Chapter 1660 Claire's Fate

On the tower of Marineford, Lucy stood quietly, her long golden hair gently swaying in the night breeze.

In the area where Roger Cheney and Akaza were locked in a frenzied clash, the two were like tireless behemoths, the dull thuds of their punches and kicks resounding like the beating of war drums, the shockwaves radiating outwards in circles.

The battle was incredibly fierce, and it was truly difficult to determine a winner immediately.

As Lucy watched this scene, she frowned almost imperceptibly, a faint hint of disappointment flashing across her eyes.

"Do you expect me to lend him a hand?"

In Lucy's view, Roger Cheney may have been locked in the shadows for too long. When he was given the opportunity to act freely, he was infected by Akaza's pure and crazy fighting desire and was unknowingly drawn into the other's rhythm.

This kind of primal, hand-to-hand combat between men, aside from the venting of violence and the clash of strength, is seen by women as inefficient and lacking in aesthetics.

Her gaze shifted slightly, landing on another part of the battlefield, where Shiryu of the Rain was wreaking havoc among the naval forces like the Grim Reaper.

Each swing of his demonic sword brought forth a crimson light. Weaker naval soldiers were often beheaded with a single blow, while slightly stronger officers could only withstand one or two more strikes before collapsing under the corrosive effects of the poison.

His sinister face was filled with cruel pleasure, clearly showing no intention of going easy on the navy; the navy's reserve of swordsmen was still too short.

She turned her head to look at the female swordsman who had been standing silently beside her.

"Claire," Lucy's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable sense of command.

“Yes, Lady Lucy,” Claire immediately bowed slightly, her voice firm and clear.

"Go and deal with that traitor who uses a sword."

"Yes," Claire replied succinctly and forcefully.

Her slender yet upright figure, like a silver lightning bolt, leaped without hesitation from the top of the high city tower.

Without relying on any ropes or tools, her long legs moved lightly and continuously in the air, as if stepping on invisible stairs, her figure drawing a beautiful and swift arc in the night sky.

In an instant, it covered a distance of several hundred meters and landed steadily on the open ground not far from Shiryu of the Rain.

Shiryu flicked his wrist, drew his sword, and took a half-step back. The demonic blade was pulled from the chest cavity of an unfortunate navy man, leaving a trail of blood.

He scrutinized the unexpected guest who had suddenly appeared before him; she was a woman so beautiful she seemed unreal.

Her short hair was neat and refreshing, her face was as delicate as a doll, and her figure was exquisitely proportioned under the close-fitting armor and battle skirt.

Shiryu's lips curled into a playful smile. "This is truly a rare sight indeed. I've slain countless people, but this is my first time fighting a female swordsman."

As a normal man with aesthetic sense, he had to admit to himself that the female swordsman who had suddenly appeared in front of him was indeed beautiful.

So beautiful it was almost unreal, like a legendary angel untouched by the world.

But the cold fighting spirit in her eyes reminded Shiryu that this was no mere pretty face.

Claire stared blankly at Shiryu with calm eyes, as if looking at an inanimate object. An invisible wave emanated from her.

It was the ability to sense demonic energy, a sophisticated technique she inherited from her adoptive mother.

It's not Observation Haki, but a kind of Haki that focuses more on sensing the flow of an opponent's life energy. Through this perception, she can see a lot of information that is not visible to the naked eye.

At this moment, in her perception, a powerful and cold aura surged within Shiryu's body, and the blood-red demon sword in his hand was entwined with a strong ominous aura, as if countless vengeful spirits were wailing within the blade.

Claire could sense that if she were to be struck by this knife, it would be far more than just being sucked of blood; it would frantically erode her life force through the wound.

She slowly raised her right hand and reached behind her back, grasping the hilt of the greatsword. The coarse cloth covering the sword instantly tore apart.

Revealing the gleaming silver blade beneath, it is a simple-designed yet sharp-looking long-handled greatsword, one of the standard weapons tailor-made for the female greatswords by the Black Order.

"You've followed the wrong person. You'll leave your life behind today," Claire said calmly, but her tone carried a chilling murderous intent.

Shiryu's sneer deepened, his eyes gleaming with bloodlust: "You want me to admit my mistake? Hahaha..."

He laughed wildly twice, flicked his wrist, and the demonic sword Thunderstorm emitted an excited hum, "That depends on whether you have the ability to cut off my head!"

Almost the instant Shiryu uttered his last word, Claire moved.

Her figure seemed to blur for a moment, and in the next instant, she appeared beside Shiryu, the heavy greatsword in her hand as if it were nothing.

Transforming into countless silver afterimages barely perceptible to the naked eye, they enveloped Shiryu from various cunning angles.

High-speed sword!!

It is not a sword aura generated by Devil Fruit power or Haki, but a large number of slashes that are unleashed in a very short time by relying purely on physical strength and ultimate skills.

Through a special method of exerting force, it forms an impenetrable, layered net of death swords, a high-speed slashing storm that cannot be fully captured by the eye.

"what?!"

Shiryu's pupils suddenly contracted. He had killed countless people and seen all kinds of sword styles, but this kind of high-speed slashing technique that pushed speed to such an extreme was the first time he had ever seen it.

"Clang clang clang clang clang—!!!"

A dense barrage of metallic clangs erupted instantly. Shiryu had no time to think; his fighting instincts drove him to frantically wield the demon sword Raiyu.

Pushing his Observation Haki and Armament Haki to their limits, he created an impenetrable blood-red curtain of blades in front of him, desperately blocking the silver sword shadows that came from all directions.

The clash of swords and knives occurred dozens, even hundreds of times in just one or two seconds, with sparks flying everywhere.

When Shiryu first sparred with the female greatsword, he was completely baffled by her strange swordsmanship.

Although he was struggling to maintain his defense, it began to show weaknesses under the relentless pressure of the high-speed sword strikes.

A silver sword flash grazed Shiryu's left cheek, and warm liquid gushed out instantly.

Shiryu felt a coolness on his cheek, followed by a burning pain. It had been a long time since he had been injured in a sword duel.

The pain did not frighten him; instead, it was like hot oil poured on a raging fire, instantly igniting an even more intense and brutal killing intent in his eyes.

Claire's attacks came like a tidal wave, one wave after another, her expression remaining frighteningly calm as she swung her greatsword even faster and more swiftly.

The pressure from the high-speed sword continues to increase!

Watching this scene from the top of the city wall, Lucy saw Claire seemingly suppressing Shiryu of the Rain head-on, and a look of satisfaction finally crossed her face.

Meanwhile, the naval officers and soldiers who had been forced to retreat all stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with unbelievable excitement.

"So...so strong!"

"That female swordsman was actually able to suppress Shiryu?!"

"The Black Order is truly powerful."

Claire, the female greatsword who just made her debut, actually overwhelmed Shiryu of the Rain, who had obtained the Poison-Poison Fruit, with her superb high-speed swordsmanship on the front line.

Women from the Black Order seem to be all strong.