Saint Nusjuro Slain with a Single Slash!

Fujitora was grateful now that he had left such a good impression on Momousagi during their operations in Wano Country and Egghead. Otherwise, he figured he really might have lost his head just now.

What the hell kind of neutral stance was that? The moment Wood appeared, Marine Admiral Momousagi was definitely an enemy unit!

"This battle is my loss. Just as the Straw Hat Crew's swordsman and Admiral Momousagi said, Mr. Wood is indeed very powerful."

Fujitora was quite frank about it—he didn't put on any airs as a Marine Admiral. He simply sheathed his sword and conceded.

And the fact was, he really had lost. If Momousagi hadn't blocked that slash from Wood, Fujitora's best-case scenario would have been to walk away gravely wounded.

First, Wood had used the giant ice spear as a feint, baiting him into drawing his sword and attacking, leaving his body exposed in a moment of vulnerability.

Then the giant ice spear had split apart, launching a second attack and forcing him to use his Devil Fruit ability to defend himself again.

Just when he'd thought that was the killing blow, he hadn't expected the final trump card to be a close-range slash from Wood himself.

To keep his External Slash from being blocked by Fujitora's Armament Haki, Wood had chosen a more powerful close-range slash.

To keep Fujitora's Kenbunshoku Haki from predicting his movements, he had used the legendary "Heart of God" to achieve a tremendous burst of speed.

Fujitora had never dreamed that Wood would have calculated the fight to such an extent while they were still battling, or that he would understand Fujitora's abilities and techniques so well.

After all, this was only the second time he and Wood had met—and, strictly speaking, it was their first real fight.

But