Chapter 341: Hakoku
One moment, he was sent flying hundreds of meters; the next, he was back in place as if nothing had happened.
The phenomenon, akin to time rewinding, left the onlookers in awe and a lingering sense of dread.
A power like this was nearly impossible to defend against.
While outsiders were clueless about Maude's ability, Cavendish and Gaya knew full well that he was a Shadow-Shadow Fruit user.
Too strong!
Cavendish's exclamation came from the bottom of his heart—not because Maude had just felled Brogy with a single slash, but because of his masterful control over the Shadow-Shadow Fruit.
"Switching places with a shadow while simultaneously nullifying the impact on his real body—can the Shadow-Shadow Fruit really do that?"
"But the real key lies in his precise grasp of timing. Because he executed it flawlessly, he was able to maximize the value of this so-called 'small trick'...!"
Cavendish bit his thumb.
He had yet to awaken Observation Haki.
Yet, as an observer, he could still piece together the intricate thought process Maude had formed in just a fraction of a second.
The realization made his blood boil—he wished he could be the one standing in Maude's place.
At the same time, someone who had never been particularly interested in Devil Fruits was now starting to feel a spark of curiosity.
On the battlefield.
After striking Brogy down, Maude did not press his advantage. Instead, he stepped on the air and came to a halt midair.
He didn't want the battle to end so soon.
Rather, he wanted to squeeze every ounce of battle experience out of Brogy.
Even if that meant exhausting himself completely in the process, so be it.
Outside the battle zone, Dorry watched his fallen comrade with concern but made no move to step forward.
This was a duel between Brogy and Maude—he had no right to interfere.
Dorry's gaze shifted from Brogy to Maude, his eyes brimming with anger.
That anger wasn't because Maude had struck Brogy down, but because, after gaining the upper hand, he had chosen not to follow through.
To Dorry, such an act was nothing short of an insult to Brogy.
Maude, however, paid little mind to Dorry's glare.
It was only natural for someone to react this way after seeing a comrade get cut down.
If Maude knew the real reason behind Dorry's anger, he would've been at a loss for words.
In a sense, the Giants' obsession with battle honor was so extreme that outsiders could hardly comprehend it.
"Gahahaha! That was one hell of a powerful slash!"
Brogy let out a hearty laugh before propping himself up and standing once more, his sharp gaze locking onto Maude, who hovered in the air.
That last attack—if it had landed just a few dozen centimeters higher—it would have left an irreparable gash across his throat.
Had that happened, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Luckily, he had dodged at the last moment…
Despite the lingering sense of danger, Brogy felt exhilarated.
The thrill of walking the fine line between life and death was the pinnacle of battle's enjoyment.
Maude didn't respond.
As Brogy rose to his feet, Maude kicked off the air with force, shooting toward Brogy like an arrow, his arm positioned to unleash a swift slash.
Seeing Maude's aggressive approach, Brogy ceased his laughter, his expression turning solemn and focused.
With his battle instincts and keen eyesight working in tandem, he swung his arm, delivering a seemingly simple yet perfectly timed downward strike.
The massive axe blade cleaved toward Maude's path, simultaneously sealing off all possible angles of attack.
Outside the battle zone.
Gaya's eyes widened as she locked onto what appeared to be an unremarkable swing.
As someone who also wielded an axe, she immediately recognized the sheer expertise behind Brogy's movement.
The impeccable timing of his strike left Maude with almost no openings to slip through.
"Unless he resets his attack, he'll have to take this head-on."
Gaya didn't know what choice Maude would make, but from this single swing alone, she could tell that Brogy's combat techniques contained a level of finesse that contradicted his rough exterior.
If Maude opted to take the hit directly, Brogy would undoubtedly shift from precision to sheer brutality, pouring every ounce of his strength into the next strike.
On the battlefield.
Faced with the descending giant axe, Maude's eyes gleamed red.
In that brief instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
He had many options.
Retreating was certainly one of them.
But he had no intention of backing down.
He chose the most aggressive approach.
Drawing his gun, he fired.
"Bang—!"
The Haki-infused bullet shot straight toward Brogy's face.
"Hm?"
Brogy's eyes flickered with surprise.
The shot, arriving a fraction of a second ahead of any other attack, completely disrupted his battle rhythm.
"This isn't just any gunshot!"
Reacting instantly, Brogy made a minute adjustment, shifting his axe just enough to intercept the bullet's trajectory.
"Clang—!"
The bullet struck the axe, bursting like fireworks.
The impact force traveled through the weapon, passing directly into Brogy's body.
However…
Despite the extraordinary power behind the shot, it wasn't enough to faze someone of Brogy's immense strength.
He took the hit squarely, but in doing so, the once airtight battle position had developed a tiny gap.
Exactly what Maude had been waiting for.
He swiftly holstered his gun, preparing to carve another wound into Brogy—but before he could, Brogy grinned and stepped back two paces.
"I noticed it—your shadow, carefully placed behind you. Now... it's lined up perfectly."
That retreat gave him just enough room to adjust his stance.
His arm, gripping the giant axe, suddenly swelled, veins bulging like coiled serpents as an overwhelming force condensed into the weapon.
"Prepare yourself! This is Elbaf's strongest spear—HAKOKU!!!"
The axe, carrying the full might of a Giant warrior, cleaved forward, unleashing a blinding cylindrical shockwave.
A sharp, ear-piercing boom echoed through the air as the ground beneath its path was gouged out into a deep trench.
Like a radiant comet, the shockwave barreled toward Maude with terrifying speed.
In mere moments, it was upon him.
"So this is Hakoku..."
Bathed in its dazzling brilliance, Maude's expression was not of fear, but excitement.
The colossal energy engulfed him before blasting straight through a distant volcano.
"BOOOOM!"
The volcano, struck by the devastating attack, erupted violently, spewing magma and ash into the sky.
The sheer destructive force left the onlookers frozen in shock.
Those lurking in the jungle, who had been plotting against the Giants, nearly pissed themselves in fear.
Never had they seen Dorry or Brogy unleash such an attack.
Now, witnessing it firsthand, they could feel only terror.
"Gahahaha…!"
Brogy's triumphant laughter boomed louder than the rumbling volcano.
But at that moment, a casual voice cut through the air, instantly silencing him.
"So tell me… what exactly are you laughing about?"
The voice was heard—but the speaker was nowhere to be seen.
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