Chapter 91: You're Not a Pure Swordsman Either, Are You?
In the depths of the island, on a battlefield where a blizzard did not reach, a bone-chilling cold current was still carried over by the shockwaves and hurricanes of battle.
A sharp slash cut through the cold air, flew straight into the sky, and sliced through the layers of clouds. Two figures holding sharp blades moved rapidly across this battlefield, crisscrossing back and forth. Every time the three sharp blades collided, they would create brilliant sparks in the air.
The once green plain was now a land of ravines under the clashing of the two figures, large swathes of the surface shaved flat by their slashes.
The sound of clashing blades was like thunder, and a raging hurricane carried away the swirling smoke and dust.
Two figures, one tall and one short, were locked in a struggle, their blades pressed against each other. Both of their legs were sunk deep into the ravaged earth. After a brief stalemate, they both exerted their strength and pushed each other away.
The silver-haired old man in the gas mask dragged two long tracks in the ground before stabbing his katana into the earth to stop his retreat. His eyes pierced through the lenses of his gas mask, coldly staring at the tall figure who had staggered back a few steps.
"The same getup as King the Conflagration of the Beasts Pirates. Are you his son? You're another dreg of the Lunarians, aren't you?" the silver-haired old man asked in an extremely calm tone, holding his katana in front of his chest.
Although King the Conflagration completely concealed his skin and face, this was meaningless to those who truly understood the Lunarian race. Such a disguise could only deter some idiotic pirates who wanted his 100 million Berri bounty. Due to the similar attire, the silver-haired old man had mistaken Arcordon for King's son.
Arcordon was taken aback and almost laughed out of anger. He then controlled the flames on his back to spread to the two strange sabers in his hands and charged straight at the Celestial Dragon.
The two flame-wreathed sabers were swung in a cross pattern, forming an impenetrable formation as he launched a torrential assault on the silver-haired old man.
The silver-haired old man held his sword with both hands, his eyes combined with his Observation Haki, struggling to block the onslaught from the "dreg" before him. The immense strength transmitted from the katana and the exquisite swordsmanship that struck fear into his heart made the old man's spirit sink. He felt he couldn't last much longer under the opponent's assault, and this was without the other party even using the power of the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
After mustering all his strength to parry the two sabers, the silver-haired old man spoke again, trying to distract Arcordon. "For you, as King's son, to be here... does that mean the Beasts Pirates have already taken notice of that Oni?"
Shortly after the Elegia incident, the World Government had dispatched CP agents to gather more detailed intelligence. Through various means, they had learned that Louis was not only accompanied by those women with wings on their waists, but also a woman with black oni horns and long white hair, and another young girl with red and white hair.
From then on, the World Government knew that the Oni with the special status was also with Archangel Louis. But since they had no photograph and wanted to keep her special status hidden, the World Government had not issued a bounty for her. Later, their group had mysteriously disappeared, with only a few un-witnessed attacks occurring occasionally.
"..."
Arcordon raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest rising within him. Perhaps Louis's partner's identity isn't so simple either? But what came out of his mouth was the exact opposite of his curiosity. "Who the hell knows what you're talking about?"
The old man's brow, hidden beneath his gas mask, furrowed, and he gradually became anxious. With all his might, he once again knocked away the two finely serrated sabers. He gripped his katana with both hands and slashed a bone-white, crescent-moon-shaped slash at Arcordon.
The bone-white slash tore through the air, leaving a smooth cut several meters wide in the ground as it flew toward the tall figure wrapped in black leather.
To this, Arcordon was unconcerned. He crossed his two sabers in front of his chest and, with a lightning-fast swing, shattered the flying slash. The bone-white slash disintegrated, scattering like pieces of a silvery-white mirror, once again cutting dozens of deep gashes into the ravaged battlefield.
Arcordon beat his wings and flew into the sky. After circling once, he crossed his two sabers behind his back. His gaze, combined with his Observation Haki, firmly locked onto the silver-haired old man below, who was holding his sword and waiting in a defensive stance. Then, he dived at high speed.
Arcordon did not like flying slashes. Compared to swinging his sword to cut down an enemy from afar, he preferred to feel the feedback from the hilt as the blade cut through flesh and blood. A flying slash tearing an enemy apart gave him a sense of unreality. In contrast, cutting an enemy down in close combat did not.
The next second, Arcordon's twin blades swung out, forming a pincer-like attack as they slashed at the white-haired old man. Just then, a strange smile appeared on the lips beneath the old man's gas mask. He quickly reached out, drew a pistol, aimed at the corner of Arcordon's eye, and fired. The process was extremely smooth, happening almost in an instant.
A special bullet, wreathed in Armament Haki, streaked through the air like a golden meteor, gone in a flash.
However, Arcordon, with his Observation Haki, had clearly captured all of this. His excellent reflexes responded to his discovery in an instant. He quickly turned his head, letting the pointed bullet miss.
Arcordon slowly landed on the ground, and an unreadable chuckle came from under his mask. "Heh heh... so you're not a pure swordsman either, are you?"
"You should have just done that from the start." The next second, Arcordon's entire body flashed with a dazzling white light, and the sound of crackling electricity echoed around him.
"Wasting my time..."
"..."
A red light rose from the distant ground, flying rapidly into the high sky and turning into a red sun that hung amidst the clouds and mist. It illuminated the entire island, dyeing the world red.
In the red world, the silver-haired old man looked at Arcordon, who was crackling with electricity, and the face beneath his gas mask had lost control.
"This is bad..."
The red sun hung high in the sky, continuously radiating an astonishingly high temperature, vaporizing the clouds and mist and turning the atmosphere into a sea of fire.
Cabanha, in his hybrid-beast form, had flames of rage practically erupting from his eyes. Bathed within the sun, he let out a final, ferocious roar at Louis below.
"I will never forgive you!"
The next second, the red sun plummeted straight down. With every meter it descended, the ice field that stretched across the sea and island rapidly melted. By the time it was several hundred meters from the island, the ice field had completely melted. The soaked ground was quickly dried by the radiant heat, and then burst into flames.
From the beach to the grasslands, and from the grasslands to the city, as far as the eye could see, everything was engulfed in a sea of fire.
In an instant, all the remaining people looked up at the sun falling from the sky. Almost all the Marines were dumbfounded, their weapons falling to the ground one after another.
On the earth, which was illuminated by the red light, Louis seemed completely unaware of the rapidly falling red sun. He took off his helmet, removed his gauntlets, and with a solemn expression, brushed the dust from the black wings. Then, he swung his sword, leveling a large rock, and gently placed the pair of black wings on the platform he had created.
Looking at the wings of his unknown kinsman, Louis closed his eyes, quietly listening to his resentment.
After a long while, Louis slowly opened his eyes, then lowered his gaze, lost in thought. A moment later, he slowly looked up, his gaze indifferent as he stared at the demonic figure within the red sun.
The next second, black and red arcs of electricity once again crackled around Louis's body. They coiled and exploded, and the air seemed to freeze at this moment...
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