Chapter 110: Killing Intent vs. Dominance
“Gale Style...”
“Wind Barrier!”
Whoosh!
The blade descended as a fierce wind surged.
Almost the instant Chu Yi’s Shura Blade fell, the Shura Phantom that cloaked him merged seamlessly with the Gale Sword Intent, instantly summoning a wall of wind that intercepted the laser beam shooting from Kizaru’s fingertip!
Indeed, this was Chu Yi’s new technique within the Gale Style—an art combining the Shura Phantom with Sword Intent.
Sword Intent, it seemed, was remarkably versatile.
With the Navy’s Rokushiki “Soru” fused with Sword Intent, Chu Yi’s creativity flowed like a spring. Now, standing before Kizaru, a future Navy Admiral, he eagerly experimented with a host of brand-new techniques, using Kizaru as his sparring partner.
The very idea of the “Wind Barrier” was thanks to Kizaru.
Had Kizaru not applied some pressure, Chu Yi might never have conceived this new Gale Style technique born from the union of Shura Phantom and Sword Intent.
Though Chu Yi had long imagined that combining the Shura Phantom’s defense with Sword Intent would create a barrier impervious to Kizaru’s laser, he never expected a certain chemical reaction to arise between the two.
At first, Chu Yi intended merely to use Sword Intent to reinforce the Shura Phantom’s defense, to endure Kizaru’s relentless laser beams.
After all, an endlessly fired laser could gradually wear down the Shura Phantom’s defense, eventually shattering it completely.
But now, with the “Wind Barrier” raised before him, completing the union of Shura Phantom and Sword Intent...
“Boom!”
Kizaru’s laser beam was not merely blocked—it was swallowed whole by Chu Yi’s “Wind Barrier”!
“What’s happening?”
“The laser... it’s being absorbed?”
Both Chu Yi and Kizaru were momentarily stunned by this eerie sight: the “Wind Barrier” devouring the laser beam.
Clearly, Chu Yi was dumbfounded by the barrier’s unimaginable defense.
But Kizaru’s reaction was even more unusual.
As a user of the Glint-Glint Fruit, he had fired his laser beam, yet now, as it was completely absorbed, an inexplicable terror echoed through his mind.
“Why? Why do I feel fear? What is this feeling?”
“This fear... it seems to come from deep within my heart, yet also... from my very bloodline?!”
Cold sweat beaded on Kizaru’s forehead as this thought crossed his mind.
Strangely, he sensed this terror rising from within, from his blood—almost as if it was the anguished cry of the Glint-Glint Fruit itself.
Suddenly gripped by fear, Kizaru lost all will to fight. The humiliation Chu Yi had dealt him moments ago no longer mattered.
For years, Kizaru had never known fear, yet today, facing Chu Yi, it returned.
Moreover, this fear seemed to originate from his Devil Fruit power, a terror even a Navy Admiral could not resist, causing him to lose all fighting spirit and desire to linger before Chu Yi.
But if Kizaru wanted to leave, he’d need Chu Yi’s permission first.
Several times Kizaru attempted to break free, yet he remained rooted here.
So when Kizaru, pale-faced, prepared once more to escape using the “Eight-Shaku Mirror” technique...
“Whoosh!”
Gale Step!
Chu Yi’s third use of Gale Step!
Again employing Gale Step, Chu Yi’s speed had now rivaled the velocity of light itself, and it seemed this speed could still increase. He was determined not to let Kizaru slip away—after all, Kizaru was not only a sparring partner for Chu Yi’s Observation Haki, but could also become a training partner for Gale Step should their rivalry continue.
As Chu Yi blocked Kizaru’s path with a smile and prepared to unleash the Shura Blade once more...
“Crack!”
Since his Heavenly Break Sword, Chu Yi had fused his swordsmanship and Sword Intent anew, and the sound of the blade falling echoed like space itself shattering!
Squinting slightly and savoring the sound of space fracturing beneath his Shura Blade, Chu Yi’s smile deepened—he had just grasped a vital clue.
A clue to further elevate his swordsmanship!
“When my ‘Divine Shura’s Heavenly Punishment’ nears its limit, it produces the sound of space shattering. Whitebeard’s Quake-Quake Fruit also generates such sounds when used.”
“This time, combining swordsmanship and Sword Intent, I intended to scare Kizaru—the natural-element Devil Fruit user—with the Heavenly Break Sword. Unexpectedly, as I’ve used it more, its power has grown stronger, enough to shatter space.”
“Could it be that Mihawk’s pursuit of swordsmanship’s pinnacle is to cleave through space itself?”
“Using the phrase from that martial arts novel before the timeskip, is the ultimate swordsmanship...”
“To shatter the void?”
Smiling quietly, Chu Yi nodded to himself.
At that moment, the gleaming sword light descended upon Kizaru’s shoulder.
Ordinarily, knowing Chu Yi had yet to awaken Armament Haki, Kizaru could simply use his Glint-Glint Fruit’s “Elementalization” to effortlessly evade a strike that faintly cracked space.
But just as Kizaru began to activate “Elementalization”…
“Crack!”
The surrounding space subtly collapsed, directly affecting Kizaru’s ability to utilize “Elementalization.”
Then, to both their astonishment, Chu Yi’s sword, which had caused space to resonate with a dreadful sound, instantly tore through Kizaru’s clothing at the shoulder, leaving a streak of blood.
Though the wound was shallow, even an unenhanced strike was enough to harm a natural-element Devil Fruit user—something that gave Chu Yi quiet satisfaction.
Drawing a deep breath, Chu Yi prepared to refine the fusion of his swordsmanship and Sword Intent, aiming to once again unleash a sword strike that made space cry out, to pierce through Kizaru’s “Elementalization.”
Yet as Chu Yi slowly exhaled the stagnant breath from his chest, the Shura Blade ready to fall...
“Hm?”
His Observation Haki flared suddenly, predicting the approach of someone nearby.
Chu Yi’s pupils narrowed as he sensed the mounting oppressive aura from the newcomer, his body involuntarily radiating a lethal intent that shook the heavens!
“Killing intent versus Haki...”
“Admiral in office, let’s see whose power is greater—my killing intent, or your Haki!”