Chapter 50: Flying Thunder God

"How could you possibly be here?"

At their very first meeting, despite Mihawk's usual composure, the slight constriction of his pupils was something he simply could not explain.

And as for Tiger's expression...

It was somewhat comical.

At this exact moment, his jaw was completely dropped in front of Mihawk, revealing his sharp fangs. When he opened his mouth wide, his long tongue almost swung down to his chest. Chu Yi was genuinely afraid that if he tried to speak, he might accidentally bite his own tongue off and become the very first Fish-man to bite his tongue and commit suicide out of sheer shock.

Initially, when they first met, Mihawk and Tiger had both been momentarily stunned, even simultaneously questioning each other as to why the other was present in this place.

Yet the very next second...

Well, the entire atmosphere shifted dramatically!

Tiger and Mihawk instantly assumed a posture of crossing swords and drawing daggers!

"Hey, hey! Just who are you calling a red fat Fish-man! This is a sturdy and robust physique, you think you look like you, skinny as a withered vegetable?"

"I don't like the title of idiot swordsman at all, you red fat Fish-man! Being 'Number One' is the title of my dreams, you better watch out or I'll slash you if you get my name wrong again!"

"Slash away, slash away! Let's see if your sword is faster, or my fists are faster!"

"Hmph, one slash from me and you'll be done for, red fat Fish-man!"

"I told you! This is muscular, not fat! Besides... besides, do you even know how popular my skin tone is on Fish-Man Island? Have you ever received a love letter from a mermaid, you idiot swordsman?"

Uh...

Were they about to have a solo duel?

Originally, watching Tiger and Mihawk arguing over nicknames, Chu Yi had been terribly afraid that the two of them would actually start fighting.

Yet after watching for a short while, Chu Yi simply crossed his arms, assuming a completely leisurely posture. This was because Mihawk and Tiger were merely engaging in a verbal sparring match; their faces were almost touching, yet they showed not the slightest intention of actually throwing a punch.

Of course.

That was only because Chu Yi was present. Otherwise, given the temperament of Mihawk and Tiger, it was entirely possible they would fight until this island sank to the bottom of the sea.

Knowing that Mihawk and Tiger desperately needed a way to gracefully back down, Chu Yi played the role of the "stepping stone" to perfection. After crossing his arms and watching for a moment, he smiled and said, "Alright, alright, the two of you. Isn't it just a nickname? Is it really worth arguing about for so long? Now... shouldn't we talk about the real business?"

"Real business?"

Hearing Chu Yi's voice, Mihawk paused, then took two steps back and asked indifferently, "Are we discussing whether this thing should be braised in soy sauce or steamed?"

"...."

Completely ignoring Mihawk's remark, Chu Yi turned toward Tiger, his mouth twitching as he said, "Tiger, I'm the one who had business with you, which is why I brought you here."

"It seems you've run into trouble, kid!"

As Chu Yi continued to grow, Tiger, who had previously been able to protect him, gradually began to feel useless.

Yes.

Useless.

Aside from the fact that Chu Yi could never surpass him in terms of worldly experience and navigational knowledge, Tiger watched as Chu Yi defeated one formidable enemy after another and performed miracles time and time again. Inevitably, he began to feel his own inadequacy.

At the very least, he was no longer able to protect Chu Yi with his fists the way he had back in their "slavery days."

Over time, Tiger even harbored a very strange thought, which was...

Was he starting to become useless?

Therefore, while the majority of the Heaven-Slaying Pirates were leisurely preparing for their next adventure, on one particular ship—aside from Chu Yi and Mihawk, who practiced while in a state of "daydreaming"—Tiger was one of the remaining two who practiced diligently. The other, of course, was Smoker, who remained stubbornly obsessed with defeating Chu Yi!

As for Jinbe...

With Tiger still alive, he always felt that even if the sky were to fall, Boss Tiger would be there to hold it up.

Coupled with a Chu Yi who could repeatedly work miracles, Jinbe currently lacked any sense of crisis whatsoever. For him, training was merely a means to consolidate his own strength, and he had no grand ambitions of pushing his limits much further.

Perhaps in the original history of the pirates, it was only after Tiger's death that Jinbe shouldered the heavy responsibility of protecting Fish-Man Island, gradually evolving into that world-famous Warlord of the Sea, the "Knight of the Sea" Jinbe.

Yet at this moment, Tiger, who had already developed a certain sense of "inferiority," saw that Chu Yi was once again seeking his help. Without a doubt, this completely smoothed over the hidden scars within his heart.

Immediately afterward, Tiger could be seen grinning widely, speaking to Chu Yi with absolute confidence: "Kid, don't worry! No matter what the issue is, as long as I, Tiger, am here, I guarantee it will be resolved!"

"But..."

Here Tiger paused slightly, then raised an eyebrow and asked, "Before we talk about business, can you explain what just happened? I was clearly on the ship, so why... why in the blink of an eye, am I standing right in front of you?"

As soon as Tiger finished speaking, Mihawk likewise lifted his head with curiosity. Abandoning his study of how the surveillance Den Den Mushi might taste, he cast a puzzled gaze toward Chu Yi.

In contrast, Chu Yi.

Listening to Tiger's inquiry, he simply smiled mysteriously, and then said in a profound and inscrutable tone: "That is my new ultimate technique. As for the specific method of using it..."

"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand!"

"You only need to know that the name of this ultimate technique is 'Flying Thunder God'!"

"Flying Thunder God? What is that?"

Demonstrating their synchronized rapport once again, Tiger and Mihawk asked in unison.

However, when the two of them asked this time, Chu Yi offered no further explanation. His thoughts gradually drifted backward, returning to the period of "daydreaming" training he had undergone not long ago.

Back then, during the voyage of the Heaven-Slaying Pirates, aside from Mihawk, who ate, daydreamed, and paid completely no attention to Chu Yi every single day, Tiger and Jinbe had been deeply concerned about their captain.

Seeing Chu Yi daydreaming every day, although Tiger and Jinbe hadn't said much out loud, they were inevitably worried inside. They were terrified that Chu Yi might have encountered some difficult and insoluble trouble, which was why he spent his days in a daze.

Yet at that time, Chu Yi wasn't daydreaming at all. He was...

Training!

The training he was undertaking was not something ordinary people could comprehend; it was the profound cultivation of spatial mysteries.

The mysteries of space were undoubtedly formidable, but comprehending them was somewhat troublesome.

Relying on the insights gained during his ninth awakening, Chu Yi knew that if he wanted to enhance the power of his spatial mysteries, he could only rely on a single method of cultivation: "Enlightenment"!

Therefore, while Chu Yi appeared to be daydreaming, every single day on the ship he was actually silently perceiving the mysteries of space, quietly meditating upon them in the hope of discovering even greater depths within the spatial realm.

Finally, one day...

While groping his way through the dark, Chu Yi discovered something that could reduce the energy consumption of using spatial mysteries!

That was to use the mysteries of space to create coordinates!

This...

Was undoubtedly the fundamental basis for the development of the "Flying Thunder God"! Chu Yi named this new profound technique the "Flying Thunder God" as a tribute to the "Flying Thunder God Technique" from the manga *Naruto*.

Chu Yi's "Flying Thunder God" utilized his own spatial mysteries to condense spatial coordinates, allowing him to swiftly employ spatial mysteries and travel directly to the coordinate location as a brand-new profound technique.

Just like how Chu Yi had suddenly vanished from Mihawk's presence earlier, he had used spatial mysteries to lock onto a coordinate he had long ago planted on the Heaven-Slaying Pirates' ship. Then, he utilized spatial mysteries to return directly to the vessel, locked onto a coordinate he had quietly placed on this island beforehand, and thus instantly brought Tiger right in front of Mihawk.

An ultimate technique like the "Flying Thunder God" was unprecedented in the world of pirates. No wonder top-tier powerhouses like Tiger and Mihawk were left utterly shocked by it.

However, the "Flying Thunder God" was not without its weaknesses. The fact that only two spatial coordinates could exist simultaneously was a major flaw. Otherwise, if Chu Yi were to scatter spatial coordinates all over the Grand Line, whenever he encountered formidable enemies in the future, running away would be an absolute breeze.

Even so, the limitation that only two spatial coordinates could exist at any one time was indeed a drawback.

Yet, as long as a spatial coordinate was locked, it would never disappear permanently—which could be considered a very significant advantage.

Besides, Chu Yi's "Flying Thunder God" would not remain in this state forever. In the future, he would inevitably find ways to improve the technique, making the "Flying Thunder God" far more comprehensive.

Just as Chu Yi was drowning in his memories, quietly pondering the future improvements of the "Flying Thunder God"...

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Tiger inadvertently caught sight of the surveillance Den Den Mushi that Mihawk had been clutching all this time. As if he had suddenly seen a ghost, a cry of exclamation disrupted Chu Yi's train of thought!

"Idiot swordsman, where did you get this surveillance Den Den Mushi?"

"Do you even know that across entire seas, the only people capable of using this kind of surveillance Den Den Mushi are...."

"Are only two people?"