Momousagi's anger was justified. She was not only frustrated because Chaton's interference had cost her the opportunity to defeat Rowen, but also because of her ability to "listen to the breath of all things" and see through all flaws. Hmm… it was a significant move!
And it had a long cooldown!
Just like the "Iron Cutting" technique used by the Swordsman, although ordinary swordsmen and Great Swordsman differentiated themselves by their ability to cut solid iron pillars, it didn't mean that "Iron Cutting" was an easy feat for a Great Swordsman.
It wasn't just about destruction; it was a manifestation of a certain state of mind!
Otherwise, in terms of sheer cutting power, any skilled practitioner of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) with weapon hardening could achieve a similar level of iron-cutting ability. Rowen's Thunder Ship-chopping Blade would be on par with a Great Swordsman. Common sense alone would tell you that this was impossible.
Furthermore, even "World's Strongest Swordsman" Mihawk needed time to build up to that state.
The difficulty of maintaining complete focus was well-known, and most people could only talk about it without actually achieving it.
This was true in everyday life, let alone during combat.
The essential training for swordsmen, "meditation," was born precisely for this reason. A calm and composed heart in the face of danger was the ticket to the path of becoming a Great Swordsman.
Great Swordsman had completely integrated the sword into their lives, placing their body and soul entirely within their weapon. They had no distractions, which allowed them to enter such an incredible state in the midst of chaotic battles.
Previously, in order to avoid being heavily damaged by Rowen's Thunder, Momousagi had to use her finger as a makeshift sword to block the torrent of thunder. During this process, her sword intent and will continue to be refined, allowing her to eliminate distractions entirely.
But now, Chaton had disrupted all that…
It was truly a cause for celebration for Rowen!
Unlike Momousagi's anger, Rowen just wanted to give Chaton a thumbs-up. After all, if Momousagi's blade had struck true, he would have lost at least an arm.
In the sky, the two figures ascended rapidly, and thousands of silver-white sword lights shot out from Konpira, tearing through the sky and the sea. The spectacle was terrifying, and it kept Chaton on the defensive.
Chaton's power had its limitations in terms of range. It couldn't interfere with Momousagi's long-range vacuum slashes, leaving him struggling for a moment.
This gave Rowen an opportunity. He seized the moment, fully infusing Thunder into his arms, and then released a thunderous punch!
Both of them were instantly drawn to the earth-shattering Thunderlight.
Thunderlight Penetration Cannon, like the Great Electricity Producer, had limitless power potential. It was as powerful as Rowen could make it, and taking a direct hit would be extremely painful.
"You Bastard! You better be ready!"
Facing the incoming Thunder Pillar, Momousagi shot Chaton a hateful glare, then turned to face the Thunder Pillar head-on. She sheathed Konpira, her gaze vacant.
Chaton could evade the attack with his power, but Momousagi didn't have the same convenience.
Suddenly, a dangerous aura spread out in the surroundings as strands of black hair moved on their own, turning her porcelain-doll-like pale face into something deadly.
Buzz!
Almost in the moment before the Thunder Pillar struck her, Momousagi leaped forward into the air. Her slender, pale fingers gently brushed the scabbard, drawing her sword in a sweeping motion.
'Evil Severance!'
Swish! Swish! Swish!
While it appeared to be a single strike, thousands of sword lights appeared in the air. Countless white sword shadows flowed out from Konpira, creating a torrent of Sword Energy that collided head-on with the Thunder Pillar.
Rowen's Thunderstrike was instantly disrupted by the sword lights, and the sword lights crumbled before the destructive power of the Thunder, creating a continuous series of glass-shattering sounds in the air.
"Hey, Rowen!"
Suddenly, Chaton appeared abruptly in front of Rowen, exploiting the moment when Rowen was exhausted, and his new strength had not yet regenerated. Chaton had been charging his "Hand Guns" for who knew how long and took aim at Rowen.
Boom!
"A Bullet" was fired, and Chaton, looking at Rowen's surprised expression, took a small puff of the cigarette he held in his mouth.
Throughout the battle, not even a single ash had fallen from his cigarette.
"Your self-healing ability is quite annoying. Sorry, but I'll have to ask you to exit the stage first."
Chaton, with his usual friendly smile, fired both guns.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One bullet after another struck Rowen precisely in his bone joints, weak muscles, vital points, and various other areas, causing him to shake uncontrollably like a ragdoll along with the impact of the bullets.
As he watched Rowen plummet, Chaton grinned triumphantly.
"It's a done deal!"
However, shortly after, Chaton's expression changed.
Wait a minute, something's not right!
Why wasn't there any blood?
Contrary to Chaton's expectation, Rowen, who had been shot all over, did not burst into a shower of blood. Instead, he fell straight down like a puppet whose strings had been cut, his face devoid of expression.
Was it a Thunderclone?
If manipulated with great precision, Rowen's Thunderclone could indeed have an appearance indistinguishable from that of the real person. However, once it carried out an attack, the thunder disguise would naturally dissipate.
"When did this happen?!"
Chaton was suddenly taken aback. His Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) expanded to its limit as he attempted to find out where Rowen was hiding.
Where is he?! Not above! Not behind either!
Wait… Could it be?!!
Overload·Lightning Kick!!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning raced toward Chaton, ruthlessly striking him from below, and hitting his chin.
The exploding Thunderlight carried the inertia of the supercharged Overload. This kick left Chaton with loose teeth. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood, two teeth, and a cigarette butt, which flew into the air.
Zii Zii!!
A powerful current surged into Chaton's body, disrupting the bioelectricity in the face of the thunder, causing Chaton to shake uncontrollably as he flew.
"Damn it! That's the real body!!"
In an instant, Chaton understood what Rowen had done. He had actually used Life Return to prevent the wound from bleeding, deceiving Chaton's judgment! However, to accurately determine each bullet's impact point, he needed to anticipate it precisely.
Otherwise, even the slightest hint of blood would give him away, preventing him from considering the possibility of a clone.
'Rowen's Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) had a wide range, but had anyone ever heard of it being this precise? Could it be that he was already like BIG MOM's pirate crew member Katakuri, capable of Future Prediction?!' Chaton thought to himself while, still in shock.
"In fact, I didn't predict the bullet's impact points with Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki)… Hmm, never mind… Anyway, you won't get a second chance."
As if he knew what Chaton was thinking, Rowen's voice rang in Chaton's ears even though Rowen was far away.
Ji Ji!!
A horrifying and cacophonous birdcall echoed out as the wounds on Rowen's body rapidly healed, and streams of electricity spread throughout his body, enveloping him like a porcupine.
"I was right, weren't I? Deceleration Fruit Ability user, Vice Admiral Chaton!"
'Thousand Birds Sharp Spear!'
The electric currents surrounding him suddenly converged to a point as Rowen lightly raised his finger, and a blazing pillar of light suddenly burst forth!
Thousand Birds Sharp Spear wasn't the most powerful technique in Rowen's arsenal, but it was certainly the fastest! Gathering the power of ten parts of electricity for explosive propulsion, its speed was almost on par with the speed of light.
Chi!!
In just over ten milliseconds, far beyond the range of human reflexes, the beam pierced through Chaton's lungs, disappearing into the horizon.
By the time an instant had passed, Chaton finally felt the intense pain in his chest. Along with it came the chilling sense of impending death.
"Wu Wa!!"
He opened his mouth, and blood mixed with air rushed into his lungs, causing Chaton intense agony.
Bang…
Flipping and using Geppo to levitate himself, Chaton's expression finally changed. He stared at Rowen in shock, his disbelief palpable as he stammered, "This can't be! My true identity is top secret within the government!"
Deceleration Fruit Ability user, that was Chaton's true form!
He couldn't believe that Rowen could have accessed classified government information. He had taken precautions to ensure his true identity as the former Assassination Force commander remained concealed.
When Chaton had earlier revealed his identity to Rowen, it was only to divert his attention towards himself.
Former Assassination Force commander of the Marines… that was a rather terrifying title! Even Rowen couldn't afford to take it lightly; he had to be exceedingly cautious.
"I figured it out…"
Rowen nodded, and the Thunder God Mark on his head began to emit a faint light.
Buzz!!
Suddenly, electric currents surged within a range of over a thousand meters, flickering and flashing. It wasn't like… no, there was no resemblance. This space was truly under Rowen's control!
"The previous few attacks, I thought it was because you moved too quickly for me to notice… As the former Marine Assassination Force commander, your ability to conceal yourself is certainly unmatched. I even considered the possibility of an acceleration-type Devil Fruit ability."
"But soon, I realized something was amiss… The Meteor Spears paused for a moment before hitting you. If it was an acceleration ability, with a speed that even Kenbunshoku Haki couldn't detect, you could easily dodge it. Why would you go the extra mile to interfere with my thunder?"
"Did it never occur to you that you were just too fast? After all, you're also a Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit) Ability user!" Chaton spoke with frustration, then immediately chuckled.
"I see…"
Rowen had indeed suspected that he might not be able to keep up. Otherwise, he couldn't explain why he risked himself to withstand a barrage of over a hundred Ejection shots.
It was precisely those hundred bullets that revealed the true nature of his Devil Fruit ability. He had inadvertently given away his ability!
(End of this chapter)
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