Separate Ways, Each Heading for Their Own Target

The next instant—

Two utterly different slashes, both containing ultimate power, collided without any flourish.

There was no earth-shattering explosion.

At the center of the collision, there was only a speck of absolute "black."

It was as though even light, sound, and space itself had been swallowed by that tiny point.

Then, a torrent of dark-red and earthy-yellow energy erupted with a roar.

The violently raging shockwave formed a visible, translucent giant ring that spread from the collision point in all directions with overwhelming force.

Crack! Crack-crack—!!

The Golden Scale's sturdy iron deck bore the brunt of it.

From the place where the two had clashed, dense spiderweb-like cracks spread wildly and burst open.

Iron fragments flew everywhere!

The railings along the ship's sides groaned under the strain, with some twisting and shattering outright.

The sea itself was pressed into a massive depression dozens of meters wide by the impact.

Seawater was frantically forced aside, only to rush back even more violently, forming a terrifying whirlpool.

Iron Armor Curse!

Hermione reacted swiftly, flicking her finger.

A translucent but sturdy magical barrier instantly enveloped the entire Golden Scale, blocking the impact of the seawater.

Over by the Red Force—

Beckman, Lucky Roux, Yasopp, and the others each used their own methods to withstand the aftershocks.

The light and storm gradually subsided.

At the center of the collision, the two figures still stood tall.

Shanks maintained his diagonal slashing stance.

Dark-red Haki arcs slowly danced and flickered around him and Gryphon before finally falling still.

Brook remained in his chopping stance. The heavy earthy-yellow glow on Mingyue's blade had dimmed somewhat, but it still flowed without end.

Looking closely, the edges of the blades in their hands had never made direct contact.

At the moment of their final collision, the slashing energy