"You little brat!" Wukong laughed when Ace made it back to his side. "I thought you were gonna struggle a bit more than that!"

"I already told you you're underestimating me." Ace smugly replied.

"Don't get cocky," Wukong snorted with clear disdain as he reminded Ace of the rapidly approaching deadline of their wager. "You still haven't comprehended one with the glaive yet."

"Hmph, Whatever!" Ace retorted, too agitated to think of a retort.

A victorious chuckle escaped Wukong's lips before he changed the subject to give voice to the foremost question on his mind. "Where did that movement technique come from anyway?"

"Who knows?" Ace retorted with an enigmatic smirk as he attempted to get a rise out of the man who recruited him.

Unfortunately, Ace was destined to be disappointed.

"Ahh well, it doesn't really matter where it came from," Wukong shrugged before flashing the little genius beside him a telling smirk. "All that matters is that I've mastered it now!"

"You cheater!" Ace snapped back after remembering the young man's bloodline ability.

As Ace and Wukong bickered amongst themselves without an apparent care in the world, everyone else's eyes were focused on the makeshift battlefield between both armies.

Though she stood only a hundred meters away from an army of magical beasts that would love nothing more to devour her whole, she kept her composure. Though she held the weight of her fellow brothers and sisters in arms desires to return to their families on her dainty shoulders, Hysode remained the picture of tranquillity.

It was only when she finally saw her opponent that her mood changed.

Off the back of the monstrous black dragon floated a small building-sized magical beast.

"Twin-Headed Silver Dragon?!" Wukong frowned as the grip around his staff tightened.

Tracing Wukong's gaze, Ace saw a large twin-headed dragon with beautiful silver scales slowly fly down to meet its opponent.

As it landed, the dragon licked its licks in anticipation, emitting a dense bloodthirsty aura as it greedily eyed its dinner.

Looking back at Wukong, Ace could see from his expression that he was seriously considering intervening.

It was only when he glanced down at Ace that he managed to reign in his emotions. Unfortunately, Venerin didn't share the same level of self-control at that moment.

"HYSODE!" The city lord roared as his body vanished, leaving nothing but an incredibly lifelike afterimage in his wake.

His body glided through the air with incredible grace at speeds that left Ace, who had his [observation] still active, speechless. If it weren't for the gravity of the current situation, Ace would've stopped to admire the profundities of the man's movement technique.

"VENE-"

"Ugh!"

Before Ace could even react, Venerin, who had launched himself through the air to rescue his disciple, was sent flying back in the direction he came from.

If it weren't for Wukong acting so quickly, he would've crashed into and seriously injured or even killed Ace before he could even think about reacting.

Though the three of them all skidded into the concrete wall behind them, other than Venerin, who had taken the attack of the saint-level beast head-on, Wukong and Ace managed to get up unscathed.

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Looking up at the dragon floating in the clouds above, Ace could've sworn he saw regret in its one visible eye. 'That was definitely done on purpose!'

"What do you think this is?" The dragon snorted as he slowly moved his gaze from Ace to glare at Venerin. "I've already been magnanimous enough to agree to your terms for this pointless battle, and you still dare to intervene?

Don't test my patience any more than you already have, or I give you my word; I will personally crush this puny city of yours and everyone in it."

Venerin glared defiantly at the dragon in the sky, unwilling to allow his disciple to go up against the dragon before her.

Though it wasn't fully grown, it was still a genuine dragon. One that would automatically ascend to sainthood upon reaching maturity. It's not something a Thunder Lizard with trace amounts of dragon blood could compare with.

Before Venerin could reply, though, a polite yet gruff and steady voice rang through the air.

"Sir Dragon, please understand that girl's our city lord's only disciple. Him watching her die would be no different from a father watching their daughter die in front of them.

This would all be resolved if you allow me to battle in her place."

The man speaking was another of the Silverlight generals. He was the same man Ace sensed to be on the verge of breaking through to the seventh rank.

He was a large, well-built middle-aged man with what would've been short brown hair if not for the greys that were starting to colour his full head of hair. He, too, was dressed in a glistening silver full-body armour and a giant war hammer strapped to his broad back.

Venerin's head snapped to his right so he could face his general, a man he considered a brother in arms. "Luciarde, you…"

"City lord, there's no need for you to say anything. Hysode can't be allowed to die here; the future of our city will one day depend on her. It'd be my honour to give my life so that she can live." Luciarde stated respectfully.

"As touching as that display was, consider your request rejected," The dragon stated with a callous indifference. "There are no takebacks in war. YOU made your choice; now YOU must live with the consequences. If you're unhappy, feel free to call off this little game, and commence with the war."

The dragon made no attempt to hide his voice. The whole army Silverlight army heard his declaration.

Venerin could feel the fear and unwillingness radiating from his troops as they stood before what would undoubtedly be a certain death for the vast majority of them.

He knew full well that even with Wukong's support, they stood no chance against their foe this time. The right decision was obviously to allow his disciple to give her life for the greater good, but as he looked at the back of the young woman he practically raised, he couldn't help but hesitate.

"Let me fight!" Hysode voiced, cutting through the rising tension like a knife through butter.

"Hys-"

"Have faith in me," Hysode said, using her battle qi to project her voice through the battlefield. "I'm the disciple of Venerin Lilt and general of the Silverlight army. I won't lose!"

Her words struck a chord in the hearts of her master, her fellow generals, and all her subordinates. The fear and dread in their hearts turned to resolve.

Despite all their years on the battlefield, it was two youngsters who had shown the most courage that day.

The eyes of every resident of Silverlight city fell on the back of the young woman, a back which seemed to double in size.

They didn't know what would happen in this fight, but no matter what happened from here on out, they would make sure to show the world the determination of Silverlight City.

A single pride-filled tear fell from Venerin's eye as he looked at the back of his indomitable disciple. "I believe in you!"

As they weren't residents of Silverlight City, Ace and Wukong didn't feel the same level of inspiration the others did at Hysode's words, but the light in which they looked at her changed.

They could feel the changes in those around them. It once again highlighted the importance of a great leader having not just power but also charisma.

In his previous life, Ace had spent most of his life leading different people. Whether it was his role as an older brother, the captain of a relatively successful pirate crew, or the commander of one of the divisions of one of the most powerful pirate crews in the world at the time, he had a lot of experience as a leader. Still, he had to admit, he never showed any of the charisma required to be considered a great leader.

In fact, there were only two people he had seen who were naturally gifted with that kind of charisma…

'Pops… Luffy. Out of all the people I'd ever met, you two were the only ones who were able to inspire those around you without even trying.'

"You really found yourself an incredible disciple," Wukong said sincerely, staring at the valiant young woman standing tall on the battlefield.

"I know," Venerin said softly as he unblinkingly waited for the battle to commence.

As if she could feel her master's anticipation, Hysode, in an identical fashion to the city lord, with her hand holding the hilt of her sword still sheathed by her side, she seemed to merge with the wind appearing directly in front of her opponent.

In one fluid motion, she drew her sword. The blade of which appeared as nothing but a blur as it arced towards one of the necks of the fearful beast.