Chapter 40

The clash of steel echoed as Hansa's blade met Loya's Ice Dragon's Broken Teeth. Hansa's eyes widened in shock as his slash was shattered, the air filling with countless sharp fragments of sword energy that scarred the ground.

Before he could process what happened, a terrifying force surged through his blade. Hansa felt his chest tighten, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth.

"Such... monstrous power," he gasped.

Using Shave technique, Hansa retreated quickly. He swung his sword in a wide arc, condensing his energy into a blade-like force that lashed out towards Loya.

Crack!

Loya smashed the energy blade with a backhand punch, blue energy swirling around his fist. He raised his hand to his mouth, casually blowing off ice shards.

"Your strength is impressive," Loya admitted. "Your power, speed, swordsmanship, and pride are all top-notch. But unfortunately, that's all you've got."

He glanced at Tony and the others in the audience, a smirk playing on his lips. "Did you really think you've seen the full extent of my power?"

The onlookers bit their lips, glaring at Loya stubbornly. They were desperately seeking some form of psychological comfort, but deep down, they knew the truth.

Although the battle had lasted only a few brief exchanges, the overwhelming gap in strength had already taken root in their hearts. Hansa was formidable, no doubt, but Loya was on another level entirely.

Zephyr watched silently, a mix of awe and concern in his eyes. He'd known both fighters for years, but he'd never seen such a disparity between them. It was clear now - Loya had been holding back all this time.

"Show us what you're really capable of, Loya," Zephyr muttered under his breath. "And Hansa... don't give up. Not yet."

The tension in the arena was palpable as the two fighters faced off once more. This battle was far from over, but it was clear that Loya had only begun to reveal his true strength.

"When you face me, don't let your eyes wander," Hansa said, his voice devoid of emotion. His pale face and empty eyes sent a chill through the onlookers.

"Fine, let's play it your way," Loya replied with a smile, lunging forward to engage Hansa.

From the stands, Zephyr shook his head regretfully. Hansa was a pure swordsman, driven by an unquenchable thirst to challenge the strong. He didn't care about fame, prestige, or rank - he simply wanted to become stronger.

This made Hansa's grip on his sword tighter than most. But fate was cruel; his body was weak, and every time he pushed his physical limits, he danced on the edge of death. Against a physical monster like Loya, he was at a severe disadvantage.

"Loya is much better than Hansa," Sakazuki commented, puffing on a cigar. "If this continues, Hansa will lose soon."

Borsalino beside him nodded. "True... However, Hansa has long been prepared to die. When a person no longer fears death, the power they can unleash is terrifying. It's too early to call this fight."

In just a few breaths, Loya and Hansa had exchanged hundreds of blows. Loya didn't rely on magic to keep his distance - he respected Hansa's choice as a pure swordsman.

"But... it's over!" Loya thought.

As the fight dragged on, the physical differences between them became more apparent. Hansa's counterattacks grew weaker with each exchange.

Loya didn't give Hansa a moment to catch his breath, constantly moving, dodging the blade while launching a storm of attacks. There was a difference in speed, but Hansa couldn't shake him off.

After another clash, Loya suddenly changed tactics. He retracted his claws into fists, deflecting Hansa's sword. But the move cost him - Hansa's blade cut into his shoulder, drawing blood.

The ice armor on Loya's shoulder cracked, pieces falling to the ground.

"As expected, I can't completely stop a swordsman's slash," Loya mused, unsurprised. A swordsman who truly understood the art of the blade could cut through iron. His ice armor was barely harder than that, and Hansa was far from an ordinary swordsman.

Still, the injury made sense. Facing Hansa with an open stance, blue energy wrapped around Loya's fist. The cold air froze the water vapor around him, making it look like he was shrouded in frost.

The tension in the arena peaked. Despite Hansa's determination, it was clear Loya still had plenty in reserve. The true test was about to begin.

"Ice Dragon's Iron Fist!"

BOOM!

The dull crash echoed through the arena. Caught off guard, Hansa coughed up a mouthful of blood-red ice crystals as he was sent flying.

CRASH!

The arena walls crumbled, debris flying high before raining down.

"Is it over?" The spectators peered through the dust, not entirely surprised. Loya's strength was legendary, his reputation well-known among high-ranking Navy officers.

But Zephyr's voice cut through the silence. "It's not over yet."

As if on cue, several blade-shaped energy attacks shot out from the smoke, scattering the dust as they hurtled towards Loya. The trajectory showed Hansa had anticipated Loya's potential dodges.

Loya grinned. "Trying to outmaneuver me? You should know better, Hansa!"

He slammed his hands together. "Ice Make: Tyrant Halberd!"

With a crackling of ice, a massive halberd, tens of meters long, materialized beside Loya. Even at his impressive height of two meters, Loya looked tiny next to the colossal weapon.

Gripping the halberd's tail, Loya swung it like a pillar of the sky, smashing through Hansa's energy attacks effortlessly. The ground shook as the halberd struck, shattering windows in the nearby fortress.

Zephyr held his head, hearing the chaos from the fortress. "Couldn't he use a less destructive move?"

Borsalino whispered, "Teacher, Loya's ice bombs are even worse. We should focus on damage control."

Zephyr glared at him. "Get out of here!"

Back in the arena, Loya didn't wait to see the results. He immediately pulled back the halberd and swept it out again. For most people, even lieutenant generals, wielding such a massive ice weapon would be nearly impossible. But Loya handled it with terrifying speed and precision.

The fight was far from over. Despite the overwhelming display of power, Hansa had survived the initial onslaught. The true test of their skills and determination was about to begin.

The key difference between Loya and others was his raw strength. In just a month, his energy level had increased by one, but his dragon's body had reached 29% - just 1% shy of entering the third stage!

During the elite assessment, the power boost from 19% dragon's body had put Loya on par with the silverback great ape. Now, at 29%, his strength was already formidable.

With his enhanced power, Loya wielded the massive ice halberd as if it were weightless, swinging it with thunderous force.

Hansa, realizing the danger, abandoned his attack and leapt skyward. A direct hit from that halberd could shatter bones - or worse.

But Loya wasn't finished. He held the halberd with his left hand and aimed his right palm at the airborne Hansa.

"Ice Make: Ice Bomb! Burst!"

A diamond-shaped ice bomb shot towards Hansa, cutting off his escape routes.

"You bastard!" Zephyr roared from the sidelines.

Hansa's eyes narrowed. His sword flashed.

"One Sword Flow: Breaking Waves!"

A blue energy blade, tens of meters long, erupted from Hansa's sword. Like a waterfall from the heavens, it intercepted the oncoming ice bomb.

Tony watched, red-eyed, as Hansa unleashed another powerful technique.

The ground cracked beneath the force of Hansa's strike.

The spectators held their breath. Despite Loya's overwhelming power, Hansa was proving to be a formidable opponent. His swordsmanship was pushing him beyond his physical limits, allowing him to counter Loya's monstrous strength.

As the dust settled, both fighters stood ready, neither willing to give an inch. The true battle was only beginning, and it was clear that both Loya and Hansa still had tricks up their sleeves.