SWNOVELXO Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Battle Against Garp
The clash of overwhelming power sent shockwaves rippling outward, generating waves hundreds of meters high that crashed into the surrounding sea.
Even Garp's dog-headed warship was pushed back over a kilometer, while Li Yuan's Hades Underworld was forced to retreat several hundred meters.
"Break it!"
Garp roared, his iron fist shattering the energy blast, but the sheer force still hurled him backward several hundred meters.
"Li Yuan has grown so much stronger!"
The stinging pain coursing through his fist startled Garp.
Their last encounter was three years ago. Back then, Li Yuan's swordsmanship had only barely managed to breach Garp's iron fist defense. But now, Li Yuan's strikes carried a force that left even Garp in pain. The rate of his improvement was terrifying.
"Hahaha! Garp, let's go again!"
"Moon Cleave!"
Li Yuan's laughter rang through the sky as he leapt from the Hades Underworld. His gravity bracelets reduced his weight, making his movements faster and more agile in midair.
Although he had awakened the Vampire Fruit, Li Yuan refrained from revealing this trump card unless absolutely necessary.
Like Rocks D. Xebec, who had hidden his fruit's abilities until the moment of his legendary battle, Li Yuan knew the value of secrecy. Rocks had revealed his powers only to annihilate the Marine Admiral and another top-tier fighter in one fell swoop.
---
With the Seven-Star Sword in hand, blood-red energy surged, enveloping Li Yuan. In a flash of crimson light, he streaked through the sky.
"Tri-Origin Ultimate Technique: Blood Moon Ascension!"
Behind him, a massive, blood-red moon materialized, glowing ominously as it hurtled forward like a celestial hammer.
"Bone Fist: Meteor Smash!"
Garp met the challenge head-on, his blackened fists crackling with lightning-like energy. With a single punch, he collided with the blood moon.
Their clash created a miniature black hole, sucking in surrounding light and energy, dimming the entire battlefield.
Scarlet and black lightning danced across the sky, and the resulting shockwave sent towering waves crashing into the sea below.
Fortunately, the distance to Grimoire Island was great enough that the waves reaching the island were only ten meters high, sparing it from major damage.
"Hahaha! Garp, your fists seem weaker these days!"
Li Yuan's taunting laughter echoed across the battlefield.
"Hmph, your sword is duller than ever!" Garp retorted, gritting his teeth as he pushed back against the onslaught.
"Then let's see how dull it really is!"
"Life Return: Limb Strengthening!"
With a sharp command, Li Yuan activated Life Return, channeling energy into his arms and further enhancing his physical power. The resulting boost shattered the stalemate, and with a mighty swing, he sent Garp flying hundreds of meters.
"Hahaha! Garp, I heard you spent years chasing Roger's crew. Yet I defeated Roger last year. Your strength no longer lives up to the legend of the man who once pursued the Pirate King!"
---
Garp steadied himself mid-air, his face a mask of disdain.
"You're young and arrogant. Let me knock that pride out of you."
But inwardly, Garp was reeling.
Three years ago, Li Yuan's Haki and physical strength were inferior to his own. Li Yuan had barely held his ground by leveraging his dual sword intent. Back then, Garp had been confident he could overpower Li Yuan in a prolonged fight.
But now, Li Yuan's Conqueror's Haki had reached its peak, his physical strength rivaled Garp's own, and his swordsmanship had advanced to incorporate a third sword intent.
If not for Garp's own improvements over the past three years, he feared he might already have been outmatched.
As he observed Li Yuan's growth, Garp couldn't shake the eerie feeling that this man could surpass even Rocks D. Xebec, the legendary pirate whose power had once terrified the world.
"Let's see if that big mouth of yours can back up your claims!"
---
The battlefield turned feral as Garp entered his infamous mad dog mode, his muscles swelling and his aura becoming even more chaotic and overwhelming.
Li Yuan's Seven-Star Sword gleamed as he charged forward, the blood-red blade descending with terrifying force.
"Come! Fight me!"
Garp roared, swinging his fists wildly. He ignored the pain as his fists collided with the razor-sharp blade, even throwing a punch toward Li Yuan's head.
Li Yuan didn't flinch, redirecting his sword toward Garp's face.
In their insanity, both combatants aimed to trade devastating blows rather than dodge.
---
Garp's iron fist smashed into Li Yuan's skull, bypassing his Armament Haki and causing a painful concussion. Blood trickled from his nose and ears.
But Li Yuan's body, bolstered by Life Return, Sword God Tempering, and the Vampire Fruit, began healing almost immediately. As long as he wasn't killed outright, he could recover rapidly.
At the same time, the Seven-Star Sword slashed across Garp's face, breaking through his Armament Haki and carving a deep gash across his cheek. The blade absorbed some of Garp's blood as it sliced into his flesh, leaving a gruesome wound.
---
Both men were sent flying backward.
"Hahaha! That was exhilarating! Let's go again!"
Li Yuan roared with laughter, his bloodied face alight with excitement as he charged forward once more.
"Fine! I'll beat you to death if that's what it takes!"
Garp bellowed, ignoring his injuries as he flew back into the fray.
Their aerial duel was a blur of movement, their forms almost impossible to follow. The only visible sign of their clashes was the massive shockwaves that erupted with each exchange, sending waves surging across the ocean.
---
As the battle raged on, the surrounding area became a chaotic maelstrom of destruction. The sky darkened, the sea churned violently, and the air crackled with energy.
Both men were consumed by their desire to prove their strength, each determined to outlast the other.
The world watched in awe as Li Yuan, the rising star of the New World, clashed with Garp, the Navy's unyielding hero.
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