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Chapter 32
Bogard, having fought in the God Valley Incident, was no stranger to pressure. Jepack's aura—infused with Conqueror's Haki—still managed to hold its ground against him.
After five minutes of deadlock, Bogard, lacking Conqueror's Haki, fell behind by the tiniest margin. Jepack seized that sliver of opportunity. In a flash, Ten'en came slashing down—only for Bogard to block it effortlessly.
Gripping his sword with both hands, Bogard spoke with a hint of mockery:
"Kid, is that all your swordsmanship amounts to?"
Jepack instantly realized Bogard had deliberately exposed that opening.
Slowly, he coated Ten'en with Armament Haki, standing ready.
Bogard's eyes also flashed with seriousness. A mountain-splitting, stone-crushing aura began radiating from his blade, spreading outward.
The pressure of a true swordsman bore straight toward Jepack!
Jepack swung to deflect part of the incoming sword energy, but Bogard's aura still curved around him in a half-moon enclosure.
"You're not bad either, Bogard."
This level of sword pressure reminded Jepack of the one time Frost Moon Koushirou had unleashed it back in Shimotsuki Village.
Even then, Koushirou hadn't used his full power—and Jepack had still been defeated. This swordsman's pressure now was far fiercer than that encounter!
Even from the Ten'en, Guina felt a sword aura eerily similar to her father's strength!
Remembering her father's words from years ago, she silently cheered herself on in her heart:
Is this the realm Father said I could never reach? It really is powerful… But I won't give up. I will become the impossible he spoke of!!
Jepack watched the encroaching sword pressure. Ten'en trembled slightly in his grip.
"I admit—I underestimated you. As expected of someone who's stood by Garp's side for so long. I acknowledge this sword aura of yours."
"You look pretty ragged trying to hold it back, kid!"
"I only acknowledged your aura—not your full strength. You're strong, but I'm not made of clay."
With those words, a powerful presence slowly rose around Jepack.
Internally, he thought: Sure enough—Conqueror's Haki. This kid really isn't simple.
Jepack declared:
"I'll make this fight anything but boring!"
In the next instant, the Conqueror's Haki bursting from his eyes shattered straight through Bogard's sword pressure!
"I know you're strong, so… don't disappoint me! I want to know exactly where my current strength stands. Please—give me everything you've got!"
After saying that, Jepack gripped Ten'en tightly—now fully coated in Armament Haki.
Then, he surged forward!
The crimson aura of the sea's overlord swept outward, crashing toward Bogard and breaking through his sword pressure straight at his face.
Bogard raised his blade to block the first wave of Conqueror's Haki.
Immediately after came Jepack's close-range assault.
"Take this, Bogard."
"One Sword Style – Dragon Tour Imperial Heaven!"
Bogard, caught slightly off-guard by the relentless attacks, still managed to withstand the two strikes with sheer skill.
Awakened Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki were already shocking enough—now he was facing a swordsman approaching Great Swordsman level.
Why does a swordsman hide his sword like that, damn it?
Bogard mentally complained while his hands never slowed in parrying.
As Jepack's attacks continued and his Conqueror's Haki gradually surrounded Bogard's position…
Bogard swung his blade to force Jepack back, then retreated ten steps himself.
Gripping his sword tightly, he closed his eyes for a brief moment to gather power—then unleashed a massive sword slash.
It tore a gap straight through Jepack's Conqueror's Haki, dissipating most of the pressure.
Jepack immediately seized the opening, wrapping his own Conqueror's Haki around Ten'en and countering with a slash of his own.
The two sword energies collided violently in midair.
Crack!
Bogard's powerful slash shattered into fragments in the sky!
Jepack's counter-slash was reduced to almost nothing.
"Should I throw your earlier words back at you? Is that all you've got? Vice-Captain… Bo… Gard?"
Jepack emphasized Bogard's title mockingly.
"Hahaha~ Arrogant and interesting little punk."
Bogard laughed heartily at Jepack's words.
"You should get serious too, kid."
"Let me see if you really have the strength to make me enjoy this fight!"
With that, Bogard gripped his sword hilt tightly and charged Jepack at high speed.
In an instant, he was right in front of him.
"Kid! Catch this—if you can't, you'll get hurt!"
A downward cleave—immense power and weight, aiming to crush Jepack completely.
"In that case… no more holding back. I'm laying it all out!"
But Jepack stood his ground, gripping Ten'en with both hands.
He closed his eyes, fully immersing himself in the information from Observation Haki.
Just as Bogard's blade was about to strike down—
Jepack swung upward in a graceful arc, using minimal force to perfectly deflect the crushing blow with four ounces against a thousand pounds.
(End-of-chapter teaser: This chapter isn't over—click next page for more excitement!)
"Damn it—you actually have… Observation Haki too?!"
"Swordsman hiding his sword—kid, you're hiding your cheap tricks, huh?"
Bogard's sword and the transparent greatsword formed by his aura came crashing down together.
Jepack felt the overwhelming pressure.
In all his time in this world, only Frost Moon Koushirou had ever made him feel this kind of pressure.
If he couldn't block this, it really could be life-threatening. No choice but to go all out.
"Only fights at this level get my blood pumping! Let's burn!!"
Jepack roared.
In that same instant, both unleashed their ultimate techniques.
Both were pure power-over-technique clashes.
Right at that moment, Jepack seemed to catch the tiniest flaw in Bogard's stance.
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