Chapter 76: Jade and Gold

On the sea surface.

Gao Wen barely stabilized his stance, then looked down to find his Hukou torn open by the sheer force of Eyeshadow, oozing crimson blood.

The surge of adrenaline dulled the pain, leaving only his accelerating heartbeat and fingers trembling with excitement.

Signaling his extraordinary exhilaration.

The opponent is too strong!

Stronger than imaginable!

But the stronger the foe, the more Gao Wen’s battle spirit soared—and his already bloodthirsty Kanzei Shōshō responded in kind.

He wanted to test whether the changes in Keluo’s body could be replicated under the immense pressure brought by Eyeshadow.

Gao Wen’s current combat power had risen to Bai Yin, yet his own potential ceiling was also only Bai Yin.

Within a few months at most, what had happened to those Heitie pirates was highly likely to happen to Gao Wen.

Bai Yin-level combat power was enough to dominate the East Blue, but it still fell far short of Gao Wen’s own goals.

And with Gao Wen unwilling to let the Cat Brothers die, now was the perfect moment to use battle to awaken his true heart.

Especially when the opponent was Eyeshadow!

Gao Wen tore a strip of cloth from his clothing and tightly wrapped it around his hand, then his gaze sharpened:

“Again!”

As Gao Wen roared.

The deck beneath his feet was instantly submerged by seawater; when he emerged, he had already crossed dozens of meters and slashed at Eyeshadow.

Merely the rush of air from his speed made Eyeshadow’s coat flap wildly on his shoulder.

“Faster!”

Eyeshadow looked at the young man and, for the first time in years, felt his body, his hand, his blade growing hotter with excitement.

“Knight Gao Wen!”

“Not bad!”

Eyeshadow slashed out, striking precisely at the point of greatest strength in Gao Wen’s momentum, instantly repelling him.

Having done this.

Not a single tremor shook the deck beneath Eyeshadow’s feet.

“Monster!”

Gao Wen, expecting this, still couldn’t suppress a twitch at the corner of his mouth—yet the fire in his eyes burned even brighter.

The World’s Strongest should be this overwhelmingly powerful!

Thoughts churned in his mind.

Yet Gao Wen’s strikes grew even sharper.

The super-speed from Shao Si Jia and Shunpo allowed him to walk effortlessly upon the water.

He stomped the surface, dissipating the force of Eyeshadow’s slash while rebuilding momentum, then charged again with Kanzei Shōshō in hand.

For a time, Gao Wen’s assault was relentless.

Like a howling gale stirring blades into a torrent!

Under such fierce, rapid attacks, any other would have been decapitated in an instant—but his opponent was none other than the man called the World’s Strongest!

As Eyeshadow grew more aware of Gao Wen’s true level, his grip tightened, the grip on his blade creaking audibly.

In response, Gao Wen’s slashes grew even stronger!

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

…

Dense as a swarm of bees, deafening as temple bells, the sound waves spread through the air, visibly warping it.

Those on the deck winced and clapped hands over their ears.

“Damn it!”

“What the hell is happening?!”

Padi widened his eyes, barely making out a series of water spouts erupting far out on the sea, Eyeshadow’s black blade slashing rapidly as if striking the air itself with deafening force.

To them, the scene could only be described as divine or demonic!

“Quick!”

“Strip away the extended deck—we retreat!”

Zhe Pu’s face was grim as he ordered the chefs around; only then did they realize the danger and spring into action.

Yes.

Even this initial clash between the two monsters had nearly sunk the ship—such destructive power could tear the vessel apart outright!

In the face of death.

Their movements were more than several times faster than usual; within seconds, they stripped the extended deck, and the Sea Restaurant Baratie swiftly retreated hundreds of meters away.

Just as Kaner thought he was barely safe, a blade’s flash sliced off half his hat.

He immediately dropped to the ground, curling into a ball, trembling as he cursed:

“Monster!”

“A complete monster!”

Zhe Pu glanced at him, took a deep drag from his pipe, then turned his gaze back to the distant battlefield.

His expression seemed calm, but his palms were slick with sweat.

He had indeed sailed the Grand Line, but he had never even seen a fight like this, let alone fought one!

Sanji beside him was already frozen in awe:

“Is that bastard really that strong?”

“Yes.”

Zhe Pu’s expression was grave:

“The East Blue hasn’t seen a monster like this in a long time!”

“But the opponent… is the World’s Strongest after all!”

…

Far away.

Center of the battlefield.

Gao Wen continuously launched thrusts using Shunpo, only to be countered each time—his legs grew heavier, until finally…

Ding!

The tip of Kanzei Shōshō precisely met the blade of Kuroi Yoru.

Both men halted.

Gao Wen was drenched in sweat, disheveled; the cloth wrapped around his hand had long since soaked through with blood and slid down the blade.

Looking at the calm, composed Eyeshadow, Gao Wen couldn’t help but sigh in admiration:

“Truly despair-inducing strength!”

The Shunpo-fueled thrust was his strongest combo, yet after this entire battle, he had left not a single scratch on Eyeshadow.

Even with all his preparation, Gao Wen felt a crushing suffocation.

“The distance between me and the world is still far too great!”

“A swordsman’s will resides entirely in his blade.”

Eyeshadow sheathed his sword calmly, his hawk-like eyes piercing Gao Wen as if seeing through him entirely:

“I’ve seen the difference between you and Roronoa.”

“If he is a rough jade needing polishing—his essence is pure enough, needing only time—”

“Then you are gold riddled with impurities, already shining, but your internal flaws have drastically reduced your value.”

“What you need now is to forge your conviction through battle, to temper the blade within your heart!”

Best…

“A battle where losing means death!”

Saying this,

Eyeshadow’s expression shifted—he switched from one-handed grip to two.

Anyone familiar with swordsmanship knew the greatest difference between one-handed and two-handed grips was power.

Merely by changing his grip.

Eyeshadow’s pressure on Gao Wen surged several times, even dozens of times—especially his gaze in battle, truly as rumored, making one tremble uncontrollably!

“Gao Wen!”

“Survive!”

With that,

Eyeshadow brought both hands down in a heavy slash.

A greenish aerial slash shot free, hurtling toward Gao Wen.

In that instant,

His newly upgraded Observation Haki at LV-3 screamed a warning in Gao Wen’s mind, so intensely his skin prickled with pain.

In a panic,

Gao Wen barely twisted his body, letting the Sky Slash from Mihawk graze past his chest, then—

Ssshh!

A massive fissure stretched endlessly toward the horizon, cutting through the sea as the setting sun descended, splitting the ocean into two visibly distinct halves.

From Gao Wen’s viewpoint, he even saw the corals growing on the seabed, starfish filtering food from the silt, and fish stranded by the receding water…

In both his past and present lives, Gao Wen had never before felt so directly what the ocean floor looked like.

(End of Chapter)