Ordinary people can't rely solely on Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) to detect enemies. Realistically, how far can their detection range actually extend? By the time they sense something, their eyes would likely have already caught sight of it.
This technique is only truly effective against foes with a vast Kenbunshoku Haki range. While the "blackout" it creates might draw attention, the opponent can't see through this "darkness" to anticipate the movements of enemies hidden within.
Just like now. By the time Rowen noticed Yasopp's bullet leaving the barrel, the coordination between the two had already succeeded. They not only ensured Beckman's escape from a fatal outcome but also dealt significant damage to Rowen.
"Nice shot, Yasopp!" Beckman exclaimed, giving a thumbs-up with a grin.
"Heh! We need to show this arrogant brat that we're no pushovers!" Yasopp replied, resting his smoking sniper rifle and rubbing his nose.
"Admiral!" Onigumo and his men were seething with rage, ready to charge forward when they suddenly saw Rowen raise his hand and clench it tightly.
Kā Chā!
Yasopp's face went pale with fear as he glanced back at the lightning clone rushing toward him. Its twisted grin stretched unnaturally, far beyond what a human face could achieve, revealing a wicked and sinister smile.
Boom…!!!
The lightning figure exploded violently on The Red Force, causing the ship to tilt outward.
"Yasopp!!" Beckman roared in shock and anger. Suddenly realizing something, he turned sharply and shouted, "You… did that on purpose!"
"What else?" Rowen replied calmly, lowering his hand and lifting his Thunder Dragon Crescent-sided Halberd.
"You know so much about me. Do you think I wouldn't know you just as well?"
Through the still-healing muscles of Rowen's chest, Beckman could clearly see the Seastone bullet embedded in the floor. As Rowen's wound closed, it became obscured from view.
"Or did you naively believe that with my current strength, I'd let a bullet pierce through me so easily?"
It was all a ruse. Rowen had deliberately withdrawn the Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) from his chest, allowing the Seastone to penetrate rather than embed in his muscles, which would nullify his Devil Fruit abilities.
His greatest strength lay in his control over the battlefield. No matter what the enemy's goals were, as long as he remembered his weaknesses, he could simply wait for them to come to him.
"Vice-Captain, Yasopp's hand…" On the deck, Lucky Roo was holding the bloodied Yasopp, staring in disbelief at the horrifying wound.
Yasopp's right arm had been severed at the root. In the final moments, he had raised his sniper rifle to shield himself. However, the explosion from Rowen's lightning clone was devastating.
The sniper rifle melted into molten iron, and the blast shattered his left hand, turning his right arm into charred remains before blowing it off entirely. His body was covered in scorch marks, bleeding profusely.
Rowen raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh? He's still alive?!"
"Well then…"
Buzz!!
Amidst the buzzing sound, pure white lightning spears materialized in the air. Rowen waved his hand casually, and the spears shot forward like meteors.
"Stop it!!" Beckman roared, his eyes bloodshot as he charged forward.
Ding ding dang dang!
He swung his curved blade repeatedly, deflecting the lightning spears one by one in midair, shattering them into bursts of sparks. Then, with a powerful step forward, his blade blazed like fire.
"Your opponent is me!!"
"Tch, what a hassle…" Rowen muttered. After all, Beckman was the vice-captain of a Yonko's ship. Now that he was serious and fighting desperately, Rowen had no choice but to focus on him.
"What a farce!" Zero shook his head, exasperated. This strategy was swift and effective, instantly crippling a major combatant on the opposing ship.
The Akagami Pirates (Red-Haired Pirates)' "Number One Sniper," Yasopp, was a world-class sharpshooter, ranking among the top three globally. With him lurking in the shadows, the outcome of the battle was heavily influenced. But this effectiveness was limited to Rowen's abilities. If it were anyone else, they'd have been shot dead long ago.
Why do others' battles last for ten days or half a month? It's because they lack Rowen's unreasonable self-healing ability.
Their fights typically involve dodging, defending, and looking for opportunities, rather than Rowen's approach of trading blows recklessly right from the start. Rowen's fighting style is purely unorthodox and offers no practical reference.
"Still, well done." With the sniper threat eliminated, the Marine battleships could now charge forward and surround the enemy. At this moment, Rowen created distance, stepped on Geppo to return to the deck, and shouted downward:
"Everyone else, prepare for close combat!"
"Yes, sir!" Vice Admiral Momonga and the others quickly snapped to attention. Using cannon fire as cover, they swiftly advanced, surrounding The Red Force.
"Damn it! Fight them to the death!"
"Brothers, follow me!!" As the Marine fleet encircled them, Lucky Roo carefully laid Yasopp down for the ship doctor and then grabbed his spiked club, his eyes blazing with rage.
At that moment, a figure shot through the distant sky, slicing out a luminous arc that cleared the Marine cannonballs mid-air.
"Soryu (Azure Dragon)!!!" Shanks appeared, his cape gone. The smoke from the explosions ruffled his hair, revealing the three ghastly scars over his left eye. A massive wound gaped on his left shoulder, blood pouring out, staining his arm crimson and dripping into the sea, leaving ripples of red.
The Super Electromagnetic Cannon hadn't killed him, but it had gravely injured him. Now, with his bloodshot eyes fixed on Yasopp lying in a pool of blood, Shanks exuded an overwhelming, domineering aura. He didn't vocalize his rage but instead silently raised his sword, the hilt of Griffin, which now bore a crack.
"Dare to harm my companion… Are you prepared to pay the price?!!"
"Don't ask such boring questions, Shanks." Rowen deflected a bullet shot by Beckman with his halberd and kicked him away before replying:
"We discussed this years ago… but now, I find your character utterly disappointing."
"The way you are now… my hands ache for battle!" With a furious roar, Rowen charged forward, his speed reaching an extreme, as he swung his halberd with immense force.
Clang!!
Sparks erupted in the air as the sharp, deafening clash left everyone's heads spinning. However, that was just the beginning. The figures of Rowen and Shanks vanished from the view of most onlookers. Only Vice Admiral Momonga and Beckman could faintly track their movements.
The battlefield erupted with thunder and sword energy, and the chaotic shockwaves stirred up terrifying sea currents, tossing massive ships side to side. The clashes of these world-class combatants were so powerful that even their aftershocks seemed unreal.
"Chief, should we intervene?" Rob Lucci approached the bow of the ship, frowning as he asked.
"No, there's no need." Zero adjusted his disheveled cloak, looking up at the high-altitude battle.
"Don't forget, our mission here isn't to fight the Red Hair Pirates but to protect the Pure Gold."
"If the Pure Gold is stolen or lost, even killing Shanks would mean nothing."
"Let the pirates be dealt with by the Marines. Our only duty is to follow the orders of the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) and safeguard the Pure Gold. That's the difference between CP0 and the Marines. Do you understand, Lucci?" Zero's words carried a pointed reminder.
"…Understood." Lucci nodded in silence after hearing this.
(End of Chapter)
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