Showdown

Amina spoke calmly. "Do you still want to fight me?"

Charlos looked toward the heart of the island. "Let's go take a look."

With that, Charlos leaped onto the island.

Robin waved her little hand. "Rukia and I will guard the ship."

Rukia watched them go. "Come back soon, or I'll drink all your juice."

Charlos's calm reply drifted back from the distance. "Go ahead. It's all yours."

"Hmph!" Rukia gave a haughty little snort.

Deep within the island, the White-Shirted Youth lowered his gaze to the long sword in his hand. Black Haki coated the entire blade, its sharp edge radiating a chilling force. He slowly turned his head toward the newcomers.

Charlos raced and leaped through the forest. Amira and Amina flew ahead, landing before the youth first.

The youth slowly opened his eyes. "You carry no swords. You aren't swordsmen."

Charlos landed in front of the two women and grinned. "We're not swordsmen, but I want to test myself against you."

The youth shook his head. "I won't fight you."

"Why?"

"My sword does not cut down nameless nobodies."

Charlos's gaze hardened. "And if I insist?"

"Then you'll die."

"I'm confident in my strength."

The White-Shirted Youth studied Charlos. "Confidence is good. Too much arrogance will get you killed."

Charlos met his gaze. "Then let's find out."

Amira and Amina slowly withdrew from the fighting ground.

The youth remained composed. "Very well. I'll spare your life."

"Don't hold back."

As soon as Charlos spoke, black Conqueror's Haki wrapped around both his hands, and he drove his fists straight at the youth.

The youth closed his eyes and raised his blade to block.

Charlos's fists slammed into the flat of the blade. He faltered for a moment.

"At your age, being able to wield Haki is already impressive," the youth said softly. "Why push yourself?"

"Hmph. I'll never be satisfied with just this."

Charlos gathered his Haki and unleashed a rapid, chaotic barrage of punches.

"There's no point in fighting you," the youth said flatly.

"What did you say?"

Thick Armament Haki coated Charlos's fists again, and he charged with all his strength.

The youth sprang lightly into the air, evading every attack. He sheathed his sword and looked down coldly. "You're not qualified to fight me. You have talent, but you're still too weak."

Charlos's eyes flew wide, frustration burning in his chest. "Impossible!"

He gathered all his Haki into his right fist and struck with everything he had.

The youth turned aside. Charlos's punch missed him and slammed into the nearby mountainside.

The solid rock exploded, sending fragments flying.

"Your strength isn't bad."

Charlos refused to stop and was about to attack again when Amira landed lightly and caught his wrist.

"Charlos, you can't beat him. Haven't you realized that yet?"

Charlos looked up at Amira, stunned.

Then Charlos slowly smiled. "But did you really think I had no other moves?"

"Use whatever you've got."

"All right. You said it."

Charlos whipped his leg out. Tempest Kick! A sharp blue slash tore through the air.

The youth flipped aside, easily avoiding it. A hint of amusement entered his eyes. "Interesting. The Navy Six Powers?"

Charlos raised an eyebrow. "You know the Navy Six Powers?"

"Of course. But this level of strength is nowhere near enough."

"Is that so?"

Charlos focused his strength into a fingertip and thrust forward with a Finger Pistol.

At last, the youth opened his eyes and drew his sword. Black Armament Haki coated the blade as it stopped Charlos's fingertip precisely.

"Interesting. Any other moves?"

Charlos pivoted and swept his leg across in a second attack.

The youth raised his sword and blocked it cleanly.

"Heh. You're finally getting serious."

"In that case, so will I."

Charlos's assault intensified in an instant. He moved faster and struck harder, every blow carrying tremendous destructive force.

The youth could no longer defend so casually. He blocked several strikes in quick succession, then swung his sword and unleashed a massive slash.

Charlos darted aside, shaken. He really is strong.

The youth drew his sword back behind him, his expression calm. "Train hard for a few more years, and you might be qualified to fight me. Right now, you have a long way to go. Keep at it, kid."

With that, he turned to leave.

Charlos called out at once. "Hey, what's your name?"

The youth paused and looked back. "My name doesn't matter. Once I become the World's Greatest Swordsman, the world will know it."

"Then you'd better watch out for someone: Dracule Mihawk."

The youth frowned slightly. "Why should I watch out for him?"

Charlos looked into the distance. "No reason."

The youth said nothing more and walked away.

Amina landed lightly beside Charlos.

Charlos turned to her. "Let's start."

"Now? Don't you need to rest?"

"No."

Amina spread her black wings, her expression serious. "Charlos, I won't hold back."

"Come on."

Countless black feathers shot toward Charlos the moment he spoke.

Charlos leaped forward and closed the distance in an instant. "I'm still good."

"Are you?"

Amina beat her wings and soared high above him. Her wings traced a spiraling black shadow as she dove straight down.

Charlos covered both arms in Armament Haki and took the impact head-on. The tremendous force smashed him into the forest floor.

"How about that, Charlos?"

Charlos's steady voice came from beneath the ground. "That's all? No problem."

"Is that so? Then how about this?"

Amina's power surged. Dense black mist swirled around her dark wings as several feathers shot through the air. Charlos quickly dodged aside.

The feathers struck tree trunks, and the surrounding trees slowly corroded and blackened.

"Impressive."

"There's more."

Amina charged. Her wings suddenly spread and became three pairs of black wings.

Surprise flashed through Charlos's eyes. "What's this?"

"Six-Winged Fallen Angel Form," Amina said coldly.

Thick Armament Haki covered her right hand as she brought it crashing down, wrapped in dark power.

Charlos nimbly dodged. The instant her blow hit the ground, it blasted open a huge crater. Faint, corrosive black mist lingered at its bottom.

After evading her attack, Charlos smashed his left hand into a nearby tree trunk, ripped the massive tree free, and hurled it at Amina.

"Useless."

Amina swept her hand through the air, sending out a black slash that cut the tree in two. Corrosive energy spread through the trunk, reducing it to black debris in an instant.

"Scary, isn't it? Charlos, surrender."

"Never!"

Charlos charged again, throwing both Armament Haki-coated fists at her with all his strength.

Amina raised her hands and caught both fists. She did not budge.

"We've already established that you can withstand my attacks."

"Did you think that was all my Devil Fruit had given me?"

Amina spun and flung Charlos hard into the ground.

"Charlos, we simply haven't been using our full strength."

"Why not? Have you been wary of me this whole time?"

Amina slowly withdrew her six wings and Armament Haki, then walked up to Charlos and spoke softly.

"We weren't wary of you. We were afraid we'd hurt you. We wouldn't have been able to forgive ourselves."

Amira flew down and landed, folding her white wings. She took Charlos's wrist and examined it carefully.

After confirming he was unhurt, she breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, sis. I know my limits."

Watching her gentle expression, Charlos felt his heart sink further. He murmured to himself,

"Am I really that weak?"