allendalepharm Chapter 251 Nameless Inscription, The Boundary of Emptiness
Chapter 251 Nameless Inscription, The Boundary of Emptiness
Chapter 251 Nameless Inscription, The Boundary of Emptiness
Ryoma's calm "I can't have it" was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in the port area.
The pirates from the Cross Society were stunned at first, then burst into cheers of relief!
They couldn't understand the lightning-fast swordplay, but they could understand the outcome.
Their unknown hero, Hawkeye, actually forced back the terrifying swordsman who had severely injured Lord Diamante with a single strike!
The guards and civilians of Fishman Island were even more bewildered and uncertain.
They had never heard of this suddenly appearing heroic spirit.
In their minds, a powerful heroic spirit should be like Noah, possessing the power to change the world, or at least like the black-bearded Ryoma, whose power with a single strike could split the sea.
Can we really rely on this swordsman who has a calm and even unassuming demeanor?
Can he withstand two renowned heroic spirits from the old era?
Keep in mind that one of those guys is the infamous Captain John, and the other is O, the dragon-slaying swordsman from Wano Country.
Even Doflamingo on the other end of the video Den Den Mushi frowned slightly.
"Fufufu—Kojiro, well done. But—can you win?"
He knew that forcing them to retreat and defeating them were two different things, especially since the other side had Captain John, who was also watching them closely.
In the Dressrosa laboratory, Mihawk slightly relaxed his crossed arms, a hint of approval flashing in his sharp eyes, but then his expression turned serious again.
He could vaguely sense Kojiro's condition through the contract; the Swallow Return he had just used beyond his limits had already consumed a considerable amount of energy.
"Oh! What a brilliant comeback! The prelude to the underdog triumphing over the strong has begun!"
Shakespeare waved his virtual quill in the air, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"However, the weight of fate still pressed heavily on the other side—"
On the battlefield at the port, Captain John was enraged when he saw Ryoma being forced back by Kojiro's sword once again!
"Ryoma! You piece of trash! You actually lost to a nobody?!"
Captain John roared in fury, his attacks becoming even more frenzied. His scimitar flashed with a black light that seemed to devour everything, forcing Jinbe to retreat repeatedly.
"Since you can't handle it, then I'll take care of them myself!"
Captain John's roar, like thunder, shattered the brief silence of the harbor.
He scoffed at Ryoma's swordsman pride; defeat was defeat, and any excuse was just the lament of the weak!
"Get the hell out of my way, Doraemon!" he roared, no longer caring about technique, just unleashing pure power. The defensive barrier that Jinpei was barely holding up groaned under the weight of this violent attack, and cracks spread out.
Jinbe was forced back more than ten meters by this tremendous force, his feet carving deep furrows in the coral ground, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
Forced Jinbe back, Captain John's figure twisted like a ghost, and in the next instant, he appeared less than three meters away from Kojiro!
The curved blade, wreathed in ominous black energy, whistled sharply as it aimed straight for Kojiro's seemingly unguarded waist and abdomen!
At the same time, he roared at Ryoma, who was still standing there, "What are you all standing there for?! Attack him together! Kill him! Don't forget the captain's orders!"
Pressure, like solid seawater, squeezes in from all directions!
Kojiro's breath, which had just calmed, tightened again. Captain John's sneak attack was exactly what he had expected; such a dishonorable act was exactly like the legendary greedy and cunning pirate captain.
"Despicable!" Jinbe roared, trying to step forward to stop them, but was held back by several Blackbeard Pirates officers.
Kojiro remained calm despite Captain John's sneak attack.
He seemed to have anticipated this situation, and his long sword drew a smooth arc in front of him.
"Secret Sword - Swallow Return".
Ding ding ding!
The flashing blades formed an invisible net, completely blocking Captain John's swift and unpredictable attacks!
Sparks flew all around him, but he didn't retreat an inch!
"What?!" Captain John was shocked. He felt as if his violent attack had struck slippery water, and the force was cleverly guided and dispersed.
This swordsman is more troublesome than I imagined!
Ryoma stood still, his empty eye sockets watching Captain John's actions, then glancing at Kojiro, whose aura had slightly fluctuated due to the previous attack, and remained silent.
He possessed the pride of a swordsman and despised Captain John's actions, but—the Master's orders were to take Fishman Island and Noah.
Finally, he slowly raised the famous sword Shusui in his hand, its tip pointing at Kojiro.
He didn't shout like Captain John, but his silent killing intent was more threatening than any words.
The hostility of the two heroic spirits was like two mountains, one on the left and one on the right, crashing down on the purple-clad swordsman standing in the center with his knife!
Captain John's aura was fierce and violent, filled with a greedy and destructive desire to devour everything, as if he wanted to tear the entire port apart along with Kojiro.
Ryoma's aura, however, was as solid as ice and as precise as a ruler, locking onto every possible flow of energy around Kojiro, searching for the flaw that surpassed a single sword strike.
Two completely different yet equally terrifying auras intertwined, forming a suffocating force field.
A bone-chilling cold filled the air, and even the cheers of the pirates and fishmen watching from afar abruptly ceased, leaving only the fear of having one's heart clenched.
Kojiro is facing two Heroic Spirits at the same time!
One is a legendary pirate with unpredictable swordsmanship and domineering power; the other is a swordsman whose swordsmanship has reached the pinnacle and whose calmness is like ice!
"It's over—" a guard from Fishman Island whispered in despair.
"He alone—has to face two—"
"Noah—Why hasn't Lord Noah made a move yet?" Some people pinned their hopes on the legendary ark.
Even the pirates of the Cross Society became tense again, as the newly ignited flame of hope was about to be extinguished.
On the other end of the video Den Den Mushi, Doflamingo's face was grim: "Caesar! Is the device still usable? Send Mihawk or Moria over there!"
Caesar stared at the energy readings, his face contorted with despair: "This won't do! The energy is overloaded! Forcing the teleport will cause an explosion!"
'
In Dressrosa, Mihawk's hand rested on the hilt of the Black Blade Night once more, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, but he knew that distant water could not quench immediate thirst.
Shakespeare also stopped singing and anxiously watched the battle unfold.
Kojiro is facing an unprecedentedly tough battle.
He was like a small boat in a storm, struggling to navigate between Captain John's raging attacks and Ryoma's deadly strikes.
He transformed into streaks of light, bringing the essence of the Swallow Return technique to its fullest potential, repeatedly and narrowly deflecting attacks from two directions.
But his breathing became rapid, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his arm holding the knife felt slightly numb.
"Hahaha!! Can't hold on anymore, can you? Nobody!" Captain John laughed wildly, his attacks becoming increasingly vicious.
"I'll take your life too!"
Although Ryoma remained silent, each of his strikes became more precise and deadly, as if he were constantly comprehending the secrets of Kojiro's transcendent sword through battle.
Once again, Kojiro narrowly avoided Ryoma's silent backstab while simultaneously parrying Captain John's powerful slash. He was thrown back several meters by the impact, his hand split open, and blood stained the hilt of his sword.
His left sleeve was struck by the aftershock of Captain John's blade, instantly turning into shreds, leaving a deep, bone-revealing bloodstain on his arm from which spiritual energy dissipated like blood.
The gap in strength is an objective fact.
He was neither a prodigy like Karna, who was born with golden armor, nor like Hercules, who possessed the power of the Twelve Trials.
He was just a swordsman, a swordsman who dedicated his life to the sword, but was ultimately defeated by Miyamoto Musashi on Ganryu Island.
In this world, he is nameless, without any legendary status; all his power comes from his own understanding and practice of the sword.
He was slightly out of breath, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.
Jinbe was surrounded and attacked by many people, and was overwhelmed; the Fishman Island Guard was in retreat; and the Cross Guild Pirates suffered heavy casualties.
From the direction of the Dragon Palace, King Neptune and the worried gazes of his princes and princesses seemed to pierce through space and fall upon him—
An atmosphere of despair permeated the air.
"This is incredible pressure—unlike back on Ganryu Island," Kojiro thought to himself.
He recalled the moment he was summoned, on that foggy morning, and his first duel with Master Hawkeye.
At that moment, Hawkeye simply looked at him calmly and said, "Your sword is fast and accurate, but—it lacks resolve."
"—It's like you're bound by something. You pursue the ultimate in skill, yet you seem to fear the emptiness that follows?"
Are you afraid of nothingness?
He also recalled his countless sparring sessions with Hawkeye under the moonlight, discussing the principles of swordsmanship.
Hawkeye's sword is the world's most powerful and precise, capable of slicing through anything. And his sword is the miracle of the Swallow Return and the skill of penetrating the space between nothingness.
I have spent my life seeking the sword, and have attained the skill of the Swallow Return. However, skill has its limits.
When I wield my sword, what I think about is how to reproduce and surpass that lost half-move, and how to make the Swallow Return even more perfect.
Rather than simply eliminating the enemy in front of you?
Captain John's maniacal laughter and foul language, Ryoma's silent yet ever-present deadly threat, the sight of his companions struggling in battle, the desperate cries of the people—all these intertwined, striking his heart like a heavy hammer.
What is a sword? Why do I wield it?
His eyes gradually became clear and empty.
It was no longer the previous peace, nor the resolute killing intent, but a state of near nothingness.
It was as if they had cast aside victory and defeat, life and death, and even their own selves, leaving only the sword in their hands and the target they needed to cut down.
Captain John and Ryoma simultaneously sensed the change in Kojiro's aura!
It was no longer a swordsman struggling to survive, but a divine weapon about to reveal its unparalleled sharpness!
Captain John felt a strong sense of crisis rising inexplicably, and this incomprehensible phenomenon made him restless and irritable.
"You're playing tricks! Get the hell out of here!"
He forcefully suppressed his discomfort, channeling all his strength into his scimitar. The black light condensed into a tangible beast's head, which opened its massive maw and lunged at Kojiro!
Ryoma, on the other hand, felt that sense of emptiness even more clearly.
In his empty eye sockets, the fire of his soul flickered violently.
He realized that this was not a simple improvement in technique, but rather—a leap in realm!
Without further hesitation, Qiu Shui emitted a deep hum, and he moved with the sword, transforming into a bolt of lightning that pierced the sky, aiming straight for Kojiro's brow!
This sword strike, imbued with all his energy and spirit, surpassed any of his previous attacks!
Faced with this deadly situation of being attacked from both sides, Kojiro made his move.
He neither blocked nor dodged.
He simply took a step forward.
At the same time, the knife in his hand was swung out in a way that transcended vision and even common sense, without any sound of wind or dazzling light.
It seems to exist neither in this space nor simultaneously in countless spatial nodes.
Captain John's powerful slash and Ryoma's cunning and deadly backstab seemed to hit an insurmountable wall or sink into a muddy swamp the moment they touched the invisible area in front of Kojiro.
All power, speed, and killing intent were quietly neutralized!
Kojiro's figure swayed slightly, like a phantom.
No, it's not shaking.
In that ultimate moment, he seemed to appear simultaneously in front of Captain John and Ryoma!
The tip of the blade, like a swallow carrying mud back to its nest in spring, followed a fateful trajectory, gently pointing towards Captain John's throat and Longma's wrist holding the knife.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
Pfft—!
Two faint sounds rang out almost simultaneously.
Captain John's face froze in horror and disbelief. He instinctively covered his throat, where there was no intense pain, only a cold feeling that life was rapidly slipping away.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but could only let out a hoarse, leaky sound.
His body, like a sand sculpture scattered by the wind, began to collapse from the point of contact, turning into countless shimmering spiritual particles, and finally completely dissipated into the air of Fishman Island.
Until his death, he never understood what force had defeated him.
Longma felt a numbness in his wrist, and the famous sword Qiushui slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a clatter.
He looked down at the faint sword mark on his wrist, and for the first time, a feeling of shock appeared in his empty eye sockets.
He raised his head and looked at Sasaki Kojiro, who was slowly sheathing his sword and whose aura had returned to calm. He remained silent for a long time before speaking slowly in a hoarse voice.
"So that's how it is—it's not the Swallow Return—this—is no longer within the realm of technique—this is—the realm of emptiness—we—have witnessed it—and have no regrets—"
After he finished speaking, his body gradually became transparent, eventually turning into spirit particles and dissipating into the air of Fishman Island along with Captain John.
The port area was eerily silent.
Everyone stared in disbelief at the swordsman who seemed to have done something utterly insignificant.
The mind-blowing sword strike, the effortless annihilation of two terrifying heroic spirits, is deeply etched into the souls of every witness.
"impossible!!!"
A piercing scream, filled with fear and disbelief, erupted from the remnants of the Blackbeard Pirates.
The one who spoke was the tyrannical king, Abaro Pizarro, whose fierce face was now filled with terror, and whose huge hands trembled slightly with fear.
His greatest asset, the legendary, ruthless, and greedy Captain John, was actually—actually killed by a single sword strike?!
Along with that dragon-slaying swordsman Ryuma!
"The captain's spirit—how could this be—?" Fighting champion Gizas Bages was also dumbfounded.
His muscular body froze on the spot, his original posture of being ready to rush up and grab the scraps completely shattered, leaving only a chill in his heart.
He couldn't comprehend that kind of confrontation that transcended the level of power.
A sense of disillusionment spread through the hearts of all the Blackbeard Pirates members.
The face of the Moon Hunter, Katrin Demi, was terribly gloomy. She stared intently at Kojiro, her eyes filled with apprehension and a hint of barely perceptible greed.
But more than anything, it's a sense of frustration that the plan has been completely disrupted.
She yelled, "Retreat! Retreat immediately!"
Without the trump card of Heroic Spirits, these people have no chance of winning against monsters that can instantly kill Heroic Spirits and the army of Fishman Island!
The remaining members of the Blackbeard Pirates were immediately thrown into complete morale collapse, scattering like headless flies, only to be swiftly wiped out or captured by the Fishman Island Guard and the Cross Guild Pirates, whose morale had soared.
"Sasaki Kojiro"
Jinbe murmured the name, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea, who had weathered many storms, were filled with unprecedented respect in his eyes.
He understood deeply that the sword strike he had just received had touched upon a realm beyond his comprehension.