First Injury

"Oni Aura: Oni Giri!" As Ener let out a low roar, the Sandai Kitetsu clenched in his hand suddenly seemed to come alive, trembling violently. Immediately afterward, an incomparably dense oni aura erupted from the blade, enveloping the entire sword like billowing black smoke.

At that moment, Ener's originally unfathomable eyes flashed with an eerie green light without warning. That ghostly gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, connecting directly to the depths of the underworld, sending chills down one's spine. Ener no longer looked like an ordinary human. He resembled an evil ghost crawling out of hell, radiating a suffocatingly sinister and terrifying aura.

"Whoosh..." With a full swing of Ener's arm, a massive sword wave burst forth. Like an incomparably ferocious dragon, it bared its fangs and claws as it charged straight at Jinbe. Wherever it passed, the air itself seemed to tear apart, releasing a sharp, piercing howl.

In the blink of an eye, the terrifying sword wave had closed in on Jinbe. Yet in the face of such overwhelming force, there was not a trace of panic on Jinbe's face. Instead, an indescribable excitement emerged. His lips parted slightly as he murmured, "Now that's more like it..."

After their long exchange, Jinbe had already gained a certain understanding of Ener's strength. Though their earlier clashes had made him realize that this opponent was not to be underestimated, that was all. But now, as he watched Ener use this move, a powerful shock rose within him—he knew that this young man had finally displayed his true strength!

"Fish-man Karate: Five Thousand Brick Fist!" With a roar, Jinbe wore a resolute expression as he unleashed his trump card without hesitation. Yet this attack differed from his usual ones—his fist was wrapped in a thick, inky layer of Armament Haki! Clearly, Jinbe had drawn out every ounce of his strength and thrown it into this battle without holding anything back.

"Boom..." A deafening explosion suddenly erupted, resounding through the heavens as though the entire world were trembling. Jinbe's iron fist, as enormous as a cooking pot, had collided head-on with Ener's all-out, ferocious slash! At the instant the two met, a terrifying, world-destroying force exploded forth, like two brilliant meteors streaking through the night sky and crashing together with overwhelming momentum!

In an instant, the two utmost terrifying forces tangled and clashed violently, their might enough to tear apart heaven and earth! As they battled one another, a colossal explosion followed. Boundless power raged madly around them like floodwaters bursting through a dam, unleashing wave after wave of violent shockwaves that surged in every direction like wild horses breaking free of their reins.

Everything in their path was reduced to ruin. Jinbe and Ener's hair whipped wildly through the air like fallen leaves swept up by a gale, while their clothes flapped and billowed as though they might be torn to shreds by the terrifying force at any moment.

Even the tiny bits of gravel on the ground could not withstand such shocking impact. Like leaves caught in a hurricane, they were swept into the air and shot outward at high speed. The stones formed a dense rain of bullets, screaming as they blasted in every direction. In an instant, crackling explosions rang out one after another, echoing through the sky as though they would tear the entire world apart. Even a full kilometer away, the scene was miserable beyond description—the place looked as though it had been ravaged by a violent storm, or sprayed by heavy machine-gun fire, leaving only broken walls and shattered debris in utter ruin.

"Shave..." Yet at that critical instant, Ener flickered like lightning across the sky and vanished from everyone's sight. In the very next breath, he appeared at Jinbe's right side like a ghost descending upon the mortal world, completely unnoticed. He gripped the renowned Sandai Kitetsu tightly, its blade gleaming with a chilling light that seemed capable of cutting through all evil and illusion. With a swing of his arm, Sandai Kitetsu carved a tricky, vicious arc through the air, moving so quickly that no one could react as it hacked mercilessly toward Jinbe's neck!

"Hah..." Faced with this sudden, unavoidable killing blow, Jinbe showed no fear. He remained calm and composed, letting out a furious roar from his throat that boomed like thunder and shook the heart.

Then, with another low growl, every muscle in his body tightened as though gripped by an invisible hand. At the same time, the power hidden within him seemed to find an outlet, erupting like a volcano with the force of a landslide and tsunami.

That power was like a surging torrent, like a roaring dragon, charging madly through his body with world-destroying might. When it gathered in his arm, his already thick limb became as hard as forged steel. Veins bulged across it like coiling dragons, radiating a terrifying aura as though they might burst at any moment.

Even Ener's earlier mountain-splitting, stone-shattering slash could not stand against such terrifying power. It could only disintegrate before it, scattering into fragments in the air. Before anyone could react, Jinbe's body swayed, then suddenly sank downward, dropping so quickly that it blurred the eye as he closed in on the ground in an instant.

His movements were utterly fluid, without the slightest hesitation, as though he had practiced them countless times. Smooth and natural like a mountain spring flowing downhill, they carried no sense of obstruction. With such nimble skill and extraordinary reflexes, he narrowly evaded Ener's powerful, unstoppable killing strike at the very last moment.

Nor did he stop after avoiding the attack. Using the momentum, he shifted slightly to the right and lightly stepped forward. It seemed like a casual motion, but it cleverly closed the distance between him and Ener. In the blink of an eye, the two were face-to-face.

Seeing that the moment was ripe, Jinbe swung his right hand without hesitation. His palm wind howled as it moved like lightning. In an instant, a hand the size of a fan clamped tightly around Ener's arm like iron pincers. As he exerted force, an even greater power surged endlessly from within him like floodwaters bursting through a dam.

"Fish-Man Jujutsu: Tide Pull Ippon Seoi Nage!" With an angry shout, he swung both arms and directly hoisted Ener, who weighed more than two hundred pounds, over his head before smashing him heavily into the ground!

No sooner said than done! Jinbe flashed forward, closing in on Ener like a ghost. He seized Ener's arms tightly with both hands and pulled, yanking his entire body into the air. Then, with a flick of his wrists, he used his tremendous arm strength and the centrifugal force created by Ener's spinning body to hurl Ener into the sky like a sack of sand.

A muffled bang erupted, deafening enough to make the air seem to explode. Ener crashed toward the ground like a cannonball fired from its barrel, carrying incomparable impact. In an instant, the sky darkened, sand and rocks flew, and an aura of destruction swept through the surroundings.

That terrifying force surged like mountains collapsing and seas overturning, as though it would rip the earth apart completely. Even the unbreakable rocky ground could not withstand it, smashed into a bottomless crater. The unfortunate Ener landed directly at its center, his entire body embedded within, unable to move.

Moreover, the aftershock of the impact caused fine cracks to appear across the formerly smooth ground. Centered on Ener's location, they rapidly spread outward in every direction. The cracks grew larger and larger before finally intertwining into a dense spiderweb that stretched wildly across the land.

The sight alone was enough to show how overwhelmingly fierce and tyrannical that strike had been. Yet to everyone's surprise, Jinbe did not press his advantage after landing such a shocking blow. Instead, he stepped back several paces and returned to his original position, standing calmly and motionlessly.

At that moment, his expression was dark enough to drip water, and a chilling glint flashed in his eyes like cold lightning. He fixed his gaze on Ener in the crater ahead, while his mind churned like a tangled mess as he pondered something in secret.

At that split-second moment just now, amid the lightning and flames, Jinbe had suddenly sensed danger. An indescribably intense feeling of crisis had surged into his heart. That sudden dangerous aura made his hair stand on end, and he did not dare relax his guard for even an instant. He could only go all out and focus every bit of his attention on any change that might come.

More importantly, through years of accumulated experience and his own extraordinarily keen perception—Observation Haki—he had always trusted the intuition in the depths of his heart.

After all, countless past experiences had proved that this premonition from the depths of his soul had never been wrong... "Cough, cough, cough..."

A heart-rending cough came from the bottom of the crater. Enduring the unceasing pain churning within him, Ener used his trembling hands to force his swaying body upright. His movements were incredibly laborious and slow. Then he suddenly turned his head and spat a thick mouthful toward the empty ground beside him.

If someone had come closer to inspect it carefully, they would have been astonished to discover faint, nearly imperceptible streaks of bright red blood mixed into that phlegm!

There was no doubt about it. After that thrilling battle with Jinbe, Ener had been injured. Though the wound was not serious, for someone who had only recently entered this world, this was the first time in his life that he had experienced being hurt!

In an instant, his once-confident eyes became solemn and profound. He thought to himself, Sigh... My recent rapid growth in strength, combined with how smoothly everything has gone, has really made me lose my bearings.

The moment he thought of this, an icy chill shot up his spine like an electric current and spread through his entire body, making him shudder as a sense of dread rose within him.

At that crucial moment, Ener secretly felt immensely fortunate. The person standing before him was Jinbe, a trustworthy, powerful, and kind-hearted friend!

If it had been someone more troublesome, vicious, and cunning—someone like that old fox Crocodile—then they would probably have seized the opportunity and struck while he was unprepared. They might even have gone for a vital point without mercy!

The consequences would have been unimaginable. At best, he would have been severely injured. At worst, he might not even have kept his life!

Ener stood rooted to the spot as though frozen by a spell, staring straight into the distance. Yet his mind was in chaos, thoughts surging like tides as all kinds of wild ideas intertwined, as though they would burst his head apart.

Suddenly, a low and mysterious voice faintly reached his ears, like a death sentence delivered by an envoy from the underworld. It echoed beside him again and again, constantly warning him...

No matter what situation he was in, whether facing powerful enemies, ordinary opponents, or seemingly trivial circumstances, he could never let down his guard. He had to remain vigilant at all times.

Because even a lion went all out when hunting a rabbit. It never dared underestimate its prey.

As Ener was lost in thought, Jinbe slowly spoke. "Young man, the battle is not over yet." With that, he gathered Armament Haki once more, and his aura abruptly rose.

Ener took a deep breath. His once-confused gaze suddenly became incomparably sharp, like two honed blades that radiated a chilling light. At the same time, a powerful determination rose in his heart, giving his entire body an unmatched presence.

He gripped Sandai Kitetsu tightly. The formerly dull blade now flickered with an eerie red glow, as though it had been given life. With his movement, wisps of black aura rose from the hilt, coiling around the entire blade like smoke.

"Oni Aura: Oni Flash!" Ener roared in a low voice, and his body immediately moved like lightning. He vanished from where he stood in the blink of an eye. The next moment, he appeared behind Jinbe like a ghost, moving at a speed beyond imagination.

Ener leaped fiercely into the air, and the Sandai Kitetsu in his hand traced a dazzling arc through the sky. Carrying sharp, unmatched oni aura, it slashed heavily toward Jinbe's back. This attack was as powerful as thunder, and if it truly struck its target, even steel would be easily severed.

Yet Jinbe was a veteran powerhouse who had endured countless battles. Faced with such a sudden attack, he showed no sign of panic. Just as Ener's blade was about to touch his body, Jinbe sharply sensed the intense killing intent behind him.

At that instant, Jinbe's body spun abruptly, as though pushed by an invisible force, moving at a speed that left one speechless!

At the same time, his thick, powerful arms rose high. Muscles hard as steel tensed, tightly shielding his chest. Everything happened so quickly that onlookers could not even react.

Then came a heaven-shaking clang, as mighty as rolling thunder, echoing through the entire area. Countless dazzling sparks scattered in every direction like brilliant fireworks blooming in the night sky.

The impact caused by the collision of metal was so tremendous that even the surrounding ground trembled, seeming to lose its usual solidity and stability.

Yet this was only the beginning. In the blink of an eye, blade light and shadow intertwined, forming a scene that was both intricate and strangely beautiful.

Ener and Jinbe were like two bolts of lightning streaking across the sky. Their bodies moved as swiftly as the wind and as fiercely as leopards as they launched into a thrilling, evenly matched battle!

Ener wielded a long blade that shone with cold light, its momentum as magnificent as a dragon emerging from the sea. Whenever he swung it, blade light flashed and formed an airtight defense that was difficult to breach.

His swordsmanship changed endlessly—at times tricky and strange, at times fierce and violent. The unusual angles of his strikes and the sheer force behind them exceeded all expectations, making it impossible to predict where his next attack would come from.

Jinbe, on the other hand, stood as steady as a massive boulder. Though his moves were not as flashy or complex as Ener's, they contained endless power and wisdom.

Every palm strike carried crushing force, as unstoppable as Mount Tai bearing down on an egg. Every kick swept outward like a gale passing through, capable of sweeping away armies.

On the surface, Jinbe's attacks appeared plain and unremarkable. Yet they concealed countless exquisite subtleties, and the slightest mistake could plunge one into an irrecoverable predicament.

This life-and-death battle had continued for a long time. Neither side gave way, and neither had any intention of retreating. The atmosphere around them was incomparably heavy, as though even the air had frozen solid.

Everyone held their breath and did not dare make the slightest sound, afraid of disturbing these two supreme experts. Time seemed unusually long at that moment, and everyone's eyes remained fixed on the two figures in the field, afraid of missing even a single thrilling moment.

Just as the stalemate continued, dark clouds suddenly gathered overhead and a mysterious aura descended. A black-robed figure appeared at the edge of the battlefield, arms folded as he watched the battle coldly.

"Hmph!" With a cold snort, a figure slowly emerged. He wore a black cloak, his face concealed in shadow so that his true appearance could not be seen, yet he emanated a chilling aura.

"Your battle has been entertaining, but it is time for it to end." The mysterious man's voice was low and hoarse, as though it came from the depths of hell. Before his words had faded, he suddenly extended one hand. An incomparably powerful suction force surged out like a torrent, sweeping directly toward Ener and Jinbe.

Faced with such terrifying power, Jinbe frowned tightly and roared, "Break!" In an instant, every muscle in his body tightened, and a deep purple glow rose around him—his proud Armament Haki! Empowered by that Haki, Jinbe seemed possessed by a war god as he forcibly resisted the terrible suction.

At the same time, Ener did not yield in the slightest. He tightly gripped Sandai Kitetsu, feeling the tremors coming from its hilt as he swore inwardly that he would defeat this powerful enemy before him.

As he pushed the chakra within his body with all his strength, the oni aura faintly flickering around Sandai Kitetsu suddenly became violent, like a savage beast baring its fangs in preparation to devour someone.

Then Ener swung his long blade fiercely, releasing an incomparably sharp sword wave that howled through the air and hacked fiercely at the suction force.

However, neither of them had expected the mysterious man's strength to be so unimaginably powerful. Despite their desperate efforts to resist, they still could not completely stop the suction. As the two sides remained deadlocked, the mysterious man moved again...

The mysterious man rapidly formed hand seals with both hands while muttering under his breath. The suction force suddenly increased severalfold, dragging Ener and Jinbe forcefully forward.

At that critical moment, Ener's eyes suddenly lit up as though he had thought of a good idea. Without hesitation, he drove Sandai Kitetsu into the incomparably hard ground, using its hilt to support his swaying body.

At the same time, he shouted at Jinbe in the distance, "Uncle Jinbe, please focus your attacks with me on that guy's hand seals!"

Hearing this, Jinbe immediately understood and nodded in agreement. He took a deep breath, gathered every bit of strength he could muster into his fists, and then smashed them toward the mysterious man's palms with overwhelming force.

In an instant, an astonishingly powerful fist force swept forward like a raging gale, carrying unparalleled might as it charged directly toward the mysterious man.

Naturally, Ener did not remain idle. Seizing this rare opportunity, he swung his sword again and unleashed a sharp, unmatched blade light. It worked perfectly with Jinbe's mighty strike, forming a pincer attack against the mysterious man from both front and rear.

Faced with this sudden and ferocious double assault, the mysterious man was clearly caught off guard. He froze for a brief instant, but that momentary lapse exposed an extremely subtle yet fatal flaw in the hand seals he had formed.