"How terrifying... You took down three pirate crews just like that."
Suddenly, a lazy voice echoed through the air. Ye Chen's pupils shrank, and he shouted, "Who's there?!"
Moments later, a golden beam of light shot down from the sky, heading straight for Ye Chen.
In a flash, the light descended and stopped right in front of him.
"Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
As the light dispersed, a man appeared—Kizaru, radiating golden light from his right foot, speaking in a drawling tone.
"Haven't had the pleasure yet," Ye Chen said, recognizing the man before him. His expression grew extremely serious, and he gripped the hilt of his katana tightly, raising it in front of him.
Kizaru's eyes flickered with interest, and with a shimmer of golden light, his right foot lashed out through the air.
"Block!" Ye Chen shouted, raising his blade. Pale-white Sword Qi enveloped the weapon.
Bang!
Ye Chen felt a tremendous force crash down from Kizaru's kick. His face changed dramatically as the pressure forced him back three meters before he could stop himself.
"They actually sent an Admiral... Seems like Marine Headquarters really values me."
Ye Chen's face was grim. Although Kizaru had only recently taken up the title of Admiral, his strength was not to be underestimated.
"I didn't want to come either," Kizaru replied lazily, retracting his leg. "But you've gotten too arrogant, kid."
"You're already so old, and you're here to bully a kid like me? Aren't you afraid people will call you shameless?"
"There's no age in piracy," Kizaru said seriously. "And judging by the way you slaughtered those people, you don't exactly seem like an innocent child."
His tone turned cold. "With such ruthlessness at your age, there's no way I can let you live."
Ye Chen chuckled. "Whether I live or die depends on your skills, doesn't it?"
"Heh... still so arrogant." Kizaru's eyes glinted. "Laser Beam."
Golden light pulsed in his hands, and countless beams of light shot out like a storm, heading straight toward Ye Chen.
"You think that can stop me?" Ye Chen laughed softly, gripping his katana tightly as his eyes sharpened.
In an instant, he drew his blade—an overwhelming surge of Sword Qi burst forth in the shape of a crescent wave.
"Draw a sword and Slash!"
The crescent Sword Qi collided with the laser beams. The lasers were instantly shattered, and the Sword Qi continued forward, slashing toward Kizaru.
Kizaru stood still, his expression unbothered. "Without Haki, you can't hurt me."
The Sword Qi cut through him, slicing his body in half.
But golden light shimmered from the severed body, and in the blink of an eye, he reformed.
"Tch. Logia-types really are annoying," Ye Chen muttered, shaking his head in frustration.
"You've got good swordsmanship, kid. If you were in Marine Headquarters, you'd have a limitless future."
Kizaru sounded genuinely regretful.
As a fellow swordsman, he could tell from Ye Chen's Draw a sword and Slash that the boy's skill rivaled those of seasoned sword masters—people who had trained for decades and were now in their thirties or forties.
But Ye Chen was only fourteen.
The more gifted Ye Chen was, the more dangerous Kizaru deemed him.
He couldn't be allowed to grow. Left alone, in ten years, Ye Chen would be a major threat to Marine Headquarters.
The only way to be safe was to kill him now.
"Marine Headquarters, huh? Heh... nothing more than lapdogs for the Celestial Dragons."
Ye Chen sneered in disdain.
Marine Headquarters was just a tool for the Celestial Dragons, and Ye Chen had no interest in being a tool.
Especially after robbing Celestial Gold—he knew the Celestial Dragons wished him dead more than anyone.
"People say brats have foul mouths... looks like they were right."
Kizaru's expression darkened. Being called a dog to his face was not something he could easily swallow.
Golden light burst around him as he transformed into a beam of light, instantly crossing ten meters to appear right before Ye Chen.
"Light-Speed Kick!"
Ye Chen sensed a chill run down his spine. His body moved on instinct, retreating while raising his katana to the side to block.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out. The ground beneath Ye Chen's feet cracked and shattered, spiderweb patterns spreading across the surface as a massive shockwave rippled outward.
Ye Chen's arms trembled, the overwhelming force pressing down on him. His face darkened.
Kizaru wasn't holding back—he was going for the kill.
"Little Sky!" Ye Chen shouted.
"ROOOAAR!"
Little Sky responded with a thunderous roar, stretching its massive claw down from the sky. The enormous dragon claw cast a huge shadow over both Ye Chen and Kizaru.
"What, calling for backup? That's against the rules, isn't it?" Kizaru said with mock surprise.
"You're already bullying a kid. Why shouldn't I call in a helper?" Ye Chen shot back with a cold laugh.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]