Chapitre 228: Chapter 228: VS Red Count
"Haha! Golden Lion, you're done!" Li Yuan laughed as he unleashed a relentless flurry of attacks.
Golden Lion was covered in multiple sword wounds, his face pale, his energy nearly depleted—continuing would only end in his defeat.
Golden Lion didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the Seven-Star Sword. It was this sword's vampiric ability that had drained him so significantly over five days of battle, leaving him weakened.
At first, Golden Lion had believed that with his Armament Haki, he could hold his ground against Li Yuan's blade. But upon facing it, he quickly realized that even his formidable Haki could not fully counteract the Seven-Star Sword. The sword cut through his defenses, and any impact resulted in blood loss. Without evading the Seven-Star Sword entirely, defeat was inevitable.
"Triple Sword Intent Secret Art: Deity Severing Slash!"
The moment he spotted a small gap in Golden Lion's defenses, Li Yuan unleashed the full force of his combined sword intents. A blinding crimson light flashed, and the power of the strike seemed capable of slaying even deities.
Golden Lion instinctively blocked with both of his swords, but the immense force drove his own blades back into his chest. At the last second, Golden Lion activated his Float-Float Fruit power, using it to soften the blow and pull himself back into the air.
"Ka-haha! Li Yuan, I admit it—you win!" Golden Lion laughed and withdrew from the battlefield, his use of the Fruit power effectively conceding the match.
With the battle between Li Yuan and Golden Lion concluded, the semifinalists of the Swordsmanship Tournament were revealed: Li Yuan, Roger, Ledfield, and Wang Zhi!
The next day, before the eyes of the entire world, the four took to the stage once more for the draw. The matchups were set: Li Yuan would face Ledfield, while Roger would face Wang Zhi.
"Haha, Ledfield! Looks like it's you and me again!" Li Yuan grinned as he stood across from the Red Count.
They had clashed twice before, both times with Li Yuan emerging victorious. This would be their third encounter.
"Li Yuan, this is our third battle, but this time, I'll be the victor!" Ledfield declared confidently.
"Then let's see it!"
"Triple Sword Intent Secret Art: Blood Dragon Void Splitter!"
Laughing, Li Yuan swung his sword, conjuring a thousand-meter-long blood dragon that surged through the air toward Ledfield, swift and fierce like a predator.
At Li Yuan's current level, his mastery of sword intent was such that it manifested physically.
"Bloody Hunt!"
Ledfield countered with a massive, thousand-meter slash, but as it collided with the blood dragon, his strike couldn't cut through. The dragon opened its maw and lunged at Ledfield, who narrowly evaded it in a flash of light.
But just as he escaped the dragon's range, Li Yuan appeared with the Seven-Star Sword, descending upon him. Sensing the incoming attack, Ledfield raised his umbrella sword to block, yet the force of the blow sent him skidding back over a hundred meters.
"This guy's strength and sword intent have both advanced even further," Ledfield thought, his expression grave.
Since his last defeat at Li Yuan's hands, Ledfield had dedicated himself to further honing his body and sharpening his sword intent. Yet, Li Yuan's growth surpassed his own, as though he were a being with no limits.
"Haha, Ledfield, you've certainly improved since two years ago, but I haven't been standing still, either!" Li Yuan laughed, charging forward to seize the advantage.
As Li Yuan attacked, Ledfield steadied himself, braced his umbrella sword against the Seven-Star Sword, and deflected it, countering with a swift strike toward Li Yuan's heart.
Instead of retreating, Li Yuan sidestepped and aimed his blade toward Ledfield's neck. Forced to pull back, Ledfield's umbrella sword kept Li Yuan at bay.
"Explosive Step!"
In an instant, Li Yuan unleashed a burst of power that amplified his speed, allowing him to close the gap between them once more.
"Shadow Step!"
Ledfield responded by accelerating as well. After his prior loss to Li Yuan, he had trained specifically to increase his speed, knowing well the vampiric properties of the Seven-Star Sword. Only by moving fast enough could he avoid Li Yuan's deadly slashes.
"Failed again!"
Ledfield had attempted to use his unique Observation Haki to read Li Yuan's intentions, perhaps even his memories, yet it failed utterly. Li Yuan's mind was like an impenetrable fortress.
"Haha, Ledfield! I knew you wouldn't disappoint me!"
With his blood racing, Li Yuan attacked with greater intensity, his sword maneuvers faster and fiercer. Ledfield met each strike, though his defenses were strained, as Li Yuan's movements were unpredictably cunning and difficult to counter without his mind-reading abilities.
Their duel was so swift that even other master swordsmen struggled to follow. Most spectators could only glimpse the figures of the two as they clashed, unable to see the full breadth of their swordsmanship.
In the meantime, Roger's superior swordsmanship overpowered Wang Zhi after half a day of fighting, securing Roger's victory.
With the arena's attention fixed on Li Yuan and Ledfield's battle, everyone sensed that this duel would decide the top two contenders in the Swordsmanship Tournament!
"So, this is the pinnacle of Grandmaster Swordsmanship... I still have a long way to go," Roberts muttered, eyes fixed on the fierce exchange between Li Yuan and Ledfield.
After his defeat, Li Yuan had told him that his swordsmanship lacked the polish of a true master, that he was still far from reaching the summit. Watching this clash, Roberts realized how true those words had been.
"Master, I'll enter the next World Swordsmanship Tournament—ten years from now, I'll be there," said a resolute Dracule Mihawk at his side.
Following the announcement of the top 16, the Wuji Pirates had confirmed the next tournament's date—ten years from now! And from then on, every ten years, the World Swordsmanship Tournament would be held, a prospect that thrilled swordsmen worldwide.
This gesture earned the Wuji Pirates the admiration of swordsmen across the globe.
"Haha! That's the spirit, Mihawk! You're my best disciple. After you set out, don't linger too long in the Four Seas. Come to the New World to train as soon as you're ready," Roberts encouraged, pleased with Mihawk's ambition.
"Ten years from now, you'll make your mark here. Twenty years from now, you might even stand a chance at the title of world's strongest swordsman."
Satisfied with Mihawk's potential, Roberts believed his disciple had the pure heart of a swordsman—unwavering and driven.
"Roger, do you think you can defeat Li Yuan?" Rayleigh asked his captain, who had returned to his seat. With Roger now set to face Li Yuan, Rayleigh was curious about his chances.
"Can't you tell? With those three fused sword intents, Li Yuan's technique is nearly unbeatable," Roger replied with a sigh.
Roger's strength lay in his mastery of Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, while his swordsmanship alone wasn't quite at Li Yuan's level.
"Well, second place will still net us 8 billion berries. That'll keep our crew well-funded for a long while," Rayleigh shrugged, unfazed.
On the first day of battle, Ledfield managed to match Li Yuan blow for blow.
By the second day, he began to struggle against Li Yuan's growing momentum.
On the third day, Ledfield fell behind, suffering occasional wounds from Li Yuan's strikes.
On the fourth day, he was fully suppressed, finding it increasingly difficult to keep up.
By the fifth day, Li Yuan dictated the pace of the fight.
And by the sixth, Ledfield, much like Golden Lion before him, was fighting from a disadvantaged position, struggling to hold his ground.
Finally, on the seventh day, Ledfield threw in the towel. He knew the outcome wouldn't change if they continued.
He hadn't expected to lose to Li Yuan again. Although neither had used their full strength, he knew even if they had, the result would be the same.
"Haha! Ledfield, I've bested you once again. I'll keep winning against you each time!" Li Yuan laughed triumphantly.
"Don't be so sure. Next time, it might be you who loses!" Ledfield retorted, storming off the stage, unwilling to face further embarrassment.
"The World Swordsmanship Tournament has reached its final round! The championship match between Li Yuan and Roger will take place in three days! Let's look forward to their clash!" the beautiful announcer's voice echoed across the arena.
Excitement filled the air as everyone anticipated the upcoming
final showdown!
In the meantime, Ledfield faced off against Wang Zhi for third place, ultimately securing the victory.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone