The Animal-Animal Fruit, Porcupine Model.
List felt quite satisfied with his form.
Possessing immense defense and destructive power.
Leveraging these traits, List had gained considerable fame in the North Blue, becoming a regional overlord, and earning a bounty of one hundred million Berries.
Now, List was confident that with this swing of his club, Sakata Gintoki would be smashed into a pulp.
Just like the trash he had crushed for daring to provoke him in the past.
"Hmm, your strength is not bad."
"But, you're just too ugly."
"Looking so unsightly, yet you dare to roam around. Do your parents know?"
List's club swing missed.
Sakata Gintoki stood to his right, sneering.
Despite his large size, good speed, and strength, he was still too slow.
Hearing Sakata Gintoki's words, List, enraged, spun around and struck back.
This was too much.
How could he call me ugly? I am a mighty warrior.
Another miss!
Raising his hand, he initiated a whirlwind attack with his spiked club, aiming to crush Sakata Gintoki.
However, he saw that Sakata Gintoki had already appeared on the other side of the gradually sinking ship.
The spot where List stood also began to sink continuously.
Especially with his massive size, it accelerated the sinking on his side considerably.
"Damn brat, dare to come here for a one-on-one fight."
"Charge! War chariot!"
List went berserk, his body covered in sharp quills half a meter long.
The next moment, List curled into a ball, resembling a speeding bowling ball.
Wherever he went, destruction followed.
"Idiot!"
Sakata Gintoki flashed away, landing on a floating piece of wood, and swung his sword with a raise of his hand.
Sword energy flew, bisecting a hundred-meter-long ship, and List himself was sent flying into the sea.
Perhaps the sea would be his grave.
The flying sword energy continued to soar into the distance.
The destination of the sword energy was the Golden Tiger Pirates.
Wang Zhi stood on the deck, watching the incoming sword energy, and let out a soft hum before casually sweeping his sword.
A strong wind howled, kicking up waves, and the attacking sword energy, as if hitting an invisible wall, lost its momentum.
"Such a young great swordsman is truly a rare sight."
Wang Zhi's gaze, looking far towards Sakata Gintoki, said calmly.
A single sword strike splitting a hundred-meter-long pirate ship in two; even among great swordsmen, he was an exceptional talent.
With such strength, he was qualified to venture into the Grand Line.
He might even be recruited by the pirates there.
Sakata Gintoki did not look at List, who had fallen into the water. He stood on the floating piece of wood, appearing incredibly small amidst the numerous pirate ships.
However, Sakata Gintoki felt no fear because of this.
He then took a deep breath and shouted, "Foolish pirates, are you ready to be thrown into Azkaban by me?"
"Hide your gold and silver treasures well. If I find them, they will be confiscated."
Sakata Gintoki's voice wasn't very loud, but Buz and the others on the pirate ships heard him.
"Arrogant!"
"I want to see how you, alone, even as a great swordsman, can withstand our gunpowder."
"Fire, concentrate all firepower and kill him."
The vice-captain of a pirate ship, hearing Sakata Gintoki's words, took a musket from a subordinate, aimed at Sakata Gintoki, and shouted.
Bang!
With the sound of gunfire, bullets and cannonballs began to rain down on Sakata Gintoki.
Roaring sounds continued, and wild cannonballs fell into the sea, splashing large amounts of water.
Sakata Gintoki, like a lone boat on the sea, soon disappeared under such an onslaught.
On the massive city gates of the Genbu Naval Base, Buggy watched this scene, and whether it was genuine or feigned, he actually cried.
"Wow, is he stupid?"
"Running so far ahead alone, becoming a target for them?"
"What a promising talent, if only he could be my subordinate."
"What a shame, died young!"
"Died young!"
Benedict watched him wipe his tears while muttering, finding it quite amusing.
This Buggy’s ambition was truly not small.
To think of taking Sakata Gintoki as a subordinate, you truly dared to dream.
Although Sakata Gintoki often displayed gentleness.
This was only for those close to him.
Otherwise, you would often see his dry, rage-inducing expression, and a ghastly, sometimes disturbing, demonic look that could make one lose their life at any moment.
"Is he dead?"
"He must be dead!"
"No one can survive such a bombardment."
After a barrage of cannon fire, they looked at the gradually calming sea.
Empty!
Scattered wooden debris floated on the sea surface, making it impossible to stand.
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the sea.
However, Wang Zhi’s gaze fell upon a nearby pirate ship.
Others couldn't see it, but Wang Zhi, who possessed Observation Haki, clearly saw how Sakata Gintoki had disappeared into the sea and reappeared beside him.
It was a speed so fast it made him marvel.
Is this truly a great swordsman?
If one didn't know, they might mistake him for a Marine possessing the Glimmer-Glimmer Fruit.
"These trash, how did you gather them all together?"
"It's demeaning!"
Sakata Gintoki stood on the mast, looking down at the pirates who were still happily thinking they had annihilated him with cannon fire.
It was like a cat playing with a mouse.
Wang Zhi raised his eyebrows slightly.
Demeaning?
What did that mean? Wang Zhi didn't understand.
But it was definitely not a compliment.
"You dared to come to me alone."
"Are you not afraid that I will kill you with a single sword strike?"
Although Sakata Gintoki was a great swordsman with decent speed.
And seemed to have mastered Observation Haki.
Wang Zhi still did not take him seriously.
This was the confidence derived from his own immense power.
"I have heard of your name for quite some time."
"Coincidentally, I also wish to test how strong you are with a sword."
"To see how strong the person on that ship is."
Although Sakata Gintoki usually appeared somewhat lazy, the ferocity he possessed during combat had not changed at all.
Without that ferocity, he would not have survived being pulled out of a pile of corpses as a child.
Wang Zhi chuckled, rotated his massive body, holding his long sword, and swung it with a raise of his hand.
Instantly, a fierce wind howled, and a chilling sword intent surged forth.
Sakata Gintoki felt the incoming sword intent, his body tensed, and he drew his sword with a solemn expression, slashing down.
Boom!
The collision of sword intent and sword intent created powerful air currents. The wind swayed, stirring up strong gusts, causing the pirate ships to sway continuously.
It was at this moment that the people on the surrounding pirate ships finally noticed that Sakata Gintoki had quietly appeared beside them and was already engaged in battle with Wang Zhi.
"How did he get here?"
"Damn it, he's actually still alive."
"To be infiltrated right under our noses, this is an insult to us."
...
As various voices arose, Yelusjiy, wielding a Black Iron Rod, revealed a ferocious smile at the corner of his mouth.
"He's an interesting opponent."
"I can't wait any longer."
"Hahaha!"