Black technology elixir?”

Rhodes narrowed his eyes as he gazed upon the scene before him.

In this world, the medical profession, like technology trees, is incredibly advanced and capable of developing various drugs and potions. On the other hand, the weaker are still stuck in medieval times, relying on bleeding and cutting to heal.

But just as Nightblade took out the medicinal potion, Rhodes had already expelled the remaining toxins from his body.

He clenched his fist, feeling the surge of power, and a hint of a thrilling smile appeared on his face.

He slowly grasped the hilt of his sword, and the thunderous power flowed silently, his body still yet, giving off an extremely dangerous feeling like a tiger storing its strength.

“He recovered so quickly?”

Upon seeing this, Nightblade was quick to retreat, without hesitation, he clapped his hands at his side in the empty air.

And in that very moment, Rhodes struck with his sword.

Thunder Sword Technique!

Silent and stealthy.

A flash of thunder sword energy broke through the sound barrier, bringing with it a beautiful burst of sound, a lightning bolt piercing through the sky.

In a mere instant, spanning tens of meters, it struck close to Nightblade.

Buzz!

At that same moment, it was as if something invisible had been triggered.

The front of the thunder sword energy suddenly exploded with a remarkable burst, as if dozens of bombs exploded at once, the thunderous sound lingering in the air.

In the blazing firelight, the thunder sword energy swept and crushed, but inevitably slowed down due to the impact of the explosion.

Whoosh!

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Nightblade quickly dodged the sword energy and immediately turned to flee without hesitation.

He was a killer, a master of assassination, facing off against a seasoned swordsman in a direct confrontation. Only a reckless soul would dare to attempt such a feat.

Yet, even with his small movement, he was coughing up blood, his chest wound tearing open.

“Did he set up a retreat route in advance?”

Rhodes narrowed his eyes, a glint of suspicion flashing across them.

Based on Koala’s intelligence report and Nightblade’s combat prowess, this individual was most likely a user of the Paramecia Devil Fruit ability “Trap Trap”.

Hunters set traps to ensnare their prey.

The Trap-Trap Fruit is a physical manifestation of this concept, involving space manipulation and allowing its user to place traps in the void, making them all but impossible to detect.

This is a deadly ability, ideal for an assassin, enabling him to lay traps and ambushes in advance, and create escape routes for himself.

But, this power has its flaws. It takes a great deal of time to plan and execute the perfect trap, and the user requires specific materials such as explosives or poisonous substances.

Moon Step!

Rhodes pondered for a moment before suddenly leaping into the air.

From mid-air, he pursued Nightblade and unleashed waves of thunderous power.

Crackle!

The Heavenly Thunder triggered one hidden trap after another, causing explosions of dazzling light and colorful poisonous mist. Rhodes smirked, and Nightblade’s face turned green.

He hadn’t set any traps in midair!

Boom!

Rhodes was bathed in lightning, like a thunder god from myth, unleashing deep blue lightning bolts with astonishing energy fluctuations that tore through the air.

Traps are ultimately limited in number, and Nightblade, who was gradually losing cover, was struck repeatedly, making his scalp numb, his body blackened, and his injuries worsening.

Finally, he collapsed onto the ground, completely out of breath. With great difficulty, he lifted his head to gaze at Rhodes, and said with a mixture of frustration and exhaustion, “You win.”

Rhodes remained calm and composed, showing no signs of speaking or relinquishing his advantage. He folded his hands together, gradually building up a terrifying Thunderball shimmering with silver-white light.

The electric current was staggering, and the horrific arcs of electricity wreaked havoc in all directions. Even a mere glance at it made ordinary people feel as though they were being electrocuted.

Whoosh!

In the next moment, the Thunderball pierced through the air, crossing the vast expanse and slamming into Nightblade.

Boom!

It was like a miniature sun exploding.

An astonishing amount of light and heat was released, melting everything at its center into a glimmering, glass-like substance. At the same time, an infinite amount of electric current spread out, leaving the earth charred black.

“Is… is it over?” The people in the distance dared to peek out, their faces filled with fear and anxiety.

Although the battle between Rhodes and Nightblade was not as grandiose as the one against the black dragon, it was still heart-pounding. Especially the poisonous mist that silently claimed lives, that was the most terrifying part.

Vivi and Snowy also popped their heads out from not far away. Rhodes and Nightblade’s chase had almost reached the barbecue courtyard.

“Sister Vivi, did brother Rhodes win?” Snowy asked in a low voice.

“I’m not sure,” Vivi replied, unsure of her own answer. She was weak, and she couldn’t quite comprehend the level of this battle.

Snowy raised her bright eyes at the words, her little tongue licking her lips as she exclaimed, “So, does this mean we can eat dragon meat now?”

“Eh…”

ViVv was taken aback, only now realizing what had happened.

Dragon Slayer!

Rhodes had just slain a black dragon that had been rampaging through the harbor!

The shock gave way to intense excitement.

Baroque Works was a behemoth, and Crocodile made it home to the ferocious and ruthless pirate. Vivi had been worried that Rhodes would be outnumbered and outmatched.

But at this moment, that fear dissipated like smoke.

If he could take down a black dragon, nothing could stand in his way. Not even a sand crocodile.

In the center of the arena, Rhodes landed and scanned his surroundings, with a hint of confusion and uncertainty crossing his face.

“Try this.”

With a blue light emanating from his body, he gathered lightning energy into threads that spread out in ripples, accompanied by his Color of Observation Haki.

After carefully perceiving his surroundings for a while, Rhodes smiled slightly, and then he threw a punch from a distance.

A fist made of lightning shot out and hit an empty space three meters in front of him.

Boom!

The thunderous punch exploded, and electric arcs scattered all around.

In the blazing light, the silhouette of a strange substance appeared.

“You’re not dead after all?”

Rhodes chuckled and approached, taking measured steps until he was close enough to reach out with his hand, wreathed in a coating of armament Haki. He extended his hand and made a gentle grasp.

Armament Haki was not only useful against Logia users but also against the strange abilities of certain Paramecia users.

A cracking sound echoed through the air as his hand seized something solid, but it was as if there was an invisible barrier blocking his grasp, making it sound like a mosquito’s whine.

Rhodes snorted coldly and pulled hard.

A loud buzzing sound filled the air as ripples coursed through the void, and suddenly, a figure was forcefully yanked out by Rhodes.

It was Nightblade!

Nightblade was in terrible condition, breathing shallowly and covered in black scorch marks that emitted the smell of cooked flesh. Clearly, even though he had used his ability to conceal himself, he had suffered numerous injuries and was now on the brink of death.

After seeing the light of day again, Nightblade’s eyes suddenly changed. But before he could even think of his next move, Rhodes kicked him in the chest, instantly causing his heart to burst and killing him on the spot.

Nightblade stared wide-eyed, grabbing onto Rhodes’ pants with a look of disbelief. He tried to speak but only coughed up blood.

Rhodes took a step back and stood silently watching the downfall of this renowned assassin.

Nightblade was no weakling. If he had not been so severely weakened by Rhodes’ initial strike, this fight would not have ended so quickly. But strategy and planning were always a part of warfare, and Nightblade had underestimated Rhodes.

With Nightblade’s defeat, the major event of the Black Dragon’s attack on the port finally came to a close.

Reporters on the scene were exhilarated, scribbling furiously and taking several stunning photos to detail the fight’s proceedings. This captivating event was sure to gain the attention of newspaper editors, and after an all-night printing, it was dispatched by newsbirds to every corner of the world.

In just one night, the name “Dragon Slayer” spread like wildfire across the globe.