Chapter 23: Showdown

On the execution platform, Buddha Sengoku's eyes widened slightly as he focused on Hawkeye's position. He was concerned that Hawkeye might lose this duel too easily. Losing was acceptable, but if someone like Hawkeye was crushed by Kaido, who would be able to stand against him? This was what Buddha Sengoku feared the most.

At the same time, the thought of asking an admiral to assist Hawkeye crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. There was no way to help. If an admiral moved, Whitebeard would undoubtedly respond, and the consequences would be unpredictable. Both sides were currently in a tense standoff, waiting to see who would break the balance first.

At the admiral's position, Akainu was chasing after Doflamingo, who had fled. Aokiji remained silent, observing the battlefield. Meanwhile, Kizaru remarked, "It's so scary... Kaido," though his expression showed no sign of fear. The others also kept their eyes on Hawkeye, anticipating what would happen next.

The dust from a recent explosion stirred as if swept by a powerful gust. Amidst the commotion, Hawkeye's voice could be heard: "Black Blade, Thirty-Six Styles."

As his voice echoed, a shockwave burst from Hawkeye's position, creating a circle of sword light that spread rapidly in all directions. The lights expanded, forming a massive cylindrical shape resembling a tornado.

Boom! Boom!

This whirlwind of sword energy raced towards Kaido, tearing through the ground like a high-speed drill through soft tofu. The resulting debris scattered, injuring many naval elites and pirates in the inner bay. The vice admirals were stunned, shouting, "Retreat quickly! Stay away from that battlefield! Don't get caught in it!"

But it was already too late. Many naval elites lost control of their footing and were swept into Hawkeye's sword light tornado, their terrified screams silenced once they were engulfed. The sheer magnitude of Hawkeye's attack shocked everyone.

Facing this, Kaido laughed with excitement. "Roaring Thunder Bagua!"

With both hands gripping the Eight Precepts, Kaido infused his iron club with Conqueror's Haki and swung it fiercely at Hawkeye's attack. The devastating sword tornado, which seemed unstoppable, was shattered instantly. But the fight was far from over.

Before anyone could react, Kaido had already closed the gap, his Roaring Thunder Bagua aimed not at Hawkeye's attack, but at Hawkeye himself! Destroying the sword light was just a side effect of his real target.

Hawkeye's heart raced in shock. He had anticipated Kaido might easily counter his move, but he hadn't expected Kaido to disregard it entirely, breaking through as if it were nothing more than paper and appearing directly before him.

At that critical moment, Hawkeye, known for his swift attacks, swung his black sword, Yoru. "Night!"

The powerful slash created a black barrier between him and Kaido. It wasn't just a defensive move, but one capable of absorbing impact.

Boom!

Kaido's iron club struck the barrier, and to his surprise, he felt the force of his attack being absorbed. This wasn't a simple defense—it was a barrier designed to diminish incoming power. Impressed, Kaido grinned.

"Not bad... absorbing my power, huh? Let's see how much you can take!"

Although the black barrier could absorb force, it had its limits. As Kaido exerted even more strength, the absorption sensation vanished, and the barrier began to tremble. Hawkeye's expression tightened.

Bang!

Without so much as a crack, the black barrier shattered into countless fragments, which scattered and vanished into the air. Kaido's iron club continued its course, aimed directly at Hawkeye.

"Black Blade, Seventy-Two Styles!" Hawkeye roared, swinging his sword again.

A fierce, emperor-level battle erupted in Marineford. The ground shook violently, and deafening sounds echoed across the battlefield. The clash of power spread in all directions as Kaido and Hawkeye became locked in a fierce stalemate.

Despite Kaido having neutralized Hawkeye's earlier attacks, those weren't Hawkeye's strongest moves. Kaido had yet to force him to unleash his full power. Defeating Hawkeye would require overcoming all his strength, his ultimate techniques, and his untapped potential. This wasn't a fight that could be decided with just a few exchanges.

As the battle escalated, both fighters continued their relentless assault, countering each other's moves. The fight intensified as they were evenly matched.

Meanwhile, Marineford was in chaos. The ground cracked under the strain, tremors shook the area, and even the pirates and marines had ceased their own skirmishes. From a distance, they could only watch the royal-level battle unfold, unable to intervene.

It wasn't that they didn't want to fight—it was that they couldn't. Kaido and Hawkeye's battle wasn't limited to a single area; their movements carried them across the battlefield. Hawkeye's sword slashes could cut across hundreds of meters, while Kaido's club shattered the ground with equal ferocity.

Every time the marines and pirates attempted to resume their fight, they'd find themselves dangerously close to Kaido and Hawkeye's clashes. The sheer power of their battle could wipe out dozens with a single shockwave.

In the end, the marines and pirates silently agreed to back away, watching from afar as the titanic duel continued. Marineford's structures crumbled, their collapse echoing the intensity of the battle.

The ground was shattered on a massive scale, with some areas cracking open directly from Kaido's blows, revealing the seawater beneath the island. Looking down through the fractures, the turbulent sea surged beneath them.

"Was this really caused by Kaido's strike? What a joke!" the onlookers thought as they scrambled to avoid the destruction.

Amidst the ongoing clash between Kaido and Hawkeye, several vice admirals entertained the thought of intervening. Observing that the two appeared evenly matched, they believed that if they attacked Kaido together, they might tip the balance in Hawkeye's favor. With this in mind, five vice admirals moved into action simultaneously.

One vice admiral alone wouldn't be enough, but a coordinated strike from several of them? That could ensure a successful ambush against Kaido. The strength of these five vice admirals was formidable enough to launch a Buster Call, so they were confident their combined effort would have an impact.

However, as soon as they got close, Kaido abruptly turned and swung his massive club, instantly killing all five of them.

That's right—dead.

They didn't even stand a chance and were brutally killed on the spot.

After all, this was a battle between Kaido and Hawkeye, with both unleashing their full power. When the vice admirals launched their attack, Kaido couldn't afford to hold back or show mercy. He used the same devastating force he had intended for Hawkeye to deal with the sneak-attacking vice admirals, knocking them out of the fight instantly.

The scene horrified everyone watching. Nobody dared to make another move. Although an admiral could likely influence the battle, none of them acted, knowing Whitebeard was watching closely.

The battle raged on for some time, with Kaido and Hawkeye exchanging dozens of powerful blows. Yet, neither had emerged victorious. Hawkeye wielded king-level swordsmanship, had immense attack power, and possessed a legendary weapon. His approach was primarily defensive, fending off Kaido's relentless assaults. It wasn't easy to defeat him.

But Hawkeye found Kaido even more difficult to overcome. Despite his skill, it slowly dawned on him that Kaido, standing before him, was like an impenetrable fortress. No matter how many powerful techniques he unleashed, he couldn't seem to land any damage on Kaido.

As Hawkeye exhausted countless techniques, only to find Kaido utterly indestructible, a new feeling began to creep into his heart—fear.