Whoosh!
With speed that completely defied his hulking frame, Chinjao's fist came crashing toward Don's face.
Thanks to his Observation Haki, Don saw through every movement. His steps retreated rhythmically, each one narrowly slipping past Chinjao's strikes.
After his battle with Kuzan, Don could clearly feel that his understanding of combat had grown tremendously.
Say what you will, but fighting really does sharpen you far faster than training ever could.
"Brat, stop dodging!"
Chinjao roared in frustration as yet another punch struck nothing but air.
"Fine then!"
At his words, Don surged forward, throwing a punch of his own.
Their fists collided—Chinjao's oversized fist against Don's smaller one. The impact tore through the trees around them, shockwaves spreading out in rippling rings.
Invisible blasts of force howled across the battlefield, whipping at their clothes and hair as they tested each other's strength.
"You're strong, boy!"
Chinjao's eyes bulged wide as he growled.
"You're not too shabby yourself."
Don tossed the line back casually—but before the words even left his lips, Chinjao's other fist came swinging.
"Crafty old man!"
Don met it with a fist of his own.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Their figures blurred, exchanging blows at blinding speed.
Armament Haki-clad fists clashed again and again, sparks flying from invisible collisions.
"Raaaagh!"
Chinjao bellowed, hammering down both fists with savage force.
Don roared back, meeting him head-on. Their fists collided, the ground splitting beneath them. Chinjao staggered back dozens of steps before losing balance and dropping onto his backside.
Meanwhile, Don stood his ground, pulling his feet free from the cracked earth with an awkward scratch to his face.
Trying to imitate the "local" fighting style of this world still felt unbearably awkward to him.
Especially the whole shouting-and-charging bit—just wasn't his style.
Better stick with the sword.
Glancing at his hands, Don turned and walked to where his blade was buried in the earth, drawing the long katana free.
Chinjao got back to his feet, grim-faced as he watched Don unsheathe his sword.
And truthfully, he felt awkward too.
To think he'd lost in a contest of raw strength…
Had he really grown that old?
Self-doubt gnawed at him. So many years without setting sail, and now the younger generation had grown this formidable?
Chinjao's eyes stayed sharp, fixed on Don's blade.
That sword—he had a hunch it was even deadlier than Don's fists.
Swish!
Don vanished. By the time he reappeared, his blade was already slicing down toward Chinjao's head.
Clang!
Steel rang against hardened Haki. Sparks exploded where the blade met his armored skull.
Then another slash.
And another.
Don's face remained expressionless as his katana blurred, strike after strike hammering against Chinjao's head. The blows came so fast the blade itself vanished, leaving only the relentless sound of steel striking iron—and the sight of Chinjao's head jerking lower and lower.
So damn hard!
Don leapt back, hand tingling numb from the vibrations.
That head really was ridiculously hard.
As for Chinjao, his mind buzzed with dizziness. The repeated strikes left him reeling; he shook his head violently just to keep his vision steady.
"Hasshoken—Armed Drill Head!"
BOOM!
Snapping back into clarity, Chinjao smashed his Armament-coated head into the ground before Don.
The earth erupted with a detonation stronger than his fists, a crushing shockwave ripping toward Don.
Don sprang into the air.
And from the crater below, Chinjao's body followed—his blackened head rocketing straight up at him.
What is this, Toad Style kung fu?!
The déjà vu was so strong Don nearly laughed.
He didn't—he punched instead.
Fist met skull. Lightning crackled where they collided, pressure waves blasting outward in every direction.
Nearby, Robin and the two men with her—Lao G and his companion—felt the terrifying weight of the clash. They barely managed to hold their ground and dared not step closer.
At the edge of the harbor town, panic had already gripped the residents after Don's clashes with Lao G and then with Chinjao.
But now? No need to panic anymore.
They all collapsed unconscious, felled by the oppressive clash of Conqueror's Haki.
"So… you've got it too."
Landing heavily, Chinjao glared at Don in sudden realization.
Don blinked. "Didn't Lao G tell you?"
"Lao G?"
Chinjao froze for a moment before realizing he meant his grandson. But… Lao G?
His expression twisted at the bizarre nickname.
But Don wasn't about to stop.
"Severing Slash!"
A gleam of steel tore through the air.
Chinjao raised an Armament-hardened arm to block—blood sprayed where the edge cut deep.
Compressing his Haki into the blade… Don had just grasped the technique.
But with his lack of mastery, it still wasn't enough to fully break through the defenses of a seasoned veteran like Chinjao.
"A fine blade… and a swordsman to wield it!"
Chinjao dared not be careless now.
His eyes locked on Don as Armament coated his skull again. Then he leapt high into the air—spinning.
Like an inverted drill, he whirled down toward Don.
So fast his body blurred out of sight.
"What a flashy trick."
Don reversed his sword, stabbing it into the ground, and swung his fists instead.
As Chinjao's spinning form hurtled down, fists and kicks wreathed in Haki struck with immense power.
Clearly, this was the technique he'd created after Garp flattened his head. A clever move, sure… but against Don, it was useless.
Don's fists became afterimages, his stance rooted like a pillar. No matter how Chinjao spun and slammed, he couldn't break through.
If anything, the flurry loosened Don up. His body moved freer, more natural, and to his own surprise—he was actually enjoying the fight.
But enjoyment had its limits. He wasn't about to let thrill-seeking override reason.
BOOM!
Don's right fist smashed out, sending Chinjao flying like a top. The old man crashed into the ground, half his body buried in the dirt.
"If you don't bring out your real strength, I won't be holding back."
Don stood tall, fists clenched.
"Mmmphhh!"
A muffled sob broke the air.
Don's brow twitched.
…Did he just make him cry?
Pulling himself free, Chinjao sat down heavily and burst into tears.
"To be looked down on by a brat! Uuuugh! I can't even defeat a kid anymore, let alone that bastard Garp!"
Watching the old man bawl, Don narrowed his eyes, a thread of killing intent leaking out.
Chinjao froze mid-wail, his body stiffening. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet Don's, blood-red eyes flashing as his Conqueror's Haki exploded forth.
BOOM!
Don didn't back down, unleashing his own in turn.
The two wills crashed in the air between them, splitting the battlefield with raw dominance.
Chinjao pressed his palms into the ground, rising with his long white beard bristling. His head blackened with Armament once more.
"Drill Nail!!"
END OF CHAPTER
patreon.com/MrBehringer
Fireborne Legends
🔹 Rising Bounty – Read up to 15 chapters ahead
🔸 Legendary Bounty – Command up to 35 chapters ahead