Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Six-Armed Asura (Part One)

"The third strike..."
The sky was torn asunder.
As the dazzling blade light soared, it first split the heavens, then enveloped Chu Yi's figure entirely within its radiant, overwhelming might. At the bow of the Moby Dick, Marco's pupils contracted slightly as he murmured quietly to himself.
Soon after, the somewhat regretful voice of "Diamond" Jozu echoed beside Marco.
"Shura... is going to lose!"
"Why?"
Marco asked, bewildered at Jozu's words.
"Marco, haven't you understood Father's intention yet?"
Before Jozu could answer, Vista shook his head helplessly and said, "How long has it been since you saw Father unleash three strikes in succession? The first strike was nothing more than a warning, a show of force to Shura. But the second and third? Apart from a handful of the world's greatest swordsmen, no one alive can execute slashes of such caliber!"
"So Father's intention is to settle the battle within three strikes!"
"And Shura..."
"I'm afraid he truly can't withstand Father's three blades!"
As he spoke, Vista recalled the lonely figure on Fishman Island who had suppressed him with every move.
If it were him instead...
He might be able to withstand Father's three strikes.
But even if he did, would he still have the strength to fight on afterward?
At that thought, Vista silently shook his head again. He felt that even the "Hawkeye" who could split the sky with a single sword would have difficulty resisting Whitebeard's three slashes.
Even if he managed to survive, after three strikes...
"Hawkeye" would be spent, his power utterly drained!
This...
Was the terror of Whitebeard!
While Marco, Jozu, and Vista each fell silent...
Boom!
Whitebeard's third strike collided with Chu Yi's figure, unleashing a blinding light.
In that instant, no one could open their eyes, and thus no one saw whether Chu Yi had managed to withstand Whitebeard's third blade.
But when the blinding light faded...
A collective gasp!
For the spectators aboard the Moby Dick, as their vision returned, they immediately saw Chu Yi's unharmed figure still floating in midair!
"What just happened?"

Vista's eyes were filled with astonishment; he could hardly believe his judgment could be so wildly off!
Father had unleashed such a tremendous blade, and yet that Shura...
How could he not lose!
While Vista reeled in shock at the gap between his deductions and reality, far off on the solitary island ahead, Whitebeard suddenly laughed!
"Kurararara!"
"What an interesting Devil Fruit ability! What an interesting brat!"
"It seems... it's time to get serious!"
So it was true...
He hadn't even been fighting seriously just yet?
In that instant, Chu Yi sensed through his Observation Haki that Whitebeard's aura was rising even higher after the three strikes, confirming his suspicions.
Whitebeard had not fought in earnest before.
But then, neither had Chu Yi.
The appetizer was over; now, the main course would begin!
With a silent thought and a deep breath, Chu Yi let a blood-red light radiate from his body!
"Condense!"
With a low shout, the blood-red aura emanating from Chu Yi gradually gathered.
In a flash...
It transformed into a powerful, muscular arm!
This was the reason Chu Yi could withstand Whitebeard's third strike.
The fully materialized Shura Arm was Chu Yi's absolute defense!
In his three days of intense training, aside from his shadow clone's cultivation, what had Chu Yi's true self been practicing?
Even enlightenment needs a focal point, does it not?
And now, through the blood-red light he released, condensed behind him into the Shura Arm, it was clear Chu Yi's true self had been focused on his own Devil Fruit abilities!
The Human-Human Fruit, mutated type!
Shura Form!
To condense the Shura Juggernaut out of thin air, materializing the Shura Arm, was Chu Yi's next breakthrough.
When the Shura Juggernaut compressed fully and became a tangible Shura Arm, its defensive power was at least several times greater than the Juggernaut itself. With such formidable defense, Chu Yi successfully blocked Whitebeard's third strike, turning the idea of Whitebeard winning in three blows into a mere fantasy.
Of course.
Chu Yi hadn't created the Shura Arm just for defense.
Because, besides absolute defense, its materialization...

Could enhance Chu Yi's Devil Fruit power by nearly fifty percent!
So...
Almost as soon as the Shura Arm formed, Chu Yi's gaze locked onto Whitebeard, and his palm shot forward!
"Almighty Push!"
Boom!
Once more, the "Almighty Push"—or rather, still the "Almighty Push"!
But this time, as Chu Yi stretched out his hand, there was a difference: the Shura Arm behind him, materialized out of thin air, also slowly extended its palm.
And in the next second...
The force of the Almighty Push did not erupt from Chu Yi's own hand!
Instead, it burst forth from...
The Shura Arm!
This allowed Chu Yi to free up both his hands; he no longer had to use his own palms to unleash the Almighty Push.
So what would Chu Yi do with his free hands?
He certainly would not let them go to waste!
Then, as the Shura Arm, guided by Chu Yi's will, launched the force of the Almighty Push, Chu Yi slowly extended both his own palms, unleashing another Almighty Push!
The second Almighty Push quickly caught up with the first.
Combined, this was Chu Yi's ultimate technique!
Double-force!
Almighty Push!
Boom!
The double "Almighty Push" swept forth in Chu Yi's direction; though the ocean waves remained unchanged, the air expelled by the twin forces created streaks of lightning through friction!
If Chu Yi had mastered this double Almighty Push back in Mariejois...
The Holy Land would not have suffered mere regional destruction, but would have been completely annihilated by Chu Yi's twin forces!
Yet, even as the terrifying double Almighty Push surged forth, Whitebeard stood calmly on the island!
For around his fist...
A layer of bright white light had already formed!
"It's been a long time since I've met a youngster worth fighting!"
"Rayleigh, the boy you recommended, he truly..."
"Is quite interesting!"