never directly broken through" ≠ "Never broken through."
At the very moment Griffin's blade was about to pierce Rowen's neck, Shanks noticed something— Rowen moved.
His expression and demeanor remained as still as a sculpture, yet his eyes turned to meet Shanks' gaze.
It was akin to walking past a corridor of portraits where the unmoving eyes of one painting suddenly shifted to stare at you— a chilling and uncanny sight.
The next moment, Emperor Comes reached its limit. The grim, crown-like domain shattered with a deafening bang, and time returned to reality.
Clink…
Crash!!!
A crisp clang was followed by a loud impact. Rowen was sent hurtling like a cannonball, gouging a deep trench across the deck, and smashing through wooden planks and walls before crashing into the ship's cabin.
"Admiral!"
Gasps erupted across the deck as soldiers rushed toward the cabin to assist Rowen.
"Huff… huff…"
Shanks stood where Rowen had been moments ago, panting heavily. Sweat poured down his body, soaking the golden qilin figurehead beneath his feet, giving it a peculiar sheen.
"Shanks!"
Taking advantage of a break in his own skirmish, Beckman shook off the Marines besieging him and rushed to Shanks' side.
"Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine…"
Shanks weakly shook his head, pausing briefly before forcing a wry smile.
"Hey, Beckman… do you think I'm really getting old?"
Beckman froze for a moment, then broke into a carefree laugh.
"You? Talking about age in front of me? Are you trying to make me mad?"
Shanks, not yet forty, could hardly be called "old" in the presence of Beckman, who was nearing fifty.
"Uh…"
Shanks scratched his head, looking up at Beckman's amused grin. He straightened up and replied, "You're right. I almost let the Soryu (Azure Dragon)'s words get to me again."
"Phew…"
Exhaling deeply, Shanks' expression turned serious.
"Go help the others handle those Vice Admirals, Beckman."
"Leave this one to me!"
Beckman's pupils dilated in shock, disbelief flooding his face.
"It's impossible… Did he block it again?!"
Block 'Overlord Sword: Emperor Comes', Shanks' most powerful technique?! How many times had this happened already?!
"No, 'block' would be an overstatement," Shanks corrected, shaking his head. "But he's getting close to it."
Boom!
As if to punctuate his statement, a shadow leaped from the wreckage of the shattered cabin, landing firmly on the deck.
"That hurt!"
Rowen tilted his head back, gazing skyward while touching his neck. His hand came away smeared with blood.
However, Shanks and his crew could clearly see that beneath the layer of blood, the gaping wound on Rowen's neck had already healed, leaving no trace of injury.
"As I thought, I'll have to rely on Seastone to deal with this move. Trying to break it now was a bit too ambitious of me."
Creak, creak!
Rowen slowly twisted his neck, the joints cracking audibly.
Whoosh!!
Gripping the Thunder Halberd, Rowen's expression turned serene, a calm smile gracing his lips.
"Shall we continue?"
(End of Chapter)