Sonic booms rang out beneath the night sky.
Kozuki Oden, wielding two swords, transformed into a streak of light and shot toward the room where Tsugikuni Yoriichi was staying.
"Boom!!!"
With a deafening crash, the wall that had only just been repaired was smashed through by Kozuki Oden. The moment he entered the room, violent Haki surged toward Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
He struck first to seize the advantage.
Kozuki Oden was brimming with momentum. With his twin blades crossed, he slashed directly at Tsugikuni Yoriichi's back.
Just as the blades were about to fall upon Tsugikuni Yoriichi's body, the red-haired young man sitting at the table suddenly turned around. The broken blade that had been resting on the table had somehow already landed in Yoriichi's hand. He thrust the broken sword forward, striking precisely at the point where Kozuki Oden's two blades intersected and forcibly halting Oden's charge.
"Buzz—"
As their Conqueror's Haki collided, it formed a terrifying hurricane that spread outward. The wooden house could not withstand shockwaves of that magnitude. Cracks covered the beams and pillars, and in an instant, the roof collapsed.
"Boom!!"
After only a brief exchange, the inn could no longer bear the strain and collapsed completely.
The instant the house caved in, Kozuki Oden burst through the ceiling and landed on the open street before the inn.
Standing with his swords raised, he recalled the strike Tsugikuni Yoriichi had used to block him. The boiling blood in his body swiftly cooled, and his mind regained its clarity.
When experts fought, a single exchange was often enough to glimpse the other party's strength.
Tsugikuni Yoriichi's counterattack had been flawless, both in its timing and force. That effortless composure left a deep impression on Kozuki Oden.
That power was definitely not Tsugikuni Yoriichi's limit. Kozuki Oden knew