Rhodes's Hegemony and Aftermath

"Haki-Fist!" A terrifying impact erupted as Rhodes swung his fist, instantly shattering Tesoro's oncoming golden fist and utterly submerging the Golden Giant.

"I've already told you not to treat me like a swordsman. Why do you always think I'll lose if I lose my weapon?" Rhodes clenched his right fist, wincing at the pain in his arm, but a flicker of triumph shone in his eyes. Using Hegemony with a flesh-and-blood body was incredibly difficult, and even his tempered physique was injured. But this was perfect! If Law could heal this arm, he believed he could make even more progress.

Rhodes retrieved Huazhou from where he'd embedded it in the ground, placing the damaged sword back on his waist—it was still a cherished memento. Ignoring the subdued Tesoro, Rhodes turned to observe the battles involving Nia and Neru. "Not bad!" A smile touched his lips. "It seems like everyone has grown up!"

Nia's Growth and Baccarat's Calculations

"Why, you can keep up with my moves!" Nia, now in her half-human beast form with black cat ears and a gently swaying tail, had Tanaka by the ankle, holding him upside down. Tanaka's already large head was disfigured from Nia's repeated kicks, unable to even emit his usual mocking laugh.

"You are indeed fast." Nia grinned, revealing sharp teeth, her yellow vertical pupils glinting with excitement. "I just attacked the place where you wanted to appear in advance." She finally understood why Rhodes and Neru could always anticipate enemy moves. This was Observation Haki! It was truly a magical power, which she had finally begun to grasp while being tormented by Tanaka.

"Really." Baccarat looked at the golden giant in the distance, completely submerged by a terrifying shockwave. A faint smile touched her lips. "Captain Rhodes is the winner. I am so lucky!"

"Bakara, you actually betrayed Master Tesoro!" Tanaka glared at her.

"Oh my, please don't say something that could be misunderstood," Baccarat replied, lightly covering her mouth. "I'm just a new employee on probation who has just worked in the casino for two days. Please don't say such things again in the future." Her eyes held a chilling glint.

"I'm afraid Captain Rhodes will misunderstand." Then, with a sweeter smile, she added, "Of course, the premise is that you still have a future."

"You bastard!" Tanaka fumed. Nia gave Baccarat a strange look. What a cruel mouth.

Neru's Breakthrough and Dice's Defeat

"What's wrong? Is that all you can do is dodge?" Dice roared, his headbutt shattering the ground. He glared at Neru, who had appeared further away. "I told you to fuck me head on!"

Bang, bang, bang— Several bullets from Neru's gun struck Dice's body.

"I told you, there's no need to do this!" Dice snarled, his entire body wrapped in pitch-black Haki, blocking all the bullets. "Just shoot at my head like you did at the beginning. I won't dodge."

Undistracted, Neru calmly maintained his distance, his black gun never leaving Dice. This guy was tricky. His body was incredibly strong, and his Armament Haki was well-developed. Ordinary bullets couldn't penetrate his defense, and even continuous shots to the same spot caused little decisive damage. His own Armament Haki simply wasn't strong enough. Neru's fingers gripping the gun went white. If this was all he could do, how could he ever truly help Rhodes, whose opponents were far stronger?

Neru glanced at the golden armor and battleaxe, creations of Tesoro's power that granted Dice enhanced speed, strength, and defense—all of which Neru's bullets couldn't pierce. A mere ability creation possessed such power; how strong was the ability user himself? Since their voyage began, Rhodes had always faced the toughest enemies alone. Even their fights proved difficult. While Neru felt his strength growing rapidly, he wasn't keeping pace with Rhodes's phenomenal growth.

"You're distracted!" Dice's booming laugh erupted in Neru's ear. Suddenly, a massive force tore the black gun from Neru's hand. "You know, gambling is about taking someone else's chips to fight a duel!" Dice caught the gun, a smile on his face. "Well, let me see if you have anything that can make me feel even better!" Dice's entire head turned black with Haki, reflecting a metallic sheen. "I'm here. If there is no other means, you will die!" He spun, rushing at Neru, striking with his head.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Dice slammed his head into the ground repeatedly. Neru, relying on his Observation Haki, barely dodged the relentless attacks but couldn't counter.

"It seems that you have no other choice," Dice taunted, stopping his headbutts. He grasped his golden battleaxe and advanced towards Neru. "I'm tired of it, too. I'd better kill you and then find someone else to fight." He raised the battleaxe high.

Snap— The golden armor on Dice's body suddenly cracked, followed by cracks appearing on the battleaxe itself. "How could it be…" A look of surprise flashed across Dice's face.

This armor and axe were creations of Lord Tesoro's power. There was only one explanation for their breakup.

"Lord Tesoro, lost?"

"You're distracted too!" A red light flashed in Neru's eyes. As Dice was distracted, Neru moved instantly. "Iron Block: Broken Jade!" He stomped his feet dozens of times, using a force several times stronger than usual to propel himself into the air. Then, using Moonwalk, he relayed in the air, spinning his body at high speed. He then instantly hardened his calf muscles with Iron Block, concentrating all his attack power there, and finally infused it with Haki to enhance the impact. While he couldn't directly comprehend the profound meanings of the Six Powers like Rhodes, Neru, having already mastered the Six Powers, had developed his unique combination of skills.

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Rhodes has decisively defeated Tesoro's Golden Giant with his powerful "Haki-Fist," proving his strength isn't solely reliant on weapons. He acknowledges the physical toll of his new technique but sees it as an opportunity for further growth. Meanwhile, Nia demonstrates her newfound proficiency in Observation Haki by finally subduing the elusive Tanaka, while Baccarat subtly reveals her opportunistic nature, aligning herself with Rhodes and dismissing her past ties to Tesoro. Simultaneously, Neru faces a formidable challenge against Dice, whose enhanced durability and aggressive combat style push Neru to his limits. However, Tesoro's defeat causes Dice's golden armor and weapon to shatter, creating an opening that Neru seizes to unleash his own powerful, self-developed Six Powers combination: "Iron Block: Broken Jade."