You can read ahead up to 15 chapters on my Patreon, and I've also activated a (date-to-date) subscription model on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
From the very start of the battle, Moya never anticipated that he would be injured by his opponent. He had dismissed the 16- or 17-year-old boy as a mere child, believing he posed no threat, even considering the boy's ability to hold his own against Dragon.
He had been careless. Not only had he underestimated his opponent, but he also hadn't even employed his most renowned sword techniques.
The Godspeed Drawn Blade Technique, Dugu Nine Swords, and now the Hundred Steps Flying Sword— Rojen had always dictated the rhythm of the fight.
While Rojen might not have matched a Vice Admiral in sheer power, he was far from weak. Through a series of exchanges, he had shed his earlier frailty.
If one were to gauge his strength by bounty, Rojen would undoubtedly be valued at around 150 million berries.
His abilities had grown, and his techniques had become increasingly refined.
Had it not been for Moya's overwhelming strength, Rojen could have ended the fight in an instant.
In his fury, Moya had cast aside his underestimation of Rojen. Even the wound on his neck was temporarily sealed by a strange force, halting the flow of blood.
"Rojen, die!"
With a sudden twist, Moya summoned black whirlwinds around his twin blades, his eyes gleaming like stars.
For a brief moment, Rojen's vision blurred as he locked eyes with Moya.
"Illusion, Twin Blades!"
"Slash!"
Moya roared, bringing his twin blades crashing down.
"Bang!"
Rojen instinctively raised his sword to block the attack, but the moment their weapons collided, he felt an overwhelming force surge toward him— vast, relentless, and imposing.
"Boom!"
In an instant, he was sent flying, crashing hard into the wooden wall of the cabin behind him, which splintered under the impact.
"Cough, cough!"
Rojen spat out two mouthfuls of blood as he slowly pushed himself to his feet.
When he saw the black aura swirling around Moya's twin blades, his pupils constricted slightly.
"Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki)!"
"Die!"
With a furious roar, Vice Admiral Moya charged once more.
At that moment, he resembled an enraged tiger. His fury had amplified his strength, instilling terror in everyone around.
Rojen's figure shifted as he averted his gaze from Moya's eyes, quickly formulating a countermeasure.
"Illusion, Busoshoku, and his immense strength."
Moya, now fully serious, was unleashing his complete power. In a direct confrontation, Rojen knew he stood no chance.
And possession— it couldn't be activated yet!
Kizaru hadn't made his appearance. It would be too wasteful to summon someone strong for just a Vice Admiral.
The momentum of Rojen's sword shifted, and in his hands, a flurry of sword techniques erupted.
Compared to the crude and straightforward sword techniques of most sword masters in One Piece, which relied solely on brute strength, Rojen's techniques were undeniably more sophisticated.
The ultimate techniques of sword masters were often one-off moves with no follow-up. But Rojen's swordsmanship was a seamless chain of techniques, flowing one into the next. In that world, this was known as a routine.
"Mount Hua Swordsmanship!"
A dazzling array of sword flowers blossomed. With his refined techniques, Rojen employed the principle of accomplishing heavy tasks with minimal effort, leading Moya into one routine after another.
Thus, in his rage, Vice Admiral Moya found himself unwittingly guided by Rojen's swordsmanship.
He could have easily ended the fight with a single, brutal strike, but instead, he was ensnared in a series of intricate routines. The relentless sword strikes from various angles forced him to dance to Rojen's tune.
"Damn it!" With a roar, black energy surged around Moya's twin blades, and his strength surged even further.
"Bang!"
Rojen was propelled backward by the immense force, his feet carving a line across the deck.
Mount Hua Swordsmanship had been shattered but it didn't matter. In the next instant, Rojen raised his sword once more.
"Mount Song Swordsmanship!"
Moya found himself ensnared in another routine, roaring in frustration.
A dozen seconds later, Moya summoned all his strength to break through Mount Song Swordsmanship.
However...
Rojen's eyes remained calm as he unleashed another set of techniques.
"Clean Wind Swordsmanship!"
Broken!
"Snatching Fate: 13 Swords!"
Broken!
"Exorcism Swordsmanship!"
Broken!
In a flash, Rojen's swordsmanship transformed, unleashing over a dozen different styles. Vice Admiral Moya was trapped, unable to land a single blow on his opponent.
Each time he was sent flying, he fell into a new routine, leaving him feeling utterly disoriented.
"You brat, who exactly are you?"
By now, Moya was filled with disbelief. He wasn't a fool; he could clearly see that while his opponent's swordsmanship lacked raw power, it was incredibly intricate. In such a short time, Rojen had employed no fewer than a dozen different styles. 'What was this kid's deal?'
Ordinary people became renowned sword masters by mastering a single style to perfection, but this guy!
Even Moya himself couldn't claim to be a true sword master, as he was a fusion of Devil Fruit powers, sword arts, and the Marines' Rokushiki techniques.
He wasn't particularly well-versed in swordsmanship.
Rojen remained silent, raising his sword once again.
He unleashed all the techniques from the Five Alps Sword Faction, including various styles he had learned from spirits, executing them one after another against Moya.
Once these techniques were unleashed, they reached a peak realm, flowing seamlessly as if he had already merged with them.
This was the power of a martial arts genius; no matter the discipline, he could grasp it at a glance.
As the battle unfolded, it seemed as though Rojen was validating the essence of the martial study itself, thoroughly suppressing Moya.
This suppression wasn't due to a lack of strength but rather because Moya was being overwhelmed by the sword dao. With Rojen's initial understanding of sword dao and its principles, he had perfectly dismantled Moya's half-baked skills, even if he was slightly outmatched in raw power.
Below, the Marines watching the battle couldn't help but grow serious.
"Vice Admiral Moya, he…"
A Commodore trembled as he spoke, unable to comprehend the reality unfolding before him.
On the deck, the two figures moved rapidly, constantly colliding, but everyone could clearly see that the tide of battle was shifting in Rojen's favor.
That guy— he could actually defeat a Vice Admiral?!
"Where's the Den Den Mushi?!"
Taking a deep breath, the Lieutenant Commander who had previously suggested notifying Kizaru shouted urgently.
"Here, here!" Another Lieutenant Commander, shocked, glanced at the battle on the deck.
"Give it to me!" The Lieutenant Commander snatched the Den Den Mushi and quickly dialed.
"Mushi Mushi." Kizaru's distinctive voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
Several Lieutenant Commanders looked at the Den Den Mushi, their emotions stirred with anticipation.
This was an Admiral!
"Admiral Borsalino! Rojen's whereabouts have been discovered in Baterilla Island!"
Meanwhile, not far from Baterilla Island, on a stretch of sea...
"Oh?"
Standing on the deck, Kizaru's previously bored expression suddenly sharpened.
"Heh, this is interesting!"
(End Of This Chapter)