Rona felt… deceived.
That the White Wolf, Magnus, did not possess Haoshoku Haki was practically an open secret among the higher-ups of the Navy. After all, they'd clashed with him often enough to know every inch of him—taphorically and literally.
But now, after five years—
Suddenly he had Haoshoku Haki!?
"Puhahaha! Even a little brat like you has Haoshoku. What's so strange about an old man like having it too?"
On the giant wolf form of Magnus, the wounds Rona had inflicted were already scabbing over. As a Mythical Zoan user—known for the best regeneration among all Devil Fruits—without the old age debuff, his monstrous recovery was fully on display.
Tough, tanky, and fast-healing—
This is the power of a Zoan!
Compared to the strange and flashy Paracia fruits, or the logia that transford users into natural elents, Zoans were simply the most ideal for martial artists.
"Hmph. I suppose that's fair."
Surprisingly, Rona didn't dwell on it. She had long since discarded her white coat of justice. Her fiery red hair was now tied back into a single long ponytail.
"If soone like you—who even defies the World Governnt—didn't have Haoshoku, then I really wouldn't know who deserves to have it."
She laughed.
Now that she knew Magnus had Haoshoku, it felt like sothing worth celebrating.
"So, you damn geezer—don't die.
Just like the old days…"
"Live through this."
"Then run."
In that mont, even though she stood directly in front of him, Magnus felt as if Rona had vanished.
And in the next—
Swoosh—!
A slash too fast for the eye. A scarlet arc of light launched like a viper, leaping for its prey. Even Magnus, with his incredible reaction speed, could only see a flash of red pass before his eyes.
His Kenbunshoku had picked it up.
But his body couldn't keep up.
Shkk—
A deep, bone-revealing gash sliced from his left shoulder to his waist.
Had he not twisted slightly in that critical instant—
His head might've been severed.
Rona's aura had changed.
Before, she had simply aid to capture him.
But now—
She had acknowledged him as a peer.
At this level—
Hesitate, and you die.
Had Magnus truly reached the level of the Admirals and Emperors?
He didn't know.
But he knew one thing for sure—
The strategy of outlasting Rona was now useless.
Yes, he was faster.
But Rona didn't need to match his speed.
She only needed her blade to reach him.
Disrupt her Kenbunshoku? So what?
As long as he attacked, he would leave a trail.
And as long as there was a trail, she would find it.
This is Kenbunshoku.
This is the instinct of a master swordswoman!
Her aning was crystal clear.
Either fight her head-on—
Or run like a coward.
"Heh… you've grown, brat."
The giant wolf fell to all fours—
Then rose up onto two legs.
His form began to shift.
From beast to human-beast hybrid.
The longblade returned to his hand.
Magnus's eyes burned with killing intent.
If it's a fight you want—then it's a fight you'll get!
If Rona, a swordswoman without a Devil Fruit, dared fight head-on—
Then how could he, a Mythical Zoan user, back down?
Zzzt—Zzzzt!
Black and red lightning arced through the air.
Their Haoshoku Haki clashed again.
At first, Magnus' will seed a little unstable.
But now—
His Haoshoku no longer lost to Rona's.
The strength of Haoshoku depends on the user's spirit.
Not their reputation.
Not their years at sea.
But—
Pure strength.
Their twin longblades clashed in the frost-covered forest.
Silver and crimson flashes intertwined, each blow shaking the earth.
Branches were sliced apart. Leaves scattered like blades.
The shockwaves reached the edge of the village—
And so, both warriors wordlessly pushed deeper into the woods.
"What's wrong? Worried you'll hurt your little crewmates?"
"Hahaha… They're still young.
They've got a long way to grow—"
With a low growl, Magnus poured both his Haki and Devil Fruit power into one attack.
A single slash, several kiloters long, split the entire region in two.
An entire section of Elbaf's surface realm was carved off.
The cut was instantly covered in glacial frost.
Both Magnus and Rona plumted from the sky.
But their battle did not pause—
Not even on the collapsing earth below.
Far away, a group of giants watched the battle, utterly stunned.
Even as beings blessed with overwhelming physical might,
Only the most elite giants could perform combat techniques capable of altering the landscape.
But to see Magnus and Rona…
Split Elbaf's surface realm?
This was the sacred wood—branches of the strongest tree in the world: the Adam Tree!
For Rocks, this was his first ti witnessing a clash between the true monsters of the seas.
In a battle like this, soone of his strength—
Wouldn't even make a ripple.
In all of Elbaf—
Only one person could intervene in this battle.
"Your Majesty!"
"King Harald!"
"Sire, Prince Hajrudin has been—"
King Harald raised a hand, halting the report.
He was worried about Hajrudin's abduction.
But what weighed more heavily on him was the presence of a Marine Admiral.
The World Governnt.
Had they finally decided to move against Elbaf?
"Your Majesty?"
Elder giant Yalulu looked over. Harald slowly shook his head.
He understood what Yalulu ant.
If he joined the fight, and Yalulu backed him up—
They could surely drive away the Admiral.
But—
He didn't dare take the risk.
He didn't know if this Admiral had co solely for Magnus,
Or if she was executing a plan the World Governnt had long prepared against Elbaf.
Elbaf was strong—
But Harald knew—
If the World Governnt got serious, Elbaf would be nothing more than a larger ant.
Not acting was safe.
Acting would an declaring war on the Navy.
On the World Governnt itself.
"Harald!"
From the battlefield, Magnus's voice rang out.
"Stay out of this!
She's my prey.
My fated opponent."
In under an hour of fighting, Magnus was drenched in blood.
And yet—
Even though he was clearly losing—
His once-clouded eyes had never burned brighter.
He and Rona fell from the surface into Elbaf's underworld.
But Magnus did not pause for a second.
"I'm a pirate!
The great pirate—Magnus!"
Countless injuries.
Countless defeats.
And yet—he stood up, again and again.
Until finally—
At this mont—
His blade beca just a fraction faster than Rona's.
"Don't lump in with those rookies just setting sail!!"
Their swords clashed again.
Blood sprayed—from Rona's body.
(End of Chapter)
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