Volume 1 - CH 87

Diamante, one of the Donquixote family’s cadres, unleashed a powerful attack!

However, with a swift slash of Rhodes’ sword, Diamante was sent flying through the air, a sight that none of the Donquixote Family members had expected.

In their eyes, Diamante was a true force to be reckoned with, a heavyweight among strongmen, second only to the infamous Doflamingo.

“We’ve run into a tough opponent,” muttered the junior members of the Donquixote Family, exchanging worried glances. Sensing that things were not going their way, they decided it was time to call for backup.

Of course, reaching out to Saboady’s headquarters for assistance would be futile at this point, so they turned to the world government for help.

Due to Doflamingo’s unknown powerful status, their relationship with the government was delicate at best, but they knew that help would most likely be granted, if not graciously.

Doflamingo had risen to power by threatening the government, after all.

As the smoke cleared, a tremor rumbled through the ruins of the house.

“AAAH!”

Diamante slowly picked himself up, his eyes icy and filled with anger and shock.

At his level, his strength had reached its peak, and all he desired was fame and the realization of his dreams.

But now, he had been publicly humiliated by Rhodes, a shame that would haunt him for the rest of his days.

“Oh, you want to continue?! You’re not convinced yet? Don’t worry I’ll convince you.” Rhodes smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth.

With a swift step forward, he launched himself into the fray once more, determined to make Diamante submit.

In an instant, a massive wave of energy swept through the air. At the same time, Rhodes closed the distance between himself and Diamante in a flash, landing on top of him like lightning and striking with his sword.

Clang!

The two men’s swords clashed once again.

This time, Diamante couldn’t afford to underestimate Rhodes. He channeled all his power, pushing his Busoshoku Haki to its limits, and swung his sword to meet Rhodes’s attack.

Clang!

The sound of metal ringing out filled the air. In an instant, Diamante was forced back, unable to withstand Rhodes’s sword.

“What immense strength!”

Diamante’s heart was shaken, and his hands trembled slightly.

“How is this possible?! I may not be strong, but he’s only 17 or 18 years old and hasn’t even reached his prime yet, how can he have so much strength!” He couldn’t comprehend it.

He had seen many geniuses and monsters in his life, but none of them had ever had this kind of strength.

These people usually had unique talents in swordplay or the development of Devil Fruits and often achieved what others couldn’t in their entire lives at a very young age.

But physical strength is not the same, it’s impossible to progress rapidly, and only through daily training and perseverance can it be gradually improved.

Normally, a person’s physical strength will reach its peak in their 30s or 40s. Once you hit that milestone, you can only try what you have already achieved, and it’s difficult to make further progress.

But Rhodes was only 17 or 18 years old!

Diamante couldn’t fathom the idea of Rhodes reaching his peak, his physique honed to such a level of strength that it would rival that of the likes of Black-Arm Zephyr or the King of the Beasts Kaido.

He never imagined he would come across such a prodigious talent, but with the family already at odds with Rhodes, Diamante knew he had to snuff him out, and quick.

“Fly!” Diamante shouted, letting go of his red cloak, the fabric fluttering in the wind.

What appeared to be silk threads unraveled from the cloak and intertwined themselves around Rhodes, in reality, they were made of the toughest of steels.

In a blink of an eye, Rhodes was ensnared by the steel threads, which seemed to pulsate with fierce energy, further hardening their grip.

The threads layered themselves around Rhodes, trapping him in a cocoon of steel, like an insect caught in a spider’s web.

“Interesting move,” Rhodes remarked, his eyes alight with excitement. Diamante is truly a veteran of the sea, he had managed to improvise and develop his abilities to this extent, impressing Rhodes.

These threads may seem flimsy, but together, they were a force to be reckoned with. The mere sight of this move would strike fear into the hearts of any mere mortal, ensuring their demise in an instant.

“But alas, your abilities are not yet advanced enough to control these threads from a distance. Also, these metal threads, are conductive.”

Rhodes shook his head in mild disappointment. Suddenly, the faint glow of lightning that had been flickering over his body, roared to life, towering at a height of three meters. The fearsome arcs of electricity flickered wildly, spreading along the threads at an unimaginable speed in the blink of an eye.

Diamante didn’t even have a moment to let go of the threads before he was caught in the current.

At this moment, his Busoshoku Haki was mainly focused on the threads, leaving his body almost defenseless.

Zizz…

The raging lightning, accompanied by the terrifying heat of electricity, gave Diamante a taste of the electric chair.

His hair stood on end, his eyes became white, his head was emitting heat, and his steel clothing was wildly conducting electricity, almost making him an imbecile.

But he was still a formidable strongman. He gritted his teeth and broke the control of the threads despite the intense numbness and pain throughout his body.

Dazzle…

He stumbled backward, almost falling to the ground.

However, fortune favors the strong-bodied pirates in this world, their vitality is truly astounding. Though Diamante’s head had been ringing with electric shock, he still managed to break free, avoiding any threat to his life.

But before he could catch his breath, an alarming sound of breaking air echoed in his ears and an overpowering presence rushed towards him. Diamante had no choice but to brace himself for battle.

Despite his best efforts, he could barely fend off his opponent, forced to fight and retreat at the same time.

The ground shook beneath them as they clashed. Every time swords were drawn, they left deep trenches in their wake.

“This is too much!” someone exclaimed, his voice trembling with awe.

Before this moment, the people of Saboady had only known that the New World was incredibly powerful, a gathering place for the elite, far stronger than the first half of the Grand Line. But now, they were seeing the true extent of its power with their own eyes.

The battle between Rhodes and Diamante was a true display of the might of the New World’s strongest pirates. Their clashes sent shockwaves through the area, like two titanic bulldozers wreaking havoc without a care in the world.

The sight caused many pirates who had planned to venture into the New World to feel a shiver of fear and hesitation.

“Looks like we have what it takes to go to the New World,” said one.

“The old are done for, the future belongs to the young,” said Rayleigh, taking a sip from his flask before hopping off the roof, and strolling away leisurely.

But just as he left, the sounds of battle suddenly came to a halt. From the smoke emerged a figure, flying backward before skidding to a stop on the ground, lying there motionless like a dead dog.

“Do you surrender now?” Rhodes said with a hint of a smirk as he walked out of the dust, his clothes perfectly untouched as if this battle had been nothing more than a casual walk.