"Enough already...!"
Neck, shoulders, stomach, chest.
Since his legs were already gone, I aimed for everything else, unleashing a barrage of kicks and Cat Bite attacks, but...
"You're dealing with years of experience, kid! You think it'd be that easy to land a hit?!"
Most of my attacks were deflected, and even when they connected, he shifted at the moment of impact, leaving me with no solid hit!
Damn, he's strong!
Infuriating, but undeniably strong!
Damn it, couldn't this old bastard's back just give out right about now?!
(Preparing to launch a flying slash... no! It's a feint!)
I switched the flow of haki I was using for Cat Bite, solidly reinforcing my legs in preparation. In that instant, the damn geezer charged at incredible speed, his sword-leg replacement flying toward my neck.
CLANG...!
"Tch... this bastard can read moves too."
"My sparring partners are guys who'd take my head off given the slightest opening! I taste that kind of pressure every day!"
I managed to catch his blade with my foot, but damn, his haki is heavy!
Well, I can still handle it!
Never thought I'd discover here that Mihawk and Rayleigh had been properly holding back with me!
"Jihahaha! For someone your age, you've been through quite the battlefields. Impressive!"
Don't casually chat while combining your ability attacks!
You're trying to crush me with debris from my blind spot, right? I can see that much coming!
(If I create distance, he'll just be troublesome again. I'll shoot it down!)
It's not for nothing that I've been dealing with double-layered 360-degree omnidirectional attacks every day!
Engaging an opponent in front of me while intercepting attacks without looking is child's play!
I launched a no-look Cat Bite version of "Screen Breaker," blasting away the incoming debris.
Unlike before, the unlit debris was blown harmlessly toward the sea. Seeing this, Golden Lion laughed aggressively with his "Jihahahaha!"
"Interesting. I didn't expect you to be capable of this much. To think someone your age could train themselves to face me head-on like this..."
"While I may lack in actual combat experience, the quality of my trials is second to none."
After all, how many characters in the original story have the experience of fighting nonstop for three days without food, water, or sleep against the dual killers of the 'Dark King' and 'Hawk Eyes'?!
"Ah, absolutely. I can feel in my bones that you've been in unimaginable battlefields. But you know..."
"Kid, at your age, you don't need to be in such a hurry to die, do you? You're young with a future ahead of you, so maybe you should reconsider how you're living your life..."
"Don't you dare worry about me, you bastard!!!"
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
(Still, this brat is seriously incredible... At such a young age, what kind of experiences does someone need to become this kind of pirate?!)
All the debris attacks that doubled as obstacles were being evaded.
(Leg-based combat with speed rivaling ability users. He probably had high aptitude for Observation Haki originally, but he's exceeded the limits of what can be trained through imitation in a short time!)
Even the burning debris he kept dropping on the Holy Land, anything that might deal a fatal blow or fall where he sensed life was instantly pulverized and blown away by those powerful long-range kicks.
(Damn, if I could lure him to that island I found earlier, I could definitely capture him and bring him back...!)
It would be too wasteful to kill him here.
His combat prowess was undeniably exceptional.
He was clever, and anyone could tell after a brief conversation that he was fundamentally earnest.
While he was troublesome as an enemy, once he became an ally, there would be few men more reliable.
If possible, he wanted to bring both him and his subordinates under his command.
"What's wrong?! Is the steering wheel in your head acting up?!"
"Don't underestimate your senior, rookie!"
But it wouldn't be that simple.
A pirate worth having at his side was also proof that he was an incredibly troublesome pirate.
The moment he showed any opening, a sharp kick came flying toward his head.
A kick that was barely visible passed by his neck with a sound like a rifle bullet, just barely grazing where he'd moved his head.
He counterattacked with a strike from his sword-leg, but it had been blocked by a haki-infused foot every time.
(What the hell is with this guy's haki?! Having strong haki is one thing, but the speed at which he applies it is abnormal! What kind of training creates this kind of technique?!)
Normally, once you coat yourself with Armament Haki, you don't release it until some kind of resolution is reached.
In contrast, this Kuro was using haki with such precision that a single misjudgment could result in serious damage.
When attacking, he only coated the striking foot with haki at the moment of the kick, and by the time he pulled back, the haki was already released.
For defense, he only applied the minimum amount to the exact spot at the exact moment needed.
If he got the location wrong or couldn't apply it in time, he could easily lose limbs.
(The fact that he can defend this well with that kind of haki usage means his Observation Haki has reached the level of seeing the future! And it's still evolving!)
There was definitely a master involved.
With that thought, Golden Lion began organizing what he understood about 'Black Cat's' fighting style.
(Knowing techniques like Ikoku means it has to be someone fairly renowned in the New World)
His leg techniques were natural talent combined with years of training. They were uniquely his, unrelated to any master.
Regarding range, he showed hesitation when at a distance of two or three steps from close combat, suggesting his original style probably involved some kind of weapon in his hands.
(A sword... no, this guy's weapons are his legs and speed. Weapons that require gripping and concentrating on stance and blade angles when cutting wouldn't suit him)
While exchanging blows with an invisible wall of countless high-speed kicks head-on, he observed the black cat's hands.
They were covered in shallow cuts and chapped skin, and for some reason both hands had fresh, severe burns. They were hands far too worn for someone his age.
(I thought it might be simple striking weapons enhanced with haki, but these aren't hands for gripping. However, his fingers are unusually well-trained... Claws like the guy from Whitebeard's crew used? No, claws of that level wouldn't match his range... could it be individual swords? No good, I can't think of any pirates or marines who fight that way)
"Stop trying to measure my exact range!"
"What idiot doesn't consider range in a fight, brat?!"
"I have the image that pirates are full of guys like that!"
"...Yeah, well, there are some like that."
"You're just accepting it?!"
His focus and stamina were on completely different levels.
With his rapid haki switching, this pirate could probably fight at full power for three days straight.
(Damn, being young is a weapon in itself... I'll have to risk going all out with one big attack if I want to shake him off)
He took the cigar from his mouth, moved one of the oil-soaked fragments floating nearby to his hand, and pressed it against the cigar to create a small flame.
"Again!"
"Jiha... good Observation Haki! Here we go!"
He spread the flame to other debris, once again gathering massive flaming wreckage.
"Iron Fire Roll!"
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
This one-trick pony!
Even if it's smaller scale than before, you're firing that at this distance?!
I thought staying close would prevent him from carelessly using fire!
(Damn, if I believe his words, using Ikoku will damage my legs!)
I wouldn't completely trust an enemy's words, but his assessment was probably correct.
(I'm already overworking my legs against haki-infused slashes at least on Mihawk's level... Without the Imperial Guard's aerial combat capability or Hancock here, gambling would be too reckless)
Four seconds until the enemy's massive flaming projectile reaches me. But from what I can see, in two more seconds it'll expand and scatter like buckshot. My chance is in 1.5 seconds!
To combine slashes into a clean 'thrust,' I need to kick a wide area almost simultaneously, making the slashes collide and form together!
That's right, I'd been struggling to somehow recreate that incomprehensible attack Rayleigh showed me, and I'd just managed to fire it for the first time without injuring myself.
But now I needed that attack once more.
(I need roughly 200 to 300 slashes to generate that level of penetrating power!)
I don't know the exact number, but it's probably around that much.
Why do I need that many slashes? Simple: without that many slashes colliding, I can't achieve the range or penetrating power.
A serious Cat Bite has high power but completely lacks penetrating power. It would just burst on impact.
If Golden Lion had a follow-up ready, I'd be finished.
1.2 seconds remaining!
(...Then!)
"Winter Cat..."
Fortunately, the obstacles had created decent footing.
Enough for a power boost!
"Pseudo-Canon!"
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
"Now! What will you do, Kuro?!"
The pressure intensified.
The overwhelming pressure that a pirate, and a Conqueror, wears like armor.
(With all that large and small debris of considerable weight floating around, he can't use Ikoku)
To intercept this much mass would require a devastating blow that would severely strain his legs.
If that was impossible, his only option was evasion. With 'Black Cat's' legs, that would be easy enough, but he'd still have to flee a considerable distance.
Much of the debris that had been continuously dropped targeting the Holy Land's residential areas had also been blown away.
(I confirmed Sengoku's presence, but I didn't expect Garp to be here too... Staying any longer would definitely be unwise)
In aerial combat, he held the advantage with greater freedom of movement.
That's precisely why Kuro, a pirate who could run through the air more freely than himself, was simultaneously someone he wanted at his side and the most potentially threatening opponent.
(Well, I've done what I came to do, so the job's no problem. About time to...)
A sharp crackling sound rang out.
A sound like touching metal in dry weather, creating small sparks, happened once, then the next moment it swelled into a cacophony like a flock of starlings...
"Oh come on... don't tell me..."
Pseudo-Canon!
"You perfected it just from that one pointer?!"
Ikoku!!
"Zanpa!"
Reflexively, he released the strongest slash he could manage.
At the same time, the blazing attack he launched at the cost of slightly singeing his clothes and skin was blown away by a fierce thrust wrapped in black lightning.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
(Worst case scenario, I reflexively thought 'Did I get him?!' This might end in mutual destruction!)
I definitely blew away the burning debris attack.
It was an experimental shot, figuring it might be avoided once due to timing, but it seemed to work out.
(Since recreating it with slashes alone is too much trouble, I should place the slashes first, then wrap them in a powerful thrust. Not bad for a spur-of-the-moment idea!)
The power barely decreased at all.
The movement was minimal and the effort reduced, so I could consider this technique advanced by one stage.
The problem would be if my maximum firepower without Cat's Claw didn't work.
The flames that had been intense enough to burn through debris scattered as sparks, and the pulverized debris fell powerlessly to the ground.
The 'Ikoku' I launched was neutralized by the slash Golden Lion fired from behind, exploding with a thunderous roar.
And then...
Jihahahahaha!
(...damn him)
The rooster bastard with a steering wheel stuck in his head had already fled to a distance when the techniques collided.
"You keep exceeding my expectations, you bastard! Now I want you even more!"
"Then why don't you come within reach?! You can't get what you want without extending your hand!"
"You're absolutely right, but Sengoku and the others should be arriving soon, so I'll be taking my leave!"
All remaining debris began free-falling.
Damn it. I found myself thinking that maybe it wouldn't hurt if a few Celestial Dragons were reduced in number, but the weak and powerless would be the first to suffer.
If I pursued too far, I wouldn't be able to intercept the debris, and if I got lured out and counterattacked, I couldn't expect backup from Sengoku or Garp.
"I got what I was really after anyway!"
...Got what?
He was heading toward that ridiculously huge ship in the distance.
What remained was the falling debris and... wait!
"You! Don't tell me!"
"You knew what I was after, didn't you? Should have been more cautious!"
One particularly large, clean cube-shaped object was defying gravity along with Golden Lion, heading toward the ship.
Could that be?!
"The food storage?!"
Why?! And when exactly did he... ah?!
(After I saved the fishman, I wondered why he bothered chasing me down to ground level... but...!)
I'd heard from Kuzan that his ability lets him float anything he touches! Which means...
(He wasn't chasing me, he came down to touch the food storage!)
This is bad. I have to get that back no matter what, even if it kills me!
"Care to extend your hand? You can't steal what you want without reaching for it, right? Jiha..."
"Wait..."
The moment I put strength into my legs to give chase, all remaining debris came raining down on the Holy Land.
"See you later, Kuro! Let's meet again in this world of violence and plunder!"
***
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