Chapter 263: Garp on the Defensive

"So it was a final burst of strength!" 

Zephyr stood up, feeling the intense pain in his fist and looking at Ashura Doji lying on the ground. He realized how the pirate had managed to unleash such powerful attacks.

"Your pirate career is over; it's time to repent in hell!" 

As he spoke, Zephyr charged toward Ashura Doji, who was now completely drained of energy and would be killed with just one strike.

"Heh, it's not that easy to kill me!"

"Chinjao, I've lost. It's your turn now!"

Seeing Zephyr approaching, Ashura Doji remained unflustered. He wouldn't have challenged Zephyr alone without a plan.

"Hahahaha, Ashura Doji, you finally lost. It's my turn now. Watch me win this for you!" 

Chinjao appeared behind Ashura Doji, excitedly facing the oncoming Zephyr.

The Infinite Pirates' officers had not all entered the battlefield at once. Chinjao and Ashura Doji had agreed to take turns challenging the admiral. If one lost, the other would step in.

This allowed them to understand the gap between themselves and the admirals, gaining valuable experience and growing stronger.

Additionally, this strategy served to exhaust the admiral's stamina through a war of attrition. With enough time and without retreat, they believed they could defeat an admiral!

Chinjao, in his hybrid form resembling a horned dragon, launched himself with power, creating a large crater and charging like lightning.

"Eight Impact Fist Secret Art: Drilling Dragon!!!"

The unique drill-shaped head combined with the horn of the dragon form, the hardened drill glinting with black, charged towards Zephyr like a dragon's horn.

"Wrist Fist: Tiger Cannon!"

Seeing Chinjao appear, Zephyr threw a furious punch. He hadn't expected that after defeating Ashura Doji, another opponent would emerge just as he was about to finish the job!

The Infinite Pirates hadn't deployed all their forces at once, keeping reserves in case of emergency, which angered Zephyr but also made him reflect on the strength of the Infinite Pirates.

Chinjao's drill was immensely powerful, piercing through Zephyr's Armament Haki and forcing him back several hundred meters.

"What a powerful drill!" 

Zephyr noted the blood on his right fist, surprised that the drill had injured him. Even Ashura Doji's strongest attack hadn't breached his Armament Haki, only causing pain through it.

Two years ago, Chinjao couldn't have done this. Now, as a core officer, his strength surpassed Ashura Doji, ranking third among the Infinite Pirates' officers, just below Barrett.

"Chinjao, I'll leave the rest to you!" 

As Chinjao engaged Zephyr, members of the Infinite Pirates carried Ashura Doji away.

"Leave it to me. I'll handle this admiral!" Chinjao declared confidently.

Since joining the Infinite Pirates, Chinjao's previously stagnant strength had surged, and he wasn't even sure of his current limits!

"Chinjao, if I defeated Ashura Doji, I can defeat you too!" 

Seeing Ashura Doji rescued, Zephyr's expression darkened as he shook off the soreness in his arm and charged again.

"Hmph, you're not in peak condition now. Defeating me is a pipe dream. It's me who will defeat you!"

"Eight Impact Fist Secret Art: Spinning Drilling Dragon!"

As he spoke, Chinjao charged and leaped, spinning rapidly like a horizontal tornado, his drill head aimed at Zephyr.

"Wrist Fist: Elephant Strike!"

The spinning drill was too fast to dodge, forcing Zephyr to channel all his strength into a punch.

Despite his powerful wrist strength, Zephyr couldn't stop the drill's force and spinning momentum, which pierced his Armament Haki and sent him flying again.

"Palm of the Buddha!"

After blocking Barrett's punch, Sengoku seized an opportunity, his golden palm striking Hermes' chest with a powerful shockwave.

"Boom!!!"

The impact echoed like a drumbeat, the force damaging Hermes internally and sending him flying, blood spewing, unable to stand again.

Compared to Zephyr, Sengoku was overwhelmingly strong, handling Barrett and Hermes with ease, showing no weakness.

Even Hermes, a fellow Mythical Zoan user, had trained hard for two years, and lasting three days against Sengoku was impressive.

"Two-Sword Style: Mountain Splitting Slash!"

As Sengoku aimed to finish Hermes, Kano descended from above like a meteor, his arms transformed into black blades covered in Armament Haki.

The moment the dual blades struck, they unleashed earth-shattering power, forcing Sengoku to abandon his pursuit of Hermes to block the attack.

"Two-Sword Style: Cross Evil Slash!!"

Karoo, who had been holding back, finally attacked, his wings morphing into black blades, unleashing a massive cross-shaped slash with great force.

"Gravity Fist: Titan!"

Barrett seized the chance, launching a punch with compressed black gravity and Armament Haki, darkening the skies.

Under siege by three attackers, Sengoku's expression darkened. He blocked Kano from above with one palm and Barrett with the other, using his Buddha form and Armament Haki to block Karoo's slash.

"Boom!!!!"

Even Sengoku, with his formidable strength and Buddha's defense, was pushed back by the combined assault, feeling the pain and retreating.

"Hahahahaha, Sengoku, bring it on!!!"

Barrett led the assault, his Haki and strength fierce and unyielding, fearlessly engaging Sengoku head-on.

Karoo and Kano provided ranged support, their attacks not strong enough to gravely injure Sengoku but annoyingly persistent, preventing Sengoku from fully focusing on Barrett.

"Admiral, truly strong!" 

Hermes, carried away, glanced at Sengoku, unable to hide his fighting spirit. If not for his injuries, he'd charge back into battle.

"Hahahahaha, Garp, you're getting weaker!!"

Across the battlefield, Li Yuan and Garp's fight was the fiercest, most intense, and terrifying.

Garp initially held his own against Li Yuan's relentless attacks, but over time, his injuries accumulated.

Worse, every cut from the Seven Star Sword drained his blood, the sword's vampiric power enhanced by Li Yuan's blood control.

In three days, Garp had been forced onto the defensive, overwhelmed by Li Yuan.

"Damn bloodthirsty sword, I'll shatter it!" 

Garp, enraged, swung his iron fists, perfectly blending martial arts and Haki with each strike, showcasing his peak strength.

Yet, his powerful fists were consistently blocked by the Seven Star Sword, unable to harm Li Yuan.

No matter Garp's strength, shattering the Seven Star Sword was impossible.

Under Li Yuan's decade-long nurturing with Haki, the sword's hardness had increased severalfold, and in his hands, it couldn't be broken!

"Hahahahaha, Garp, if you can, try it!" 

Li Yuan, using Garp's strength, leapt into the air, descending swiftly with Moonwalk.

Three types of sword intent enveloped the blade, with dual Haki surging, blood-red lightning blazing.

As Li Yuan descended, his aura grew more destructive, as if his strike could obliterate everything.

"Triple Essence Secret Art: Supreme Slash of Devastation!"

Falling like a meteor, the destructive power followed the Seven Star Sword's descent!

"Bone Fist: Star Shatter!"

Garp gritted his teeth, pulling back his right fist, focusing intently on Li Yuan's descent, and unleashed his punch at full strength.

Their immense powers collided, tearing the earth apart, creating a crater kilometers wide, fissures spreading for miles.

Lightning crackled from their Haki clash, the shockwaves spreading for miles.

Garp's iron fist resisted the Seven Star Sword, the force causing him immense pain.

"Hahahahaha, Garp, weren't you going to shatter my sword?" 

Li Yuan pressed down on Garp.

Sword and fist clashed in midair, a tiny gap preventing contact, the compressed power forming a black hole, dimming the world around them.

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