Chapter 17: CH 17
Good.
Glancing at his personal stats, Bai Yu instantly felt his spirits lift. Although his basic strength hadn't improved much, he had learned the true solution to Conqueror's Haki infusion—an advanced technique reserved for those with mastery over Conqueror's Haki.
However, the development of the Restoration Fruit had significantly enhanced Bai Yu's overall combat power.
Restoration Fruit.
The ultimate cheat of eternal endurance!
Combat power isn't the same as destructive power.
Bai Yu's destructive capabilities were still lacking compared to some top-tier fighters, but he could easily defeat 90% of them.
Restoring the enemy's physical state to a previous, weakened condition—combined with the immortality of the Dog Talisman—made him practically unbeatable.
"Come on then, as you wish."
Without warning, Bai Yu vanished from the ship and reappeared on the deserted island, standing dozens of meters away from Hawkeye.
A Duel of Fates
"Spatial ability?"
Hawkeye quickly deduced the nature of Bai Yu's teleportation. His eyes turned colder.
"If this is your trump card… I'll tell you right now—your journey ends here."
"Oh, really?"
Bai Yu slowly unsheathed his sword, his expression turning serious.
"Then let me make it clear—you'll witness defeat today."
"Let's wager our futures against each other!"
Silence hung between them.
Finally, Hawkeye nodded. Slowly, he stood up with Yoru in hand.
"Young man… Your confidence is worthy of this blade."
"Dracule Mihawk."
"The world's strongest black sword—Yoru!"
Bai Yu shifted into a sideways stance.
"Bai Yu!"
"One of the 21 Great Grade Swords—Wado Ichimonji!"
Clash!
Whoosh!
Hawkeye struck first. Bai Yu followed a moment later.
From a distance, Kaya watched nervously. The difference in power seemed obvious—Hawkeye's blazing crescent-shaped slash stretched over a hundred meters, its sheer force shaking the air itself.
Bai Yu's slash, by comparison, was a mere ten meters long—small and fragile in contrast.
BOOM!
The two slashes collided. Hawkeye's attack easily shattered Bai Yu's and continued surging forward.
Swish!
Bai Yu vanished an instant before impact. Before Hawkeye could react, his battle instincts flared with warning—danger behind him!
CLANG!
Armed Haki flared as Bai Yu's sword struck Hawkeye's back, producing a shower of sparks against his hardened defenses.
"…"
Bai Yu froze for a moment.
Even with a full-powered slash, he couldn't break through Hawkeye's Haki. How strong was Kaido, then?!
Swish!
Hawkeye spun around, but Bai Yu vanished again.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the span of a single breath, Bai Yu had slashed at Hawkeye more than a dozen times. Sparks flew as blade met Haki repeatedly.
"Annoying slash!"
Hawkeye's irritation grew, mixed with frustration.
This was worse than fighting Kizaru—at least Kizaru's movements were linear.
But Bai Yu's teleportation was instant and unpredictable. Even with Observation Haki, he could see the attacks coming but couldn't react fast enough to stop them.
Dozens of Teleports in a Single Breath!
BOOM!
Releasing a burst of sword aura and Haki, Hawkeye knocked Bai Yu back and shouted:
"Even with future sight, it's difficult to hit you. My body simply can't keep up!"
"But is this your entire strategy? How long can you keep this up?!"
Teleportation on this scale had to consume enormous amounts of stamina—Hawkeye was certain of that.
Bai Yu's Trump Card
Bai Yu shrugged.
"To be honest… I still have plenty of tricks up my sleeve. One of them is pretty special—a power from beyond this world."
"So… I can do this for a few months without stopping."
Hawkeye: "…"
You've got to be kidding me!
Are you trying to drive me insane?!
"…A power beyond this world? Is that why you dared to invite me aboard?"
For the first time, Hawkeye's eyes gleamed with genuine interest.
This world was far too dull.
Huh?
Bai Yu was surprised.
Wow, sword enthusiasts really are easy to manipulate.
Clearing his throat, Bai Yu added:
"Exactly. Follow me, and I'll show you the landscapes of other worlds."
"After I defeat you, of course."
Infinite Instant Slash!
Now it's time to go all out!
Combining instant teleportation with the Restoration Fruit, Bai Yu could restore his stamina, fatigue, hunger, and injuries indefinitely.
When combined, the result was an ultimate technique:
Infinite Instant Slash!
An attack that would never stop as long as the enemy remained standing!
Storm of Slashes!
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The relentless sound of metal clashing echoed across the island.
By the time Hawkeye raised his sword to block, Bai Yu's attacks had already shifted positions—often targeting Hawkeye's hands and arms.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Hawkeye found himself trapped in a whirlwind of slashes—faster and more relentless than any storm.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Every time Hawkeye tried to strike back with swordsmanship and Haki, Bai Yu instantly teleported out of reach, only to attack again from another angle.
It felt like—
He had fallen into a world where only slashes existed.
Countless, endless slashes from all directions—never stopping, never slowing down.
Ultimate Justice Slash!
After enduring hundreds of slashes within seconds, Hawkeye exploded with all his might—
BOOOOM!
The sheer force of his Haki blasted Bai Yu away.
Then—
Circular Slash!
Centered around Hawkeye, a circular shockwave of sword energy swept across the island, cutting everything it touched into perfect halves.
Whoosh!
Blood sprayed through the air—
A severed leg fell to the ground.
"…!"
Bai Yu collapsed, missing his leg.
The pain was intense—this was a serious injury.
Prove Yourself!
"Prove yourself!"
Hawkeye charged without hesitation.
If Bai Yu died here, it would simply prove that his words were empty—nothing more than hollow boasts.
Everything depended on actions.
Extreme Storm Slash!
"Extreme Storm Slash!!"
As a return salute, Hawkeye unleashed his own violent flurry of slashes, this time targeting Bai Yu, who was struggling to stand.
Unlike Bai Yu's slashes, Hawkeye's were overwhelming in both size and destructive power.
Each slash was like a tidal wave, and even before they struck, Bai Yu's entire body ached from the sheer pressure.
Impact!
BOOOOOOM!
The storm of slashes crashed down upon Bai Yu, engulfing him completely.
The entire deserted island behind him was swallowed within the attack's range—
The ground trembled, and the roar of destruction echoed for miles in every direction.
Distant Observation
Far out at sea, a Marine warship happened to pass by. From a distance, the crew could see the shockwaves erupting from the island.
"What… What is that?!"
A bespectacled girl clutched the ship's railing, her eyes wide with excitement.
"That kind of attack—there's no mistaking it! It has to be one of the world's greatest swordsmen, right?"
A man smoking nearby didn't respond.
Instead, he exhaled a cloud of smoke and muttered under his breath:
"…Can't you drop the 'right' at the end of your sentence?"
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