A Smile vs. the Gentleman

The kendo tournament has already lasted for three months and is very likely to exceed four months.

During this period, this world-renowned event significantly reduced wars and chaos in the New World and around the globe.

It was just that the kendo tournament had attracted their attention. After the kendo tournament ended, war and chaos would continue, and might even escalate further.

This is a backlash. During this period, there were quite a few people secretly causing trouble. After the kendo tournament, many people returned to their own territories, and they definitely needed to be dealt with.

The ensuing war will escalate further, and the overall duration of the conflict, until things stabilize, will be much longer than it would have been without the kendo tournament.

It may even continue forever. Today's New World does not have the pattern of the Four Emperors ruling the sea. Although it has the name of an emperor, it is impossible to suppress the New World, and the navy has returned to the New World earlier.

Persistent chaos is the theme of the New World.

After such a long competition and rounds of continuous battles, the Kendo tournament has finally reached its finals.

No one would miss such a final, except for the Celestial Dragons. The World Government was also afraid that the Celestial Dragons would make foolish demands to enslave these powerful individuals after watching, so they completely prohibited the Celestial Dragons from watching and blocked the news.

Some Celestial Dragons didn't even know about the Kendo Tournament.

Otherwise, who knows what kind of trouble they might cause.

The World Government wouldn't dare clean up the mess left by the Celestial Dragons.

It could very well shake the foundations of World Government.

Just like the opening ceremony, Teach, the Four Emperors, and three witnesses all appeared, in the same positions.

At the top of the Combat Pyramid, on the eighteenth open-air arena, two people stood: the blind swordsman Yixiao and the mysterious killing swordsman.

The two had met once before, and it was unexpected that they would run into each other again, which was quite intriguing, especially considering their past conflict.

This can also be seen as a follow-up to the previous battle.

Beneath the mask, the "Gentleman's" face was rather unpleasant, as if he had eaten shit. His smile revealed that he was an opponent he didn't want to face, though he knew he would have to face him sooner or later. However, he hadn't expected his first opponent to be this blind swordsman.

As for the issue of the Night Pirates' underhanded tactics, he had considered it, but since the Night Pirates couldn't possibly know his identity, they had no reason to target him, and he could only conclude that he was just unlucky.

After all, he had been with the World Government for several years, and before Teach established the Night Pirates, he had been confined to the Holy Land.

Moreover, he leaves no one alive each time he strikes, and the World Government will subsequently deal with any traces he leaves behind.

He never imagined that the person who leaked his information was one of his own.

At the same time, having fought him before, he was well aware of the blind swordsman's formidable strength.

He smiled, wearing a purple scarf, tall and strong. Facing the "Gentleman," he slightly raised his head, his eyes slightly open, revealing a frighteningly large white.

Unconsciously, his Observation Haki was released, and he sensed deep malice, even pure "evil," emanating from the man in front of him. The man was utterly devoid of kindness, indifferent to life, and killed his opponent in the kendo tournament, even to the point of murder. Such behavior made him extremely dissatisfied.

Countless lives have been tainted by the concept of "Gentleman."

Although evil exists everywhere in this world, the young man's smile still harbors some passion. No matter what, he may not be able to stop the "Gentleman's" behavior, but he can hinder him, defeat him, or even seriously injure him, preventing him from participating in the next battle and obtaining the Demon Sword that hides the "devil".

He held a strong sense of justice, and it was his duty to stop an evil person. He had seen too much evil, and that's why he blinded himself.

The "Gentleman" also sensed it, and with a deliberately targeted smile, the two stood there empty, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder.

Some of the spectators could sense a hostility between them, something not found in ordinary battles. Although they didn't know why, they could see this happening, which made the battle more interesting.

"Gravity Blade - Fierce Tiger!"

Yi Xiao made the first move, drawing his staff sword and slashing out.

Deep purple gravity coalesced on the blade, propelling it forward with a powerful lateral gravitational slash. The perfect combination of gravity and the strike created a terrifyingly potent attack.

The moment this move was used, the surrounding air became heavy, and the pebbles on the ground floated up into the air.

The arena is now covered with a thick layer of rock, making its destructive power clearly palpable.

This grand strategy, like a tidal wave, quickly swept towards the "Gentleman."

Those watching couldn't help but widen their eyes as the object in front of them was crushed and destroyed along the way, and the ground dropped several meters wherever it passed.

In front of the strike, the number of rocks being hurled up continued to increase, pressing down on the "Gentleman" like a mountain or a sea.

Even if the object is not destroyed, it will be blown away by the enormous wind pressure generated by its gravity.

This slash basically covered most of the arena; as far as the eye could see, there was a purple wave, with rocks swirling up.

Unexpectedly, the blind swordsman's move was so terrifying; ordinary people should not be underestimated.

The "Gentleman's " expression changed, and he tried to dodge, but a heavy force pressed down on him, restricting his movement.

Physical strength was never his forte; speed was. And now, his speed was directly restricted by the Press-Press Fruit's power.

Therefore, faced with this terrifying move, he could only tough it out. The "Gentleman" was essentially an "assassin," and he was somewhat restrained by Yixiao.

Yixiao's strength also exceeded his expectations; in a direct confrontation with Yixiao, he had no advantage.

"He's about to make his move," someone said.

The "Gentleman" moved, and even with the strong gravity, his speed was not to be underestimated. To the onlookers, he appeared as several afterimages.

Faced with overwhelming force and momentum, the slender rapier in his hand drew a silver crescent moon through the air; the sharp Sword Intent did not signify the bloodthirstiness of slaughter.

"The Gentleman was careless." On the other side, in the Holy Land, watching the "Gentleman's" move, Alastair frowned and said calmly.

He was well aware of the Gentleman's strength. The Gentleman hadn't even used his full strength yet. Facing a strong opponent like Yixiao, this was undoubtedly a sign of carelessness and would lead to a great loss.

Yi Xiao's record, his overwhelming attacks, were not something that could be easily withstood. Although he wasn't there, he could still see that the solid gravity was incredibly powerful, lacking any skill whatsoever.

He remained unfazed. He had no fondness for the Gentleman; he considered him merely a tool, and not even a proper one. If it weren't for his immense power, he might have been somewhat reluctant to part with him.

However, the Gentleman's actions have already displeased many people. He is also dissatisfied with the lack of loyalty shown by most of the higher -Gentleman ups in CP0.

In CP0, the one hailed as the "strongest shield of the Celestial Dragons" is absent, while the other vice-commander, "Earth" Gaia, has an important mission: to deal with "the world's most vicious criminal," Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army.

So, Alastair is currently the authority in CP0. The Gentleman's behavior undoubtedly challenges his authority and ignores the rules. If the Gentleman continues to misbehave, he will personally take action and get rid of the "Gentleman".

As Devil Fruit User, he is known as "Sky" in CP0, corresponding to "Earth" Gaia, and possesses absolute power. If he really makes a move, "Gentleman" will definitely not be able to escape.

"Consider it a lesson. This is the last chance; there won't be a next time," Alastair muttered to himself, a chill running through his voice.

A person who is not loyal to the World Government has no meaning in life, and who knows many of CP0's secrets is simply an unstable factor.

As expected, just as Alastair had predicted, the Gentleman's slash, which was intended to split Ikki's move in two, failed to do so.

It only caused a slight obstacle before being broken through. The Gentleman's expression changed drastically. He raised his sword to block the attack, but the powerful, gravity-based strike landed directly on him.

The Gentleman's body was blasted away and slammed into the steel wall, his entire body engulfed by the incoming rocks.

The effects of this attack were not over yet. The powerful shockwave spread forward and in all directions, engulfing much of the darkness. Otherwise, someone would definitely have been blown away by the powerful shockwave.

A small portion of the wind pressure flew higher, affecting Teach and his group.

But it had no effect whatsoever; its Haki aura formed an invisible barrier, easily blocking the incoming wind pressure.

This is already an advanced application of Armament Haki; it's impossible to do without reaching a very high level of proficiency.

What happened to the mysterious, deadly swordsman? Did he lose?

That's impossible. At this point, how could we be defeated so easily?

"Cough cough!" From the silent pile of rubble, a figure emerged from the swirling dust. A crack appeared on the Gentleman's mask; a quarter of it had broken off and fallen to the ground, revealing a quarter of his face near his left eye.

The Gentleman wasn't seriously injured, and his gaze was fixed on Yixiao.

Those who understand Gentleman can't help but think, "It's starting; the Gentleman is about to lose control."

"Hehehehe..." The Gentleman laughed eerily, his aura changed, his gaze became somewhat crazed, and a blood-red aura visibly emerged from his body, with strange, blood-like patterns appearing on his skin.

The Gentleman aura was even more terrifying; the weak-willed seemed to be glimpsing hell, inspiring fear.

The peculiar change was a uniquely Gentleman aura that felt familiar to some, prompting them to think of Douglas Bullet, the "Heir of the Devil," whose title stemmed from his distinctive ghostly presence.

Combined with their own Armament Haki, forming a terrifying "devilish" stance, their strength would become even more frightening.

It's very rare to find something that's either an innate talent or something developed later in life.

Unexpectedly, this mysterious swordsman also possesses a similar ability: a murderous aura.

However, similarly, compared to his original composure, the masked swordsman's aura became extremely unstable as his condition changed.

Teach and the other powerful figures frowned. With their limited knowledge, they could naturally see what was going on, and a look of disdain flashed in their eyes.

In his current state, the "Gentleman" is unable to remain calm and is influenced by the urge to kill. He is unable to control himself and is merely a weakling in their eyes.

Like Douglas Bullet, his ghostly aura had no effect on him; that's the difference.

"I will definitely kill you." The Gentleman's voice turned sharp, and his figure flashed. As his state changed, his sword also changed, its blade gleaming with blood.

The Gentleman's speed was astonishing; he appeared in front of Yixiao in the blink of an eye.

Ikko's speed wasn't fast, and he didn't move much, but he was very steady. His Observation Haki had locked onto the Gentleman's every move. Although he didn't have eyes, his Observation Haki gave him the ability to "see" the shape and movement of objects.

Although the details are not visible, it is still sufficient.

The Gentleman thrust his sword at Yixiao, but Yixiao easily blocked it.

The Gentleman continued his attacks with such speed that he was invisible, and streaks of sharp, bloody light flashed by, making people somewhat worried about the blind swordsman, Yixiao.

Surprisingly, although Ikko's speed wasn't fast, he was always able to block the Gentleman's sword. This shows that the swordsman possessed extremely strong Observation Haki.

Yixiao is an ability user, but the rules of the Kendo Tournament prevent him from using his full strength. For example, he cannot use gravity alone unless he combines it with swordsmanship.

That is why he could not use gravity to restrain the Gentleman. Although the swing of the knife was accompanied by terrifying gravity, the Gentleman's amazing speed and keen anticipation meant that his gravity could only have an effect within a certain range around him.

Although he could expand his abilities, the rules of the kendo tournament are such that he cannot use other means, and he will not break the rules.

This prevented his attacks from effectively harming the Gentleman, leaving him only able to defend passively. At the same time, the Gentleman, fearing his terrifying gravity, dared not get too close to him.

In that case, he wouldn't achieve his goal.

"If that's the case, is it still possible to avoid it?" Yi Xiao said softly, as if speaking to Gentleman.

A slash imbued with gravity forced the Gentleman back.

However, Yixiao is not a rigid person; within the limits of the rules, it's acceptable to skirt the rules a little.

He raised his cane, Cane Sword, which had been inserted back into the cane, was slightly pulled out, revealing a bright silver blade.

Gravity Blade: Meteor Shower!

As soon as he finished speaking, he smiled, bent down, and slashed, then smoothly sheathed the sword.

The condensed gravity beam was slashed out by Yixiao, soaring straight into the sky, and for a short time, it seemed to make no sound.

Yi Xiao was naturally not going to do anything useless, while the other powerful figures, looking at the sky, vaguely sensed something and couldn't help but frown.

Teach reacted the moment Teach made his move, his expression changing. His Observation Haki had clearly sensed it, and he hadn't expected Issho to use such a move.

The devastating impact of this move is no joke.

Dark power surged out and spread wildly from beneath their feet, and a rolling tide of darkness enveloped the entire eighteenth level of the Combat Pyramid, especially the area sandwiched between the eighteenth and seventeenth levels.

The sky seemed to darken, the currents around Pagila Island appeared to intensify, and a faint sound could be heard from the sky.

It seemed to be telling a story, giving one a sense of foreboding.

It drew closer and closer, and a red light appeared in the sky, growing larger and larger.

Some people have already seen it; their eyes widened, and cold sweat broke out on their foreheads.

"Really?"

Doflamingo, who was watching the battle, was restless and couldn't believe it.

"Hey, this is no joke."

"A meteorite? No way?"

In the blink of an eye, the red dot rapidly grew larger, revealing that it was a meteorite encased in flames.

Also imbued with purple energy, this is gravity. Being pulled down directly by the powerful gravity, the falling speed under the influence of gravity is astonishing, more than ten times the normal acceleration.

At the same time, the destructive power it brings is even greater.

After all, speed is power.

The entire sky overhead was dyed red, and the shockwave from the falling meteorite could be felt from afar.

"What kind of power is this? It's terrifying!" someone exclaimed in disbelief.

Teach and his group of powerful individuals were somewhat shocked, but they did not panic. Although the meteorite was powerful, it had little effect on them and could be easily dealt with.

Meteorites are only tens of meters in diameter, but what about those hundreds of meters? Or even thousands of meters in diameter?

Without a doubt, this blind swordsman is fully capable of doing it; it's just a matter of time.

This Press-Press Fruit is also a top-tier Paramecia Devil Fruit, capable of generating power akin to a natural disaster.

The meteorite fell in the center of the arena, without a doubt.

The Gentleman tried to retreat, but he couldn't. The entire area where the meteorite fell was enveloped by terrifying gravity, and the Gentleman's body was fixed in place.

So, he had no choice but to tough it out. The Gentleman swung his sword upwards, splitting the massive meteorite in two, but it was no use; the meteorite continued to fall.

Gentleman faced the falling meteorite, he covered his body with Armament Haki to defend himself.

A smile makes things much easier.

Gravity Blade - Repulsion!

The half-meteorite falling from above his head was stopped by his ability, floating in mid-air, losing gravity. Then, it bounced back, flying in the opposite direction, arcing from the Combat Pyramid to the sea near Pagila Island, where it sank into the ocean.

But this is not the end.

"Gravity Blade - Fierce Tiger!"

A terrifying gravity gathered on the blade, aimed directly at the Gentleman, and swung with all its might.

This terrifying slash, capable of easily shattering a mountain, struck the Gentleman head-on as he was still defending against the meteorite.

The purpose of the meteorite is to expand the area covered by its gravity through its projection range, thereby restricting the Gentleman's movements and preparing him for this move.

This was a roundabout way that Yixiao deliberately took to avoid violating the rules of the kendo tournament.

Having lost his reason, the Gentleman, though becoming stronger, was instead exploited by Issho instead of being able to harm him. He was constantly injured, and the more injured he became, the more insane he became, forgetting his original goal and only wanting to kill Issho.

The battle lasted for a full three hours, leaving the entire arena in ruins, revealing the hard ground beneath.

The Gentleman, however, was severely injured and knocked down. If he hadn't eventually lost his strength and couldn't maintain his frenzied state, and hadn't become somewhat lucid and surrendered, he might have truly passed out. (To be continued)