Chapter 73: Flawless?
The little girl was quite confident.
Rhodes glanced at Koala and said, "Don't believe me? How about a bet?"
"A bet? What for?"
"One hundred million berries!"
"One... one hundred million berries? When did you get one hundred million berries?"
Koala was shocked.
One hundred million berries was no small amount.
If Rhodes hadn't wiped out the Twin Pirates with a single sword and sold that Devil Fruit, his net worth would probably only be in the six figures.
"What do you care how I got it? I didn't steal or rob, and I didn't gamble. So, deal or no deal?"
Rhodes squinted at her, as if he was looking at a pauper, radiating superiority.
Koala was so angry she gritted her teeth and wanted to agree immediately.
Suddenly, a thought struck her, and her expression froze. Then, indignantly, she whispered, "I... I don't have enough money!"
"You're broke! How much do you have?"
Koala pondered for a moment before answering,
"About 84.3 million berries."
The moment she said these words, Koala suddenly realized the gravity of the situation. She was about to gamble her entire fortune—a bet that could leave her penniless.
Koala instantly became wary, eyeing Rhodes suspiciously.
Rhodes' expression was calm and straightforward, as if nothing was amiss. But Koala, being shrewd, understood that the absence of flaws was the greatest flaw of all.
"You're trying to trick me!"
Her delicate face puffed up. Just as she was about to say something else, the sudden outbreak of battle caught her attention.
Clang!
Sabo's claws collided with Ryuji's sword, unleashing a deafening clash of metal against metal. An invisible shockwave swept across the field.
A momentary stalemate.
Then everyone watched as Sabo was violently knocked back, a trace of bright red blood oozing from his knuckles.
Ryuji, on the other hand, merely stumbled slightly.
The exchange instantly determined superiority. Despite his initial setback, Sabo remained undeterred.
For a warrior of his caliber, a minor injury was nothing.
Whoosh!
The next moment, he charged forward, his form flashing as he closed in on Ryuji, engaging him in close-quarters combat.
Crack! Bang!
The two collided dozens, perhaps hundreds of times. To Kuro and the others, all they could see were two blurry black figures intertwined. Occasionally, the aftershocks of their clash tore through the earth, creating dark fissures.
The ground shook, howling winds blew, and dust billowed into the air.
But anyone with a discerning eye could see that the sword-wielding figure was firmly keeping the unarmed fighter in check.
"This is our teacher's power!"
Kuro exclaimed, his expression filled with pride.
Bepo and the others marveled in amazement. So this was the strength of a senior officer? Brother Sabo was indeed still too young.
"Ryuji is at least twice Sabo's age, so losing is only natural,"
Koala retorted to Rhodes' earlier prediction, secretly thanking herself for not agreeing to the bet. Otherwise, she would have been back to square one financially.
"Mm-hmm,"
Rhodes replied noncommittally.
Another fierce collision occurred.
Sabo was sent flying, his clothes torn, his hair disheveled, his forehead beaded with sweat.
His eyes were stern, with a hint of helplessness and frustration.
Ryuji was too strong—perhaps flawless, without a single weakness.
He was inferior to Ryuji in almost every aspect, both in offensive power and combat experience. If it weren't for his natural talent in taijutsu and agility, he probably wouldn't have been able to keep up with Ryuji for so long.
Even giving his utmost effort, he couldn't avoid the blade that pursued him relentlessly, getting struck again and again.
Even with a broken arm, Ryuji proved to be completely beyond Sabo's reach. He still had a long way to go.
Dragon shook his head slightly and said in a deep voice, "The battle is over. Sabo, step back. Rhodes, you're up."
"Yes, sir."
Sabo quickly composed himself and whispered a warning as he passed by Rhodes: "Be careful—his abilities are completely well-rounded, with almost no openings."
"Understood."
Rhodes nodded casually.
Indeed, any Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral had honed their abilities to near perfection, with virtually no weaknesses—especially those proficient in taijutsu or swordsmanship.
"Is it Rhodes' turn?"
Fish-man Hack, Belo Betty, and other high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Army were slightly excited, though not expecting much.
Sabo was widely recognized as the Revolutionary Army's greatest prodigy, having learned directly from their leader Dragon, and his strength had long been the gold standard among the younger generation.
Even he couldn't handle Ryuji, so how could Rhodes, who had only risen to prominence less than a year ago, stand a chance?
"I don't know why the leader sent Rhodes up. He's just a bit stronger than me at best. How could he possibly defeat my master?" Kuro was displeased.
Morley and other officers shared similar sentiments.
Perhaps only Bepo and Koala had any confidence in Rhodes.
Koala was influenced by the strength tester's deep impression from earlier, while Bepo simply believed this man couldn't lose.
Everyone's eyes were on Rhodes.
He remained unfazed. One hand rested gently on his sword hilt, his expression calm as he looked across at Ryuji.
"You just fought. Do you want to rest?"
"No need—just warming up,"
Ryuji said calmly, a fiery glint in his eyes.
From Rhodes' bearing, he knew his earlier intuition about Rhodes was probably correct.
This was a formidable young swordsman.
He would have to give everything if he wanted to win.
"Here I come."
The next moment, Ryuji drew his sword.
"Ittōryū: Shunzan!" (One Sword Style: Instant Slash!)
This was his signature iaido technique.
Clang!
Ryuji's speed was nearly instantaneous. The moment he drew the sword, that extreme velocity transferred into the blade, generating terrifying force.
Buzz!
A flash of deep green cold light suddenly appeared.
With Ryuji's slashing strike, the cold light transformed into brilliant sword energy that burst forth instantly, seemingly capable of severing anything with unstoppable momentum.
Ryuji's strength was undoubtedly the most formidable Rhodes had ever encountered.
Facing Ryuji, a swordsman of immense power who likely hailed from Wano Country, Rhodes erupted with tremendous fighting spirit, brimming with youthful vigor. This razor-sharp edge seemed capable of cutting through the very fabric of reality.
"Ittōryū Iai!" (One Sword Style Draw!)
At this moment, his iai was a true unleashing of full power. With his internal organs working in perfect harmony, Rhodes released his might to its utmost limit, and the power of this single strike was unparalleled!
A brilliant silver-white sword energy, like a crescent moon, suddenly burst forth from his blade.
Boom!
The two sword energies collided mid-air, exploding violently and leaving two deep gouges in the ground.
Ryuji had once been a top-tier swordsman. Though his strength had diminished with the loss of an arm, his mastery of swordsmanship remained intact.
This deep green sword energy forcefully overwhelmed Rhodes' silver-white energy, dimming only slightly before continuing its advance, forcing Rhodes back two steps before finally dissipating.
"As expected!"
Though the initial exchange put him at a disadvantage, Rhodes' fighting spirit only intensified. His casual attitude vanished completely, revealing a seriousness no one had witnessed before.
The next moment, he began his counterattack.
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