Chapter 92: One Strike to Defeat You

Are you fucking cheating?

In midair.

Gao Wen glanced at the vast white smoke in the distance and the fist coated with Armament Haki, his lips twitching involuntarily.

Just a few months.

Gao Wen cheated, even risking his life to fight Hawk-Eye, just to master Armament Haki—and now Smoker caught up overnight.

You make this shitty system look utterly stupid!

Complaints aside, in the next instant, Gao Wen’s gaze sharpened.

Smoker had awakened Haki and his combat power had surged far beyond his original manga appearance, but Gao Wen knew his own progress far outpaced Smoker’s.

You have Armament Haki? I do too—and not just Armament Haki!

Hss—!

Huh!

Gao Wen took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Then his explosive momentum ceased; his body gradually descended toward the sea surface, but just before plunging in, he slammed one foot hard onto the water…

Boom!

A water column shot skyward, reaching dozens of meters high.

Using that force, Gao Wen’s already slowed speed surged abruptly.

He activated both the Speed and Instant Step branches simultaneously, augmented by his body’s multiplied strength and the Harmony-given absolute control over his physique.

In an instant, Gao Wen’s burst speed reached a terrifying level.

Even the sonic boom echoed in his ears; a layer of white vapor condensed in the air before him—the unmistakable sign of breaking the sound barrier!

Simultaneously, a layer of pitch-black Haki coiled around Kensei, while the silver radiance of Extreme Blade slowly ignited.

One severed the natural-type’s elemental form to strike the true body; the other drastically amplified Gao Wen’s slash power. This combination was more than enough to breach the defenses of most mid-level admirals—or even the Seven Warlords.

Smoker…

He couldn’t possibly block it!

“One strike to defeat you!”

Gao Wen’s voice reached Smoker’s ears.

Before the shock could even form on Smoker’s face, the white smoke coated with Armament Haki was shredded by Kensei’s blade.

His so-called secret weapon—Observation Haki—only delivered a chilling sense of danger the moment Gao Wen surged right before him.

Run! Run! Run!

But it was too late. By the time Smoker realized something was wrong, a cold sensation had already pierced through his body.

Sssch!

A spray of blood erupted from Smoker’s chest; a jagged slash tore from his right shoulder down to his lower abdomen, crushing bones, muscles, and internal organs alike, blood gushing freely.

Instantly, the sky-wide white smoke dispersed, and Smoker’s body collapsed helplessly from midair.

His gaze, however, remained fixed on Gao Wen behind him.

Months had passed; he’d trained with his life on the line under Zefa’s guidance, even mastering the Haki he’d barely touched before.

He’d thought his strength, even if it couldn’t crush Gao Wen, could at least win—yet he ended up like this…

In this moment, Smoker felt nothing but endless despair.

Plop!

Severely wounded, Smoker plunged into the raging sea, his life or death unknown.

Gao Wen’s figure landed steadily on the warship’s deck.

He ignored the fear and wariness on the marines’ faces, slashed through the mast, destroyed the ship’s propulsion system, then drifted away calmly.

When he finished, no one dared approach to stop him.

Even Dazuki was stunned by the crimson blood on Gao Wen’s blade, speechless for a long while.

Only when the pirate ship vanished into the distant sea…

did everyone snap back to reality. Dazuki stared at her gripping hand and realized the hilt and scabbard were trembling uncontrollably.

No.

It wasn’t the sword shaking.

It was my hand!

Realizing this, Dazuki clenched her lips tightly.

I pushed myself to the limit—and still couldn’t even draw my blade before that man?

How could such a monster exist in the East Blue? How could he possibly exist?!

Only when the anxious shouts of nearby marines reached her ears…

did Dazuki snap back, staring at the slowly rising blood-red hue on the sea, her heart in frantic turmoil.

“Hurry!”

“Divers, go in and rescue him!”

…

…

…

When Smoker awoke…

Night had fallen.

His chest wound had been stitched by the ship’s medic, but now it throbbed with searing pain—the sign of infection.

In this era, on the open sea, infection meant almost certain death for most.

Even with Smoker’s physique, he felt his mind grow dizzy.

“Cough—cough—cough—!”

He glanced around, saw Dazuki standing beside him, and exhaled in relief:

“Knight Gao Wen… he didn’t attack anyone on the warship, did he?”

Dazuki, standing beside him, looked dazed and nodded blankly:

“After you lost, he destroyed the ship’s propulsion system and left.”

“So should I thank him for sparing my life?”

Smoker let out a bitter laugh.

This battle began in an unexpected way—and ended in an even more shocking one.

Now, looking back, Smoker felt only an indescribable helplessness.

He turned his head toward the porthole.

Outside, only the rolling sea and occasional leaping sea beasts.

Smoker gritted his teeth:

“After mastering Haki, my combat power rivals a Vice Admiral—but I couldn’t even block his single strike.”

“Though I hate to admit it, that man has truly become unstoppable!”

“The East Blue can’t hold him. Even the Grand Line won’t contain him. The New World is the only stage for a monster like him.”

As he spoke, Smoker instinctively reached into his chest pocket—only grasping air.

He realized his torn clothes had been removed and replaced with a hospital gown.

His cigar, once carried on his person, now sat on the bedside table—soaked through by seawater, useless.

Smoker slowly placed his palm over his chest, clenched it into a fist, squeezing so hard his arm veins bulged and his fingers cracked audibly.

“Dazuki, this is our failure—and we must correct it ourselves!”

“But right now, we lack the qualification to face a monster like him…”

“I need power—stronger, invincible power—enough to crush every pirate and uphold justice!”

“Report this to Marine Headquarters, request aid from nearby branch bases, and submit reports on Labut and Rachet.”

Dazuki gripped her longsword, feeling strength surge from the hilt; her gaze gradually hardened:

“Yes!”

…

At the same moment.

A small pirate ship raced full speed toward the Red Line.

Gao Wen stood on the deck.

Beside him, Keluo’s face twitched uncontrollably:

“That power that turns blades black and directly strikes the true body of natural-type users—isn’t that Armament Haki?”

The more he spoke,

the more agitated Keluo became:

“I knew you were too familiar with Haki.”

“Even I managed to awaken Observation Haki using your method.”

“So you’ve had it mastered all along, haven’t you?”

“That battle on Paraiso… that fight I thought I was finally surpassing you in… was all just you playing me?!”

(End of Chapter)