"Whoosh..."
The impetuous young Andrew launched the first attack.
Gripping his immensely heavy greatsword with both hands, he raised it high above his head.
Then, with a move as mighty as "Ikoku" he brought it down toward Lancelot with thunderous force.
"Huh..."
Lancelot couldn't help but let out a sound of surprise.
It was well known that the most prominent traits of giants were their astonishingly massive bodies and the terrifying strength that came with them.
Thus, their fighting style typically relied on overwhelming force and steadfast ferocity, somewhat akin to "breaking all techniques with pure power."
Yet, the young giant before him completely defied the traditional image of giants.
Not only was his strength fearsome, but his speed was also startlingly fast.
In the blink of an eye, the gleaming greatsword closed in on Lancelot's head like lightning.
As the saying goes, abnormal phenomena indicate demons, and unusual human behavior must conceal hidden motives!
Facing this attack that surpassed a giant's normal speed, Lancelot thought to himself.
'This young giant is acting so abnormally—I absolutely cannot let my guard down!'
Although with his own strength, even if he were to suffer an unexpected setback, it wouldn't be life-threatening, but if he were truly bested by this young giant, the humiliation would be unbearable.
Thinking this, Lancelot dared not show the slightest negligence.
In the blink of an eye, he swiftly reached out and tightly grasped the sharp blade 'Shusui'.
Instantly, an immensely powerful Armament Haki coiled around Shusui's blade like a nimble dragon, shimmering with a heart-palpitating radiance.
Immediately after, the muscles in his arm tensed abruptly as he swung with all his might!
A razor-sharp sword aura howled forth, tearing through the sky...
At the same time, the young and spirited Andrew showed no sign of backing down, adding even more weight to the force in his hands.
"Clang..."
A crisp yet deafening metallic clash resounded—the two formidable attacks collided violently in mid-air.
For a moment, it seemed as though time itself had frozen.
Terrifying power clashed and surged wildly at the point of impact, unleashing boundless energy like a volcanic eruption.
Visible shockwaves rippled outward layer by layer, spreading in all directions from the epicenter where the two stood.
Wherever these shockwaves passed, fierce winds howled, whipping up dust and stones.
Not only did they send the clothing of both combatants flapping violently, but even scattered debris on the ground was swept up, tossed about chaotically by the turbulent airflow.
The entire scene was one of utter chaos, yet filled with breathtGing intensity.
"So strong!"
Andrew widened his eyes, staring incredulously at Lancelot, who had actually withstood his devastating blow head-on.
Shock surged within him.
Yet, barely a moment later, an irrepressible excitement flooded his heart like a tidal wave.
After all, for years now, he had found no worthy opponents within his tribe.
Even the esteemed and powerful tribal elder could only barely hold his ground when sparring with him.
If not for Andrew holding back, the elder would have long been defeated.
Thus, it had been a very long time since he could unleash his full strength and engage in a truly exhilarating battle.
And now, to encounter such a formidable opponent here—how could he not be thrilled?
In an instant, Andrew's fighting spirit erupted like a volcano, igniting and surging to its peak.
"Hah..."
A deafening roar burst from his lips.
With that roar, a force even more terrifying than before surged from his body like a raging torrent, converging endlessly onto his arms and forming a fearsome energy wave that menacingly rushed toward Lancelot, attempting to overwhelm him in one fell swoop.
But at the very moment of his full outburst, Andrew keenly sensed an equally formidable power rising within Lancelot, matching his own intensity.
This power was like a slumbering beast that had finally awakened at this moment, baring its ferocious and terrifying fangs.
Immediately after, the forces between the two collided without reservation, erupting in a deafening, earth-shattering roar.
For a moment, the entire space seemed to tremble, and the surrounding air twisted violently under the impact of the two immense forces.
This time was no longer evenly matched like before!
With the violent recoil of that savage power, Andrew felt his arms tremble as if countless electric currents instantly surged through his entire body.
Immediately after, his body began to sway uncontrollably.
Andrew staggered backward like a great tree shaken by a gale, retreating seven or eight steps in succession.
With each step he took, the solid ground beneath his feet emitted a dull, thunderous sound, leaving behind deeply imprinted footprints as if the earth itself struggled to withstand his immense force.
Finally, on the seventh step, Andrew forcefully stomped his right foot backward, embedding his entire sole deep into the ground.
Using this counterforce, he barely managed to halt his retreat and stabilize his teetering form.
When Andrew lifted his head again to look at Lancelot, his eyes—once filled with confidence and pride—were now overwhelmed with shock.
Since childhood, as a member of the Giant Tribe, Andrew had known that strength was their innate gift and advantage.
No matter the enemy or challenge, he firmly believed his unparalleled might would ensure an easy victory.
Indeed, as he had always thought, throughout the long years of battles against other races, he had relied solely on absolute strength to dominate, never once suffering defeat in any contest of power.
Yet now, this seemingly ordinary opponent before him had actually forced him back in a head-on clash, delivering an unprecedented shock and impact.
"Huff…"
Andrew gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently like a bellows.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath of cold air, and slowly exhaled.
After repeating this several times, he finally felt his agitated emotions gradually calm.
When he opened his eyes again to look at Lancelot, the previous arrogance and disdain were gone, replaced by solemnity and respect.
But at the same time, his fighting spirit grew stronger, the power within him gathering like surging tidal waves.
With a low roar, Andrew's legs coiled like springs, propelling his entire body high into the air like an arrow released from its bow.
Simultaneously, he gripped his greatsword with both hands and brought it down with unparalleled momentum from above.