Usopp broke out in a cold sweat, nearly jumped up, and yelled in collapse:
"Hey! Hey! Hey!!!"
"The cannonballs are about to hit us, and you're still making sarcastic remarks?!"
"Boom—!!!"
The cannonball cut through the air, closing in on the going merry!
Just at this moment—
"Hmph."
A cold snort suddenly rang out!
"Clang—!"
A flash of a blade, a glint of cold light!
Zoro's hand was already on the hilt of his sword!
The next moment—
"Crack!!"
Three swords instantly unsheathed!
Zoro's figure moved, his entire body like a coiled tiger ready to pounce.
He stomped his foot, and a surge of wild Sword Intent burst forth!
"Three Sword Style—"
"Onigiri!"
"Swish! Swish! Swish!—!!!"
In an instant, three extremely sharp crescent-shaped Sword Qi shot out from the blade!
Sword light streaked across the sky, cold glints rampant!
Zoro's wado ichimonji, sandai kitetsu, and Yukibashiri crossed as they struck.
The terrifying Sword Qi transformed into three arcing slashes, accurately meeting the densely incoming cannonballs!
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!!"
The cannonballs were instantly blasted apart in mid-air, fire erupting.
The shockwave swept out, illuminating Zoro's stern profile.
Everyone was stunned!
"Wh-what?!"
"Those were... cannonballs fired simultaneously from over three hundred cannons!!"
"They were... just cut apart like that?!"
Jonathan stood on the railing, his gaze slightly narrowed, the smile on his face finally receding a little.
He took a deep look at Zoro standing on the deck, a hint of imperceptible surprise flickering in his eyes.
"Pirate Hunter Zoro..."
He murmured softly, slowly saying—
"Has he already reached the Realm of a Swordsman?"
A Swordsman refers to a powerful individual who has truly stepped into the Domain of a Great Swordsman.
Only by tempering sword skills in countless life-and-death battles can one enter this Realm.
Zoro's three slashes just now were not only incredibly precise but also far exceeded the power level of an ordinary Swordsman!
And he unleashed three of them in an instant!
Jonathan narrowed his eyes, secretly speculating in his heart—
"Judging by the speed and force of his sword swings, he's probably already approaching the level of a Great Swordsman..."
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly again, restoring his usual composure.
"Heh..."
"It seems this battle is much more interesting than I imagined."
The cannon fire had not ceased!
After Zoro shattered the first wave of cannon fire, a second, denser barrage.
Carrying earth-shattering roars, it swept towards the going merry once again!
Usopp's eyes widened, and he nearly fainted from fright!
He huddled tightly with the trembling Chopper.
Meanwhile, Nami, on the other hand, had become calm, watching the barrage in the sky with interest.
"Ah ah ah ah!!!!"
"It's not over yet?! Another wave?!"
"How many tons of cannonballs does this Marine have?! Are they not going to stop until they run out?!"
A vein throbbed on Nami's forehead, and she slammed her fist down hard on Usopp's head: "Shut up! You're even more annoying when you shout!"
Usopp clutched his head, tears welling up: "I'm just telling the truth!!!!"
"Bang!"
On the deck, Sanji's leather shoe lightly tapped.
He took a deep drag from his cigarette, slowly exhaled a wisp of white smoke, his eyes slightly narrowed, and then—
He stomped his foot, and suddenly burst forth!
"Whoosh—!!!"
Sanji's figure was like an arrow released from a bowstring, shooting straight into the sky!
"Moonwalk!"
The air beneath his feet exploded, and he continuously stepped out dozens of afterimages.
As if stepping on invisible stairs, he instantly soared into the air, standing amidst the cannon fire-laced sky!
Under the night sky, cannonballs whistled in from all directions, the burning firelight reflecting on his face.
He slowly raised his right foot, and the air beneath his sole began to distort, a swirling heatwave furiously emerging—
"Diable Jambe—"
Scorching flames instantly surged and burned beneath his foot!
Crimson flames wrapped around his right foot, carrying intense heat, illuminating the night sky!
In his pupils, the densely roaring cannonballs were reflected!
Sanji let out a furious roar—
"Rankyaku (Tempest Kick)!!!!"
"Boom!!!"
Accompanying Sanji's furious roar, dozens of crescent-shaped flame slashes suddenly shot out with a thunderous impact!
The fierce flames instantly swept across the entire night sky, each Rankyaku carrying a violent high temperature.
Like meteors from outer space sweeping across heaven and earth, they precisely split the cannonballs from all directions!
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
The cannonballs exploded one after another in mid-air, turning into blazing fireballs, and the entire night sky was dyed deep red!
The scorching shockwave swept out, stirring up monstrous waves on the sea surface.
The aftershocks swept out, even causing the surrounding rock walls to tremble slightly!
At this moment, all the Marines in the entire Naval Fortress of Navarone were completely stunned!!!
"The cannonballs... were stopped again?!"
"Th-this... this can't be true!!"
"Just now it was that Swordsman Zoro... this time... who is it again?!"
A Marine Soldier suddenly picked up his binoculars and clearly saw Sanji suspended in the air.
"Wait, wait, wait!!!! This guy... who is this guy?!!!"
"An un-bountied member of the Straw Hat Pirates?! He can use Rokushiki Rankyaku (Tempest Kick) and Moonwalk (Geppo)?!!!!"
"What a joke!! Rokushiki is our Marine's high-level martial art!! Ordinary soldiers can't even learn it!!"
"How could even an unknown pirate know it?!!!"
The Marine base was in an uproar, fear spreading!
At the railing—
Vice Admiral Jonathan's gaze was deep as he quietly watched Sanji, engulfed in flames in the sky, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.
He was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke—
"Rankyaku (Tempest Kick) and Moonwalk (Geppo)... it's Rokushiki Rankyaku (Tempest Kick) and Moonwalk (Geppo)..."
"And... has it also been combined with some special flames...?"
He narrowed his eyes slightly, and a hint of unconcealable shock finally appeared on his face.
"Rokushiki is a secret martial art passed down by Marineford."
He slowly looked up at the figure burning with fierce flames, his gaze flickering slightly.
"A new member of the Straw Hat Pirates with no bounty..."
"Has actually skillfully mastered two of the Rokushiki?"
Jonathan's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of doubt rising in his heart—
"Rokushiki are Moves that even many Marine Officerss find difficult to Cultivate to mastery..."
"How did the Straw Hat Pirates learn them?!!!"
He instantly thought of a certain possibility, his pupils slightly constricted, and his expression became unusually deep.
"Could it be..."
"Is there a shadow of a Marine high-ranking official in this pirate crew?"
Jonathan took a deep breath, his thoughts swirling, and his mind began to race!
"If that's truly the case... then the origin of this pirate crew... is even more extraordinary..."
He looked down at Luffy standing on the going merry's deck, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Or rather... is Vice Admiral Garp's grandson, Luffy, some kind of arrangement by our Marine?"
Vice Admiral Jonathan's eyes were sharp, and he suddenly had some strange imaginings in his mind...
"If that's really the case... then the origin of this pirate crew... is even more extraordinary..."
He looked down at Luffy standing on the going merry's deck, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Or rather... is Vice Admiral Garp's grandson, Luffy, some kind of arrangement by our Marine?"
Vice Admiral Jonathan's eyes were sharp, and he suddenly had some strange imaginings in his mind...