In the realm of swordsmanship, Wood and Gion were evenly matched, but Wood held a slight edge in physical strength. Regarding their use of Haki, Wood's "Observation Haki" had evidently progressed beyond its initial stages, a development that made him notably stronger than Gion in this aspect. However, when it came to "Armament Haki," Wood had merely grasped the basics, while Gion had mastered using it to reinforce her weapon, the Kinpika sword.
This mastery allowed Gion to occasionally overpower Wood, despite her physical inferiority. The "Armament Haki" not only countered natural-type Devil Fruits but also significantly enhanced her own offensive capabilities. Under the influence of her "Armament Haki," Gion's Kinpika transformed into a pure "black blade," its strikes, normally equal in power to Wood's, were now substantially more potent.
Wood, on the other hand, leveraged his advanced "Observation Haki" to effortlessly dodge Gion's attacks and retaliate with precision. Although neither had been fighting seriously, Wood was genuinely surprised at the rapid improvement in Gion's abilities. It had only been about six months since their last encounter, shortly after Wood had defected from the navy. At that time, freed from the full weight of his restraints, Wood had not struggled significantly against Gion.
However, the short time since then had seen Gion's abilities increase dramatically. Wood still held back somewhat, but he felt that defeating Gion now was not as straightforward as before, unless he tapped into the power of the "Heart of God."
As their battle intensified, Wood became increasingly alarmed by Gion's quick progression. Quietly, he began to release the gravitational equipment bound to his body. Clearly, the strength Gion now displayed was putting significant pressure on him; without shedding his gravitational gear, he might actually lose.
As Wood removed his weight equipment, Gion, noticing his actions, suddenly flashed a captivating smile. She then thrust her Kinpika into the ground in front of her and began to unfasten her cape.
"Boom!"
That wasn't the sound of Wood's gravitational equipment hitting the ground but Gion tossing her cape aside. Not just the cape, after unfastening her cloak of justice, Gion reached inside her slit cheongsam and removed two rounds of lead weights from the bindings around her thighs.
The weights, once discarded, shattered the nearby rocks, underscoring their substantial mass. Wood's expression, one of almost comical bewilderment, clearly amused Gion, who couldn't hide her smugness. "Wood, you've underestimated me," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Did you think I would fall into the same trap twice? After you defeated me last time, I was devastated, but it also led me to reflect deeply."
"In terms of swordsmanship, I, Gion, concede to no one. The difference between us was merely physical and in our use of Haki. Your Observation Haki is of a high level—catching up might be hard, as the cultivation of Haki depends largely on innate talent and insight."
"Knowing I couldn't match your Observation Haki, I turned to focus on Armament Haki, which you are less skilled at, to bridge our gap in Haki abilities. As for the physical disparity..."
Gion paused, letting her gaze drift to the justice cape and the embedded lead weights on the ground, her implication clear without words.
"Gion, you've actually copied my training method," Wood remarked, half-joking yet with a hint of irritation. "That's not acceptable... I should charge you royalties for that! And the money you owe me should be written off!"
Gion shrugged nonchalantly, never really expecting Wood, of all people, to repay a loan. Besides, she truly believed Wood's method of physical training was excellent. Over the past six months, Gion had been using these weight restraints in her movements and battles at sea. Initially, the extra weight caused frequent injuries, but as her body adapted, it became manageable, and she continued to increase the weights periodically.
Throughout this time, the amount of weight Gion became accustomed to was remarkable, and while her daily movements felt unchanged, once she removed the weights, the boost in her capabilities was instantly noticeable.
"Just relying on this method for half a year, and I've seen such tremendous improvements in physical condition," Gion mused. "And Wood, how long has he been training this way?"
"Boom!"
Another loud noise erupted as Wood, too, demonstrated the extent of his training load. His vest, so heavy it created a crater in the ground, made it clear that his equipment was substantially heavier than Gion's.
As they both shed their weighted equipment and commenced the second round, their speed was noticeably faster than before. Simple sprints now employed the Six Powers: Shave, and with their enhanced "Shave," even faint afterimages were hard to capture.
Unquestionably, Wood held the advantage in this final bout. Although both had removed their weights, Wood's gear had been much heavier than Gion's, making their previously even match no longer maintainable.
As the battle wore on, Gion began to show signs of faltering, and Wood's advantage grew steadily. Although Wood ultimately dominated the fight, he was not overly pleased; instead, Gion's astonishing rate of growth sparked a renewed sense of urgency in him. Wood had been too complacent, and while he was proud of his strength at his age, he had overlooked the potential for others to grow as well.
Wood is no genius compared to real prodigies like Gion. If not for being a transmigrant familiar with this world's plot and possessing cheats, he might have been just another nobody on Maple Leaf Island.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 300+ at pat_reon.com/Betek.