Chapter Fifty-Three: Don't Talk to Me About Numerical Superiority

Insights gained through cultivation are often fleeting, vanishing in an instant. Chu Yi did not want to let slip a single opportunity for advancing his strength; this was precisely why he resolutely chose to use the only diamond-grade material in his storage to undergo his sixth awakening.

As for the breakthrough Chu Yi sensed, it was not in his fruit ability, but rather in the swordsmanship he had just begun to study. Every path has its own way. Thanks to his diligent practice of Fishman Karate, Chu Yi had established a perfect foundation for swordsmanship. Upon newly mastering the Asura Blade and transitioning his style, he already possessed a strength comparable to that of ordinary swordsmen. Yet the strength of an ordinary swordsman—frankly speaking—was merely on the level Zoro had when he first set out to sea. If it were not for Chu Yi’s intent to harness the mysterious powers of the Asura Blade to further refine and strengthen his Asura Golem, he would have engaged these marines with the more proficient Tangcao Wa Zheng Fist long ago. Why pit his weakness against such a formidable group of marine officers?

Yet even Chu Yi himself had not anticipated just how prodigious his talent in swordsmanship would prove to be—far surpassing his aptitude in physical techniques. Was this innate genius? Or perhaps the resonance between himself and the Asura Blade was simply that profound? Chu Yi could not say for certain; he only knew that his coming breakthroughs in swordsmanship would surely be much easier than those in physical arts.

Now, presented with a perfect opportunity for making such a breakthrough, how could Chu Yi let it pass? Taking advantage of the restorative power of his Asura Golem—which allowed him to continue to tangle with these marines—he did not hesitate for a moment to retrieve the sole diamond-grade awakening material from his storage. Communicating swiftly with the system, he completed his sixth fruit awakening.

Before long—

The sixth awakening—complete!

Almost the very instant he finished, Chu Yi realized he had comprehended the “Way of Asura.” With the Insight Fruit now perfectly fused into his own abilities, his physical prowess had leaped to an entirely new level during this sixth awakening.

It could be said that if, prior to this, there were still individuals in the world of pirates who could vaguely match Chu Yi in terms of physical excellence, then after the sixth awakening—Chu Yi stood alone as the most physically gifted person in the entire world of pirates.

There was no one else.

Now, with such monstrous physical strength, even a casual swing of his sword meant that ordinary marine officers stood no chance. Even if they used “Iron Body,” the Asura Blade, descending like a gale in Chu Yi’s hands, would easily shatter their defense and claim their lives with a single stroke.

And using the blade in this manner expended almost nothing from Chu Yi. Do not forget—when one’s physical constitution rises, so too does one’s stamina. With unfathomable reserves of energy and a brutally simple method of killing, Chu Yi had become a terrifying machine of slaughter.

Yet, just when he could have easily dominated the surrounding group of ordinary marine officers on the strength of his body alone, Chu Yi, having completed his sixth awakening and fully grasped its power, suddenly stepped back several paces.

“Hm?”

“Could it be that he’s reached his limit?”

Suddenly noticing that Chu Yi’s usage of "Shave" had diminished and that the speed of his sword strokes had slowed, Lucci—who had previously been anxious for the marines—furrowed his brow in confusion as he watched Chu Yi’s retreating figure.

But very soon, Lucci realized something was amiss.

Chu Yi was experimenting! In fact, he was quietly cultivating, right in the midst of being besieged by countless marines!

He first enveloped himself in a “Gravity Field,” forcibly suppressing his monstrous physique with a hundredfold gravity. Then, under the crushing weight, Chu Yi, undaunted by the risk of injury, pressed on—slowly and meticulously wielding the Asura Blade.

With his speed reduced, the marines around him understandably refused to let such a golden opportunity slip by. Noticing that their comrades were falling at a slower rate, the marines encircling Chu Yi assumed he was exhausted and charged at him with reckless abandon.

But the result—

Was nothing like what the marines had hoped.

For while Chu Yi’s speed had lessened, his formidable body remained unmoved—even under a hundredfold gravity, every slash of the Asura Blade was as swift as a tempest. What’s more, the blade seemed even sharper than before!

Though wounds began to appear on Chu Yi’s body and blood pooled beneath his feet, the number of dead marines around him was still considerable, was it not?

Unfortunately, such a rare opportunity for cultivation did not last long; greater pressure soon arrived.

This time, it came from the marine officers of admiral rank who had seldom acted before!

Seeing the mounting casualties among the lower officers, the admiral-level marines received their orders and, just as the lower-ranked officers began to withdraw, launched a sudden assault on Chu Yi!

“Moonwalk! Tempest Kick!”

“Shave! Finger Gun!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Each of these admiral-level marines, all masters of the Six Styles, attacked in unison the moment they trapped Chu Yi, leaving him unable to counter with his Asura Blade. Forced to expend his stamina, Chu Yi unleashed a massive “Shinra Tensei” to drive them back.

Boom!

A large-scale “Shinra Tensei” could certainly help Chu Yi break free. However, after casting it, and with his breathing space regained, Chu Yi found himself unable to continue training under a hundredfold gravity as before.

Admiral-level marines would always be what they are.

Especially when they held the advantage of numbers—whatever edge Chu Yi had previously gained was now completely erased, and he even found himself slipping into a disadvantage.

Seeing the admiral-level marines finally take action, Lucci couldn’t help but sneer at Chu Yi, who had just dispelled the hundredfold gravity field.

“Asura, weren’t you brimming with confidence just now? Training in the middle of a battle with the marines—you seemed quite relaxed!”

“But what about now?”

Fixing his gaze on the admiral-level marines who were closing in like tigers, Lucci continued to taunt, “Our main marine force is in action, and we still outnumber you. Looks to me like you’re finished.”

“Numbers advantage?”

When Lucci finished speaking, he expected Chu Yi to be livid.

Yet to his surprise, as soon as he finished, Chu Yi released his grip on Lucci’s left hand and suddenly formed a hand seal.

“Lucci, remember this…”

“In front of me, never speak of a numbers advantage!”

With that, the somewhat battered Chu Yi suddenly broke into a smile. In the next instant—

The Multi-Shadow Clone Technique!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In an instant, clouds of smoke billowed forth!

Obscured by the smoke, the admiral-level marines who had been certain of capturing Chu Yi grew tense, suspecting he had thrown a smoke bomb and was about to escape in the confusion.

However, as several of them swept away the smoke with gusts from their “Tempest Kicks,” the marines who had thought Chu Yi was fleeing were suddenly dumbfounded.

For as the smoke cleared, Chu Yi’s figure stood motionless before them.

Yet what set this apart from before—where there had only been a single Chu Yi—was that now, in front of them, there stood thousands upon thousands of Chu Yis!

“Lucci, open your dog eyes and see for yourself—now, who holds the advantage in numbers?”