"Hey!"
"Is this a sign that Gourmet Island is undefended?"
Lu Bu stood there, wielding his Heaven-Shaking Halberd. Though not particularly tall, and his armor made him appear somewhat stout and short, no one dared to underestimate his presence.
Huoshaoshan, after blocking Lu Bu's strike, quickly retreated.
He was astonished by Lu Bu's Conqueror's Haki, his strength, and the bloodthirsty aura that seemed to emanate from hell.
"I never expected to find such a young prodigy on Gourmet Island. Truly surprising."
Huoshaoshan glanced at Bartolomeo, who had been dazed by the Conqueror's Haki, and offered Lu Bu praise without any pretense.
"However, you have done something you shouldn't have."
"That is, to associate with those heinous pirates. It means you have abandoned justice and willingly degenerated into thieves."
"It would have been wonderful if a genius like you were part of the Navy."
Huoshaoshan's gaze towards Lu Bu turned resolute as he spoke.
Lu Bu scoffed at his words and then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"I am Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian! Today, whoever stands in my way shall die!"
"Kill!"
Lu Bu initiated the charge. Seeing this, Huoshaoshan also employed the Rokushiki's Soru, moving with great speed.
Clang!
The sound of clashing weapons echoed continuously.
The battle between Lu Bu and Huoshaoshan was an incredibly fast-paced exchange.
Any moment of restraint would result in the other leaving a wound.
Huoshaoshan's combat experience was exceptionally rich, and while Lu Bu was young, he was not weak. Yet, even so, he was slightly outmatched in the clashes.
If not for his special armor, he would have sustained injuries from Huoshaoshan's triple strike.
Caught off guard, Lu Bu's blood boiled.
Boom!
Lu Bu's aura visibly intensified.
"Fang Tian Luan Wu!"
With a low growl, Lu Bu, brandishing his Heaven-Shaking Halberd, launched a barrage of attacks. They were denser and much faster, with dark red light streaking wherever the halberd passed.
In an instant, it was as if countless lines were drawn, densely packed, seeming to envelop Lu Bu.
However, this very scene caused Huoshaoshan's expression to become grave.
"Kamai!"
His long sword, coated with Armament Haki, turned into a black blade. Facing Lu Bu's stormy assault, he raised his powerful sword and brought it down with immense force.
Boom!
The collision of energy and weapon was akin to an iron bar being ground by a chainsaw, sending sparks flying.
"Kill!"
With a heavy halberd strike, Lu Bu sent Huoshaoshan flying. Lu Bu's fiery eyes flashed red as he stomped his feet, pursuing him once more.
Huoshaoshan, having been struck with immense force, used Observation Haki to perceive Lu Bu's intentions. He exhaled smoke from his cigar, the mist swirling as he spun his long sword, transforming himself into a frenzied, rotating meat grinder.
Clang clang clang!
In his rapid rotation, he engaged in a life-or-death duel with Lu Bu.
Lu Bu swept his halberd across the long sword while simultaneously kicking out. Huoshaoshan blocked with his left arm, using the momentum to fly back and create distance.
As a Vice Admiral in the Navy, Huoshaoshan possessed remarkable self-control, allowing him to use Soru and Geppo mid-air to mitigate much of the impact.
However, this still placed significant demands on the strength of his waist and legs.
"Nuuō Fūkon!"
His Heaven-Shaking Halberd, imbued with Armament Haki, drew red lines and, as he swung it more rapidly, burst into roaring flames.
The searing heat was a concentration of energy, causing the Heaven-Shaking Halberd to emit red and golden light.
It was an even more terrifying strike than before.
Lu Bu's offense was relentless, giving Huoshaoshan little room to breathe. Facing the descending Heaven-Shaking Halberd, he could only brace himself.
There was nowhere to run.
Boom!
He couldn't block it!
The immense power slammed Huoshaoshan heavily onto the ground, the earth cracking like a spiderweb.
Pfft!
He spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered into the air. As the Armament Haki dissipated, his long-time companion sword instantly snapped into two pieces.
Seeing this, Huoshaoshan's pupils constricted.
"Die!"
Lu Bu, who had landed, didn't hesitate. Dragging his Heaven-Shaking Halberd, he swiftly moved before Huoshaoshan and brought his halberd down.
Huoshaoshan, watching the falling halberd, desperately grabbed the broken sword and forcefully activated his Armament Haki to block once more.
Boom!
The entire ground caved in further.
Although the broken blade didn't shatter completely, Huoshaoshan's strength failed him. His arm lowered, and the Heaven-Shaking Halberd continued its descent, striking Huoshaoshan's right shoulder.
Crack. The sound of bone breaking was clear.
With that, Huoshaoshan was exhausted, and the Heaven-Shaking Halberd sank further.
If this halberd strike continued, Huoshaoshan would surely die.
But at that moment, a flash of light occurred.
Lu Bu's Heaven-Shaking Halberd was intercepted, unable to descend any further.
"Yo ho ho, what a fearsome kid."
"You almost took down a Navy Vice Admiral with a careless move."
Borsalino, with his feet raised and radiating golden light, blocked the descending Heaven-Shaking Halberd.
Huoshaoshan, who had expected to die, showed a slight smile as he saw Borsalino appear. However, the movement aggravated his wounds, causing him to cough a few times, his breathing becoming labored.
I won't die!
Lu Bu looked at the tall Borsalino, his face darkening, and said coldly, "If you don't want to die, get lost."
He detested looking up at people, especially this tall figure with a mocking expression and tone.
Who did this guy think he was looking down on?
"Yo ho ho, such a volatile temper."
"In that case..."
"Have you ever been kicked by light?"
As he spoke, a force lifted the Heaven-Shaking Halberd, forcing Lu Bu to exert effort to maintain his grip, thus diverting his attention.
Simultaneously, Borsalino appeared behind Lu Bu. His long legs, shimmering with golden light, swept out.
The speed was so great that even with Observation Haki to predict the move, Lu Bu was still too slow.
The immense force sent Lu Bu flying, crashing into a wall. With a resounding boom, the one-point-five-meter-thick wall instantly collapsed.
"This kid's physique is quite strong."
"If Teacher Zephyr saw this, he'd surely like him."
"A pity, he's a pirate now."
Borsalino's gaze fell upon Lu Bu, who was standing up from the ruins with a grim expression, and he said in a deep voice.
Huoshaoshan, holding the half-broken long sword, stood up, his breath ragged and his expression grim. "His strength is terrifying, no weaker than a small giant."
"Oh, he possesses such strength?"
"That makes it even more of a pity."
Borsalino said, tilting his head and adjusting his glasses with a regretful tone, "Yata-no-Kagami."