Chapter 196: Kuma's Appearance
"Oh my~ that's hardly my fault~"
After stumbling slightly, Kizaru's expression remained remarkably composed, as if he'd anticipated exactly this outcome. He then condensed Ama no Murakumo once more and engaged Rhodes in direct combat.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their blades clashed continuously, sending shockwaves that flattened nearby vegetation and scattered massive sparks in every direction.
"Rhodes-aniki is actually holding his own against a Marine Admiral!"
In the distance, Nami and the others—still fleeing to safety—could no longer suppress their concern. They turned to look back, and upon witnessing Rhodes and Kizaru fighting as equals, their faces filled with joy and amazement.
Their arrival at Sabaody Archipelago, especially after being completely overwhelmed by Kizaru, had truly opened the Straw Hats' eyes to what a Marine Admiral actually represented.
Yet Rhodes—the man they'd known since the East Blue—never failed to exceed expectations, even matching an Admiral blow for blow!
His strength seemed genuinely limitless, and the more they came to know him, the more mysterious and unfathomable he became.
BOOM! BOOM!
Rhodes and Kizaru exchanged relentless strikes, their clash tearing apart the ground beneath them—leaving cracks half a meter wide in their wake.
Kizaru recognized his swordsmanship was inferior to Rhodes's, so he abandoned any elaborate techniques, relying purely on his exceptional speed to match Rhodes's bladework.
Occasionally, when pressed too hard in close quarters, he'd fire off a laser beam to force Rhodes backward.
This tactic was simple yet surprisingly effective.
After all, Kizaru possessed superior raw speed—especially in attack velocity—and his laser blasts carried devastating penetrative power that could easily pierce through Rhodes. Rhodes had to remain cautious since he lacked Kizaru's elemental intangibility to evade damage. Any direct hit would inflict full damage.
"This approach won't work long-term. My stamina definitely can't match these Admirals in their prime."
Rhodes's sharp analytical mind allowed him to assess the situation even amid intense combat.
He remained perfectly calm, acutely aware of his disadvantages against these legendary peak-level warriors.
In the next instant, their blades collided once more, and Rhodes retreated using the momentum.
Raijin no Yari! (Thunder God's Spear!)
Silver lightning trembled across his body as three brilliant spears of condensed electricity materialized above his head. Pitch-black Armament Haki immediately enveloped them completely.
Silently—
Being locked onto by these jet-black spears felt like being targeted by some primordial predator. Even Kizaru, gripping Ama no Murakumo, couldn't help but grimace.
"Hey, hey~ are we really escalating to lethal intent here~?"
"If you're going all out like this, I might actually have to retreat~"
"You're a great Admiral of the Marines. Surely you can handle this much?"
Rhodes smiled slightly but didn't immediately launch his lightning spears.
For ordinary fighters—even most powerful warriors—a direct hit from a Thunder God's Spear would inflict catastrophic damage or outright death.
But for a peak-tier combatant like Kizaru, while troublesome, such projectiles were relatively easier to evade through prediction.
So Rhodes charged directly toward Kizaru with Spectre raised, the lightning spears hovering menacingly above him—their tips constantly tracking Kizaru's position, creating persistent psychological pressure and dread.
"What a hassle~"
Kizaru felt a genuine headache forming. He wasn't a combat genius like Rhodes who possessed the cognitive enhancements from the Book of Knowledge.
Fighting a dangerous master swordsman like Rhodes with complete focus was already thrilling and mentally demanding—requiring every ounce of concentration.
Now, with his attention partially diverted by those ominous black spears hovering overhead, the ensuing battle felt severely compromised—a sensation of overextension and divided focus.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone observing from the shadows, the mighty Admiral Kizaru was effectively being forced into a genuinely disadvantageous position by a younger opponent.
"Looks like there's no need for me to stretch my old bones after all."
Rayleigh muttered quietly, taking another leisurely sip of sake.
"Kizaru is actually being... outmatched by the Dragon Slayer..."
Morgans, observing this spectacle from a distant vantage point, couldn't conceal his profound shock.
The other residents of Sabaody—watching through various means—were even more horrified.
Admirals had previously swept through Sabaody Archipelago to suppress various incidents with overwhelming ease, so everyone understood perfectly what an Admiral represented.
Yet they'd never expected to witness one being visibly outmatched by someone so young in broad daylight.
"Today is truly humiliating~"
Kizaru muttered, forcing Rhodes back with a combination sword strike and laser blast. A trace of genuine distress crossed his weathered features.
Rhodes was genuinely his worst matchup.
His greatest asset—overwhelming speed—was negated by Rhodes's superior reflexes, preventing him from gaining any meaningful advantage.
Large-scale area-of-effect attacks proved only evenly matched.
Close-quarters combat—which he'd never specialized in to begin with—was being completely suppressed.
At this moment, Kizaru felt less like a Marine Admiral and more like a whetstone being used to sharpen Rhodes's skills.
He could clearly sense that Rhodes was gradually maturing through constant fierce exchanges, becoming increasingly familiar with this level of combat, fighting with greater ease each passing moment.
This feeling was absolutely terrible!
There remained one solution—unleashing his full power without restraint—but Kizaru had no genuine desire to fight Rhodes to the death.
The great war was rapidly approaching.
He—as an Admiral—and Rhodes—a top-tier combatant on par with Admiral-level strength—absolutely shouldn't be battling each other to mutual destruction in Sabaody Archipelago over some Celestial Dragon incident.
The Celestial Dragons themselves might be nothing special, but to serve as Admiral required possessing a sense of the bigger picture.
As Kizaru contemplated this dilemma, his Observation Haki suddenly detected a presence rapidly approaching.
BOOM!
The next moment, a towering figure appeared within view.
Rhodes also sensed this newcomer's arrival and smiled faintly, knowing today's battle was essentially concluded.
"Bartholomew Kuma?"
Kizaru felt slightly surprised by the unexpected arrival. He didn't understand why Kuma—who should have been cooperating with Vegapunk's experiments—was present here.
But after witnessing Kuma casually slap a Pacifista unit flying with his Nikyu Nikyu no Mi ability, Kizaru quickly grasped what was happening and couldn't help but grumble:
"Just who the hell are these Straw Hat Pirates? They've attracted so many powerful figures to their aid~"
Kizaru understood his mission was impossible to complete today, but he still needed to put on a convincing show.
Sabaody Archipelago sat extremely close to the Holy Land of Mariejois, meaning countless World Government intelligence operatives were undoubtedly observing from the shadows.
So Kizaru, blade in hand, charged toward Rhodes once again—his presence still imposing, maintaining the dignity befitting a Marine Admiral.
But Rhodes saw through him instantly from the deliberately reduced force behind his sword swings.
When Kizaru subtly winked at him, Rhodes nearly burst out laughing.
Then the two began a "fierce" exchange for appearances.
Sword energy tore through the air, carving deep scars across Grove 12 and cleanly severing buildings in half.
Not to be outdone, Kizaru unleashed barrages of laser beams, dramatically severing several Yarukiman Mangroves in Grove 12.
The scene appeared momentarily spectacular and awe-inspiring to outside observers.
But Rayleigh, with his vast experience, couldn't help but recognize that neither combatant was using their full strength against the other—leaving him somewhat speechless at the performance.
Meanwhile, Kuma was systematically sending the Straw Hat Pirates flying to safety, leaving only Luffy as the final remaining crew member.
"No... no... NO!"
Luffy was clearly in profound anguish, pounding his head against the ground repeatedly. Today's emotional rollercoaster had been truly overwhelming.
The intense desperation facing the Marine assault, the complete helplessness before Admiral Kizaru's overwhelming power, the dawn of hope brought by Rhodes's timely arrival, and now plummeting into the abyss once again...
Kuma slowly approached Luffy's position, his expression remaining completely blank—though internally he couldn't help feeling somewhat conflicted.
(End of Chapter)
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