Chapter 864: Chapter 527: If You Don’t Fight, How Can You Become the Strongest in the World! (Part 2)
Even though Sage has grown very rapidly, he’s still a bit behind those who have held the position of top powerhouses on the sea for decades.
Defeating Big Mom wasn’t entirely down to his Haki but rather his ultimate body techniques.
Abilities have a concept of countering, and the strong on the sea have it too.
Sage specifically counters those with weak physiques and those with excellent physical talents.
For instance, Red Hair and Big Mom.
The former has strong Haki but lacks in physique, so when encountering someone like Sage, they lack room for error.
No matter how strong the Haki is, as long as Sage isn’t beaten to death, it’s useless. But once Sage hits, Red Hair doesn’t have Sage’s endurance.
The latter’s name of ’Steel Balloon’ is completely ignored by Sage. In the end, what can compete with him is only Haki.
But Kaido is different. That guy’s physical talent is excellent indeed, but it belongs more to ability, with Mythical recovery power, powerful body techniques, and currently, seemingly strong Haki that doesn’t lose to Red Hair.
Whether in attack or defense, he’s the strongest enemy Sage has encountered yet, an enemy without weaknesses!
Regarding Kaido, Sage is confident but won’t be arrogant. In battles, it’s not about who is stronger and thus certain to win.
The ’all-out’ he preserved for Kaido can’t ensure a guaranteed win, and there might be a significant price to pay.
But the plan was set, and there’s no backing down. Being hesitant isn’t his style.
Haki training has never stopped for Sage.
Enjoying life is one thing, but he knows where his foundation of dominion comes from. Enjoying life and battling, both are his loves, and they don’t conflict.
During the life-or-death battle with Big Mom, his Haki had breakthroughs, feeling just a step away from reaching a new level.
The original plan was to go straight to Wano Country, fight to the death with Kaido, and through that battle, force out that final improvement, completely achieving an overwhelming strength without weaknesses.
But after arriving at this island, seeing Barrett, and also Fujitora and the Seven Warlords of the Sea, especially Hawkeye...
He had a new plan in mind then!
Fight!
Fight until reaching the best state, use the battles with these people to try to achieve a breakthrough, to go and fight the one he has in mind, Kaido, with the best condition!
Then...
Kill him face-to-face!
"It’s done..."
Sage swung his saber and laughed softly: "You are all excellent, renowned powerhouses. Battles without holding back are what I need!"
"Even if your Haki has improved, it doesn’t mean you’ve won for sure."
Mihawk gripped his sword hilt tight with both hands, lowering his stance into a charging posture, a smirk appearing on his lips: "It’s been a long time since I felt this thrill..."
"Of course, for you alone, I can give serious attention."
Sage lavished praise on Mihawk without reserve.
Compared to Kaido, he’s more forgiving toward the strong.
"However, I’m already comprehensively strong..."
He suddenly looked up, radiating menace, "Witness it well then!"
The dark sky was pierced, a massive object with a purple aura descended from above.
The overwhelming pressure it carried could be distinctly felt even at high altitude.
"Ah..."
Buggy barely managed to get his head back, just caught it and put it on his neck, and before he could look around, his mouth gaped open, showing a look of utter disbelief.
Meteorite!
And not just any small meteorite, but one so massive its shadow covered the whole island, at least half the island’s size, rapidly descending.
Compared to Sage’s earlier attack, this move was even harder to evade!
"Is it coming! Fujitora!"
Sage moved his hand, transforming the Pirate Saber back into a golden bracelet donned on his wrist, stomped hard on the ground, kicking up a dust cloud as he rapidly ascended.
"First, is my pinnacle body technique! Its name is ’North Star Divine Fist’!"
With arms crossed before his chest, holding a claw-like pose, one leg bent and drifting upward, he closed in on the descending meteorite alone.
Under the meteorite, Sage’s figure seemed very small, yet his presence exceeded the meteorite!
"The use of Haki is also included, paired with my body technique, now one of the strongest attacks..."
Uniting his hands before his chest, he formed a black-red sphere, releasing it almost instantly upon nearing the meteorite, striking it fiercely.
Burst, pierce, impact, true damage...
"Great Red!!!"
Boom!!!
The air trembled immensely, making the whole island shake, the already segmented island now split into four pieces by this strike.
The central arena, surrounded islands on either side by the Navy, and the upper island occupied by the Disaster Fleet, the foundation beneath the sea, completely shattered by the aftermath of this blow.
The coastal sea surged with towering waves, raging against the island interior, causing a tsunami covering a third of the island. Under this tsunami, both Navy and Pirates left on the edge all capsized.
Further away, massive whirlpools swallowed everything around.
The power of the Supreme King within invoked a force of nature, enough to alter any sea region.
Swish, swish, swish!
Above, massive debris fell like fireworks, plummeting into the sea and splashing up massive water sprays, revealing not ’fragments’, but huge pieces of stone!
The massive meteorite above cracked from the edge, extending to the center, then to the rear of the meteorite.
Black-red flashes rippled through the meteorite, then exploded, scattering widely.
The entire meteorite was destroyed by Sage in one blow!
"Great Red should be hitting meteorites, hahahaha!"
Under the ’fireworks’, Sage stood tall in the sky, indomitable.
What?
Having nothing to do with North Star Divine Fist?
In reality, after developing the ’Haki Bullet’, half of his moves had little to do with North Star Divine Fist.
But it’s unrelated to Gouki too, just using the move name.
Being here for so long, of course, he used any name that came to mind.
The essence of this move is his body technique and Haki combined.
Whatever the move name, it’s Sage’s form!
"Then, what about this slash!"
As the meteorite shattered, Fujitora’s deep voice echoed above, a purple light shot into the splintered meteorite, wielding the blade reverse and forcefully pressing toward Sage.
The meteorite was summoned with his power, and this slash was the follow-up move after the meteorite.
Against a Four Emperors, he wasn’t taking it light!
"Gravity Blade: Meteor Fall!!"
This move, infused with his ability and Haki, heavier and sharper than the summoned meteorite!
It could easily slice the island in half, then sink it into the sea, even blasting a deep abyss in the ocean!
Yet in this instant, Sage glanced at Fujitora, shooting out one hand, as the golden bracelet once more transformed into the Pirate Saber, clashing with Fujitora’s staff blade.
Bang!!
A massive shockwave spread in the air, under that impact, Fujitora bolstered by extreme gravity, was surprisingly deadlocked there, with no response to gravity!
No...
He was forcibly obstructed by Sage!
"I not only know how to combine moves... there’s more!"
Sage grinned menacingly at Fujitora, the multiplying power of the More-More Fruit, bringing out strength no weaker than that slash’s impact. At this moment, his other hand suddenly extended, condensing a beam of lightning.
"Thunder Shock!!"
A thick pillar of lightning struck Fujitora, engulfing him entirely.
Sage’s saber further merged into the bolt of lightning, slashing diagonally out of Fujitora’s form, bringing significant force, sending Fujitora within the lightning flying far off.
As he flew, a gush of blood spurted in the air, clearly showing a large gash cut from Fujitora’s shoulder to waist.
"And then..."
Without looking at the meteor-like flying Fujitora, he turned downward, the saber in his hand emanating flame.
Cloak fluttering, thunderclouds rose, causing the sky to murmur thunderously.
The beads on his neck also blazed, in contrast with the saber’s flame.
"It’s the power of the elements!"
