The Old Friend Appeared Like Bamboo Shoots After the Rain...

The two fists, vastly different in size, crashed into each other. Chikara's stone-like iron fist collided with Yamato's relatively slender one, and the inhumanly terrifying strength within both their bodies erupted outward without restraint.

The earth beneath their feet suddenly collapsed into a several-meter-deep crater, while the surrounding rock layers cracked apart like a spiderweb.

A tremendous shockwave spread in all directions from the point where their fists met, sweeping up sand that filled the sky and forming a massive sandstorm.

The pirates behind Chikara were blown about by the violent gale. Many were sent flying and crashed heavily to the ground.

Several unlucky ones were caught in the center of the sandstorm, their bodies tumbling uncontrollably through the air. Before they even landed, the crisp sound of breaking bones could already be heard.

On this battlefield where true powerhouses clashed, these people, who normally only flaunted their strength and threw their weight around in front of ordinary civilians, did not even have the right to stand by and watch. They could only become victims of the aftershock of this power.

By contrast, Stussy and Hancock behind Yamato remained completely composed.

Flowing Busoshoku Haki surrounded their bodies, forming a solid layer of armor that firmly blocked the spreading shockwaves.

"Hmm!?"

Chikara let out a doubtful grunt.

"You should be proud that you managed to take that punch, but that's all."

He possessed an absolute advantage in height. Looking down at his fist, which Yamato was desperately blocking, he suddenly tensed the muscles in his arm, increasing his strength severalfold. The air compressed beneath that tremendous force and began to hum.

He had always claimed that his strength was the greatest in the world. He absolutely could not allow anyone to surpass him in the area he was most proud of.