Chapter 409 - The Most Troublesome Combination

Because it was a similar type of imperial weapon, Wood was familiar with Incursio's nature. When not activated, it took the form of a sword wielded by Bulat. Once activated, Incursio transformed into a full set of armor, and Bulat's weapon would then shift into a long spear called the "Red-backed Shrike".

Thus, Bulat was actually more skilled with a spear than a sword, favoring the large, sweeping attacks characteristic of spear combat.

As Wood's feet cracked the wooden planks on the ground, he used one arm to lift and throw Bulat, who was gripping his sword with both hands. And with Bulat's body now weightless in mid-air, Wood swiftly followed up with a blinding barrage of high-speed strikes!

Bulat was exceptionally powerful, even among the Empire's generals, and his skill was amongst the very best. Without relying on his imperial weapon, Wood considered Bulat to be even stronger than Najenda, and possibly even the Empire's Great General Budo.

Bulat's indomitable spirit, his ironclad physique, and his relentless training had shaped him into someone who could overpower most imperial weapon users without needing his own. Despite all this, in his bout against Wood's relentless offensive, Bulat found himself completely on the defensive, continuously forced back.

As he desperately parried Wood's strikes, Bulat couldn't help but be astonished. Each of Wood's blows carried tremendous weight. His speed was overwhelming, his strength unmatched, and his seemingly chaotic attacks were executed with such precision that they constantly exploited the weak points in Bulat's defense. He could barely fight back, let alone counter.

Bulat couldn't understand how Wood, despite being much younger, had honed himself to such an extent. Swordsmanship could be explained away as a talent, but strength and speed? Those could only be achieved through the harshest of training.

Bulat had served in the army from a young age and had never slacked in his training. Yet here was Wood, faster and stronger by a margin that left Bulat feeling helpless.

As Bulat struggled against Wood, the fight drew the attention of Akame. Feeling an itch to test herself, she decided to join in.

Akame's imperial weapon was Murasame, a cursed blade that could kill with a single cut. Naturally, she wouldn't use its deadly power against a comrade. Instead, she kept the sword sheathed, swinging the entire weapon with its scabbard.

Because Murasame was so deadly, even its sheath was specially crafted to be extraordinarily durable.

With Akame joining in, she and Bulat managed to fend off Wood's attacks. Eventually, the fight spilled out from their headquarters into the larger training ground where Bulat usually practiced.

With more space, Bulat and Akame could better leverage their skills. In one exchange, a new figure quickly joined the fray, aiming a sneak attack at Wood's back.

Thanks to his "Observation Haki", Wood foresaw the attack. He hadn't even turned around before countering. With one hand, he blocked both Akame's sheathed blade and Bulat's sword, while with his free hand, he launched a punch behind him at the incoming attacker.

"BOOM!"

A large and a smaller fist collided, producing a shockwave that shattered the stone beneath them. Wood skidded several meters backward before stopping himself, and the assailant gracefully twisted mid-air, landing atop a nearby rooftop.

The one who launched the attack was none other than Leone, the same Leone who had previously been punched away by Wood.

Now, she had activated her imperial weapon, "Lionelle", transforming into her beast-like form, complete with feline ears and a tail.

"Lionelle" didn't just grant Leone powerful regeneration; it also greatly enhanced her physical abilities. Leone's intention had been to repay Wood for the punch that sent her flying earlier, taking advantage of the chaos to sneak up on him.

Yet, even after using her imperial weapon, and launching a surprise attack while Wood was engaged with both Bulat and Akame, Leone had still failed. She hadn't just failed; her punch felt like hitting solid steel, leaving her fist numb from the impact.

After Leone's attack, Bulat and Akame took a step back to reassess. Meanwhile, perched on a distant rooftop, a certain pink-haired tsundere girl smirked. "Got you! Looks like I win this time."

Mine pulled the trigger on Pumpkin, her romantic sniper rifle. The beam shot forth with incredible speed, targeting Wood who had just paused after dealing with Leone's attack. Nobody expected Mine to be so in tune with the ebb and flow of the battle.

Wood had just fought Bulat and Akame, avoided Leone's ambush, and looked as though he'd be too worn out to avoid Mine's shot. Surely, this was a chance for her to claim victory.

The pink beam surged towards Wood, and Bulat and Akame lowered their weapons slightly, while Leone grinned, confident of victory.

But the unexpected happened.

Facing the oncoming beam, Wood showed no intention of dodging. There was no panic in his expression; he calmly extended his hand, and his arm began to change, taking on the appearance of jet-black metal.

"Armament Haki - Iron Fist: Star Strike!"

Wood unleashed a punch to meet the beam. His blackened fist shot forth, leaving a dark streak in the air like a comet.

"BOOM!"

In an instant, the beam fired from Pumpkin was deflected by Wood's fist, veering off course and smashing through a distant wall before disappearing into the sky.

"No way! Pumpkin's shot was deflected with a punch!?"

Not only Mine, but all the other members of Night Raid were left dumbstruck.

They were all familiar with Pumpkin's power. Even though Mine hadn't felt any particular sense of danger and thus the shot was at a normal power level, it was still strong enough to seriously injure a large Danger Beast. Yet Wood had just punched it aside.

"Is Wood even human?" Tatsumi muttered, voicing the thoughts of everyone present.

To be fair, the coordination of Night Raid had been impeccable. The members showcased their exceptional skills in a relentless barrage of attacks that felt like an unending storm. Even Tatsumi, who had just been observing, couldn't find a proper moment to join the fight.

But despite the combined assault, Wood remained unperturbed. He was not only unharmed; he was calm and composed, as though the intense combat was merely a warm-up.

"Wood's strength really is monstrous, huh?" Lubbock, leaning against a wall, understood the looks of disbelief on everyone's faces. He patted Tatsumi on the shoulder. "Trust me, since the day I've known him, I've lost count of how many times I've felt this way."

No one in Night Raid knew Wood as well as Lubbock did. Even he wasn't sure how powerful Wood could be when serious, but he knew for certain: Wood still wasn't going all out.

"Good luck, Tatsumi. Hope you don't end up bedridden for too long." Lubbock's voice carried a hint of amusement as he subtly distanced himself from Tatsumi.

Why? Because Lubbock noticed that Wood was looking their way. Judging by the glint in Wood's eyes, Lubbock could tell that Tatsumi was next on his list.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Tatsumi looked confused, but he quickly understood. Wood, who had been standing in the middle of the field, suddenly charged towards him, sword in hand.

Out of everyone there, Tatsumi was the least threatening. He hadn't even joined the fight. Why would Wood target him first?

"Clang!"

In a hurried attempt, Tatsumi managed to parry Wood's strike with his sword. Compared to even just a few weeks ago, Tatsumi had grown considerably stronger. This was the reason Wood targeted him.

True, Tatsumi might be the least impressive of Night Raid in terms of power, especially since he didn't wield an imperial weapon. But Wood still considered him the greatest potential threat—because, in his mind, Tatsumi was the "Child of the World".

The "Child of the World" is the type of person whose strength, for some inexplicable reason, could grow exponentially in dire moments. Just to be safe and avoid any "main character" sudden power-ups, Wood figured he'd put Tatsumi out of commission early.

Despite managing to block the strike, Tatsumi wasn't on Wood's level. The force of the blow sent him flying back like an arrow shot from a bow.

Seeing Tatsumi soaring backward, Wood kicked off the ground, pursuing him at high speed. As Wood closed in and prepared to deliver a hand chop to end the fight, his Observation Haki suddenly sensed danger.

Without hesitation, Wood aborted his attack on Tatsumi, instantly lifting his sword to guard.

"THUNK!"

At that exact moment, a blood-red spear crashed against Wood's blade with tremendous force. The impact reverberated through Wood's arm, almost causing him to lose his grip on the sword.

A split second later, a powerful gust swept across the field, creating a series of shockwaves behind Wood. The next moment, he was launched backward like a cannonball.

For the first time since the start of the battle, Wood was visibly forced back. Even when Leone had activated Lionelle, she could only match Wood. This time, however, Wood had genuinely been repelled.

The one who attacked was none other than Bulat, who had activated his imperial weapon, Incursio, and wielded the blood-red spear called "Red-backed Shrike".

Wood skidded across the ground, his feet digging into the earth as he tried to regain control, sliding dozens of meters before finally stopping.

"Bulat, so you're finally getting serious?" Wood asked, a glint of excitement in his eyes as he looked at Bulat, who stood there now fully clad in the white armor lined with red markings of Incursio.

"No matter what, Tatsumi is someone I have set my hopes on. It wouldn't sit well with me if he got taken down this quickly.

Tatsumi, you've always wondered how strong the top members of Night Raid are, right? Well, now's your chance. Stand by my side, and let's fight together!"

Having been saved by Bulat, Tatsumi was overcome with emotion. He looked up at Bulat with a gaze full of admiration, and as he turned back to face Wood, there was no more fear in his eyes—only determination.

"Yes, Bulat-senpai!"

Bulat twirled his spear, charging towards Wood. Tatsumi followed close behind, sword in hand. As they advanced, they crisscrossed their movements, coordinating perfectly—each move complementary, ensuring they could cover each other while maintaining pressure on Wood.

"This is exactly why I hate fighting against a bromance and a hot-blooded rookie. Together, they're the most troublesome combination!"

Wood frowned, watching the duo rush at him. Bromance combined with youthful determination—such a pair was always the strongest combination in any battle manga. No exceptions.