Chapter 111: You Don’t Understand the Rules

"Zzz..."
"Zzz..."

A formidable foe has appeared!

The monstrous killing intent of the Asura Idol surged forth of its own accord. Yet, when Chu Yi’s crimson aura erupted, rushing forward like a tempest, the Haki radiating from the enemy did not waver in the slightest. This was something even Chu Yi had not anticipated.

As that tangible, blood-red killing intent gradually bore down upon the powerhouse, a terrifying sound of electric crackling suddenly filled the air!

In the first clash between killing intent and Haki, the outcome was... it was...

Chu Yi was pushed onto the back foot!

Seeing such a sight before his eyes, Chu Yi’s pupils contracted slightly. He knew that even though he could not fully control the Asura Idol’s killing intent, he was well aware of its terrifying magnitude. The full release of that power was enough to make Haki masters like Fisher Tiger look on with caution, and even cause the world’s greatest swordsman, "Hawkeye" Mihawk, to tremble.

Yet, as for the man slowly emerging before him?

The Haki radiating from his body not only completely suppressed the Asura Idol’s monstrous killing intent, but it also collided with that intense malice to generate terrifying arcs of electricity.

One must ask, in this vast sea, how many could possess such Haki cultivation?

"If that killing intent is something Tiger and Mihawk can only barely suppress, then it must be someone on the level of Rayleigh or Whitebeard who could completely crush it with Haki, right?"

"I never expected... that the old veteran defeated by Luffy in the film version would possess such a high level of Haki mastery. But then again, the guy that Luffy defeated was the version of him from over a decade in the future. As for the man standing here now..."

"He is the one who can truly be called a legend of the Marines!"

"He is the only one qualified..."

"To be the teacher of Aokiji, Akainu, and Kizaru—the three future admirals of the Navy!"

Clearly, there was only one man in the world qualified to be called "Teacher" by Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji.

That man was the current Marine Admiral!

The pinnacle of Marine combat strength!

"Black Arm" Zephyr!

Aside from the Marine Hero Garp, "Black Arm" Zephyr was the other legendary figure within the Navy.

At fourteen, Zephyr joined the Navy alongside current high-ranking officials like Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru. He saw his first combat at eighteen, and by twenty-eight, he was a Marine corporal who had successfully mastered the Six Powers.

Twenty years later...

At thirty-four, Zephyr was already a master of Armament Haki, capable of hardening both his arms with it, earning him the nickname "Black Arm." Just four years after that, Zephyr ascended to the rank of Admiral, the highest combat force in the Navy.

Unfortunately...

The life of this Marine legend was somewhat tragic.

At forty-two, his entire family was murdered by pirates, leading him to develop a deep hatred for them and submit his resignation. If not for the pleas of his close friends Sengoku and Garp, the Navy would not only have lost one of its greatest warriors, but many of its finest elites as well.

After all, compared to Zephyr’s strength, his pedagogical ability was even more terrifying. When one considered that the three men who currently made life difficult for Chu Yi—Aokiji, Akainu, and Kizaru—were all Zephyr’s students, it didn't take much imagination to realize just how terrifying Zephyr, who still possessed the "qualifications" of a teacher, truly was!

Facing such a powerhouse, Chu Yi could not afford to hold back even a fraction.

He could no longer treat this like his skirmish with Kizaru, where he could casually use his opponent as a sparring partner. When fighting Kizaru, Chu Yi felt that even if he couldn't win, he at least wouldn't lose miserably or be killed on the spot.

But standing before Zephyr...

A wave of heart-palpitating dread washed over him, making Chu Yi realize one cold truth!

If he fought Zephyr, there was a very real possibility...

That he would die!

"What an overbearing guy. He gives me a sense of impending death the moment he appears. It seems I really must fight with everything I have!"

Recalling Zephyr’s history, Chu Yi understood the reason for his hatred of pirates and realized that Zephyr would undoubtedly be intent on killing him, even if he wasn't technically a pirate. As the world’s most dangerous criminal, that simple reason was enough for Zephyr to go all-out with the sole conviction of ending Chu Yi’s life.

Coupled with the fact that Zephyr actually possessed the power to succeed, Chu Yi was on high alert. So, as he prepared to enter his peak state...

"Boom!"
"Rumble!"

The monstrous killing intent he had unleashed earlier seemed to obey his call for the first time, suddenly rushing back to cloak his body. The tangible malice swirled around him like a crimson suit of armor. Without any conscious effort from Chu Yi, the surging power erupted uncontrollably, causing the ground beneath his feet to crack. Debris, sand, and pebbles began to defy gravity, floating in the air around him.

Strangely, however, the six arms of the Asura did not manifest behind him.

The reason was simple...

Chu Yi’s strongest form was not the Six-Armed Asura mode!

Beyond the six arms, Chu Yi possessed one final trump card!

And this trump card, no doubt... would be unveiled before this formidable enemy, Zephyr!

On the other side, as Chu Yi’s pupils narrowed and he focused on Zephyr, preparing to unleash a form even greater than the Six-Armed Asura, a "whoosh" sound echoed. Kizaru transformed into a beam of golden light and flickered to Zephyr’s side. Holding his lightly wounded shoulder with one hand and adjusting his sunglasses with the other, he said, "Yo, Teacher Zephyr, why are you here?"

"If I didn't come, I fear your mission would have gone down the drain."

Rarely, Zephyr smiled at Kizaru. Facing his beloved student, he said kindly, "A mere Whitebeard is not something you can easily handle. Although Sengoku and Garp didn't want me to come, claiming they wanted to hone you, Kuzan, and Sakazuki by giving you a final test, I feel that..."

"Since this is a golden opportunity to capture Whitebeard, why shouldn't we cherish it?"

"Furthermore..."

As he spoke, Zephyr’s gaze shifted to Chu Yi, his eyes suddenly turning grave. "Furthermore, this is a perfect opportunity to capture the Asura, isn't it?"

"But Teacher Zephyr, the Asura..."

"He is not so easily dealt with!"

Recalling his battle with Chu Yi, especially how Chu Yi’s strength seemed to skyrocket as the fight dragged on, Kizaru felt a lingering sense of unease. It was because of this that Kizaru hesitated when Zephyr mentioned capturing him. Especially when Chu Yi began to fight with his full, peak strength, the killing intent he radiated made Kizaru feel that something was deeply wrong; subconsciously, Kizaru even feared that his teacher, Zephyr, might end up becoming Chu Yi’s sparring partner.

Just as Kizaru was about to continue, he was cut off...

"Hahahaha!"

Zephyr laughed heartily, then pointed a finger at Chu Yi, saying with immense disdain: "Borsalino, do you think a brat who has only just touched upon the rules could possibly trouble me? It seems your eye for talent has grown dull, or perhaps you haven't been as diligent as you once were!"

"Borsalino, you don't understand the rules. Since that’s the case..."

"Just stand aside and watch carefully as I bully a brat who knows nothing of them!"