ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

On a deserted island, Caesar descended from the sky with Geppo (Moonwalk), while Effiete also stepped onto the air, demonstrating the same ability.

When one's strength reaches a certain level, some advanced combat techniques can be mastered quickly.

Take the Rokushiki (Six Powers), for example.

Although it is a high-level martial art developed by the World Government and primarily used by elite Marines, a few skilled pirates have also managed to grasp parts of it.

Caesar, however, had mastered it completely. His proficiency had reached the peak of Rokuogan and even extended to the highest level of Life Return (Seimei Kikan).

Yet, in the past, he had only chosen to use a few techniques. Now, apart from Life Return, he barely used the others.

It was now evident that Effiete had secretly learned this skill—either from the Marines or another faction within the World Government. She was using Geppo with remarkable proficiency.

Suspended in mid-air, Caesar smirked and turned his head, saying, "The only ones who can fight me using Moonwalk are Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and Roger—none of whom possess the ability to fly!"

There was a hint of mockery in his tone.

Still, he had to admit—Caesar admired this woman.

She seemed to be around the same age as him, maybe slightly older, yet her strength was exceptional—a rarity in this world.

After all, he was different from the people of this era.

He was a time traveler. He had superior memory, and the versatile ability of psychokinesis.

Using his knowledge of the future and the talent granted by his reincarnation, he had rapidly ascended to power.

He was destined to be strong.

But this woman—her strength at her age—was not something achievable through talent alone. She had undoubtedly honed herself through relentless effort.

"Hmph!" Effiete's beautiful face turned cold at Caesar's words. She let out a sharp snort and unsheathed her sword, confronting him.

This island was close to the Vengley Kingdom, and at their speed, they had arrived in mere moments.

Now, Effiete's mind was consumed by a desire—to witness the strength of this notorious pirate firsthand. The moment she landed, she couldn't wait any longer.

As the sharp aura of her drawn blade filled the air, Caesar smiled nonchalantly and shook his head.

"Forget it… to prove my strength to you, I won't even use flight."

With that, he ceased using Geppo and landed directly opposite Effiete, gripping his O Wazamono-grade blade.

No.

To be precise, what he wielded was a Black Blade—his sword, Ba, tempered with Advanced Armament Haki, elevated to the rank of a Supreme Grade Blade (Saijō Ō Wazamono).

Caesar fixed his gaze on Effiete.

"Be careful. I won't hold back."

It had been a long time since he had fought a truly strong female opponent, and now, he was a little excited—eager for this battle.

After all, truly powerful women in this era were scarce.

"Who needs your mercy?! Stop underestimating me, 'Heavenly King' Caesar!"

Hearing his words, Effiete's face turned furious, and with a defiant snort, she slashed forward—a crimson flying slash tearing through the air.

The sheer sharpness of her attack split the rocky ground in two. As it surged forward, even the sunlight seemed to dim in its wake.

"Well done."

Caesar's eyes lit up with admiration.

At the moment of her attack, he confirmed—Effiete was a true top-class swordswoman. She undoubtedly possessed Admiral-level combat power.

However, he was still unsure whether she had reached the level of Golden Lion Shiki or Rayleigh.

At first, Caesar hadn't been able to gauge her strength immediately.

That was because, apart from wild beasts who acted on instinct, strong humans knew how to conceal their aura.

No warrior fully exposed their battle state—unless they were weaklings who couldn't even control their presence.

That was why Caesar had been unable to assess Effiete's strength earlier.

Now, there was no doubt.

Without another word, Caesar narrowed his eyes slightly, raised his blade, and countered her attack with a slash of his own.

Blade met blade.

Slash clashed with slash.

Suddenly—

On this isolated, barren island, two massive slashes erupted into existence—one crimson, the other a radiant purple-gold!

The sheer brilliance of their attacks dimmed the once-gentle evening sunlight.

Just by witnessing the intensity of their monstrous sword auras, one could feel the invisible pressure shaking the very soul.

Then—

The two slashes collided head-on.

At the moment of impact, Effiete's crimson sword light was instantly obliterated by Caesar's overwhelming strike, dissipating into fine dust in the air.

But it didn't end there.

The Black Blade Ba's slash remained ferocious, continuing forward in a devastating arc. It tore through the land, carving a deep rift in the sea before it finally dispersed.

The entire island trembled from the sheer force.

Faced with such an attack, Effiete felt a chill run down her spine.

But she quickly adjusted her stance—her eyes gleaming with unwavering determination.

The battle resumed.

In mere moments, the island was riddled with deep, crisscrossing sword scars, marking the intensity of their duel.

For some reason, Caesar had refrained from using his other abilities.

Instead, he chose to engage in pure swordsmanship.

Of course, Caesar's kenjutsu was superior to Effiete's.

Thus, from the very start, he steadily suppressed her.

Even though he wasn't a specialist swordsman like Mihawk, his vast battle experience and insight gave him a deep understanding of kenjutsu.

In the realm of swordsmanship, comprehension determined mastery.

And that was the gap between them.

The battle raged on.

By now, the sky over the island had changed color.

The clash of Conqueror's Haki turned the sea turbulent, with waves crashing wildly against the shore.

Because this was a sword duel, the island was covered with countless terrifying sword marks.

Yet, as the fight continued, Caesar grew increasingly appreciative of this woman.

Instinctively, he began guiding her through the battle, forcing her to adapt.

Effiete quickly noticed the shift in his swordplay, and though her expression remained cold, her eyes gleamed with realization.

She had to admit—

The opponent before her was even more terrifying than she had imagined.

She had never fought someone who constantly suppressed her, denying her any advantage.

But deep inside—

She felt an unprecedented excitement.

Everyone admired strength, but Effiete's admiration was different.

Because in this battle, she could feel her swordsmanship improving.

The fight continued for several days, and in that time, her aura visibly grew stronger.

All the top warriors of this world had something in common—talent and determination.

With Caesar's unintentional guidance, Effiete's swordplay evolved.

But then—Caesar suddenly stopped holding back.

Effiete immediately felt the difference.

Before, she could barely keep up.

But now—she was struggling.

She instantly understood—

Caesar was now using his real strength.

And for the first time in days, she felt true fear.

Caesar calmly activated the pinnacle of Conqueror's Haki—infusing it into his sword.

At that moment, his attacks became overwhelming.

With a single swing of Ba, Effiete was flung into the sea.

Thus, the battle finally ended.

Minutes later, Effiete emerged from the water, looking disheveled but unwilling to concede defeat.

With an unreadable expression, she spoke:

"The Hurricane Fruit is yours… take it."

She turned away, preparing to leave.

But suddenly—Caesar appeared before her, blocking her path.

Effiete's face turned cold.

"What do you want?! The fruit is—"

Her words faltered.

Because she saw it—

The smirk on Caesar's face, and the undeniable fire in his eyes.

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