Chapter 109: The Gale's Path

“Hmm?”

“That is… ‘Blade’?”

The Navy’s Rokushiki—Six Techniques—were well-known throughout the fleet.

Just like Akainu and Aokiji, the two future Admirals who rose to prominence mastering the Rokushiki, Kizaru, an elite of the same era, was certainly no stranger to these Navy martial arts.

However, much like Akainu and Aokiji, once Kizaru had honed the powers of the Light-Light Fruit to a certain level, he no longer needed to rely solely on Rokushiki in combat, just as depicted in the original pirate tales.

At this moment, the reason Kizaru recalled a skill he had long abandoned—the Rokushiki—was naturally because of Chu Yi.

Having finally caught a brief opening to inflict serious damage, Kizaru’s “Eight Shaku Mirror” attacks were much faster than before, striking at a speed no less than twice the speed of light.

Unexpectedly, Chu Yi, accustomed from his Shura instincts, was long used to such superluminal speed.

If Kizaru had managed thrice the speed of light, perhaps he could have caught Chu Yi off guard.

Alas…

A Devil Fruit’s power is not something one can wield at will just because they desire to.

Kizaru’s previous outburst with the “Eight Shaku Magatama” had drained him severely; now, he was incapable of unleashing the full force equivalent to three times light speed.

Settling for the next best thing—attacking at twice the speed of light—Kizaru found himself unable to evade Chu Yi’s Observation Haki.

So, as Chu Yi locked onto Kizaru’s high-speed figure with his Observation Haki and predicted his movement, combining it with his peak physical condition, Chu Yi prepared to use “Blade” to evade.

But at the very instant before activating “Blade,” a curious thought sparked within Chu Yi’s mind.

“If sword intent can be combined with swordsmanship, why can it not be integrated with other techniques?”

“Dracule Mihawk can substitute his sword with his finger, slicing through with a finger sword, relying precisely on his mastery of sword intent. Then, what if I…”

“Could I incorporate sword intent into the Rokushiki ‘Blade’ technique?”

With this idea, Chu Yi’s eyes gleamed with sharp brilliance. He dispersed his Observation Haki, manipulating the surrounding wind, and suddenly fused sword intent with “Blade.”

“Whoosh!”

The wild wind howled.

It was the sign of sword intent merging with “Blade”!

When Chu Yi’s toes rapidly tapped the ground as he activated “Blade,” he felt the howling winds compress beneath him, his body enveloped by the world’s hidden “wind.”

The next moment…

He walked upon the wind!

“Boom!”

His figure vanished like an invisible gust.

Just as Kizaru’s “Eight Shaku Mirror” streaked toward him, Chu Yi appeared behind him.

“This is…”

“Speed approaching the speed of light?”

“I never imagined that combining sword intent with the Rokushiki ‘Blade’ could yield such terrifying speed!”

Even Chu Yi himself had not expected that this spontaneous innovation would possess such power—especially against Kizaru, who was deeply familiar with Rokushiki.

Moreover, moving at near-light speed combined with Observation Haki at the threshold of the third stage…

Cold sweat began to trickle down Kizaru’s forehead as despair set in. He realized that if he continued to engage with Chu Yi, the outcome might not be him dealing a heavy blow, but rather the rapidly improving Chu Yi ultimately defeating him.

Using Observation Haki again, Kizaru sensed that the fierce battle between Akainu, Aokiji, and Whitebeard had reached a critical juncture, with Akainu and Aokiji falling into a disadvantage.

Sighing quietly, Kizaru made a wise decision.

A tactical retreat.

Unexpectedly, as Kizaru was already thinking of withdrawing, the golden light of “Eight Shaku Mirror” flared again, preparing to escape.

Chu Yi, however, seized the momentum mercilessly!

Just as Kizaru was about to leave, Chu Yi once more fused “Blade” with his sword intent.

“Gale Style!”

“Gale Step!”

Whoosh!

Gale Step—Chu Yi’s new Gale Style technique combining sword intent and “Blade.”

As he once again strode upon the wind, Chu Yi felt the fusion between sword intent and “Blade” growing more seamless, resulting in his high-speed movement drawing even closer to the speed of light.

Thus, once more anticipating with Observation Haki, Chu Yi suddenly blocked Kizaru’s path.

“Kizaru, planning to run?”

Smiling, Chu Yi looked at Kizaru who was trapped ahead and said, “Too bad, I can’t let you leave because you’re the best sparring partner. With you around…”

“I’d save at least ten years of grueling training!”

A sparring partner?

Me, a Navy Vice Admiral, actually your sparring partner?

Can you afford that?

Kizaru appeared lazy, but inwardly he brimmed with pride.

Even Akainu and Aokiji could not suppress Kizaru; during missions, he was so casual and indifferent that even orders from Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Navy Hero Garp were often ignored.

This showed that Kizaru’s pride was such that even Sengoku and Garp dared not command him.

Now…

A rookie just starting out actually regarded him as a sparring partner?

Very well.

Though Kizaru truly felt like a mere sparring partner helping Chu Yi improve swiftly, wasn’t that a secret everyone tacitly understood?

Why say it out loud?

With his pupils narrowing slightly, showing no trace of “tacit understanding” with Chu Yi, Kizaru extended a finger, suddenly firing a streak of golden light from his fingertip!

“Whoosh!”

A laser beam!

A simple and swift Light-Light Fruit attack.

Moreover, the laser’s power could be adjusted at Kizaru’s will.

Though he could no longer break through Chu Yi’s Shura Demon Statue defense directly with the laser, he could certainly force Chu Yi to retreat.

After all, as long as the laser was maintained, it could be used continuously.

Yet, facing Kizaru’s laser, Chu Yi’s smile grew even more radiant.

He wasn’t unaware of the true meaning behind Kizaru’s laser, nor could he entirely dismiss the fierce power contained within.

Chu Yi’s joy stemmed from the fact that Kizaru’s laser attack was perfectly timed.

Because with Kizaru’s laser coming…

Chu Yi, standing before him, could use his newly conceived Gale Style technique defensively!

“Hmm… what should I name this new move?”

“I’ve got it!”

“Kizaru, behold my Gale Style…”

“Wind Barrier!”