One Piece: The True Codex

Andre's words were heard by everyone in the hall, and Norton I looked on with approval. To him, this attitude was exactly the kind of arrogance befitting the kingdom's strongest warrior!

Arcadio, however, sighed deeply, feeling an urge to cover his face and leave. He worried that the situation would become quite embarrassing, especially with Andre being so ostentatious.

Andre selected a two-handed greatsword from the weapon rack and then walked to the center of the hall's open space, beckoning William with a gesture.

William slowly approached, flexing his neck as he walked, producing a series of crisp sounds. With his right hand, he loosened his tie and the buttons of his formal attire.

Standing face to face, the contrast in their physiques became even more apparent. At 1.9 meters tall, William was by no means short, nor was he slender. Yet, before Andre, who stood nearly three meters tall with muscles that were visually striking, William appeared fragile and insignificant.

"Listen to my command!" Norton I, eyes gleaming, abandoned any pretense and stood up from his throne, acting as the judge.

"Begin the fight!" Norton I clapped his hands sharply.

As soon as Norton I finished speaking, Andre let out a roar, raising his greatsword with both hands and swinging it toward William with tremendous force.

Simultaneously, William adopted a different stance for drawing his sword. He held the sheathed katana against his side, with the hilt pointing upward, and took a firm stance, showing no intention of dodging Andre's attack.

As the greatsword descended, many ministers within the hall who had never witnessed a battle closed their eyes, unable to bear watching. But William suddenly drew his sword.

"Iaido Secret Technique: Rising Dragon!"

The blade flashed like a dragon.

William indeed favored using Iaido techniques, which combined speed and power, unleashing formidable strength in an instant and often achieving unexpected results.

Thus, William had developed various Iaido techniques to adapt to different situations. This particular move, named "Iaido Secret Technique: Rising Dragon," was not derived from Koushirou or the "Isshin-Ryu" style he taught but was created by William himself, specifically designed to deal with opponents above him or those taller than him.

In truth, this move was not yet in its complete form. William initially experimented with infusing steam into the scabbard to enhance the speed of drawing the sword through steam pressure. However, due to the inability of ordinary scabbards to withstand such pressure and other challenges, it remained a mere concept for now.

Clouds follow dragons, and winds follow tigers; a true rising dragon should be accompanied by mist.

Even without the additional propulsion of steam pressure, William had already mastered the "Iron Cutting" realm in swordsmanship, coupled with the Robust specialty that granted him immense strength. This strike effortlessly cleaved Andre's greatsword in two above William's head.

William was wary of Andre's title as "Kingdom's Strongest Warrior," so after severing the greatsword, he immediately followed up with his next attack.

William released the scabbard with his left hand, sidestepping to close in on the towering Andre. His left hand formed into a tiger claw, and he struck fiercely at Andre's stomach.

According to William's habit of fighting at sea, his next move should have been to use the sword to cut open Andre's chest, which was exposed due to the broken sword. However, he remembered that the purpose of this duel was not to kill, so he abandoned the sword for his claw.

Even so, it was not pleasant for Andre. Unseen by others, steam erupted from William's five fingers, causing intense pain in Andre's stomach, as if William's tiger claw was about to rip it out. Then, five scorching streams of heat coursed through his body, making him tremble all over.

Bang!

After striking Andre's stomach, William retreated a few steps to create distance. Once he stepped away, Andre fell to his knees, mouth wide open, and began vomiting uncontrollably.

Just as William suspected, under normal circumstances, the kingdom's strongest warrior should not be weak. But the world is full of anomalies that defy logic.

Norton I's hands were still raised in applause when the Navia Kingdom's strongest warrior was brought to his knees by William.

The ministers in the hall covered their mouths and noses, showing expressions of disgust, while William held his katana upside down. Seeing that Andre, having finished vomiting, remained kneeling, William approached with a friendly demeanor, intending to help him up.

Yet Andre did not move. His lowered face alternated between pale and flushed hues. He had not anticipated losing, especially not so quickly.

Having told so many lies, Andre had come to believe them himself. He genuinely thought he was the strongest in the kingdom and took pride in his title, unaware of its lack of substance. Now, having displayed such arrogance earlier, he found himself in an even more embarrassing situation.

After a while, Andre finally raised his head. He glared at William with resentment, ignoring William's extended hand, and wiped his mouth before getting up from the ground.

He did not resent Norton I, who had encouraged him earlier, because the king was untouchable. Instead, he resented William for making him look foolish.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty!" Andre's first action upon rising was to kneel before Norton I. "I did not expect the palace guard's military system to be so degraded, to the point where the maintenance and repair of weapons are neglected. The weapons used for the duel before Your Majesty were of such poor quality that they broke upon impact."

"I was truly shocked and angered, worried about how such an army could ensure Your Majesty's safety! Unexpectedly, my opponent seized the opportunity to strike my vital point," Andre lamented with a pained expression. "The result of the duel is inconsequential, but I have ruined Your Majesty's enjoyment and failed Your Majesty's trust. I am indeed guilty!"

Andre's words not only absolved himself of any blame for his loss, shifting the main problem onto the palace guard's subordinates, but also subtly insulted William, implying he was an opportunistic villain.

William said nothing, merely bowing to Norton I in a gesture of respect, appearing reticent and leading some to suspect he might be a simple-minded brute, oblivious to Andre's malicious intent.

Arcadio stepped forward, frowning, but did not refute Andre's words, as doing so would embarrass Andre, a fellow noble.

He simply stated, "Your Majesty, you should now be able to see Stolt's capabilities, and he and his fleet genuinely wish to serve the kingdom. I humbly request Your Majesty to confer a title upon him."

Norton I sighed. His aspirations of being a wise ruler were short-lived, much like his earlier attempt to ban alcohol, which he initially deemed detrimental to the nation but abandoned due to the complexity of the procedures and policies. Encouraged by Arcadio, he opted for a straightforward approach.

Now, too, driven by news of Germa 66, he wanted to bolster the kingdom's military strength. Yet, when it came time for him to act, he found himself growing impatient.

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