Chapter Fifty-Two: The Sword as Swift as the Gale

So... so fast!
Incredible speed!
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as Lucci stared, dazed, at Chu Yi’s back. It was almost unimaginable that Major Flying Eagle, renowned for his swiftness, could be slain so easily by the blade of Shura wielded by Chu Yi!
Undeniably, Flying Eagle was quick—so quick that even Lucci couldn’t track his movements when he used “Shave.” That alone proved Flying Eagle’s reputation was well-deserved.
But unfortunately...
He encountered Chu Yi!
And his “Shave” was nowhere near as fast as the Shura Blade descending in Chu Yi’s hand!
Though Flying Eagle’s “Shave” eluded even Chu Yi’s keen eyes, it must not be forgotten that Chu Yi had honed himself in the hands of Aokiji and further refined his instincts during battle with Vice Admiral Mole. Thus, even if his eyes couldn’t track Flying Eagle’s shadowy figure, his body—guided by the instinct of “Paper Drawing”—could sense his precise location.
One could say that Chu Yi’s “Paper Drawing” instinct had already taken a crucial step toward evolving into Observation Haki.
Combined with his terrifying physical prowess after transforming into Shura, these two factors became the foundation for his instant decimation of Major Flying Eagle!
The blade fell...
A swift sound pierced the air.
The first to charge, Major Flying Eagle, was instantly killed—a sight that made the rest of the Marines hesitate to rush forward alone.
At that moment, Chu Yi, who had just dispatched Major Flying Eagle with his Shura Blade, was struck by insight. Grabbing Lucci’s shoulder with one hand and gripping the Shura Blade with the other, he suddenly dashed straight toward several Marine officers ahead!
In a flash—
A streak of light as the blade swept through—
Before the Marines could react, Chu Yi’s figure appeared before the three officers. The next instant, his Shura Blade became a stream of light, slashing rapidly!
If anyone had been carefully watching Chu Yi, they would have noticed that the speed and power of his three consecutive strikes with the Shura Blade were exactly the same!
This—
Was precisely the benefit Chu Yi gained from his mastery of the Tang Grass Wa Right Fist!
To precisely control the force, speed, and angle of every sword strike is exceedingly difficult for anyone; to maintain peak power with each blow is even more so.
Among swordsmen in the pirate world, those who achieve these feats are already master-level, and by further comprehending sword intent, they could become among the rare Sword Saints.
For Chu Yi to exhibit the aura of a master swordsman while still in the early stages of wielding the Shura Blade, he relied first on the terrifying physical strength accompanying his fruit awakening, and second on his earlier training in Tang Grass Wa Right Fist.
The paths of cultivation all lead to the same destination.
Fishman Karate emphasizes the basics; once those are solid, they lay the foundation for all other techniques.
By mastering the strength and speed of each strike with the Shura Blade and always maintaining peak form, and combining this with his monstrous physique, Chu Yi was able to effortlessly harvest the lives of three Marine officers after his arrival!
“Who would have thought...”
“I truly have some talent with the sword!”
With the Shura Blade so easily reaping the lives of Marine officers, a smile curled on Chu Yi’s lips, his affection for the Shura Blade growing ever deeper.
But just as his smile blossomed—
Huh?
Suddenly, Chu Yi noticed that the scene reflected in the vertical pupil on his forehead was slightly different from what he saw with his own eyes.
To his eyes, he was surrounded by crowds of Marines. Watching their comrades fall one after another, their eyes burned with fury, eager to claim his life.
But in the vertical pupil, a scene of eerie strangeness unfolded.
As Chu Yi slew the three officers before him, the vertical pupil revealed streams of crimson aura flowing from their fallen bodies, slowly converging upon the Shura Blade gripped in his hand.
When that crimson aura had fully merged with the blade, turning its already red surface into a fiery glow—
A low hum resonated.
Without any action from Chu Yi, the Shura Demon Statue appeared behind him once more.
As the Shura Blade absorbed the crimson aura, it flowed through Chu Yi’s body and into the demon statue, and he suddenly felt the statue grow stronger!
Moreover, its shadowy form became more substantial after absorbing the aura, taking on a more defined presence!
“Could it be...”
“The condensation of the Shura Blade is a crucial process for perfect mastery of the Shura Demon Statue?”
“Only through the medium of the Shura Blade can the phantom demon gradually become tangible, unlocking the ultimate power of the Visualization Fruit?”
Feeling the demon statue grow more solid, with his own stamina rapidly recovering, Chu Yi silently mused, his gaze filled with surprise as he turned to the surrounding Marine officers.
“If my guess is correct, then after disposing of all the Marines here...”
“The power absorbed by the Shura Blade should be enough to fully solidify the demon statue!”
“In that case...”
“Let’s kill!”
With this thought, Chu Yi’s spirit soared. He stomped his feet, and instantly unleashed the Marine Six Styles technique, “Shave.”
A series of swift movements.
Chu Yi’s speed was so great that, beside Lucci, countless afterimages appeared, leaving the incoming Marine officers unsure which was the real Chu Yi.
Chu Yi seized upon their hesitation, maintaining peak performance and ignoring the drain on his stamina, furiously slashing with the Shura Blade.
In a blink, the sword became a raging storm!
Perfectly controlling the rhythm of each strike, Chu Yi felt more adept at wielding the Shura Blade than ever.
Especially when faced with a Marine officer who used “Iron Body” in time, the Shura Blade, swift as the wind, sliced through his defense like cutting tofu, effortlessly cleaving his body. The sensation intensified Chu Yi’s insights, and as he found himself surrounded by a vacuum of corpses, he suddenly communicated with the system:
“System...”
“Proceed to the sixth awakening!”