"G~~~!"
A spirited cry echoed through the cloud of dust.
Having unleashed the power accumulated within, the seemingly frail and withered old man, Lao G, transformed into a towering, muscular figure brimming with vigor.
Whoosh!
Now in his muscular form, Lao G swept his arm through the air. The motion created a gust strong enough to push aside the lingering dust around him.
To onlookers, it appeared as though Lao G had split the cloud of dust in half with sheer strength, revealing his imposing figure within.
Maude calmly halted his steps, observing the transformation of Lao G's body with an unshaken expression.
As time passes, the human body naturally succumbs to aging.
Muscles, bones, and even internal organs gradually deteriorate—an unavoidable reality of life's decay.
Yet Lao G possessed a technique akin to qi manipulation, allowing him to forcibly reverse the effects of aging and even trigger physical transformation.
Still, Maude knew such a shift from old age to youthful might was temporary.
This realization led Maude to ponder a crucial question:
If he forced Lao G to exhaust this burst of power, would it affect the spoils of victory later?
The thought made Maude uneasy. A purple-grade, epic-level target degrading to a mere blue-grade rare-level one? That was a scenario he couldn't accept.
Subconsciously, Maude had already assured himself of his triumph.
Of course, Lao G remained oblivious to this.
He clenched his massive fists tightly, his sharp gaze fixed on Maude, who had ceased moving.
Now freed from his stored energy, the immense power within Lao G surged through his body like a raging torrent, eager for release.
"Seal of G~~~!"
Announcing his attack name and elongating every phrase—these quirks had become an inseparable part of Lao G's identity over the years.
He neither could nor needed to change them.
Such declarations were, without a doubt, a warning to his enemies.
Yet Lao G's explosive speed often outpaced his voice.
Before the last echo of his words faded, his robust frame vanished.
In the next instant, Lao G had crossed dozens of meters, appearing directly in front of Maude. His gloved hands formed a "G" shape as they struck fiercely toward Maude's abdomen without hesitation.
From announcing his technique to executing his attack, the entire sequence took less than a second. The sheer explosiveness of his speed was terrifying.
Maude reacted quickly, barely managing to position his blade, Chidori, reinforced with Armament Haki, horizontally in front of him.
Boom!
The Seal of G collided heavily with Chidori's blade.
The tremendous force behind the attack transformed into an impact wave, crashing against Maude and pushing him backward.
Though Maude's feet remained firmly rooted, as if anchored, and his blade absorbed the brunt of the attack, the force still drove him back rapidly, carving two deep grooves into the stone pavement beneath his heels.
It wasn't until Maude had been pushed nearly a hundred meters that he finally came to a stop.
"What immense power…"
Maude flexed his slightly sore wrist.
Even with Armament Haki, such an attack was not something his body could withstand head-on.
Fortunately, he had Chidori.
Though it couldn't completely nullify the force and impact of the Seal of G, it prevented him from sustaining any injuries.
"Not only is his strength incredible, but his speed is astonishing as well."
Maude lightly shook his arm, his sharp gaze locked on Lao G, who still maintained his attacking posture.
This old man, with one foot already in the grave, was undeniably the most valuable prey Maude had ever encountered.
In that moment, Maude's battle spirit ignited.
Lao G, however, was stunned to see Maude emerge unscathed.
"He actually blocked it. The Seal of G… that was my strongest move!"
To think that his full-powered attack had failed to harm Maude at all was something Lao G couldn't accept.
Even if it didn't injure Maude, it should have at least destroyed the long blade he used to block the attack.
But the result was entirely different.
This realization made Lao G understand that Maude's mastery of Haki was formidable—his Observation Haki was sharp enough to follow the attack, and his Armament Haki was strong enough to withstand its force.
"If one attempt failed, I'll just do it again!"
Lao G's veins bulged as his tight-fitting, red-and-blue outfit stretched to accommodate the pulsating, worm-like muscle cords running along his body.
"Seal of G~~!"
Repeating the same move, Lao G once again shouted the name of his technique as he charged straight at Maude.
"Are you serious right now…"
A flicker of amusement crossed Maude's eyes.
Using the same technique twice might be acceptable.
But announcing it each time? If Maude failed to evade this, the fault would be entirely his own.
Stealth Walk—Phantom Shadow.
As the Seal of G closed in, Maude shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet, his heels pressing down with a sudden, subtle push.
In an instant, his movements became as swift as a gale. His rapid footwork created afterimages, flickering in and out of sight like the flipping of a light switch.
Before Lao G's fists could land, they struck nothing but one of these residual shadows. The force of the attack created an audible explosion as the afterimage dissolved into thin air.
Both Maude and his phantom vanished completely.
Lao G's eyes narrowed. Relying on his Observation Haki, he immediately located Maude's presence.
"Behind me…!"
Without hesitation, Lao G twisted his body. Even before his eyes caught up, he unleashed another Seal of G toward his rear.
From stabilizing his stance after a missed attack to swiftly retracting and launching another strike, every movement flowed seamlessly. Not a single ounce of energy was wasted.
The terrifying precision of his bodily control and the mastery honed through countless battles were on full display.
Maude hadn't expected Lao G to react so quickly.
Not only did Lao G immediately counterattack from an unguarded position, but he also skipped any defensive maneuvers altogether.
The third Seal of G came without warning, catching Maude off guard.
Maude hastily shifted from attack to defense, narrowly managing to block and retreat a single step before being struck by Lao G's G Stomp.
Boom! Maude's body was sent flying.
Blood droplets scattered midair.
The hurried defense hadn't fully neutralized Lao G's attack, leaving Maude with minor internal injuries.
As he was propelled backward, Maude managed to adjust his posture in midair. Before he could stabilize himself, he drew his pistol, Dark Crow* and, in an awkward-looking stance, aimed at Lao G, who was still poised from his previous strike, and pulled the trigger.
Bang—! The Haki-infused bullet instantly traveled toward Lao G's abdomen.
"Huh?"
Even with Lao G's extensive combat experience, he hadn't anticipated that Maude could fire a shot in such a situation.
What an uncanny move...
However, Lao G's remarkable bodily coordination came into play once again.
Just as the powerful bullet was about to hit his abdomen, Lao G twisted his waist sharply. The movement, reminiscent of an elderly man's morning exercise routine, allowed him to dodge the descending bullet with a single, forceful twist.
Having evaded the peculiar shot, Lao G immediately powered his legs, aiming to strike Maude with a decisive blow before he landed.
However—
The bullet Lao G dodged was still infused with Haki.
Boom!
The bullet struck the stone pavement, its Haki-enhanced impact creating an explosion akin to a cannonball.
The resulting shockwave and flying debris struck Lao G's back, causing him to stagger forward a couple of steps.
Though the blast's force wasn't enough to injure him, it disrupted his attempt to capitalize on Maude's vulnerability.
By then, Maude had landed steadily on the ground. With one hand, he reloaded his weapon and returned Dark Crow to its holster.
"As expected, it won't be that simple…"
Maude wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his left hand.
His technique, a fusion of Stealth Walk and Hidden Blade Style, was a deceptive maneuver designed to create a visual illusion before launching a lightning-fast attack from behind the enemy.
Its ideal use case was during an enemy's offensive advance.
Just like moments earlier.
By exploiting the technique's properties, Maude had left behind a trail of shadows to confuse Lao G's judgment and vision before the G Stomp connected.
Then, during the brief window after Lao G's attack, Maude utilized the pivoting footwork of Stealth Walk to circle around behind Lao G for a surprise strike.
This technique relied on visual misdirection. When executed at the right moment, it would create a short mental lapse in the target.
During that lapse, combining the maneuver with precise footwork made a successful back attack almost guaranteed.
Maude believed his timing had been impeccable. Yet…
Lao G's Observation Haki might not have reacted instantly, but his bodily coordination surpassed even that.
This nullified Maude's opportunity to inflict severe damage or even eliminate Lao G.
Moreover, the Phantom Shadow technique was unlikely to succeed a second time.
What a master of physical combat...
Maude sighed inwardly.
The years of rigorous training had honed Lao G's bodily coordination to a level that surpassed most martial arts specialists.
Still—
As long as he avoided taking a direct hit from Lao G's Seal of G, Maude didn't feel pressured.
"Print of G, huh? Don't tell me that's the only move you've got, Lao G."
Maude raised Chidori, pointing it at Lao G from a distance.
"It's Seal of G!!!"
Lao G's eyes widened, and he shouted the full name of his technique, correcting Maude's deliberate misnaming.
"Oh, something-or-other of G, got it," Maude said with a nod, his tone indifferent.
"You brat!!!"
The veins on Lao G's bald head throbbed visibly. He stopped wasting words and charged straight at Maude.
"Eye Strain Jab~!!!"
His body suddenly began spinning at high speed, resembling a drill as he aimed directly for Maude's face.
Once again, his speed was blinding.
So fast it was impossible to track with the naked eye.
Maude's eyes glimmered red as he elevated his Observation Haki to its peak.
Stealth Walk.
Maude's figure dissipated like a gust of wind, vanishing into the air.
Simultaneously, Lao G's form disappeared within the high-speed attack.
On the deserted street, their figures were nowhere to be seen, but the sound of explosive clashes reverberated.
"Where are they?"
The pirates watching from a distance were bewildered.
They could hear the dull thuds of heavy collisions but couldn't see Maude or Lao G.
"Is this what a battle between top-tier warriors looks like?!"
"Incredible, they're like monsters…"
"I can't even see them! What's the point of having eyes?"
One pirate couldn't help but curse.
Having never witnessed such a fight, they naively categorized Maude and Lao G as top-tier combatants.
Meanwhile, on the plains outside the coliseum—
The army of the Ahab Kingdom had assembled.
Standing in a line, Lafitte, Jim, and Law formed an impenetrable wall, blocking the soldiers' advance.
These elite troops weren't amateurs. They formed a formation and charged at the trio like a torrent.
Lafitte smiled faintly and unsheathed his cane sword.
Jim, expressionless, activated the Devil Fruit ability he'd recently acquired. His already bear-like physique swelled even larger.
In the blink of an eye, his exposed skin was covered with deep green armor-like scales. His face transformed, now adorned with small spiked scales. His nose turned into a sharp horn, and two additional horns sprouted from his forehead.
Shifting directly into his hybrid form, Jim charged at the army without a word.
Law glanced at Jim with curious eyes, unable to immediately identify the exact type of Zoan fruit Jim had consumed.
He stood back, watching as Lafitte and Jim used overwhelming strength to carve two massive paths through the Ahab Kingdom's army.
"Each one of them is a powerhouse..."
Witnessing Lafitte and Jim's capabilities, Law murmured to himself.
This was a pirate crew with only four members, yet their combined strength was formidable.
Unconsciously, Law's thoughts drifted to Gaya's image.
How strong was that woman?
"Room."
With his thoughts racing, Law wasted no time. He flicked his fingers, activating the spherical space of the Op-Op Fruit, instantly incapacitating dozens of soldiers within its range.
Though it appeared effortless, the move had cost Law a portion of his stamina.
Faced with the overwhelming suppression brought by Lafitte, Jim, and Law, the soldiers of the Ahab Kingdom showed no sign of retreat. With unwavering bravery, they charged headlong at the trio.
Whether intentional or not, the soldiers seemed to focus their assault on Lafitte's group, carefully avoiding the ongoing battle between Maude and Lao G.
Within the Battle Zone.
The explosive sounds that had been reverberating through the air abruptly ceased.
Lao G's figure was the first to emerge, followed shortly by Maude, standing firm on the ground dozens of meters away.
In their intense, unseen clash, neither side had gained the upper hand.
"Show me what else you've got."
Maude's expression was one of eager anticipation as he stared at Lao G.
He was well aware that Lao G's transformation had a time limit. As long as he avoided being taken down in a single blow, securing victory in this fight wasn't out of reach.
"Are you looking down on me, you brat!?"
Lao G's veins bulged, his mustache quivering slightly.
Even his signature blitz attack, Eye Strain Jab, had failed to land on Maude.
This kid was far more troublesome than he had anticipated.
With his blade pointed directly at Lao G, Maude said calmly, "If all you've got are these outdated tricks, it's only natural I'd underestimate you."
"You insolent punk!"
Lao G raised his bulging arms high and roared, "I'll make you witness the terrifying power of the ultimate secret technique of Jio-Ken: Battle Preservation Fist!"
"Oh? Let me guess, it's another one of those Print-something G?"
"It's called Seal of G!"
"Ah, right. Print-whatever G."
"Damn you! Take this!!"
Enraged beyond reason, Lao G charged at Maude like an infuriated bull, his aura fierce and unrelenting.
"Ice Form!"
"Lightning Z!"
"Twisting Limbs!"
"Bouncing Step!"
"Bowling Strike!"
Lao G unleashed a barrage of techniques from Jio-Ken, one after another, attacking Maude relentlessly.
Despite the overwhelming and continuous onslaught, Maude's lips curled into a smile. With the aid of Observation Haki, he utilized his stealth walk to narrowly evade Lao G's every move.
At the same time, Maude mentally cataloged each of Lao G's named techniques.
"This old man… is no joke."
Dodging Lao G's furious attacks at close range, Maude felt the mounting pressure from the relentless offensive.
Among the countless techniques, Lao G would intermittently unleash his true killing move: Seal of G.
Maintaining his heightened Observation Haki at full intensity, Maude managed to avoid Lao G's lethal strikes every time.
Even so, the situation felt like dancing on the edge of a blade—one misstep would lead to catastrophic consequences.
Gradually, as Maude directly confronted the dangers before him, he began to notice subtle signs of Lao G's momentum waning.
"It's over, Lao G."
Maude smiled.
From this moment, Maude could already foresee Lao G's defeat.
Crack!
The sharp sound of a bone breaking echoed.
Lao G's movements suddenly froze.
"My back!!!"
"Damn it all!!!"
In his anguished shout, Maude struck decisively.
Slice!
A crimson arc sprayed from Lao G's chest as blood erupted like an arrow.
[TL/N: Ugh... I think I translated his pistol before as Raven. That was my mistake. It is called "Dark Crow". This is in line with Maude's naming sense, and it was also once the name of his old blade.]
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