Even though his appearance has drastically changed, Graces immediately recognized the Pirate King whom he met a year ago.

Though he didn't understand why he was laughing.

But carrying the responsibility of guarding the great treasury, no matter who the intruder is, no matter how strong the opponent is, it makes no difference to him:

Risking life and limb! Slay all enemies!

"Slash—!"

This knight, with golden long hair and features akin to a marble sculpture, had already drawn his longsword, transforming into a silver meteor, rushing upward from the depths of the rock cave, dozens of meters below!

The Pirate King, thrilled by the hunt, certainly couldn't back down, his hands gripping air, his fingers adorned with gemstone rings that immediately morphed into a pair of luxurious brass knuckles protecting his fists.

Whoosh—

Leaping into the air, red butterfly wings flashed behind him and then disappeared, allowing him to easily leverage the sky.

Carrying the surge of crimson, blood-like [Frenzy], he shot towards the Great Knight attacking head-on.

In the next moment, it was as if two comets collided.

Boom—!!!

Brilliant flashes and thunderous explosions swept across, expanding the originally ten-meter diameter hole by a whole circle.

The red figure flew into the sky, while the silver figure plunged into the earth.

However.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

While the spectators hadn't even noticed, both had already returned to the ground.

Clang! Clang! Clang!...

The ears and visuals were filled with the constant echoes of enormous metal crashes and the illusions of silver and red darting swiftly, whether on the ground, in mid-air, or on rooftops; the terrain could not restrict their steps.

Silver Combat Qi Flames and red Frenzy left behind brilliant trails in the air.

As to how they struck, it remained completely unclear, not only to ordinary pirates but even to Pirate Officers at the Official Knight Peak.

To face the Tier 3 Peak Pirate King head-on, it was evident that Graces' knight level was already extraordinarily high, even if not yet a Peak Grand Knight, he was already the strongest among the veterans!

In contrast, Major General Koverdale, dealing with three large sea monsters, one from afar and two close, while relying on fortress firepower, found it exceedingly strenuous... Essentially at the level of a normal Great Knight.

Besides his knight level, for Graces as an "Oath Knight", the firmer the resolve to uphold his oath, the stronger the sword he wields becomes!

The higher the Extraordinary level, the more the power of the spirit can exert its proper utility.

At the Tier 3 Great Knight level, physical attributes have a minimal impact on the victory outcome; the combat among Extraordinary is more about mastering the cultivation of willpower, control of Extraordinary Energy, and understanding of Secret Killing Techniques.

Especially for close-combat professions, before truly completing the final metamorphosis and stepping into Tier 4 "Non-human", Tier 3 represents the time when the disparity between attack and defense is most severe, continuously tapping the potential of Secret Techniques to enhance attack power is the most cost-effective choice.

Boom—

After a brief pass, the two became entangled once more.

However, ultimately weaker by a margin, Graces was the first to unleash his strongest Secret Technique.

[Dener Swordsmanship·Secret Technique·Heartless!]

As the founding creator of the most widely spread modern swordsmanship, the progenitor of the attack-and-defense integrated flow "Dener Swordsmanship" unsurprisingly also received Graces' favor, and he had a profound grasp of it!

Dener Swordsmanship's core: using the hand half-sword's cross guard as the core of all techniques, simultaneously attacking and defending, never blocking!

The name of the Secret Technique might seem simple and unadorned, yet it allows the knight's formidable spirit to capture the opponent's flaws, seizing the chance to kill in one strike during the moment of clashing!

Facing Graces, whose temperament had transformed, merging with the world in an instant, even the Pirate King had to take it seriously.

"Ah—!"

The overwhelming [Frenzy], having reached the professional limit within him, provided him with explosive power akin to high-energy dynamite.

Constantly wielding arms that seemed cast in iron, becoming four, then eight... together with fists, legs, elbows, and knees all turning into lethal weapons, surrounding and attacking Graces.

Whew! Whew! Whew! Whew!...

Limbs comparable to Extraordinary Weapons, piercing the air with terrifying sharp whistles like a powerful crossbow breaking through the air!

This was the self-created boxing technique [Secret Technique·Eight-Armed Fist!] by Pirate King "Octopus Ghost" Hawkins, which made his name famous in his youth.

The unrivaled self-created boxing technique, also named by him as the infinitely limitless [Limit-Breaking Fist].

Using the four limbs, eight bodies as eight types of weapons for explosive, all-around attacks, punching, kicking, using knees, and leveraging elbows flow smoothly and swiftly, with unparalleled attack power!

In Hawkins' philosophy.

No matter how powerful the weapon, there is a limit, but one's own body does not. Not wanting his weapon to bind him, Hawkins chose to use his fists as his weapon.

For him, there is no limit to the heart, no limit to the body, and even more so, no limit to strength!

In contrast, even though the "Secret Technique: Heartless" is one of the most essential secret techniques in Dener Swordsmanship, there is a limit to what Graces can handle by attacking offense with offense and defending within offense.

Both sides launched their secret techniques simultaneously, and after just three exchanges, Graces, who was already at a disadvantage, was struck for the first time.

Clang—!

The Pirate King's heavy fist was devoid of any artifice, a perfect blend of strength and speed. The punch, swift as thunderbolt and heavy as a mountain, slammed onto the alchemy armor at Graces' side, yet the alchemy technique attached there silently dissipated the kinetic energy.

As the strongest guardian of the grand vault, the well-funded "Netherlands Bank Group" certainly wouldn't let Graces suffer any loss in terms of equipment.

However, the Pirate King was unconcerned.

Unleashing his Frenzy completely, more punches, kicks, elbows, and knees were hurled at Graces like a rainstorm.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!...

Where there's one, there's two. Graces, engaged in battle, was continuously hit. Even with the extraordinarily high-quality alchemy armor, he gradually couldn't withstand Hawkins' frenzied assault.

Upon reaching the limit of endurance, the armor began to dent, crack, and disintegrate...

Bang!

After an intense exchange, fist met sword, and the two landed back on the ground, finally appearing before the spectators for the first time.

"Huff... huff..."

The high-intensity combat made both powerful Extraordinary individuals slightly breathless. However, from their current physical states, who was superior and who was inferior was already evident.

The upper armor of "Oath Knight" Graces had mostly peeled off, and even the parts that hadn't were full of scars. The unprotected parts of his skin were a mottled blue-purple, suggesting that several ribs might already be broken.

In contrast, the Pirate King had only a long bloody scratch from the neck to the left chest, seemingly dangerous yet merely a trivial injury.

Additionally, a large group of sea monsters and vigilant Pirate officers surrounded them, poised to converge upon and tear Graces apart at any moment.

The situation for Graces had become extremely dire, because even in the Bank Group's own territory, he had no reinforcements to rely on.

However, facing this predicament, the expression on Grand Knight Graces' face never changed from beginning to end. There was only his unwavering resolve to fulfill his duty!

Hawkins gently wiped his fingers over the wound on his neck, looked at the blood on his fingers, and instead of anger, laughed heartily, saying:

"Hahaha, how long has it been since I bled? Knight Graces, I respect your will and determination. How about it, will you join my ranks?

If you're willing to give up the oath you bear, I promise you the position of vice-captain of the Pirate Gang. Lead our fleet and freely hunt Hilus' merchant ships and even warships on the vast sea, exacting revenge for your country!"

Sacrifices need not always be killed; if one can get an Oath-bearing Knight to willingly abandon the responsibility binding them, and further unleash their instincts and nature, abandoning reason, kindness, and even human nature.

Perhaps a new "Exiled Prisoner" comparable to himself can be created!

That... would certainly be interesting, wouldn't it?

However, Hawkins clearly underestimated the Grand Knight's iron will capable of shattering arrows and steel. The response he received was the final explosive burst of Combat Qi Flame from "Oath Knight" Graces!

Boom!!!

The solid granite ground beneath exploded into fine gravel under the massive force.

[Dener Swordsmanship: Fierce Tiger Stance!]

For the final strike, Graces didn't use any Extraordinary Secret Technique but rather, the first sword learned by every novice in the Dener Swordsmanship School, the most fundamental sword, and the most thoroughly tempered sword.

"Alas!"

With a light sigh as a final lament for this opponent, the Pirate King held nothing back, using his strongest secret technique to honor this Knight's last stand on his path!

[Eight-Armed Fist: Chaotic Elbow Spear!]

In the Eight-Armed Fist, the fists, elbows, knees, and legs are all powerful killing weapons, but the strongest is not the fists, which are most skilled, nor the legs, which have the largest attack range, but rather... the invincible elbows!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!...

Blazing crimson Frenzy exploded with a roar, and even the ultimate burst of Combat Qi Flame could not withstand the Pirate King's strongest secret technique!

In the blink of an eye, the victor was decided.

Hawkins traded a nearly bone-deep scar on his left shoulder, exchanging injury for life! Punching the formidable enemy to death!

Clang—

The sword tip struck the ground, and "Oath Knight" Graces had a hole punctured through his chest, front to back, with scalding blood spurting and splattering.

But even though life had departed.

This Knight still stood guard before the massive tunnel leading to the vault, his back straight and unyielding!

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