Time Travel: Age of Discovery

Chapter 114 The Thoughts Gradually Faded

The right leg had solidified into Armament Haki, like a sharp steel knife, drawing a slightly tilted cross arc in the air.

The once pure and clear Storm Kick slash now carried an inky black aura, colliding with Mihawk's strike, instantly creating the clanging sound of swords clashing. However, Mihawk's attack was neutralized, forcing him to leap to the side in dismay. He gazed up at Thea in the sky, muttering to himself, "This man is even more powerful than before."

Teya landed lightly, the tip of his right foot repeatedly crushing a stubborn rock beneath his feet. The cultivation of Haki within the Six Styles requires far more time than cultivating the Ryuoki form, as Teya's current concentration and control of Haki is limited to a specific area, having only recently expanded to his legs. Previously limited to his arms, the Ryuoki form has now been extended to his legs. While the markings on his body retain their floral patterns and have not spread further, the sense of power within him becomes increasingly clear each time he employs the Ryuoki form. Compared to his Storm Kick: Eclipse, Teya's recent incorporation of Haki into his Storm Kick technique is arguably even greater in speed and destructive power. The former is like a crusher, devouring and shattering everything around it; the latter is more like a slicing machine, the already unstoppable Storm Kick enhanced by the presence of Haki.

Mihawk stared at Thea, his expression remaining calm. After a moment, his surprise returned to his senses. For some reason, Thea always struck him as profound and unfathomable. Though usually reserved and seemingly nonchalant, once engaged in battle, his power seemed boundless, its limits difficult to fathom. He had once believed that after years of arduous training, he would finally have the chance to challenge Thea, but that thought was fading. Perhaps Thea's full potential had yet to be fully revealed.

Gripping the black knife tightly, Mihawk swung it, the blade creating a gust of wind that blew away the dust around him. "It seems you come prepared," Mihawk said, a hint of joking. However, Tia didn't respond, only chuckling twice before charging towards Mihawk, determined to defeat him once and for all.

The wind surged, the clouds surged, and figures crisscrossed. Mihawk remained calm, his eyes closed, his sword raised, as if waiting for the right moment. He sensed every subtle shift in the land, the rustle of the wind as Teya attacked him, and every other sound.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and Mihawk could sense the unusual change in every breath. When he opened his eyes, Thea was already striking. It was at that moment! Mihawk, expressionless, swung his sword downward, the black blade colliding directly with Thea's fist. Instantly, a thunderous black airstream spread out, and the ground beneath their feet collapsed.

"Hah!" Taya roared, forcibly pushing Mihawk several feet away. Mihawk unleashed a burst of force to steady himself, but failed to shake Taya. However, an even greater pressure washed over him. Mihawk took a deep breath, unleashing a burst of power from his blade. At that moment, a violent explosion erupted between fist and blade.

Dust flew up, and a layer of smoke rose from the ground, making it impossible to see the two figures clearly. Robin cried out "Brother" with tears in her eyes, and then the blast of air swept over and blew her down on the bow of the ship.

The smoke gradually cleared, revealing Toya and Mihawk standing at opposite ends, both panting. Toya took a deep breath, then clenched his right fist, only to feel a sharp, stabbing pain in his shoulder. He stared intently at Mihawk in the distance, his left hand gently stroking his shoulder. Where his fingertips touched was a damp, sticky mass. It turned out he was injured.

Teya looked down and saw his left hand stained red with blood. His shoulder was torn, revealing a sharp knife wound. The surrounding fabric gradually stained crimson with the blood oozing from the wound. His right fist bore a mark, but no blood had flowed, perhaps due to the concentration of his domineering energy there. Teya felt the warmth of the mark. Although the wound didn't heal immediately, his accelerated metabolism restored some strength. Fortunately, the wound wasn't deep, and the bleeding soon ceased.

Thea casually pulled off his sleeve to bandage his right shoulder, exposing his arm to hide the mark, and the pattern did not appear. However, Mihawk's situation was not much better than Thea's, and was even more difficult.

Mihawk leaned on the black knife stuck in the ground, barely holding himself up, but his blood was churning, clearly from the impact of the explosion. Unable to bear the pain, he spat out a mouthful of blood, which spilled onto the ground, forming a small, crimson patch.

Mihawk slowly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, catching his breath, and looked back at Thea. Though Thea was injured, it was only a flesh wound. If he hadn't broken free from the shackles he had been holding onto for so long, he wouldn't have been able to injure Thea. However, this battle was clearly his defeat. If Thea used the same moves again, even at the risk of tearing his wounds, he would be the first to fall.

Mihawk knew that he was no longer in a good condition to fight. Although he finally broke through Teya's domineering defense with his swordsmanship, he also realized that perhaps it was because Teya had just put all his strength into his attacking moves that he was able to succeed.

Just now, Thea had indeed made a bold attempt. The explosion had occurred precisely because Thea had unleashed his Haki directly from his fist, triggering the impact. Thea's inability to completely block Mihawk's sword energy was indeed due to a momentary oversight, but even with Thea's all-out defense, he likely wouldn't have been able to avoid leaving a bloody mark.

The duel between masters often decides the outcome in an instant, and the outcome may be known in the next moment.

"You win." Mihawk, though reluctant, spoke with a firm tone, as if victory or defeat was simply an inevitable outcome for him. This battle with Teja had broken through a bottleneck that had long eluded him, and he had gained a lot. Perhaps Teja truly possessed unique strengths...