Botchiballarta Island, ground port.
The crisp clang of metal against metal echoed along the coast for an entire day and night. The shrill sound of sword energy tearing through the earth occasionally pierced the sea breeze.
The sturdy port ground had long been plowed into a pockmarked mess by crisscrossing sword energy, with bottomless trenches everywhere. The battle between the two swordsmen was gradually drawing to a close.
Squard's face was flushed red, and the muscles in his arms trembled uncontrollably. Soreness surged through his body like a tide. He panted heavily, his chest heaving violently. Looking at Kuina across from him, whose breathing remained steady, a flash of embarrassed fury crossed his face as he snorted coldly.
"Little girl, you're tired too, aren't you? Stop forcing yourself."
Being pushed this far by a little girl who looked no older than eighteen or nineteen was humiliating enough.
If the battle ended and she was not even breathing hard, he would never be able to show his face in the New World again.
"Uncle, I'm doing just fine. No need for your pointless concern."
Kuina replied energetically. The hand gripping Wado Ichimonji was as steady as a rock, without even the slightest tremble. With a flick of her wrist, she swung the famed blade through a perfect semicircle in the air before her, then slashed forward fiercely.
A drill-shaped Flying Slash burst forth instantly, hurtling straight ahead with a howl that tore through the air. It swept up sand and stones along the way, carving a deep trench into the ground as it headed directly for Squard.
Squard's expression changed. He could only grit his teeth and raise the enormous saber in his hand, holding it horizontally before him to block.
Clang!
The slash slammed viciously into the saber. An overwhelmingly