Chapter 46: Footprints of the Red-Haired

Ghost Step...
This was the brand-new Gale Style奥义 that Chu Yi had comprehended!
Speaking of which, the fact that Chu Yi was able to comprehend this new Gale Style奥义 while battling the robed man was something he truly had to thank Mihawk for—our future World's Greatest Swordsman, "Hawk-Eye."
Back when he hadn't discovered that his system functions were disabled, didn't Chu Yi constantly observe Mihawk's unique physical techniques or utilize methods of controlling footwork rhythm to accelerate?
He still remembered how, finding Mihawk's acceleration technique rather fascinating, Chu Yi had used his own Observation Haki to perceive it, and then employed the primal instinct of Asura to mimic it.
Who would have thought that as he kept imitating...
The rhythm of Mihawk's footwork would become deeply etched into Chu Yi's mind!
Therefore, earlier, when Chu Yi rushed forward with his body lowered, even he himself didn't know why, but he had naturally imitated Mihawk's acceleration technique, controlling the rhythm of his own footwork.
And then, in the midst of his frantic sprint...
Suddenly!
"Hmm?"
Chu Yi unexpectedly discovered that as he moved forward, he had actually detected a weak point in this spatial dimension!
Moreover, as Chu Yi's speed increased, this spatial barrier seemed to grow thinner and thinner!
The next second.
"Whoosh."
Making merely a single attempt, Chu Yi tried using the Spatial奥义, and truly managed to smoothly enter another space.
There, Chu Yi distinctly felt the difference between the two spaces, because the space he was currently in was completely out of sync in time with the space created by the robed man's spatial mysteries!
Furthermore, moving within his own space while still maintaining the footwork rhythm of Mihawk's acceleration technique, Chu Yi unexpectedly...
Unexpectedly, as the surrounding time slowed down, he was able to clearly see everything happening in the other robed man's space!
That feeling was just like...
It was as if Chu Yi's space and the robed man's space had overlapped!
In an instant, Chu Yi transformed into an entity akin to a ghost, able to clearly perceive the robed man's movements amidst the spatial overlap, while the robed man was utterly incapable of peering through space to see what Chu Yi was actually doing.

Immediately afterwards, taking advantage of the differing flow of time, Chu Yi, still sprinting with rhythmic footwork, slowly condensed the Blade of Asura...
Still sprinting with rhythmic footwork, Chu Yi slowly condensed his sword intent and fused it with his own swordsmanship...
Following closely, the exact moment his swordsmanship and sword intent merged, completing Chu Yi's "Sky-Breaking" sword stance!
"Whoosh."
Chu Yi's figure abruptly crossed from right in front of the robed man to directly behind him without the slightest obstruction!
As for the "Sky-Breaking" sword stance he had condensed long beforehand...
It instantly cleaved the robed man's body in two!
Moreover, because the flow of time differed during Chu Yi's spatial traversal, his "Sky-Breaking" sword stance was executed with extreme speed, directly preventing the robed man's physical body from even reacting to it. By the time the "Sky-Breaking" sword stance instantaneously split him in two, a full two seconds passed before the robed man's body finally broke into two sections and crashed to the ground.
Of course.
At this very moment, although he had killed the robed man and could no longer use him for research, Chu Yi felt a slight trace of regret.
However, the combination of the Spatial奥义 and Mihawk's acceleration technique to form the new "Gale Style"奥义 left Chu Yi immensely satisfied!
"I wonder if the space created by the robed man's Spatial奥义 is different from the space of the real world. Back in the real world, no matter how I tried to mimic Mihawk's acceleration technique, I seemed unable to sense the weak points of space, preventing me from comprehending the mystery of the 'Ghost Step' in the real world."
"But now, though..."
Muttering inwardly to himself, Chu Yi thought with overflowing joy:
"Since I was able to successfully execute the 'Ghost Step' once inside the space created by the robed man's Spatial奥义, as long as I remember the sensation of using the 'Ghost Step' upon returning to the real world, I will sooner or later master this new 'Gale Style'奥义 and be able to use it in the real world!"
"Zephyrus, even if you were to witness my 'Ghost Step', you would undoubtedly be shaken, would..."
"Perish!"
Filled with the anticipation that mastering the divine skill of the "Ghost Step" would allow him to seize the initiative during his next clash with Zephyrus.
At this point, Chu Yi was so immersed in the joy of creating the "Ghost Step" that he completely failed to notice that after he finished using the "Ghost Step," a mysterious force within this space had silently invaded his body, concealing itself while Chu Yi was not paying attention.
Then, casting his gaze back upon the deceased robed man, Chu Yi still inevitably felt a lingering sense of pity.
What a magnificent research subject!
That was a kindred spirit of Blackbeard!

Although he had never harbored any grand ambitions of saving the world, Whitebeard had shown him kindness. Since that was the case, how could he just stand by and watch another Blackbeard indirectly instigate the "Summit War," leading to Whitebeard's death and the annihilation of the Whitebeard Pirates?
Therefore, researching the mysteries of Blackbeard's body was an absolute necessity!
But what was the best course of action?
Frowning in perplexity, it wasn't long before Chu Yi's brow smoothed out.
"That's right!"
"There is still another robed man in the real world! It certainly won't be easy for Mihawk to deal with him. If that robed man can also master multiple Devil Fruit abilities just like Blackbeard, then capturing him alive for research would be ideal!"
At this thought, Chu Yi did not hesitate in the slightest and prepared to tear open space to return to the real world.
He was already exceedingly familiar with this process from the time he was trapped within the void cracks, so tearing open space was a very simple matter for him—he just needed to focus his strength and unleash a "Shinra Tensei."
However, just as the black hole leading back to the real world began to materialize...
"Huh?"
He suddenly discovered that a lingering trace of Devil Fruit aura still permeated the deceased robed man.
Stepping up to the robed man and searching his corpse briefly, Chu Yi promptly fished a Devil Fruit out from beneath the robed man's clothes!
Had Chu Yi pulled out an ordinary Devil Fruit at this moment, he would undoubtedly have taken it without a moment's hesitation and rapidly returned to the real world, lest Mihawk kill the robed man outside first.
The instant Chu Yi pulled out that particular Devil Fruit, however...
"This..."
Staring in a daze at the appearance of the Devil Fruit before him, looking at its familiar shape, Chu Yi could not help but twitch the corners of his eyes fiercely, taking a long time to recover before murmuring:
"Luffy's Gomu Gomu no Mi?"
"Shouldn't this be in Shanks's hands? Or could it be..."
"Am I currently adventuring in the footsteps of 'Red-Haired' Shanks from the original pirate tale?"