Surpise!
The blades of the long sword and naginata clashed, emitting terrifying pressure. The immense, almost tangible auras of Nicholas and Whitebeard collided in the air, creating a formidable atmosphere that spread outwards. Some weaker onlookers couldn't even stand near to watch the battle.
In a clash between top-tier warriors, every move could change the very sky and earth. Whitebeard's eyes were filled with intense battle spirit, his gaze piercing through their clashing weapons to lock onto Nicholas.
"Gu ra ra ra, little lightning brat, now I can almost believe you might actually achieve that. But... let's see how far you can go!"
With that, Whitebeard's fist, wrapped in his fearsome quake power, shot straight towards Nicholas' face.
Nicholas reacted swiftly. The moment Whitebeard threw the punch, Nicholas abandoned the clash, using the massive force from the naginata to propel himself backward. Almost instantly after dodging Whitebeard's quake-infused punch, Nicholas pushed off the ground, transforming into lightning and disappearing. He reappeared behind Whitebeard.
Swish—!
Whitebeard's powerful punch missed its mark, smashing the ground where Nicholas had stood, causing spider-web cracks to spread outward.
Meanwhile, Nicholas, having reappeared behind Whitebeard, let the sharp intent of his sword flash. But even as Whitebeard's punch missed, he instantly twisted his waist, swinging his naginata with immense force towards Nicholas.
From Nicholas's perspective, Whitebeard seemed to expose a significant opening when his punch missed. Based on the body's force mechanics, Nicholas anticipated that Whitebeard's forward momentum would cause him to stumble, losing balance and providing an excellent attack opportunity.
However, the battle-hardened Whitebeard gave no such chance. As soon as Nicholas vanished, Whitebeard twisted his waist, using the centrifugal force to swing his naginata toward where Nicholas reappeared.
The air was filled with explosive sounds as the naginata cut through it.
"What a crafty old fox..."
Nicholas's pupils shrank as he saw the naginata rushing towards him. He quickly reversed his sword, blocking the naginata's trajectory.
Clang!
The long sword and naginata clashed again, sparks flying. The resulting shockwave from their clash exploded outward, shattering the ground and scattering debris.
After the brief exchange, their weapons separated. Using the inertia, Whitebeard clearly held the upper hand in this brief confrontation. The continuous, overwhelming power transmitted through the naginata forced Nicholas to fly backward.
In mid-air, Nicholas kept his glowing red eyes fixed on Whitebeard, using his observation haki to track any possible follow-up attacks. After landing, he slid back, carving two deep grooves in the ground to dissipate the force.
Whitebeard, however, chose not to pursue immediately. Adjusting his stance, he held his naginata and approached Nicholas.
"Gu ra ra ra, you're a cunning brat," Whitebeard laughed, swinging his naginata and smashing the ground in front of him.
Boom!
The ground exploded under Whitebeard's immense power, revealing lightning traps set by Nicholas.
"Gu ra ra ra, lightning brat, you should know that your Rumble-Rumble Fruit is most powerful at a distance. Close combat with me isn't a good choice."
After destroying the traps, Whitebeard put away his naginata and looked at Nicholas, saying, "So, you want to challenge your own weaknesses?"
Nicholas smiled nonchalantly. "Who knows? Maybe I do."
Whitebeard didn't respond further. He knew that if they fought at full strength, the entire Kuri region would likely be destroyed. After all, Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit power could cause natural disasters.
"Then I'll come at you," Nicholas said, eyes narrowing as he tightened his grip on his sword.
With a crackle, Nicholas stepped forward, lightning radiating from his feet. He dashed toward Whitebeard, sending out massive flying slashes as he advanced.
Meanwhile, lightning constructs resembling Nicholas formed around him. In the blink of an eye, dozens of identical lightning figures appeared and spread out, charging at Whitebeard from different directions.
Nicholas raised his sword, which floated in sync with him, surrounded by visible arcs of electricity.
"Thunder Blade: Unstoppable A-train!"
[Those who know, know]
As Nicholas completed his acceleration, his sword shot forward at an incredible speed towards Whitebeard.
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed. Although he hadn't anticipated the speed and power of Nicholas's attack, he was ready. Muscles bulging and veins popping, he poured all his strength into his naginata and swung it forcefully at the incoming blade.
However, Whitebeard underestimated the speed of Nicholas's accelerated sword. Moreover, the lightning constructs around him exploded simultaneously, aiming to disrupt Whitebeard's concentration.
In a fraction of a second, the sword pierced through Whitebeard's body and continued onward, leaving a deep trench in the ground and eventually exploding a distant mountain.
Nearby, the Whitebeard Pirates, initially distracted by the Kozuki family's turmoil, rushed towards Whitebeard.
"Father…"
Izo, who had been confronting Kanjuro, murmured in disbelief, seeing Whitebeard with a sword through his chest.
On the other side of the battlefield, Yamato, pulled by June, watched in excitement. "So strong…"
Within the battle circle, Whitebeard looked at the wound in his chest, his expression grim. Though it seemed severe, he knew it hadn't hit any vital organs. Nicholas had held back; otherwise, the strike would have targeted his heart.
"Father!" Marco quickly arrived, helping to treat Whitebeard's wound, while Jozu and others assumed battle stances, warily eyeing Nicholas.
"Impressive, Nicholas. You've won," Whitebeard acknowledged.
Nicholas shook his head. "That move had an element of surprise due to its speed."
"Gu ra ra ra, a win is a win. I didn't expect your sword to be that fast," Whitebeard reflected, recalling the swift strike. His observation haki had detected the attack, but he hadn't anticipated its sheer speed.