"Clang!" Fujitora came down like thunder, his swift sword striking Ronglin squarely on the shoulder. For a moment, he felt a faint pang of reluctance. Judging by the other party's voice, he was still a young man, yet Fujitora had struck so heavily. With his abilities fully unleashed, using both Haki and his Devil Fruit ability, this young man would likely be cut in two.
At that thought, Fujitora frowned deeply, somewhat regretting that he had struck too ruthlessly.
But in the next instant, Fujitora suddenly felt a terrifying force transmit through the weapon in his hand. It was as though his weapon had struck something indestructible, followed by the sound of metal shattering.
Ronglin used a defensive technique combining Six Powers—Iron Body—with Haki, taking Fujitora's sword strike head-on. His defense, multiplied severalfold, allowed him to snap Fujitora's sword with his bare flesh.
"Why are you making that regretful expression? Because your opponent is young, you think you shouldn't have hit so hard?" Ronglin had blocked Fujitora's attack with his flesh and blood. Though he was uninjured, his shoulder still ached terribly after taking the other man's full-force blow. But when he saw Fujitora's expression, Ronglin sneered. "Isn't that expression of yours a little too hypocritical?"
"Buzz!"
As soon as he spoke, Ronglin circled one hand, drawing streams of air inward in spirals. His hand instantly hardened under Armament Haki as he struck fiercely toward Fujitora's chest. "If you truly have mercy in your heart, how could you strike so viciously?"
"Haki: City Crusher!"
Even without Observation Haki, Fujitora could sense the ferocity of Ronglin's attack. Startled, he held his half-broken sword as he rapidly activated his Devil Fruit ability. His entire body seemed to lose all speed as he shot backward in an instant.
"Stop!" The tomoe-like glimmer in