The Baboon King's Grin Stretched Wide

The Baboon King's lips curled into a smug smile as he said contemptuously, "Haha, I can learn all your moves with just a glance. In short, I am proficient in every move you use; and I can easily use moves you don't know... How can you possibly defeat me?" As soon as he finished speaking, the Baboon King slightly bent his legs, like a spring compressed to its limit, and instantly unleashed astonishing power, propelling himself towards Moke like an arrow released from a bow.

"Fish-Man Karate - Seven Thousand Brick Roundhouse Kick..." With a roar from the Baboon King, his body leaped into the air as he rushed towards Moke, spinning rapidly with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, he completed a 360-degree aerial spin, and then kicked straight at Moke with a kick containing immense force.

Faced with the Baboon King's devastating attack, Moke remained calm. He swiftly adjusted his speed, his figure flashing as he vanished from his spot like a ghost. The next moment, he had silently reappeared to the Baboon King's left. Simultaneously, a dense black Ghost Aura surged from Moke's body, enveloping his entire form. Then, Moke roared, "Tempest Kick - Ghostflame Slash!"

In an instant, a special slash, perfectly Tempest Kick Slash, suddenly burst forth. This slash, like a roaring black dragon, carried a world-destroying power and pounced towards the Baboon King at lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, this terrifying attack had already reached the Baboon King.

However, the Baboon King was powerful and quick-witted. At this critical moment, he roared, "Armament Hardening!" Instantly, an incredibly hard Armored Titan covered his entire body, greatly increasing his defense. Then, without showing any weakness, the Baboon King unleashed his signature move—"Fish-Man Karate: Arabesque Brick Fist"—to meet the terrifying slash head-on.

Suddenly, the Baboon King swung its thick, powerful right arm, unleashing a powerful punch. With the swing of its fist, an immense force erupted, forming a 360° Shockwave. This Shockwave acted like a transparent shield, tightly enveloping the Baboon King, providing not only solid defense but also tremendous impact, seemingly capable of destroying any enemy that dared to approach.

"Boom..." With a deafening roar, the Shockwave emitted by the Baboon King collided violently with the oncoming fierce slash. However, unexpectedly, the seemingly invincible Shockwave was easily torn apart like a fragile piece of paper the moment it made contact with the slash.

Upon witnessing this, the Baboon King's face immediately showed an expression of disbelief and shock. However, it was a veteran of countless battles and its reaction speed was extremely fast. Just as the slash was about to hit its body, the Baboon King flashed and used a super-fast movement technique called "Shave" to instantly dodge the fatal blow.

Immediately enraged, the Baboon King launched a counterattack without hesitation. It raised its right leg again and Tempest Kick Slash, the strike slicing through the air and hurtling towards Moke.

Facing the Baboon King's fierce attack, Moke showed no fear. He shouted, "Tempest Kick - Ghostflame Slash!" and then unleashed a powerful Tempest Kick Slash to meet the attack.

In an instant, the two Tempest Kick Slash in mid-air, bursting forth with dazzling Hanabi and violent energy fluctuations. However, after a brief stalemate, the outcome gradually became clear— Moke's Tempest Kick - Ghostflame Slash remained indestructible, continuing to maintain its unstoppable momentum; while the Baboon King's Tempest Kick Slash gradually lost ground, and was ultimately cleaved in two, just like the previous Shockwave.

Unhindered, the Tempest Kick - Ghostflame Slash, like an ancient beast breaking free of its restraints, pounced straight at the Baboon King with overwhelming force! Its speed was so fast that it seemed to tear through the void; its power was so great that it seemed capable of crushing mountains and rivers!

"This... how is this possible?" The Baboon King's eyes widened, his face filled with astonishment, and he couldn't help but exclaim in shock. He never imagined that his all-out defense would be so vulnerable, instantly breached by the opponent's attack. At this moment, the Baboon King was filled with disbelief and despair, clearly unable to accept what was happening before his eyes.

However, in stark contrast was Moke's slightly upturned lips. He stared coldly at the Baboon King and said calmly, "You do possess extraordinary talent, able to see through and quickly learn others' moves. But unfortunately, you've forgotten a crucial principle—your own strength is always the foundation of everything. Even if you learn countless powerful moves, if your own strength is insufficient, you ultimately cannot unleash their full power. Therefore, no matter how much you imitate others, you cannot change the fact that your own strength is lacking."

It must be admitted that this incredible Devil Fruit Ability is truly Yamato and overpowered. Because of it, the user can save a significant amount of time and effort spent training various techniques. Furthermore, they can combine a wide variety of techniques and apply them flexibly according to different situations, easily handling all sorts of complex and ever-changing circumstances. With this advantage, the user often displays overwhelming superiority when facing opponents of similar strength, and may even successfully defeat slightly stronger enemies in adverse situations.

However, as the saying goes, "strength can overcome any skill," when faced with a powerful opponent with absolute strength, all techniques and strategies become pale and powerless. In the face of an absolute difference in power, any fancy moves are nothing but fleeting clouds.

"Shave..." At that moment, Moke held nothing back. All his power surged forth as he launched a full-scale attack. He moved like lightning, rushing towards the Baboon King at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of the Baboon King.

With a roar, "Shigan - Dragon Claw!" Moke's arm shot out, unleashing a powerful aura. This time, he unleashed his full Armament Haki without restraint, dense black light coiling around his hands like a raging dragon. Furthermore, eerie and sinister Ghost Aura seemed to be summoned, continuously converging and intertwining with the Armament Haki to form a terrifying, chilling power.

This dual boost caused Moke's attack power to surge to its peak instantly. Seeing this, the Baboon King's expression suddenly turned serious, undergoing a series of changes. Undeniably, Moke's words made a lot of sense, but the Baboon King still harbored a trace of resentment and unwillingness to accept defeat. After all, he was the most powerful fighting champion on Champion Island in a century! How could he so easily lose to an opponent who couldn't unleash his most potent power? If he truly lost, what face would he have left to call himself champion?

At this thought, the Baboon King's eyes, as large as copper bells, involuntarily narrowed into slits as thin as hair, revealing a chilling ferocity. This ferocity seemed to pierce the heart, sending shivers down one's spine. At the same time, he took a deep breath, his chest heaving rapidly like a bellows. Clearly, he was making a difficult decision.

Finally, as if having made up his mind, the Baboon King let out a low roar, "Armament Haki Emission..." As his voice fell, a black aura suddenly surged from his body, quickly wrapping around his massive fist. That already enormous fist was now completely enveloped in Armament Haki, like a black meteor, hurtling towards Moke's Dragon Claw with unparalleled power.

This was the Baboon King's last trump card, a desperate gamble! Facing the fierce Baboon King, Moke dared not be careless in the slightest. He also exerted all his strength, gathering his power in his Dragon Claw, preparing to meet the Baboon King's earth-shattering attack.

The deafening roar was like a thunderbolt, exploding outwards with a deafening thud that made people's eardrums ache and almost deafen them. The sound was so loud that it was earth-shattering, and it seemed that even the vast and boundless heaven and earth trembled violently because of it.

The attacks of the Baboon King and Moke collided like two torrents, instantly unleashing an unparalleled and powerful force. That force impacted and surged against each other, forming visible ripples of energy that spread wildly in all directions.

In an instant, Gale howled, like a ferocious beast opening its blood-red maw and roaring wildly. The surrounding air seemed to be ignited, becoming extremely hot and making it difficult to breathe.

In this terrifying energy storm, the once tall and straight trees around were uprooted like fragile grass. They swirled and danced in the air, colliding violently with other objects from time to time, producing a series of crackling sounds.

At the same time, sand and gravel on the ground were swept up, flying everywhere and blotting out the sun. The whole scene was chaotic and devastated, as if the end of the world had arrived.

The Baboon King's face instantly stiffened, and large beads of sweat slid down his forehead. The moment they made contact, he clearly felt an irresistible, overwhelming force emanating from Moke's hand. This force surged forth like a tidal wave, leaving him almost defenseless.

However, Moke's situation wasn't much better. Although he successfully withstood the Baboon King's full-force attack, he also suffered a huge recoil. His face was extremely grave, and a trace of blood even spilled from the corner of his mouth. Clearly, this fierce collision had caused him considerable injury.

"Clang..." Another crisp metallic clang rang out, and the Baboon King was sent flying like a cannonball. He traced a long arc in the air before crashing heavily to the ground. Surprisingly, despite suffering such a heavy blow, the Baboon King did not suffer any substantial damage. He nimbly somersaulted in the air and then landed steadily on the ground.

Upon landing, the Baboon King gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently. But he didn't even bother to catch his breath before immediately raising his head and staring straight at Moke opposite him. At that moment, his eyes were filled with astonishment and disbelief, as if he had witnessed something utterly incredible.

The Baboon King couldn't understand why his final, all-out attack had failed to inflict even the slightest fatal damage on his opponent! Was his power insufficient? Impossible! Logically, such a powerful attack should have been enough to kill any enemy. Yet, the facts were staring him in the face, forcing him to accept this cruel reality.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through the Baboon King's mind—could it be that Moke just used the legendary Armament Haki? Only an ability of that level could so easily withstand his all-out attack! Thinking of this, the Baboon King's surprise was beyond words. He was originally full of confidence in this battle, believing that he could easily defeat his opponent with his strength, but he did not expect to encounter such tenacious resistance.

At this moment, only the Baboon King was surprised; the one truly utterly shocked was Baboon King. His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, and he even began to doubt whether all his past combat experience was wrong. Just moments ago, he had unleashed a punch with no reservations, using every ounce of his strength—arguably the most powerful strike of his life. But, to his utter astonishment, even such a ferocious punch couldn't break through Moke's defenses.

"Good heavens! What kind of monster am I fighting...?" the Baboon King muttered to himself, a look of utter despair on his face. He felt all his previous pride and confidence had vanished, replaced by a deep sense of defeat and powerlessness. Worse still, after a fierce exchange, he belatedly realized that he had fallen into a meticulously designed trap from the very beginning. He had thought he could seize this opportunity to gain a great advantage, but instead, he had ended up getting himself caught in the trap.

Moke stood motionless like a statue, his deep, sharp eyes fixed on the Baboon King before him, who appeared soulless and utterly dejected. A faint, yet undeniably genuine smile involuntarily crept onto his lips. He parted his lips slightly and spoke in a soft, yet clearly audible voice, "Baboon King, look at your dark expression. Is it because you've lost to me and are still resentful?"

Upon hearing this, the Baboon King's already extremely gloomy and seemingly water-dripping face instantly turned as black as if splashed with thick ink. His eyes widened, glaring fiercely at Moke, the fury radiating from them seeming to want to burn the man who had humiliated him to ashes. Then, clenching his teeth, the Baboon King forced out a deafening roar, "Hmph! You bastard, you're a complete freak! This battle was utterly frustrating! I never imagined that someone as ordinary and unremarkable as you could possess such incredible strength! Not only did you withstand my most powerful attack, but you were completely unharmed! This... this is simply unbelievable, like encountering a ghost! Looking across the entire world, perhaps only that terrifying monster Kaido could achieve something like this!"

After saying this, the Baboon King's chest heaved violently, clearly his anger had reached its peak. In stark contrast, Moke remained remarkably calm in the face of the Baboon King's furious accusations and curses. He looked at the Baboon King with an indifferent expression, not even his eyebrows twitching, as if the other's anger was utterly insignificant to him. Then, Moke slowly spoke, his tone as calm as if discussing the weather. "So, may I ask, Your Majesty the Baboon King, do those words you just spoke still stand?"

Upon hearing Moke's question, the Baboon King's furry face first showed a hint of surprise, as if it were somewhat taken aback by the sudden question. But only for a moment, a glint of light flashed in its large, bell-like eyes, as if it had remembered something.

The Baboon King curled his lip, then rolled his Byakugan at Moke with undisguised disdain, muttering, "Hmph! I'm a man of my word, always keeping my promises. How could I possibly go back on my word so easily? However, before coming to see you, I had a bet with an old friend that I hadn't settled yet. Once I've taken care of this, I'll come to find you without delay..." With that, the Baboon King deliberately puffed out his chest to display his integrity and authority.

Meanwhile, Moke, standing opposite him, had been listening quietly to the Baboon King's words. When the king finished speaking, he nodded without hesitation, indicating that he fully understood and agreed to the Baboon King's arrangement. At that moment, Moke, who had been calm, suddenly seemed to be struck by Inazuma, his whole body jolting. Then, he quickly shifted his gaze from the Baboon King and looked directly at the figure on the sidelines who was intently watching the battle unfold—Gizas Jesus Burgess.

The Baboon King instantly understood something and hurriedly looked in the direction Moke was staring. Its eyebrows rose slightly, revealing a hint of surprise, and it slowly said, "So it's Gizzas Jesus Burgess! It seems you came here specifically for him! I must say, your judgment is indeed excellent. If nothing unexpected happens, this fellow should become the champion of this fighting tournament. Judging by the formidable strength he has displayed, even compared to past champions, he is quite outstanding and dazzling. That's precisely why it's worth your trouble to make this trip in person..."

Just then, a hearty, distinctive, and unforgettable laugh resounded through the sky—"Yehahahaha..." With the laughter, a tall and imposing figure appeared before everyone like a moving mountain. This man was none other than Gizzas Jesus Burgess; his broad, sturdy shoulders seemed capable of supporting the entire world, and his thick, powerful limbs displayed unparalleled strength. At this moment, a confident, smug smile graced his sharply defined face. It turned out that, with his incredibly keen senses, he had already detected two burning gazes fixed intently on him.

It must be said that just now, when he witnessed the fierce battle between those two, Gizzas Jesus Burgess was completely captivated. The breathtaking fight made his blood boil instantly, as if every cell in his body was cheering. However, despite his immense excitement, he knew very well that both the agile fellow and the highly skilled Swordmaster — Moke —were far stronger than him. Especially Moke, this remarkable Swordmaster, who was able to suppress the Baboon King, known as the "Strongest Champion," with his outstanding physical skills—such an astonishing performance was truly unbelievable!

At this moment, Moke spoke with a firm and powerful voice, "If you want to quickly improve your strength, you must not limit your vision to this small Champion Island. Only by bravely stepping out into the vast world and seeing the powerful figures from all corners of the Four Seas can you truly achieve self-breakthrough. If you are interested, why not join my pirate crew! I will definitely lead you to challenge those world -Might-Shaker powerhouses... What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Gizzas Jesus Burgess was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting Moke to extend such an enticing offer. However, he quickly recovered and burst into his signature maniacal laughter again. "Yehahahaha..." Amidst this deafening laughter, Gizzas Jesus Burgess strode confidently and boldly toward Moke.

Although the other party did not give a clear response, the series of actions that followed revealed all the information. However, at this moment, Moke showed a little surprise, because he really did not expect that Gizzas Jesus Burgess would agree so readily.

Gizzas Jesus Burgess strode steadily toward Moke and began, "Captain..." Before he could finish, he couldn't contain his excitement and quickly turned to glance at the imposing Baboon King not far away. In his eyes, nothing seemed more exhilarating than the constant opportunity to challenge this undisputed champion, who was said to possess the strongest power. Moreover, beside him stood a captain whose martial arts skills were equally unfathomable and fearsome!

For a warrior who makes a living through combat, such an opportunity is undoubtedly incredibly tempting. After all, even in this place known as the Island of Champions, where many strong fighters gather, successfully becoming the champion is enough to make one's heart race and feel ecstatic.

Just as everyone was immersed in the exciting atmosphere, a unique and strange sound suddenly came from the side—"Fufufu..."