"Can still stand, huh..."
Kaido grinned widely, "Quite a remarkable fellow, your attack wasn't bad either, it actually injured me!"
"Is that so?"
Sage looked at Kaido, who was a bloody figure but still full of spirit, and sneered, "Haven't left a scar yet..."
"Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, to get to that level, your Haki needs to be stronger!" Kaido laughed.
Sage's face darkened. He was right. Despite never stopping his daily training, including three meals a day plus afternoon tea and a late-night snack, with each meal consisting of rare ingredients to build his body, although his physical traits had improved significantly, his growth in Haki wasn't much.
He was not feeling great; the blood from his forehead was trickling down to the corner of his eye, sliding to his cheek.
Ever since entering the New World—no, ever since escaping from Impel Down—Sage hadn't been injured. No matter how severe the injury, with a Life Return that had surpassed human limits, he could always recover.
Even the worst injuries, whether cracked hands and feet or ruptured organs, could be cured either by feasting to invoke Life Return or by exerting full 100% strength to forcibly recover.
But this time was different, the wound still existed, the pain from being struck solidly on the head remained, undermining his will.
Life Return, at its core, is also a form of willpower application. In this miraculous ocean, as long as one can grasp their will, they can perform all sorts of amazing feats.
Armament that increases attack power and Observation for sensing danger are only the most mainstream applications.
Another application of willpower, similar to Observation's 'Breath of All Things', typically used by Sword Masters, is also just a use of willpower.
And techniques like slashing fire or lightning also utilize willpower.
The same goes for Life Return.
But attacks with Supreme King's Entanglement can also weaken one's will.
At his level of combat, it's no longer about physicality because everyone is tough as tanks. In normal battles, either endurance runs out, or willpower does. But as long as physical strength remains sufficient, willpower will eventually recover.
Only a shock concentrated with Supreme King can instantly shatter one's will. Regardless of physical prowess or abilities, as long as willpower is shattered in that moment, it is enough.
And the dispersal of willpower similarly caused Sage's Life Return to become erratic.
And that power...
Sage kept a close eye on the iron club in Kaido's hand, his pupils glowed intensely as a torrent of black and red aura erupted, crashing towards Kaido like a tidal wave.
"Oh! Not bad potential, aiming to do so?"
Kaido gripped the iron club with both hands and swung out a Supreme King-infused Haki shockwave, darting out like an arrow.
As the iron club swung, Sage moved swiftly, dodging the shockwave at Hundred Times Speed, arriving at Kaido's flank.
Bang!
His outstretched leg was blocked by a thick arm as Kaido turned and grinned fiercely at him, swinging the iron club in his other hand.
Sage used the force to fly backwards, flipping in mid-air. As he flew, he kicked out numerous dark slashes.
The slashes landed with loud thuds on Kaido's body, carving one wound after another, yet the continuing momentum of his swung iron club remained unchecked, sweeping forwards.
Hovering in mid-air, Sage flashed, creating an afterimage. Just as he was about to use Moon Step to jump, he suddenly hesitated, abruptly clapping his hands together and releasing a Haki shockwave.
"Skybound Assault!"
The black light collided with the iron club aiming at him, releasing a shockwave that sent Sage flying back quickly.
"Foreseeing the Future?" he landed on the ground and asked in a firm voice.
In terms of speed, Kaido couldn't possibly surpass him.
With his physical attributes and a hundred times acceleration, a normal person couldn't track him.
Only someone with excellent Observation could accurately predict his movements, reacting in advance without surpassing his speed.
Much like when he fought Aokiji, that guy also used high-level Observation and Logia-type Elementalization to keep up with him.
If he didn't want to fight, truthfully, no one could catch him, but that isn't really combat, is it?
"I didn't expect someone like you to be so calm, completely unlike your rugged exterior," Sage said.
"Hahaha, do you have such timid prejudices?"
Kaido casually wiped the blood from his chest, then shook his body, scattering the blood off, revealing a series of scars. Some were from being cut, some from internal explosions, but none were as shocking as the wound on his right abdomen.
Although very slowly, Sage could see that those wounds were gradually healing, and perhaps if he rested and recuperated, the scars would disappear.
"What will you do? Run away? Or keep dodging timidly? No problem, hide all you want, I'm allowing you to do so, oh-oh-oh-oh!"
"Stop with the bullshit, don't provoke me; who do you think I am?!"
Whether I can win or not is a completely different matter from whether I fight!
Rely on speed to escape?
I've never done that since I was a kid!