Chapter Ninety-Eight: Three Blades

"Almighty Push!"

Boom!

First, he used Universal Pull to wrench a lone island up from nowhere.

And then...

It was Chu Yi's turn to return the favor!

After his use of Universal Pull, Chu Yi, in his Asura state and still abiding by his return-to-nature composure, locked onto Whitebeard's figure with his Observation Haki, and then unleashed an Almighty Push!

Under the terrifying repulsive force of Almighty Push, the island Chu Yi had forcibly torn free was sent crashing straight toward Whitebeard's position.

You punch me once, Whitebeard, and I'll give you an island in return!

Let's see whose gift is heavier!

Even though Chu Yi still remained in that unadorned, natural state, and even though his use of Almighty Push did not release the slightest trace of overwhelming aura, at that moment his gaze, fixed on Whitebeard through Observation Haki, was burning hot.

Because he truly wanted to defeat the strongest man on the seas.

However slim the hope might be, it did not matter.

And the instant Chu Yi heaved that lone island into the air and sent the entire thing hurtling toward Whitebeard, uproar broke out on the Moby Dick, where the Whitebeard Pirates' many elite fighters had gathered!

"No way! That kid... he actually uprooted an island and used it as a weapon?"

"A monster! This newcomer is a complete monster!"

"No, he's not a monster. What he's showing... is only the strength of a man with an eight-hundred-million bounty, the so-called world's most notorious criminal!"

Amid the waves of astonishment, Chu Yi, with only a single round of attack, had already convinced the Whitebeard Pirates' elite of his strength.

Yet among those elites, there were only three who showed not the slightest surprise when Chu Yi began his counterattack, their expressions remaining as calm as ever.

They were Marco, Jozu, and Vista, the three men who had already crossed paths with Chu Yi.

Having seen Chu Yi's power to "patch the heavens" in Fish-Man Island, even if he were to use Universal Pull to drag Fish-Man Island up from the depths of the sea ten thousand meters below and raise it to the surface, Marco and the other two would not be surprised in the least, because even that would still remain within the bounds of what their minds could accept.

But when Marco, using Observation Haki, sensed that Chu Yi had first used Universal Pull to wrench up that lone island, then followed it with Almighty Push to hurl it away, all while his own aura showed not the slightest sign of disorder...

Marco narrowed his eyes slightly, drew a deep breath, and said to Jozu and Vista beside him, "Three days... just three days, and it seems that little Shura has improved again."

"In what way?" Jozu, whose Observation Haki was still not as overwhelming as Marco's, frowned. The only thing flashing through his mind was the memory of his defeat at Chu Yi's hands. He asked in a low voice, "Is it in the fruit's abilities?"

"Yes, and no."

Leaving Jozu with that ambiguous answer, Marco said nothing more and instead concentrated on the clash between Chu Yi and Whitebeard.

Just then...

On the lone island ahead of Chu Yi, Whitebeard, who stood there like a mountain, suddenly opened his eyes!

"Good!"

Boom!

It was only a single word of praise, yet in that instant a razor-sharp aura swept outward from Whitebeard's direction and blanketed the entire surrounding sea.

Conqueror's Haki!

And as the Conqueror's Haki on Whitebeard's body began to radiate unconsciously, he stepped forward two paces and drew the naginata he had long ago planted in the ground.

The next second!

Slash!

He casually brought the naginata down in a sweeping cut.

But what seemed like Whitebeard's careless counterattack contained power far beyond anyone's imagination.

It was clearly only an ordinary strike, yet in Whitebeard's hands it became an overwhelmingly tyrannical one.

Just moments earlier, Whitebeard had taken hold of the naginata embedded in the ground before him and slashed downward in one fluid motion.

Then...

Crack!

The island Chu Yi had hurled over with Almighty Push was actually cleaved cleanly in two!

This was no longer merely the realm of splitting the sea with a single blade.

This was, at the very least, a single cut that could rend the heavens!

Seeing Whitebeard so easily dissolve his gift, Chu Yi did not show the slightest discouragement. On the contrary, his eyes burned even brighter.

Because the stronger Whitebeard was, the more Chu Yi wanted to defeat him.

And just as Chu Yi's gift had been effortlessly broken and his gaze grew hotter still, he was about to launch his second attack when...

Slash!

With the same effortless grace, Whitebeard swung the naginata in his hand once more.

Before Chu Yi could even prepare his second strike, Whitebeard's "gift" had already arrived before him again.

So fast!

Chu Yi had never imagined that, from such a great distance, Whitebeard's counterattack would be this swift, leaving him no time at all to prepare. The blade light capable of cleaving the sea was already descending upon him.

Because his preparations were insufficient, Chu Yi had only two choices in the face of the blade light at point-blank range.

First, he could use the Ice-Ice Fruit's intangibility to evade the surging slash.

Second...

He could endure it head-on.

And since Whitebeard knew he was a Devil Fruit user, choosing to dodge with the Ice-Ice Fruit's intangibility would be an act no different from stupidity.

Which Haki master would not coat their attacks in Armament Haki?

Whitebeard was no fool, so the blade light sweeping toward him was certain to contain terrifying Armament Haki.

In that case...

After silently analyzing the situation before him, a crimson aura burst forth in an instant!

"Asura Demon Statue!"

Boom!

The Asura Demon Statue manifested just in time, its terrifying defense enveloping Chu Yi's body.

However, Whitebeard's mastery of swordsmanship was simply immeasurable.

The blade light, wrapped in Armament Haki, struck the Asura Demon Statue, and that formidable defense shattered on impact!

Fortunately, the strike was still blocked.

Even so, Chu Yi's figure floating in midair was now somewhat unsteady, shaken by the backlash and faintly injured within.

But...

Blocking one of Whitebeard's blows was already a good thing, wasn't it?

Sure enough, just as Chu Yi had expected, the Whitebeard Pirates' elites aboard the Moby Dick raised their evaluation of him again when they saw that he had actually blocked Whitebeard's sword head-on.

After all, in this sea, those who could withstand a direct strike from Whitebeard could be counted on one hand.

Yet just as Chu Yi successfully blocked Whitebeard's second strike and prepared to gather the Asura Demon Statue once more...

Boom!

The blade light appeared again!

After Whitebeard's first strike had cleanly split the island Chu Yi had hurled at him, he did not pause in the slightest, instead unleashing a second slash and then a third in rapid succession.

And as Whitebeard's third blade came down...

Along with the terrifying blade light, the sky was instantly divided into two!

One sword to split the heavens!

At this moment, Whitebeard was clearly prepared to end the battle within three strikes, and within those three strikes...

He intended to defeat Chu Yi!

To defeat that not-so-long-ago rookie whose bounty had already reached eight hundred million, the world's most vicious criminal!