When the azure flames ignited around Marco shot skyward, the entire Great Soul Arena seemed to be thrown into a furnace. Blistering heat waves rolled through the air as the immense power of the Azure Flame Phoenix Spirit flooded his entire body.
Opposite him, God Knife's long blade hummed, its sharp sword intent slicing through the air. Their gazes met, battle spirit erupting between them.
In the exclusive viewing stand, Qing Yu flapped his wings excitedly.
"Be careful!" Marco shouted lowly, instantly activating "Shave" as his figure vanished. The next moment, he appeared to God Knife's left, his right leg whipping out like a steel whip. The leg strike carried fierce wind pressure along with the intense heat of azure flames.
God Knife's pupils contracted slightly, but his reaction was swift as lightning. Unable to withdraw his long blade in time, his left palm shot out instead, Soul Power gathering in his palm as he forcefully met Marco's whip kick.
"Boom!"
A dull impact sound echoed. God Knife's body swayed, a burning pain spreading from his palm. Marco felt a slight numbness in his right leg. In this first exchange, both gained understanding of each other's physical strength.
"Impressive power!" God Knife praised, his long blade executing a simple chop carrying the will to tear through everything, aimed directly at Marco's shoulder and neck.
Marco intentionally tested his defense, crossing his arms to block as azure flames solidified on his arms. Simultaneously, he quietly covered the blocking point with Armament Haki.
"Clang!"
Blade met arm with the sound of metal collision. Sparks flew everywhere as Marco was forced back by the chop. The sleeves on his arms shattered, but the Armament Haki effectively resisted most of the penetrating force. As the azure flames circulated, the white marks quickly disappeared.
"Astonishing defense!" God Knife thought with inner shock, but his eyes grew even sharper.
Marco let out a long cry, his battle spirit growing stronger. He combined "Shave" with "Moonwalk," his figure transforming into multiple afterimages as he launched a fierce assault. This time, he focused his attacks entirely on his legs!
"Tempest Kick Azure Fire Slash!" he shouted, his body spinning rapidly in mid-air as his legs kicked out in alternating motions. Several curved light blades wrapped in condensed azure flames roared forth, carrying extreme heat and following tricky trajectories that covered all around God Knife.
Facing this wave of attacks, God Knife finally stopped holding back. The first yellow Spirit Ring at his feet suddenly lit up!
"First Soul Skill: Edge!"
His long blade hummed as the blade edge instantly gleamed with a dazzling cold light, its sharpness increasing by approximately thirty percent! As the long blade swung, the sword energy became more condensed and sharp, seemingly capable of easily cutting through Soul Power defenses.
Immediately after, the second yellow Spirit Ring shone!
"Second Soul Skill: Swift!"
God Knife's figure abruptly accelerated, his blade speed and movement speed increasing by fifty percent! He transformed into a silver afterimage, his long blade dancing as he instantly wove an impenetrable net of blades before him. "Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!A series of crisp sounds rang out as every single azure flame light blade kicked out by Marco was precisely sliced apart by the suddenly accelerated blade edge! The speed was so fast it was breathtaking.
Marco's assault didn't cease. Using "Moonwalk" to tread on air, his figure abruptly rose high above God Knife's head. "Leg Gun Piercing Kill!" His right leg straightened, the tip of his foot becoming like a spear point as Armament Haki highly condensed, taking on a dark blackish-blue hue. His entire body descended vertically like a meteor, stabbing straight toward God Knife's head!
God Knife's expression remained unchanged as the first purple Spirit Ring at his feet burst with brilliant light!
"Third Soul Skill: Defend!"
An incredibly solid arc-shaped blade qi barrier instantly formed before him! Marco's foot spear stabbed fiercely into the barrier—with a deafening "boom," the blade qi barrier rippled violently, absorbing about thirty percent of the impact, yet it ultimately held firm against the lethal strike. The moment the block succeeded, God Knife's slashing speed increased by another ten percent. In a flash of blade light, he swung upward toward Marco's wide-open chest and abdomen!
Marco narrowly evaded, and the instant he landed, he activated "Shave" again, skimming the ground at high speed as a sweeping leg strike targeted his opponent's lower body. God Knife leaped into the air, but Marco shadowed him closely, using "Moonwalk" to change direction mid-air and bringing his left leg down like a battle axe in a diagonal chop!
God Knife swung his blade back to block, and "Defense" demonstrated its might once more! With a loud "clang!" he was slammed down by the tremendous force, stumbling upon landing, but the blade qi barrier had again effectively weakened the impact. Seizing the momentum, he spun around, his long blade tracing a seamless arc as continuous flashes of blade light deflected all of Marco's subsequent kicks.
Marco's assaults were relentless, like an unending tide. His legs became a blur of afterimages as he effortlessly unleashed a barrage of kicks—thrusting, sweeping, stomping, snapping, and chopping. By combining Observation Haki with his Double Pupil Eye, he predicted and discerned every minute movement of God Knife.
Yet, God Knife's defense was virtually impenetrable! "Edge" enhanced his blade's absolute offensive power, allowing it to slice through fierce winds with ease; "Swift" provided extreme speed, enabling him to parry or evade at critical moments; and the blade qi barrier formed by "Defense" was exceptionally sturdy. Despite Marco's high-frequency attacks, the majority were effectively neutralized.
Unable to break through after prolonged assault, Marco's mind raced, and he attempted to close in for suppression. But at that moment, the second purple Spirit Ring at God Knife's feet suddenly lit up!
"Fourth Soul Skill: Momentum!"
A heavy, swamp-like pressure instantly radiated from God Knife, enveloping a ten-meter radius! This pressure field exerted both mental and physical effects. Marco immediately felt his body grow heavy, his speed dropping by over twenty percent, while a mental assault hammered at his mind, forcing his Soul Power to automatically activate in defense, rapidly depleting his reserves!
This dual-pressure field severely restricted Marco's mobility. Seizing the advantage, God Knife counterattacked, combining "Edge" and "Swift" as his blade light surged, his onslaught growing fierce and overwhelming. Marco had no choice but to switch from offense to defense, relying on Observation Haki's predictions and the explosive burst of "Shave" to maneuver.
However, Marco quickly adapted to the pressure field, a testament to the formidable resilience of his Azure Flame Phoenix Spirit. He adjusted his tactics, making his attacks more focused and condensed. The battle evolved into a war of attrition, with both sides' Soul Power depleting rapidly.
After what felt like an eternity, a fierce exchange forced the two apart once more. Marco was slightly breathless. God Knife's blade-wielding arm trembled faintly, and his breathing was no longer steady.
They stood ten meters apart, facing each other. Sweat soaked their garments, yet their fighting spirit burned at its peak.
"The warm-up should end now," God Knife slowly declared, the aura around him beginning to undergo a earth-shattering transformation.
"My thoughts exactly," Marco took a deep breath, the cyan flames around him shifting from flamboyant to restrained, yet containing even more terrifying energy.
In the next instant, their eyes sharpened abruptly! Vast, overwhelming power was on the verge of erupting!
At God Knife's feet, four Spirit Rings finally manifested completely—two yellow, two purple! The optimal Spirit Ring configuration! The moment the Spirit Rings appeared, the humming of the long blade in his hand reached its peak, his aura perfectly merging with the blade as if transforming into a true peerless divine weapon!
Simultaneously, four Spirit Rings abruptly materialized at Marco's feet—two yellow, one purple, one black! When that pitch-black fourth Spirit Ring, symbolizing ten-thousand-year cultivation, emerged, an indescribable pressure swept across the entire arena!
"A... ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring!" In the spectator stands, exclamations erupted like a tidal wave!
The true confrontation was only just beginning to unfold—
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