"It's my turn!"
Sage moved his arm, and Ennio retreated in an instant, transforming into a fading shadow.
But just at that moment, Sage also stomped his foot on the ground, becoming a shadow as well, and followed directly.
Soru!
One of the Six Styles, using explosive force by stomping rapidly several dozen times in an instant to propel oneself into high-speed movement, he naturally had learned it too!
"Rankyaku!"
Seeing Sage closing in, Ennio steadied his shocked heart and kicked several times in succession, generating chaotic slashes from his legs, aiming directly at the approaching Sage.
This time, Sage didn't dodge at all; his body steadied, and he shouted: "Tekkai!"
Dang dang dang!!
The slashes tore several holes in his clothes, leaving just a few white marks on his skin before dissipating.
"It's impolite not to reciprocate!"
Sage kicked directly, "Taste my Rankyaku: Cross!"
Buzz!
The light blue slash formed a cross shape, flying out from Sage's legs, plowing a deep furrow in the ground, and charging straight at Ennio.
Creating slashing strikes through super-speed kicks sweeping up the air; such skill isn't simple and can't rely solely on speed.
But fortunately, Sage not only could comprehend it but could also use it proficiently!
"Moon Step!"
The cross-shaped slash was certainly hard to dodge, so Ennio stepped into the air, flying upward.
"I've been waiting for this!"
Sage stomped into the air, ascending directly to catch up with Ennio in mid-air, aiming straight for his chest.
Moon Step!
Using strong leg power to stomp air, generating great aerial stepping force, like climbing stairs or jumping on springs, allowing temporary airborne movement.
In the air, one's control over their body certainly isn't as nimble as on the ground. And Sage had been waiting for him to use this move for a long time!
"North Star..."
Reaching Ennio, Sage bulged his mouth and shot out a breath like an air arrow, his hands moving like a peacock spreading its tail, ultimately transforming into countless fists, striking Ennio.
"Hundred Split Fist!"
Bang bang bang bang!!
As if struck by hundreds of bullets simultaneously, Ennio's body trembled in the air, his large body punched into countless recesses, and the force even kept him suspended in the air for a while before he heavily fell.
Boom!
The massive figure crashed to the ground, stirring a cloud of dust, and Sage naturally landed after a few jumps in mid-air.
North Star Hundred Split Fist, the signature technique of North Star Divine Fist, delivers a hundred punches at extreme speed, striking the opponent's secret acupoints; if fully landed, the opponent would explode and die.
But this was Kenshiro's Hundred Split Fist, which only targeted acupoints, with very minimal force.
However, what Sage possessed wasn't Kenshiro's cheat but the entirety of North Star Divine Fist.
North Star Divine Fist also has a version by Lao.
Lao's North Star Divine Fist doesn't target acupoints but purely uses destructive force to crush people, beating them into pieces.
Therefore, during past training, he would intentionally enhance his strength, eventually not only achieving the explosive North Star Hundred Split Fist but also combining forces to crush people!
If nothing unexpected happens...
This place in the East Sea is the Weak Sea; people of the sea treat Devil Fruit as a legend.
Sage's body techniques here could be said to punch the Mountain Bandit King and step on the Near Sea King; common folk have no other path but death once in close combat with him.
But the sea is not like this.
This sea has a high ceiling; no matter how impressive an assassination fist is, it's just a body technique.
He's not a true local, he knows what powerful things exist in the sea.
First, there are Devil Fruits.
Mysterious abilities, some even possess powers that require merely a touch to decide life and death in close combat for the Ability User.
North Star Divine Fist is an assassination fist targeting acupoints; as for being strong... strength in itself isn't any special characteristic here.
Targeting acupoints doesn't imply it can target Devil Fruits; those with Devil Fruit abilities can have capacities to modify bodily structures.
And secondly...
Whoosh!
The stirred-up dust suddenly contracted, a foot stomped heavily from within the dust, revealing a blood-soaked figure walking out.
The bloated body, riddled with indentations, was full of blood; visible ruptured blood vessels on his head, blood flowing into his eyes and gritted teeth, looking extremely vicious.
"Haki..." Sage murmured.
Haki is something that can block his acupoint strikes!
Sage didn't know Haki, nor could he see it, but he could feel during the Hundred Split Fist usage that there was an invisible armor obstructing him from striking Ennio's secret acupoints.
"Hahaha!"
Ennio laughed, baring his teeth: "Impressive! If I hadn't blocked part of it, I would've been dead by now! Kid, is that technique an ability?!"
"No... It's just a precise martial art."
Sage said gravely: "But you, Haki... doesn't match your style. Who exactly are you?"
Sage had studied Haki, after all, reaching the sea, definitely needed to understand Haki.
It's a potential force possessed by all living beings, a manifestation of momentum, killing intent, fighting spirit... the will of life becoming Haki.
Of course, it requires rigorous training to achieve.
It's just that this thing has no training method, it's entirely up to oneself.
Sage once wanted to learn Haki, but he couldn't destroy mountains with his fists like Garp, nor could he find a qualified strong person to train him.
But he knew that Haki is something that those without willpower cannot possess. Even if one once had it, if the will weakens, it will dissipate, regardless of whether it is Observation or Armament, or that which needs the aptitude of the Supreme King...
A king who wants to rid himself of his stepdaughter to consolidate his throne and continue his pleasures, allowing this country to be overrun by mountain bandits... even if his body techniques have not regressed, he should not possess Haki.
"Who am I..."
Ennio's body swayed for a moment and then steadied, revealing a menacing smile: "Of course, I am the King of the Oyekot Kingdom!!"
"Die!"
A woman's voice suddenly rang out from the side, and a sharp gleam swiftly shot towards Ennio.
Ennio swung a leg directly to the side, delivering a Rankyaku, a pale blue slash shot out from his leg.
Swish!
Blood sprayed out in large amounts, falling all over the ground.
Bang!
A hand grasped Lily's neck, effortlessly lifting her, while behind her, a group of navy soldiers were cut in half.
"Lily!"
Ennio drew Lily closer to his face and said viciously, "Why must you stop me, why don't you run! You are already a bounty hunter of the sea, and it's only going to get worse! Do you see those dead navy soldiers, it was you, you and your accomplices who killed them! Right, Colonel Mouse!!"
"Yes, yes!"
Colonel Mouse, already trembling from the bloody scene, stood at attention instinctively upon hearing the shout, "Maliciously attacking the navy is a heinous crime, it's definitely going to increase the bounty!"
"Shameless!"
Lily's eyes reddened as she shouted, "It was clearly you who did it, all of this was done by you, you usurper! So many mountain bandits, it was all you who forced them out!"
"Usurper? Hahaha, I'm the rightful king, I gave the Heavenly Celestial Dragons a large amount of heavenly gold, and they recognize me!"
Ennio stretched out another hand, caressing Lily's face, "And you... are just a canary in a cage, no one knows your identity, you claim to be a princess, an heiress of the kingdom, but who would believe you? Who would care? As for what you said about those mountain bandits..."
Crack...
He exerted his fingers, lifting Lily to a higher position, allowing people attracted by the battle to see her, and also directing Lily towards the city gate.
"Look, is that them?"
Not far away, a large group of ragged mountain bandits approached, bound with ropes, pushed forward by soldiers with guns, each looking dejected.
The number was probably in the hundreds.
Sage even saw the group of mountain bandits he had previously immobilized with acupoint for half a day among them.
"What did you do!" Lily shouted.
"Do you think I would let you run around freely? As long as you are in this country, I have to capture you. Now that you're caught, and these wandering mountain bandits can be put to use, selling you is selling, selling them is also selling, since there's no money to pay, this will be the last money-making opportunity!"
Boom!
A crack of thunder suddenly resounded in the sky, the lightning illuminating Ennio's blood-stained face in a sinister manner.
"Listen well, you trash!"
Ennio yelled at the mountain bandits: "You have no use anymore, failing to pay taxes makes you no different from waste, I've decided to sell you off to cover debts, this way, you won't have to pay anything! Be grateful!!"
The mountain bandits turned pale one by one, their forms hunched over with Ennio's words.
"I will definitely kill you!" Lily yelled, her face flushed with rage.
"If you can!"
Ennio sneered and tossed her in Sage's direction, and Sage... just tilted slightly, letting Lily roll on the ground several times, ending up dusty and battered.
Seeing this, Ennio was clearly momentarily stunned, subconsciously asking, "Why didn't you catch her?"
"Why should I?" Sage retorted.
Ennio curled the corner of his mouth, casting a subtle glance at Lily, quickly pulling in his expression, becoming wild and arrogant.
"Next, I will collect more taxes, pay more heavenly gold, do you see those ships at the port!"
He pointed at the large and small ships moored ahead, "I want those ships filled with heavenly gold, once I have enough money, I will become a Heavenly Celestial Dragon too!"
He reached out towards the surrounding citizens, grasping, "You must pay more taxes to help fulfill your king's dreams!"
This made most of the citizens turn pale and gradually start to cause a commotion.
"Your Majesty, we can't pay more taxes!"
One citizen pleaded, "We are already struggling, if more taxes are added, we won't survive!"
"If you can't survive, then all become slaves!"
Ennio waved his hand, "Arrest them all, anyone who can't pay becomes a slave!"
With one order, the soldiers who had previously restrained the mountain bandits and those behind Ennio all moved out, charging at the citizens.
"And you!"
Ennio finally turned to look at Sage, wiping his bloodied face, "You offended me, so you too will become a slave!"
Swoosh!
He rapidly moved towards Sage, delivering a heavy punch downwards.
Sage raised an eyebrow, not dodging, throwing a punch back.
Boom!!
Fist against fist, a muffled sound exploded, a burst of air blast erupted from the fists, blowing away the gradually falling rain.
Sage didn't even step back, purely in terms of strength, he was not inferior to this human cannonball.
Moreover, having Haki doesn't matter, this guy...
"Your Death Star is shining!" Sage snarled.