Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

Instead, it can launch a burst of energy to pursue Sett according to his own will!

193. Head-on collision

The white afterimage vanished in a flash, but immediately afterward, Shanks felt a powerful impact on his side. It felt like a fierce and forceful whip kick.

But what Shanks couldn't understand was this: a thrusting motion, given the human physique, shouldn't offer any opportunity to generate power through a whipping kick—why was that?!

His eyes were filled with confusion, but this was Shanks' final expression. Because immediately afterward, the golden light in Sett's eyes intensified to its maximum. His own eyes were completely engulfed by the golden light.

"here we go."

Seeing this, Hawkeye shook his head. While Beckman and the others were still confused about what Hawkeye meant by "beginning," the next moment, in their sight, Sett's Armament Haki exploded. His right arm, which had just completed the thrust, retracted instantly. When Shanks opened his eyes again, the world before him was almost entirely filled with golden fist shadows.

Are you kidding me?! That's some punching speed!

Clenching his teeth, Shanks felt the immense pressure bearing down on him and had to take a deep breath. He then held the Griffin horizontally in front of him, not with the blade pointing towards Sett. Sett's sudden burst of attacks was simply too frequent. Unable to react in time, Shanks could only hold the blade horizontally to maximize the area he could cover.

But this seemed to have no effect. The instant Sett completed his breathless combo, crimson steam rose from his body. His pounding heart pounded like a war drum, his high-altitude blood rushing like it was entering a high-speed lane. His heart and muscles contracted violently, the high-temperature blood feeling like boiling magma.

Boom boom boom boom boom!!!

Shanks constantly shifted the angle of his Griffin, trying to block as many of Sett's attacks as possible. But even so, under the overwhelming onslaught, Shanks' body still inevitably suffered several consecutive blows. But more than these blows, what Shanks found most incomprehensible was that with each third attack, Sett's attack would extend into an invisible white aura.

This energy can come from any angle; it can be a jab, a hook, or a whip kick. This kind of attack, which can be released without relying on the body, makes it impossible for Shanks to predict or participate in the defense.

Realizing this, and sensing that Sett's attack frequency not only did not decrease at all with the continuous blows, but was even continuously strengthened as his meridians were activated... Shanks' gaze tightened. Although somewhat astonishing, Shanks was not the kind of person who liked to hand over the initiative!

A flash of cold light appeared, followed by a brief moment in Sett's relentless, breathless barrage of attacks, a moment as fleeting as a break in a storm.

It was as if jet-black lightning had solidified on Shanks' blade. Then—"God Sky!!!"

With a single swing, seemingly no different from his previous movements, Shanks's wounds caused his veins to bulge, making the longsword in his hand feel as if it weighed a thousand pounds. Sett could even hear the roar emanating from Shanks's bones as he swung it!

Immediately following this, Sett's long-dormant Observation Haki roared. A strong sense of crisis crept into Sett's heart—most of the time, Sett relied on his beast-like senses to fight. That superhuman perception allowed Sett to evade enemy attacks by sensing killing intent. Therefore, unless facing a powerful foe, his Observation Haki was often in a standby state.

Now, with Shanks's strangely fierce strike, a sudden surge of danger nearly engulfed Sett's consciousness. In fact, Sett didn't even have time to react. The blade swung, and an invisible shockwave struck Sett's body squarely. For a moment, Sett could even clearly hear the groans of his own bones!

The heavy blow left a gaping wound in Sett's abdomen. It was a bloody mess, blood gushing out. Through the wound, Sett's writhing internal organs could even be seen.

Since arriving in this world, Sett has suffered very few serious injuries. The most profound one was his battle with Fujitora before he mastered Haki... But now, having mastered Haki, the strength of his bones, flesh, and organs has risen to a new level. He has once again been subjected to such an impact, not just in terms of physical wounds, but also in the profound shock he has experienced within his heart.

"Hmph... Haha!"

Just as Shanks was still catching his breath from the heavy blow, nearby, accompanied by a soft groan, there seemed to be a faint laugh from Sett.

Looking in the direction of the sound, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and the massive wound in his abdomen revealed severely impacted and bruised internal organs writhing inside. Sett, who had been half-crouching on the ground, stood up with a morbid excitement in his eyes: "No wonder I've been chasing this guy for so long!!"

"...You must be joking."

Looking at Sett in front of him, Shanks couldn't help but narrow his eyes—you have to know that this strike was also a huge drain on Shanks himself.

For Shanks now, wielding Conqueror's Haki is still too difficult to do casually. And that last strike wasn't just a simple swing… On the Pirate King's ship, Shanks has never slacked off in his training despite the strength of his crew. And the so-called "Divine Evasion" is essentially a replica of Gol D. Roger's "Divine Evasion" technique… or perhaps, a unique slash developed by Shanks based on Divine Evasion!

"it's useless."

Seeing this, Hawkeye shook his head. Hearing Hawkeye's words, Ben Beckman and the others also looked on with puzzled expressions.

Seeing this, Hawkeye didn't hide anything—news travels very fast across the ocean. Given what had happened, it wouldn't be long before the entire ocean knew. So, Hawkeye simply said, "Sett's constitution is very special."

"Huh?" Do you even need to tell me?

Beckman and the others thought to themselves—anyone with eyes could see that Sett's physique was getting stronger at an absurd rate.

Shaking his head, Hawkeye added, "It's not about the speed of getting stronger... Sett's body activates the nerves that control 'excitement' after he feels pain... In short, as long as Sett isn't effectively killed, the pain will be converted into excitement by Sett in equal amounts."

"?!!!"

Upon hearing this, Beckman and the others turned to Shanks, their eyes filled with a hint of sorrow. Shanks, however, belatedly turned his gaze to Sett.

His body was flushed with a sickly redness, and his muscles bulged one after another. His once smooth forehead was now covered with bulging blue veins.

From those eyes burning with heroic ambition, Shanks could clearly sense Sett's almost ferocious will—a rare vestige of reason enveloped by excitement and frenzied fighting spirit.

"Hahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahahaha!!!!"

The violent impact caused blood to gush from Sett's mouth. But even in this state, Sett's smile didn't fade in the slightest. Bloodlust and slaughter!

The greater the damage received, the higher the individual's attack power. Upon active activation, Sett's abdominal wound visibly writhed, and tiny granulations of flesh sprouted from the cut surface. These granulations connected before anyone's eyes, then instantly healed within seconds!

The wound healed, but the process of healing also consumed physical energy. As the body stored up nutrients, energy levels decreased, causing the already bulging muscles to swell further. The thick skin felt taut, giving the impression of having grown enormously!

"What the hell are you?!"

Looking at Sett, who was not only unharmed after being attacked but also seemed even more ferocious and violent, even Shanks felt a headache coming on.

Shanks is aware that many people in the Grand Line possess unique physical attributes. Charlotte Linlin, now known as the "Empress of the Sea," possesses the special attribute of being a steel balloon, whose bottomless appetite represents terrifying strength. At only five years old, Charlotte Linlin was able to fight adult giants hand-to-hand. Her incredible strength and appetite are terrifying, and she has now become a dominant force in the New World, revered as the Empress of the Sea.

Then there's the seemingly unkillable Kaido, and the Vinsmoke family cyborgs whom Sett once encountered, born through genetic enhancement. Although they appear to be completely overwhelmed by Sett, each of them possesses strength far beyond that of ordinary humans. Their tough skin can even withstand bullets, not to mention their immense strength, lightning, fire, invisibility, poison, and many other special abilities.

Even under these circumstances, in Shanks' understanding, there is no one who can match Sett's physique.

He possesses strength growth comparable to or even surpassing that of the Iron Balloon, an insatiable appetite, and superhuman regeneration. Furthermore, he's virtually immune to pain… he can feel it, but pain triggers an equal amount of excitement. This ultimate masochistic talent, if placed on anyone else, would undoubtedly create an unparalleled psychopath. But on Sett… well, he is indeed a psychopath. But not a psychopathic one with a sexual fetish; rather, a demon with an inhuman thirst for battle!

My calves feel tight.

As the muscles contracted, the blood in the extremities continued to circulate rapidly. A moment later, accompanied by a mouthful of saliva, Sett spat out the unusually bright red clotted blood.

"Damn it..." Shanks said with a sigh.

Because he could clearly feel that, with the expulsion of the last drop of blood, Sett's internal injuries had essentially healed. This terrifying recovery speed... not only the impact slash left by the Divine Void in his abdomen, but even the slash marks on his finger bones had been completely restored!

However, in this brief opening, thanks to his powerful physique, Shanks' previously tense arm relaxed—he had no choice but to swing his sword during the opening, which is why it only hit Sett's abdomen.

Now, Shanks is certain that Sett's incredibly fast-paced combo that allows him to stop breathing cannot be sustained... This can be seen from Sett's breathing rhythm.

A quick recollection reveals that Sett needed to store sufficient breath in his lungs the instant he unleashed his breathless combo. And the intense golden light emanating from Sett at the moment he cut off his breath was also a key focus for Shanks… Although he didn't know exactly what it was, there was no doubt that without that depleted golden energy, even with the ability to perform a breathless combo, Sett's attack density wouldn't have been as suffocating as it had just been…

Even so, Shanks didn't let his guard down for a moment. He could clearly sense a faint golden light emanating from Sett's body… At first glance, it resembled Sett's unique Armament Haki form. However, upon closer inspection, he could tell that the aura was completely different from Armament Haki. Although he couldn't understand it, Shanks was certain that this greatly enhanced Sett's ability to sustain a prolonged fight.

In other words, Shanks couldn't understand that if Sett were a gamer from his previous life, he would definitely have a new buff in his current status bar – "Conqueror"!

He lowered his center of gravity once more. It wasn't a shave, nor a brutal one. Sett's calves tensed abruptly, the bulging muscles resembling the heart of a bull. His originally fitted trousers were compressed, making them look more like a workout leotard. Strings of fibers were clearly visible along the trousers' outline. Like an activated engine, a heavy pressure surged around Sett the instant he moved.

In an instant, an airburst resounded, and the surrounding land seemed to have been struck by a terrifying impact. Like dominoes being triggered, houses collapsed and were destroyed. In a daze, a storm of disaster rose from the ground. It swept through like a catastrophe, leaving devastation in its wake.

He tried to dodge, but the instant Shanks moved, a burst of energy forcefully seized his body. His feet felt as if they were sinking into mud, incredibly heavy. Sensing this energy, Shanks instantly realized it was that punch from before—the one that had split and evaporated the sea!

Damn it! There's no way to avoid it now!!

Last time, Shanks could use Conqueror's Haki to shock Sett's consciousness, thus deviating from Sett's trajectory of capturing and bombarding his aura. But now, Shanks can clearly sense that Sett is not someone whose level of Conqueror's Haki can shake him—at least, it would require top-tier Conqueror's Haki like Whitebeard's or Captain Roger's!

But Shanks isn't someone who only thinks about avoiding things; he's made it this far. If he can't dodge, then he'll face it head-on!

The renowned sword Griffin in his hand turned jet black, and then, Conqueror's Haki coalesced into even more violent lightning that swirled around the blade—Divine Evasion!!!

The blade flashed, the iron fist slammed out—a deliberate, powerful punch!

194. Natural Disasters Pass Through

Running swiftly, galloping at full speed.

In the past, even with Sett's physical strength, he could only stand still when unleashing the Deliberate Blast, given its terrifying power. To ensure that the enemy would not dodge, Sett even had to develop a technique of using Skull Crack to lock onto the opponent's aura while using the Deliberate Blast.

However, now, with the enhancement of his physique, Sett's physical strength has reached a new level. Especially after undergoing the full-body skeletal strengthening using the Bone Fracture Technique, Sett's only weakness—his skeletal issues—has been greatly alleviated. At least now, with the added benefit of Armament Haki, his bones are strong enough to withstand the load of a deliberate punch…

Through constant training, Sett was even able to coat his bones with a layer of jet-black, hard Armament Haki.

It was precisely because of this immense physical prowess that Sett was finally able to unleash a deliberate, powerful punch while on the move. His eyes were filled with rage, and golden lightning, born of his unbridled power, coiled around him. In contrast, Shanks, wielding his black sword, was enveloped in black lightning formed from Conqueror's Haki. Wherever he passed, an immense pressure spread through the air—a divine evasion, an attack that even a god would have to dodge with difficulty. For Shanks in his current state, even if he could use it, the resulting strain was staggering.

In other words, the Griffin in Shanks' hands is a high-quality sword. If it were any other fine sword with a rusty blade, it would probably shatter into pieces the moment it was subjected to this terrifying pressure.

This is no joke—it will take Hawkeye some time to refine his black blade using Armament Haki. And while Shanks's swordsmanship is currently on par with Hawkeye's, his achievements in swordsmanship might actually be inferior.

The power of a technique and the mystery of its realm are two completely different things.

"Those two guys... really."

Having fought before, Hawkeye could sense the terrifying power in their moves. Seeing this, he stopped pretending to be a master and dodged, casually waving to Beckman beside him.

They were old acquaintances. After seeing Hawkeye's actions, Beckman nodded and said to Yasopp and the others, "Tell the residents around to stay away. These two guys look like they're really going to use their skills!"

"I'll go evacuate them!!" Upon hearing this, Lucky Roux swallowed a large bone and meat in one gulp, then ran off like a ball to keep the onlookers away—although they were pirates, the Red-Haired Pirates were more like pure idealists. In a peaceful era, they might have been a group of musicians or entrepreneurs with dreams. But under the oppressive World Government, it seemed that only the path of piracy remained for them.

The next moment, the black knife and the white fist collided.

To be precise, Sett's fist was focused on the swirling Conqueror's Haki slash.

First came a brief stillness, as if space and time had frozen in that instant. Then, under the highly concentrated power, the clouds in the sky reversed and contracted, followed by—BOOM!!!

The incandescent fist of boundless power shattered the air. The high-pressure light and the spreading gusts of wind engulfed the houses in its wake. The solid floor tiles rose into the air like a tsunami and scattered in all directions. Blood surged from his bulging muscles, and in the instant lightning crackled around them, the pitch-black Griffin, with his divine evasion, slashed through the air.

The surge of power unleashed at the moment of the deliberate punch would form a protective aura. As the strongest strike, the pitch-black Divine Evasion forcefully resisted the impact of the deliberate punch, splitting the incandescent beam of light into dozens of beams. Like sunlight refracting through a triangular prism, it refracted into numerous branches.

Throughout this, Sett's gaze remained unwavering, his teeth clenched, a狰狞 smile tearing at the corners of his mouth. A black longsword cleaved through space, centered on the two of them, like a missile exploding, leaving the surrounding area in ruins after the initial impact. But what followed told everyone that what had just happened was merely an appetizer before the main course.

The next moment, the violent power transformed into a towering storm, sending debris flying into the sky, creating the sensation of a vacuum being forcefully created by the clash. But immediately afterward, the shattered rubble was annihilated into fine dust by the omnipresent high pressure in the air. Then, from a great distance, a sharp and piercing roar still reverberated. Even a powerful figure like Beckman couldn't help but cover his ears upon feeling the intense impact. Those without resistance, those who hadn't managed to escape Sett and Shanks's fighting range in time, were instantly knocked unconscious, dark red blood trickling from their ears.

boom!!!!

In the clash between Divine Evasion and Deliberate Blast, Deliberate Blast ultimately prevailed—Sett was simply too excited at the moment, and the Deliberate Blast's power was directly proportional to the user's excitement; the more excited the user was, the more damage they would receive, and the greater the power it would generate.

Having just endured the devastating blow from God's Void, and now feeling the sharpness of God's Evasion, Sett was in a state of morbid frenzy, both physically and mentally. Add to that the Conqueror's Blade stacked to its maximum, the more damage he took, the more his muscle fibers were strengthened, fueling his bloodlust, and the sheer, brutal attack boost provided by Ragnarok.

Beneath the incandescent beam of light, the second impact arrived.

It wasn't just Hawkeye; at the peak of his power, Sett's arm was also visibly being torn apart by the violent force. Layer after layer, muscle fibers burst through his skin. The bulging blood vessels resembled thick ropes, twisting and violently contorting. His already strained bones were crushed by his own muscles in that instant.

After a brief moment of divine intervention, the deliberate, powerful punch, reaching its critical point, completely engulfed the incredibly fierce strike. The surging torrent of heroic intent, like a river bursting its banks, and the violent power, like a natural disaster, swallowed everything in its path. Scorching heat and ferocity washed over the once-magnificent streets, turning the surface rocks into murky glass. Even the giant trees of Island 46 were directly impacted. The massive trees trembled violently, then the side directly facing the impact began to incinerate at a visible rate. The subsequent shockwave tore the trees in half. As the impact continued to spread, nearly one-fifth of the island, composed of giant mangroves, was eventually flattened from the sea surface in a fan shape!

The azure seawater instantly evaporated, accompanied by rapidly appearing high-pressure steam, causing violent fluctuations in the local climate. The bubbles, a specialty of Chambord that could normally last a long time, shattered and burst due to the climate change.

Within this scene, Shanks' body resembled a small boat in a storm. His teeth were clenched, and a sharp, piercing pain shot through his hand gripping Griffin. Surging power, like waves crashing against rocks, relentlessly assaulted Shanks's bones and muscles—even with some expectation of Sett's power, the power Sett was unleashing, or rather, the speed of his growth, had far exceeded the limits Shanks could even imagine.

What was initially thought to be a simple sparring match quickly turned into a spectacle as Beckman and the others witnessed the change in the weather. Moonwalk's voice rang out repeatedly, and one after another, they raced after Shanks's flying figure.

Wanting to pursue, but just as Sett was about to move, he felt a sharp pain. It wasn't just his arm; during the rapid movement of unleashing a deliberate punch, although Sett felt no pain during the fight—in fact, the more pain he felt, the more excited he became—the brief exhaustion after the punch brought Sett back to his senses slightly.

The excessive swelling and congestion did indeed allow Sett to unleash nearly 200% of his terrifying power, but afterward, the severe cost meant that even a monstrous physique like Sett could only feel the soreness of muscle fatigue. His right arm, which was swinging a punch, and his legs, which bore the weight of his torso, were twitching uncontrollably, let alone continuing the pursuit. Even the simple act of standing up was causing him constant convulsions.

The robust muscles and well-developed fascia have almost lost all their resilience. The loose, flabby structure is utterly incapable of providing the kinetic energy needed for blood to return to its source.

Sett squatted on the ground for a long time, breathing heavily. His muscular physique was covered with a thin layer of sweat, and from a distance, Sett looked as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

This feeling of exhaustion was unpleasant; Sett even wished Hawkeye would just stab him in the head. At least that way he could instantly revive at full health using the "Overlord" trait—having fought to this point, Sett could now disregard the limitations of the ring.