"Celestial Essence·Breakthrough!!"
A simple direct punch exploded forward. Driven by explosive force, it was like a comet at arm's length, emitting a black light as it struck straight into the spider's abdomen.
Boom!!
On the other end of the battlefield, Lily moved like lightning amid the crowd, and as the flash passed, she had already sliced through the many surrounding Pirates. Her thunderous light ascended to the sky, first drawing a slash resembling a Flying Bird, stabbing straight into the ground, blasting an irregularly cracked depression.
But around the depression, Shiryu was nowhere to be seen.
"Has it come to this?"
Lily squinted slightly, her just-swung blade suddenly pressed downward, "It's enough to force you out! Flying Bird · Forest!"
The descending blade drew a dense swarm of small Flying Bird Slashes, scattering across the ground below, each like a chisel, piercing the ground and blasting out depressions. As the fissures spread larger, they also created densely packed pits.
And on the left side, several Flying Bird Slashes were shattered by a crimson glow that appeared. At the moment the glow appeared, the lightning from the sky surged down, rapidly stabbing forward.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing rang out as the light merged. Lily manifested, her sword in a thrusting posture, blocked by Shiryu wielding his Demon Sword in reverse. As their blades trembled, a sharp gaze met a bloodthirsty and cruel look.
"Using this method, huh? As expected of you."
Shiryu chuckled quietly, "But it can only reveal me briefly; after all, you are not Sage."
Clang!
The blade lifted, flicking away Lily's sword blade. In the next instant, Lily used this opening to slash down with her sword, only to cut through the air.
He vanished again.
The invisibility ability ultimately only hides the form. Even if it reduces scent and trace, the Observation Haki itself senses a diverse range of auras, detecting even inanimate objects, let alone living beings.
What allowed Lily not to notice was that this guy suppressed his aura.
"Observation Kill... no, it's not quite to that Red Hair level, there are traces."
Red light flashed in Lily's eyes. She tilted her body, sweeping a horizontal slash with her sword.
Clang!
Sparks flew, the outline of a blade faintly visible. Before Lily could continue her pursuit, the outline disappeared again, revealing Shiryu in the distance.
"You still can find me? I've improved a lot since dealing with Garp on Hive Island, especially in ability development..."
Shiryu breathed out a puff of smoke, chuckling, "But, with your mental focus so high, you must get tired, right?"
"Is torturing people the style of your Pirates?"
Lily frowned, "Whether surviving or not, it seems that they all lack the stabilizing power."
"Battles on the sea have always been this way."
Shiryu said, "You were no different before. Don't think mastering some odd tricks entitles you to dismiss others' ways of survival; that, too, can be considered arrogance."
Strong vitality, outstanding Haki, exceptional body techniques or swordsmanship, these are the levels that people on the sea should aim for. The limit is there, and when everyone reaches the edge of their limits, the battle comes down to grinding.
Even with a forced outburst, burning through life brings temporary strength, but it will eventually fade. Only those strong in all aspects can stand on the sea of strong beings, mutually engaging in battle and torment.
This is also why the Navy cannot capture all Pirates.
They're hard to kill.
Someone like Shiryu, of course, is a strong one, especially after suppressing his aura and becoming invisible, achieving an Observation Kill effect. Detection with Observation Haki is not feasible, coupled with strong Haki and swordsmanship, it's not simple to take down quickly.
"Naturally, strength leads to arrogance, and that's what I deserve. Sage said that being strong without arrogance makes being weak meaningless."
Lily moved a long leg forward, her sword returning to its sheath, assuming an Iaido stance.
"Let's make a bet. With my next strike, I will defeat you. If you lose, then join us," Lily said coldly.
Shiryu paused, then laughed, "Recruiting me now? Isn't it a bit late, given the situation?"
"Teach is Teach, you are you. Besides you, there's also Van Augur, both very useful presences."
Lily continued, "Sage doesn't mind who the enemies are; there are no eternal enemies among Pirates. For O'hara's development, we need more manpower."
Executioner?
Bloodthirsty?
What does it matter?
Sage didn't recruit him before due to having similar types and a smaller scale back then, lacking interest.
Now, with their empire expanded, all kinds of people could be accommodated. Even Issho has been recruited, so why fear a former Impel Down warden?
If they aimed for slaughter, their plans could be grand enough that even Shiryu couldn't finish the killing.
Lily couldn't personally oversee massacres in every nation, but under her, there were not many as ruthless as she could be, always some with soft-hearted pity.
Shiryu was a fine blade, perfect for use.
"You think you're guaranteed to win? That's Undying Power..."
Shiryu questioned, "No matter how strong Sage is, he can't handle it, especially in this environment. If it must be a decisive battle, I believe Teach will win. Or rather, after Sage loses, you could join us."
"Let the sword speak then."
Lily pressed down on her sword hilt, choosing silence over words.
Shiryu's form faded, leaving a parting sentence, "I am not the kind of brat who gets agitated at provocation; if this is your scheme, it is destined to fail."
The aura vanished, leaving Lily alone in a battlefield strewn with severed limbs and corpses, holding her Iaido stance. The red in her eyes slowly shifted to a bluish-white hue.
The sword hilt she held showed a spiral of bluish-white air.
"I'm not to that extent yet. For a swordsman, I will maintain deserved respect, but as the Prime Minister of O'hara, I give no one a chance, so resolving it in one strike is best."
"No matter how concealed the aura is, the person still exists, and as long as the momentum is sufficient, creating shock, then there will certainly be a flaw. Do you feel it... this all-encompassing severing aura, and the encirclement of death."
A bluish-white glow burst from Lily's pupils, carrying an unstoppable, fiercely sharp aura, instantly enveloping the surrounding area.
In just a flash, there was movement from the far side.
Even without a visible form, with just a flash of movement, Lily almost teleported in that direction. As her sword unsheathed, it drew a bluish-white scratch through the air, spanning the half of space she faced.
"Slash!!"
Hiss!!
Space at that moment was split with a jet-black line, quickly vanishing.
Lily straightened her figure, swiftly sheathing her white thunder blade.
Click.
Puff!!
The sound of resheathing spurred forth, and right in front of Lily, a burst of blood revealed Shiryu's form.
Holding his sword, a massive gash burst open on his chest. Clenching his teeth, he stared intently at Lily, "Why? Why is it so sharp, why can it strike me?"
At that distance, in such brief time, he was confident he showed no flaw, just resisting Supreme King wouldn't undo his ability.
But in that instant, the situation turned.
"That is the reason for my arrogance."
Lily replied calmly, "There is nothing that can escape my slash."
"I see... even more murderous than I thought, I lost."
Shiryu gave a wry smile as his eyes rolled back, collapsing to the ground.
"Loss was inevitable, and if you aren't dead by the end..."
Lily looked down at him, "Then this sword of yours will be useful across the sea."
"Zehahahaha! Sage, surprised? This is the power I'll use against you! As for pain... I can endure it!" Teach laughed loudly.
"With the battlefield in such a mess, you can still laugh..."
Sage sneered, "I don't doubt your endurance, but in such a one-sided situation, what backup do you have?"
"As long as I can beat you, nothing else matters... hey!"
Teach flashed a mysterious smile, "Time for you guys to move!!"
At the back of the battlefield, those powerful auras that had remained still now, one by one, took step swiftly towards them, gathering around Teach, and encircling Sage.
"Oh... the power is not bad, ones from the sixth level; all giants as well. Are these the new giant Captains you recruited?"
Sage glanced around, shaking his head, "But, it's wholly insufficient, you must be joking, Teach."
"You'll see soon enough. To deal with you, I've hand-picked them..."
Teach grinned, "Ability Users!"