The New World stretched like a distorted rectangle, long on its sides and relatively narrow at the ends.
The sanctuary avoided main shipping lanes, instead traversing the "short side" of the New World a comparatively brief path.
Even so, traveling the New World required time.
After days of leisure with his female Slaves, Black grew restless.
He refocused on the Card Space.
Over the past few days, as Armament Haki fused with his body, Black felt astonishing changes coursing through him.
The Iron Balloon talent, originally granted by Charlotte Linlin, had already given him immense defense. Now, it had ascended further, surpassing even his own expectations.
It had been decisive in his victory over Zephyr.
Moreover, Armament Haki's enhancement of his body went beyond defense: strength, stamina, speed all surged to levels far above before.
Black felt he had entered a new stage of Armament Haki: a fusion of body and Haki, amplifying all facets of his abilities.
Swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat now far exceeded what he displayed against Hawkeye.
Though Conqueror's Haki Infusion still eluded him, Black resolved to challenge the cards again.
This time, his opponent was Garin.
As fellow Celestial Dragons, their combat style was refined, elegant far superior as a reference compared to the crude swordsmanship of pirates.
Black sought to study Garin's technique.
"Huh? Mary Geoise as the arena this time?"
Upon entering the Card Space, Black noted the familiar environment.
Suddenly, a tremendous Conqueror's Haki surged.
"Oh my! That's unfair!" Black cursed, his dark-red Conqueror's Haki fused with purple-Black Ghost Qi, soaring and colliding with Garin's Haki from afar.
He drew his long sword, held before his chest.
A jet-black Armament Haki film hardened around him, isolating the Black-red lightning outside.
Sliding back dozens of meters across cracking floor tiles, Black grinned:
"It seems my Observation Haki surpasses yours."
AI Garin did not respond. Divine Judgment accelerated, trailing seven afterimages through the air.
Black remained calm; future scenarios flashed vividly before his eyes.
"Two slashes left, feint to right shoulder, and also…"
He bent low, long sword parrying unusually upward:
"A low sneak attack!"
"Celestial Dragons don't fight Celestial Dragons, but if this is all you have, I won't hold back!"
Another clash forced Garin half a step back, divine judgment spinning midair, suddenly altering its arc.
The backhand slash formed a vacuum, carving a deep trench into the ground.
Black's long sword followed like a shadow, deflecting each strike, metallic clashes producing continuous high-frequency sonic booms.
Garin crouched into an Iai stance.
Air churned across the plaza; stone slabs cracked, fragments hovering unnaturally.
"Divine Judgment · Cloud Radiance!"
Black held his sword vertically, sunlight reflecting into a focused beam:
"Arcane Art · Mirror Reversal!"
The deflected strike tore a massive rift in the clouds.
Black advanced, sword raining silver thrusts at blind spots in Garin's defense.
Garin switched from offense to defense, weaving divine judgment into an impenetrable lightning net.
After the assault, Black landed, breath ragged:
"Damn it… lacking Conqueror's Haki Infusion is such a disadvantage."
Each of Garin's strikes carried Conqueror's Haki; Black could only rely on physique and Armament Haki.
Stamina drained faster, damage accumulated.
As Black's attack ceased, Garin swung, releasing a black-red thunder dragon along his blade:
"Divine Judgment · Heavenly Soaring Dragon Flash!"
"Arcane Art · Galaxy!"
Black gritted his teeth, taking the impact head-on.
Sword guard against thunder fangs erupted into a solar flare, stripping reliefs from Pangu City's outer walls.
Both retreated hundreds of meters. Garin expressionless; Black's hands trembled around his sword.
"Swordsmanship alone won't suffice against experts like you."
Black tossed his long sword aside, clenching fists:
"Then, time for BOSS's second phase!"
He switched to hand-to-hand combat, speed surging.
He lunged, striking Garin's sword-wielding wrist with a hand-blade, left knee rising for a gut strike.
Garin blocked the hand-blade, stepping back to avoid the knee.
"Divine Judgment · Amaterasu!"
A giant flaming bird slash erupted, melting ground into magma ravines.
Black crossed arms, Armament Haki crystallizing into Black-gold armor.
When flames faded, a ten-meter vitrified crater remained, Black merely flicking his smoking sleeve:
"Anyone can conjure fire; Mera Mera no Mi isn't even fit for dogs."
He surged forward; Armament Haki-clad fists collided with Garin's Conqueror's Haki-infused blade, distorting space.
Garin withdrew, divine judgment glowing golden, like solar flares:
"Divine Judgment · Nine Stars Descend!"
Nine black-and-red sword energies attacked from multiple dimensions, each capable of destroying an island.
The first evaporated Mary Geoise's central fountain; the second melted ground for thousands of meters.
Black, using future-seeing Observation Haki, dodged four, punched two away, and crossed arms to endure the last three.
Crack!
Bone shattering pain shot through him.
He was flung, crashing through a Celestial Dragon manor.
Before dust settled, the rubble exploded; a Black-gold fist shadow shot from the ruins.
Dragging his left hand with a fractured forearm, Black leapt from broken walls.
His left fist, condensed with Armament Haki, smashed toward Garin's sword tip, thrust straight at him.
At the moment of contact, he shifted into a hand-blade, fingertips piercing a gap in Garin's left ribs, while divine judgment simultaneously pierced Black's lower abdomen.