Chapter 864: Chapter 864: Pedro of the Treetops and Full Power Shishilian
"Oh? More challengers?"
Cavendish spun around to see two contestants in black robes and masks rushing toward him. He arched an eyebrow and let out a disdainful scoff. "A pair of rats hiding their faces. Utterly pathetic!"
With that, Cavendish swung the legendary blade Durandal. The strike was sharp, ferocious, and incredibly fast.
Crackle—! Zzt—!
Suddenly, intense, visible currents of electricity erupted from both of their longswords simultaneously.
"Not good!"
Cavendish gasped, realizing his mistake. He tried to pull back his blade, but it was too late.
Clang—!
The mystery man in the lion mask stepped forward, his sword colliding with Durandal first. The impact rang out with a heavy, metallic boom, sending shockwaves through the air that whipped up a fierce gale.
Simultaneously, the powerful electric current surged through the metal blades and directly into Cavendish’s body.
"Aaaagh—!"
The sheer voltage enveloped him, forcing a cry of pain from his lips. His muscles and nerves seized under the numbing shock, leaving his body temporarily paralyzed.
"Beast Sword: Karajishi!!!"
At that moment, the other masked figure, the one in the leopard mask, leaped into the air. A faint image of a guardian lion appeared behind him as he unleashed a flurry of high-speed slashes at the immobile Cavendish.
"You bastards—!"
As the biting edge of the sword closed in, Cavendish’s eyes widened, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
A dozen strikes tore through Cavendish’s position, but they passed through him like foam or a mirage, blurring his image.
"An afterimage?!"
The leopard-masked man was stunned. He spotted Cavendish crouching beneath him and instantly flicked his wrist, slashing downward again.
Cavendish gritted his teeth, fighting through the lingering numbness and the needle-like pricks of pain. He raised his sword to parry, and the snow-white blade of Durandal was suddenly coated in a metallic, pitch-black sheen.
Clang!
The blades met with a crisp chime. Visible sparks flew as the electric current crackled once more, trying to travel down Durandal. However, the current was halted as if by an invisible wall, failing to reach Cavendish.
"Armament Haki!" the leopard-masked man blurted out.
Before he could recover, the lion-masked man stepped in and delivered a heavy kick. Thud! It landed squarely on Cavendish’s chest, sending the pirate captain flying back with a muffled groan.
Watching from the stands, Vito recognized the trouble Cavendish was in, but he couldn’t help but jeer. "How embarrassing. To be knocked over by a couple of masked rats... I’m going to have a field day mocking that narcissist once this is over!"
Up on the commentary platform, Gatz’s eyes were nearly popping out of his head. "Unbelievable! White Horse Cavendish, a cadre of the Chris Pirates, has been knocked down by two masked newcomers! This is staggering! Who on earth are these people?!"
"Beautiful! Take that kid down!"
In the VIP spectator area, Master Nekomamushi pumped a fist in the air, cheering loudly.
"They caught him off guard, but Pedro and Shishilian might actually have a chance to take him out," Duke Inuarashi noted, his eyes shining with a glimmer of hope.
Back on the stage, Cavendish had been kicked back over a dozen meters, rolling twice before coming to a stop.
"You... bastards!"
His face was a mask of fury as he used Durandal as a crutch to haul himself up. A dirty footprint now marred his pristine white shirt.
To have almost been taken out because of a moment’s carelessness was a supreme humiliation. Worse, Vito was watching, and the man would never let him live this down.
The thought made Cavendish see red. "I’m going to skin you rats alive!"
He charged, thrusting his sword forward with blinding speed. With a flick of his wrist, the sword light split, one strike became several, then dozens, until a torrential rain of sword shadows enveloped both opponents.
"Kill!"
The two masked men shared a look, let out a unified roar, and began a frenzied dance of steel to block the onslaught.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The stage echoed with the relentless sound of clashing metal. Sparks flew like fireworks as the silver waterfall of blade-light nearly drowned the mystery men.
A few breaths later, the figures crossed paths and the light vanished as Cavendish sheathed his blade.
He turned around, a look of genuine surprise on his face. "So that’s how it is. You’re warriors of the Mink Tribe. No wonder you can generate visible electricity!"
The two challengers stood there, bloodied. Their black robes were shredded like rags, revealing the fur beneath. Deep gashes lined their bodies, and their masks were sliced nearly in half, revealing a leopard face and a lion face. Fortunately, the blades had stopped just short of their skin.
The leopard Mink was tall with long, wavy blonde hair and yellow fur covered in black spots.
Pedro, known as "Pedro of the Treetops," Captain of the Guardians and former Captain of the Nox Pirates, with a bounty of 382,000,000 Berries.
The lion Mink was dressed like a musketeer, looking elegant despite his heavy wounds.
Shishilian, known as "Full Power Shishilian," Captain of the Inuarashi Musketeer Squad and one of the three musketeers.
"I think I remember you!" Cavendish stared at the leopard Mink for a few seconds. "You’re Pedro, the captain of the Nox Pirates who vanished five years ago. ’Pedro of the Treetops’... your bounty was 382 million, if I recall."
Pedro’s expression darkened at being recognized. "My bounty five years ago was higher than yours was back then, yet I didn’t expect the gap in our strength to be this wide."
"To be strong enough to join the Chris Pirates as a rookie... your power truly is beyond the norm," Shishilian added grimly, ignoring the deep, bleeding gashes on his body.
Pedro nodded in somber agreement.
However, upon hearing them mention he had joined the Chris Pirates as a "rookie," Cavendish’s face turned a sickly shade of green. His cheek twitched, and any trace of pride vanished.
Some memories were better left buried!
"Well, it’s a rare treat to see Mink warriors in a tournament like this," Cavendish declared loudly. "They say every Mink is a born warrior, a ferocious race. Seeing you today, I see the legends are true."
Though Minks were rare, those who took to the sea as pirates weren’t unheard of. Cavendish assumed they were simply after the Flame-Flame Fruit like everyone else.
And since their teamwork had nearly cost him his life, he was forced to acknowledge their formidable strength.
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