Capitalizing on the opening, Dante swiftly stepped forward and swung his sword in a vertical arc, narrowly missing decapitating Drake. The power and precision of Dante's technique were now laid bare for all to witness.
…
With a successful strike, Dante showed no mercy and continued his assault, executing a swift horizontal slash. His sword emitted a radiant glow, resembling a cascading waterfall as it swept towards Drake with a relentless barrage of slashes, stabs, wipes, and picks. Each move, each style aimed precisely at the vital points.
This was the essence of the Moonlike Stream sword technique, akin to moonlight cascading and illuminating the earth, an unstoppable force. Unless interrupted, it was nearly impossible for anyone to escape its grasp.
However, there was one condition that could disrupt the wielder of this sword technique…
Kuang Dang!
As Dante relentlessly pressed his attack, Drake seized the momentary pause between the attacks to raise his four-blade axe, successfully blocking Dante's longsword. A chilling smile crept across Drake's face as the scales on his dinosaur-like body armor cracked, blood dripping from his mouth, adding to his terrifying appearance.
"Not bad at all! But that's all you've got!" Drake taunted.
In that instant, Drake's curved sword in his left hand targeted Dante's wrist, aiming to sever it. The blade momentarily became lodged between the axe's blades, but if Drake didn't let go, his own wrist would suffer the same fate.
As mentioned before, Dante did not possess the same regenerative abilities as Rowen, nor did this world have any beings with near-immortal self-healing powers like him. If Dante's wrist were to be severed, it would be a permanent loss.
In battles between formidable opponents, injuries were traded blow for blow, minor wounds for severe ones, and severe wounds for fatal ones. This was the brutal reality of combat in this world.
Rowen was like someone with cheat codes…
"Is that all you've got, Rear Admiral Drake,?" Dante sneered suddenly, his empty left hand making no attempt to dodge or evade, but rather heading straight towards the curved sword.
Thunk!
The sharp blade clashed against the flesh of Dante's palm, producing a metallic resonance.
Drake's pupils constricted as his arm went numb.
"Tekkai? No… this is Busoshoku Haki!" Drake realized, recognizing the invisible aura enveloping Dante's fist, a layer of Busoshoku Haki covering his mortal body, hardening it like armor. Dante had indeed mastered the "hardening" level of the Busoshoku Haki Initial Form!
He could withstand sword strikes!
"I remember you, Rear Admiral Drake, You emerged from the recruit camp three years ago and were said to be ranked first…"
Seizing the opportunity, Dante withdrew his sword, creating some distance before speaking slowly.
"In just three years, you rose to become a Rear Admiral. Your strength, talent, and potential are astonishing. Becoming a Vice Admiral is only a matter of time, and within 1-2 years, you could even aspire to become an Admiral."
Shua!
Soru!
Dante transformed into a streak of darkness, rushing towards Drake in an instant. His blade glowed with an orange-red hue, as if forged in the heart of a furnace.
The air twisted and distorted from the scorching heat, yet within it, the chilling killing intent of the blade's edge remained. Ice and fire merged within the sword, a paradoxical yet formidable combination.
"But that's all in the past!"
"Now, you can't keep up with the changing times!"
Moonlike Stream Murdering Sword: Moon Flame Roast!
Dante roared, swinging his blade open and shut, leaving a wide opening in front of him as he aimed for Drake's head.
A two-handed vertical slash was his most confident and powerful attack!
If the enemy blocked or evaded, Dante, with his wide opening, would find himself in a perilous situation.
"You Bastard!" Drake's pride as the former number-one recruit surged uncontrollably in the face of Dante's blatant contempt. He crossed his hands, interlocking the sword and axe in his grasp. Instead of retreating, he ruthlessly pulled forward, intending to break Dante's confident strike with his strongest stance.
Ding… Kuang dang!
The three weapons collided, creating a deafening sound capable of shattering eardrums. An invisible shockwave erupted, forcefully pushing out in all directions. The unsuspecting soldiers were scattered and thrown off their feet by the sheer force. As they stood up, their eyes burned with intense heat as they marveled at Dante's power.
Such power… even a true Rear Admiral would likely be surpassed by such power!
So our Lieutenant Commander possesses such incredible strength?
No wonder he follows Vice Admiral Rowen's side!
In the heart of the battlefield, just as Dante prepared to cleave open the two weapons with his formidable sword technique, a thick and scaly tail emerged from the dust. Dante's Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), the ability to sense the presence of others, was not yet fully honed.
Unlike Busoshoku Haki, which could be mastered through diligent training, Kenbunshoku Haki required a deep connection with one's mind to fully awaken. It also needed to be used with a calm demeanor, as it was easily disrupted.
Facing the incoming tail sweep, Dante managed to quickly hold his sword vertically in front of him, but the force of the tail sent him flying!
Thud!
Mid-air, Dante spat out a mouthful of blood and looked in shock toward the center of the battlefield. There stood a massive creature, barely visible through the dust. Dante's pupils contracted in surprise.
"Zoan Ancient · Lizard-Lizard Fruit · Allosaurus Shape!"
"Roar!!!"
Drake had fully transformed into an Allosaurus Shape, standing over six meters tall. His size was comparable to the "Tyrant" bear modeled after the Shichibukai, and as an Allosaurus, his entire body was a weapon of destruction.
With his immense jaws, he could easily bite through steel, and his powerful muscles and scale armor made him a formidable sight. His appearance was fierce, emanating Haki that surpassed even the Kuma himself.
If before, in his Half Beastify Form, Drake had used half of his strength to subdue Dante, now he unleashed ten times that power, seeking a life-or-death struggle!
"What is that? A dinosaur? Why are there still dinosaurs around?"
"It's Drake's Devil Fruit! He's an Ancient Allosaurus Devil Fruit Ability user!"
A wave of terror washed over the soldiers responsible for sealing off the battlefield perimeter as the Allosaurus Drake let out a wild roar. Their morale was nearly shattered as they looked at him with fear-filled eyes.
"Silence!"
At that moment, Dante slowly propped himself up and shouted in anger.
As the soldiers turned their gaze towards him, Dante retrieved his sword from the ground and pointed its tip towards Drake. "Vice Admiral Rowen is watching all of you. Don't embarrass him! Besides…"
"A dinosaur is nothing more than a mere beast!"
"Heh, then let me show you the power of this so-called beast!" Drake responded with a laugh instead of anger. In the next moment, he took a step forward and charged like a true Allosaurus!
Meanwhile…
His speed was terrifying!
As a user of Devil Fruit, he wasn't just a simple beast!
The combination of human intelligence and a beast's body was not as straightforward as 1+1!
Allosaurus Shape Technique·Limit's Berserk Charge!
Thud!
In the blink of an eye, Drake charged toward Dante, and the two clashed in an instant before being sent flying once again.
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