Chapter 55: True Strength
In battles between equals, the sharpness and speed granted by lightning's power might only give Rhodes a slight advantage, but against weaker opponents, this advantage magnified instantly, becoming devastatingly lethal.
For instance, if this officer were to face the veteran swordswoman Lieutenant Eleanor, he would likely hold his ground for a considerable time. After all, he was a formidable pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million berries—more than enough to captain an ordinary crew.
But against Rhodes, his defenses crumbled like paper, and he fell with a single strike.
"Still a long way to go," Rhodes muttered with an indifferent expression as he continued deeper into the island.
"Compared to a Great Swordsman casually slicing icebergs in half or splitting islands, this is nothing more than child's play."
The streets were littered with blood and corpses.
At his tremendous speed, these ordinary pirates often perished before they could even react—perhaps a mercy for them.
The battle raged on.
While Rhodes swept through enemy lines like a hurricane, the main Marine force under Eleanor's command also advanced steadily.
However, Ain's assault had gone awry.
During the engagement, she had used her special Devil Fruit ability to instantly defeat an enemy captain, but became entangled with a pursuing swordsman, leading to a grueling fight.
Having witnessed Ain's terrifying ability, the swordsman gave her no opportunity to use it again, overwhelming her with superior swordsmanship and Haki.
Bang!
As her last bullet fired, Ain's heart sank, and she retreated without hesitation.
She remained composed, clearly assessing both her enemy's strength and her own capabilities. She realized that continuing this fight would likely result in her defeat.
So she decided to fall back to the main force. After all, eliminating a pirate captain was already a solid accomplishment for this mission.
Still, being overpowered by two swordsmen in one day left her feeling somewhat frustrated.
Clang! Clang!
Ain fought while retreating. With her mastery of Rokushiki and swordsmanship, the pursuing swordsman, despite being stronger, couldn't pin her down.
"All you can do is run, Marine!" the pirate swordsman roared in fury.
The captain Ain had killed was a close friend of his. If he'd died in honest combat, the swordsman wouldn't have been so enraged. After all, as pirates, they'd all prepared themselves for such an end.
But the manner of death mattered.
To be instantly regressed to childhood by a Devil Fruit, then cut down in confusion like a helpless child—it was a humiliating way to die. The pirate swordsman couldn't bear seeing his comrade meet such a degrading fate.
Despite the swordsman's taunts, Ain remained remarkably calm, clearly accustomed to such provocations.
"If I could just find a teammate, we could finish him off together," she thought.
Ain even considered a counterattack! If a similarly skilled ally could provide support, she could create an opening to strike back, and victory would be within reach.
Almost as if summoned by her thoughts, a sword-wielding figure appeared at the end of the street ahead, approaching with an oddly leisurely pace.
"Why does it have to be him?!"
Having just been defeated by Rhodes not long ago, and now being seen in such a disheveled state, Ain felt both embarrassed and irritated.
"His swordsmanship is exceptional, and his overall combat ability should be formidable. Working together, we should be able to take down this pirate," she reasoned, picking up speed as she rushed toward Rhodes.
Sparring differed greatly from actual combat.
Sparring only tested pure swordsmanship and related attributes like physical strength.
But real battles involved far more variables.
Haki mastery, Rokushiki techniques, Devil Fruit abilities, fighting spirit, environmental factors—all could shift the tide of battle.
"Well, you look quite flustered," Rhodes observed with a smile as he watched the red-faced, breathless beauty approaching.
"Bastard!" Ain snapped, momentarily forgetting their circumstances.
She glared fiercely at Rhodes before quickly ordering, "You hold him off—I'll lead the attack!"
With that, she spun to face the charging pirate swordsman, her expression stern yet radiating a certain gallant presence as she wielded her twin blades.
Regardless of Rhodes' status as a guest combatant or his age, Ain couldn't bring herself to let him spearhead the assault.
After all, their enemy was a fearsome swordsman with tremendous destructive power. While Rhodes might survive, what if he lost limbs? How would she explain that to Zephyr and Momousagi?
"Am I being underestimated?" Rhodes shook his head slightly, suddenly stepping forward. "Fighting and killing are better left to men."
"Women should stay back and focus on looking beautiful."
Before Ain could respond, she felt a gust of wind rush past her, sending her long navy-blue hair dancing in the breeze and making her Marine coat flutter dramatically.
Her entire figure was caught in the windstorm.
Because this young man—whom she'd intended to protect—had charged straight at their opponent!
Are you trying to get yourself killed... Wait, how are you so fast?!
Just as this thought crossed Ain's mind, she watched the two swordsmen collide.
Clang!
The aggressive pirate swordsman was sent flying backward like a broken doll, blood spraying through the air. His beloved sword slipped from his grasp, clattering away as he tumbled across the ground.
Rhodes showed no mercy. In an instant, he appeared above the fallen swordsman.
The pirate let out a desperate roar, crossing his arms defensively, but Rhodes had already struck.
His kick descended like an avalanche, carrying the force of a mountain, shattering the swordsman's guard and driving him into the street below.
BOOM!
Like a meteor strike, the earth erupted with thunderous force.
The swordsman crashed into the pavement, creating a crater. His chest caved inward as if struck by a cannonball, his heart obliterated.
With injuries that severe, survival was impossible.
One sword strike, one kick—a formidable enemy crushed completely.
Before Ain could even process Rhodes' reckless charge, the battle was over.
A gentle breeze stirred the dust on the ground.
Silence fell.
Ain remained trapped in indescribable shock, her large, bright eyes trembling violently as if she'd seen a ghost.
This strength is absurd!
Are you really seventeen and not seventy?!
Ain's mind churned with complex emotions. Her keen perception had caught every detail of Rhodes' devastating display.
Armament Haki far superior to her own, extraordinary speed and strength, and some kind of power that... resembled lightning itself.
All these abilities combined meant Rhodes could defeat her in two or three moves at most.
This is too depressing.
After a long moment, Ain's thoughts returned, and she muttered angrily to herself.
She'd originally assumed his talent simply exceeded hers, never expecting his actual combat power to be so overwhelmingly superior!
Damn it, this is so frustrating!
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