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Currently at chapter 224.
Bai Yu and Garp stood opposite one another.
For a brief moment, the air between them was electric with fighting spirit.
Garp was preparing to test the strength of his so-called disciple.
As for Bai Yu, this was also a rare opportunity—to gauge the gap between himself and the highest level of naval combat power.
"Azure Dragon Sword Intent!"
Whoosh!
The moment Bai Yu's thoughts activated, a brilliant light-blue and white sword aura erupted from the blade of Sakuragi, cloaked in ethereal flame.
"Busoshoku Haki—Hardening, Imbuement!"
Hum!
A second thought followed. Black metallic Haki streamed over the surface of Sakuragi, wrapping it in a dense, weaponized layer of Armament Haki—turning it into a black blade.
"Dragon Force!"
But he wasn't done yet. As the Haki coiled around the sword, Bai Yu's body continued to transform.
Ka-ka-ka!
Translucent dragon scales burst forth from the skin of his arms, crawling up and solidifying like armor.
His arms were now fully covered, exuding a crushing strength with every movement.
"Run Thunder!"
Zzzt—Zzzt—!
Finally, Bai Yu triggered Ben Lei, a thunderous burst beneath his feet. Lightning crackled around his legs as a surge of raw speed ignited his stance.
In the blink of an eye, Bai Yu's aura soared to its peak—an overwhelming fusion of swordsmanship, Haki, beastly physique, and elemental force.
"Hoh?"
Sensing the sudden surge in Bai Yu's presence, Garp's eyebrows lifted with intrigue.
Just as he had guessed—this disciple had surpassed even his boldest expectations in just a short time.
Boom!
Garp stamped his foot into the ground, releasing a shockwave. Both of his arms ignited with thick Armament Haki, forming obsidian gauntlets of pure force.
There were no complex techniques.
That was Garp.
His true strength didn't lie in an arsenal of flashy moves—but in the overwhelming dominance of his forged body.
"Come at me!"
As soon as Garp signaled readiness, Bai Yu responded without hesitation.
Both feet stomped the ground.
BOOM!
Even though the surface was frozen over by Aokiji's earlier ice technique, Bai Yu's step still shattered the icy crust in jagged fragments.
Zzt!
Bai Yu's form vanished in a bolt of lightning.
He moved so fast that even an afterimage didn't remain.
To the untrained eye—it was as if he had disappeared completely.
"What speed!"
Garp muttered with rare admiration.
This burst speed was already comparable to Admiral Kizaru's Pika Pika no Mi light-speed movement.
Hum!
Knowing he couldn't rely on eyesight alone, Garp expanded his Kenbunshoku Haki—Observation Haki.
With his advanced Color of Perception, he tried to anticipate Bai Yu's trajectory.
"Not even Kenbunshoku can track him precisely?"
Garp frowned slightly.
Even with heightened perception, Bai Yu's motion remained elusive—blindingly fast, unpredictable.
Zzt!
Suddenly, a thunderous flash erupted behind Garp.
Bai Yu reappeared mid-air, blade already raised—aiming a precise downward strike at Garp's shoulder.
"Trying to sneak up on me? You've still got a lot to learn, kid!"
Though the blade moved at lightning speed, Garp seemed to anticipate it.
As Sakuragi began to descend, Garp twisted his body mid-pivot and swung his iron-fisted arm back.
Without hesitation, fist and blade collided.
CLANG!
The sharp screech of metal against Armament Haki echoed out.
BOOM!
A wave of pure force exploded outward. The collision shattered nearby ice and split the frozen ground in wide arcs.
Bang!
Bai Yu's body was hurled backward like a meteor, sent flying by the raw force of Garp's blow.
But even as he spun through the air, Bai Yu righted himself and landed steadily.
Twin gouges tore through the frozen terrain under his feet as he skidded back.
When he stopped, he stood tall once more.
For the first time in a long while, his palms ached from the impact.
Garp had stopped holding back. The strength he just unleashed had reached an intensity Bai Yu had never experienced before.
Among all the foes he had faced, Garp's power was undeniably the most dominant.
"Advanced Kenbunshoku—'Premonition,' huh?"
Still gripping Sakuragi, Bai Yu murmured knowingly.
He'd realized it now.
What allowed Garp to react to such high-speed attacks wasn't just instinct—it was the advanced form of Observation Haki:
"Future Sight."
An elite technique that allows a brief glimpse into the immediate future—predicting an opponent's move before it even begins.
The length of foresight depends on the user's mastery.
Sneak attacks, burst movement, feints—none of them work when the enemy can see into the future.
Of course, Bai Yu wasn't unfamiliar with this technique.
He had it too.
"Where'd you learn Haki to that level?"
Garp asked with a raised brow, clearly surprised Bai Yu had recognized such a rare skill.
"Self-taught."
Bai Yu replied with a casual grin.
"..."
Garp stared at him flatly.
He could tell Bai Yu wasn't about to reveal his secrets, so he dropped the subject.
"Then you should know."
"Speed alone won't defeat someone like me."
Garp continued with a serious tone.
He'd cracked the secret of Bai Yu's speed—and by extension, neutralized one of his greatest advantages.
But—
"Even so…"
Bai Yu's mind processed the last exchange.
That moment when Sakuragi struck Garp's fist—
Though blocked by Busoshoku, Bai Yu had seen it: a thin gash slicing across Garp's knuckles.
It was faint—but it was there.
The black blade had left its mark.
Sakuragi could penetrate Garp's defense. It wasn't impossible.
He just needed greater speed—and greater cutting force!
BOOM!
Suddenly, Garp dropped into a squat.
With his powerful fingers, he gripped the icy earth—and heaved upward.
A colossal boulder of ice, easily tens of meters tall, was torn from the ground as if it weighed nothing.
"Let's see how you like this!"
Garp roared.
He hurled the massive stone into the sky—then launched it straight at Bai Yu.
WHOOOOM!
The freezing air howled as the boulder soared overhead, descending with unstoppable momentum.
What made it more terrifying?
Garp had coated the entire boulder with Armament Haki.
What once was ice had become a monolithic black sphere, like a chunk of obsidian dropped from heaven.
Under the moonlight, the boulder's massive shadow engulfed the area around Bai Yu.
Hum…!
Facing the falling giant, Bai Yu shifted his stance slightly.
Hands tilting Sakuragi's hilt downward—he aimed the tip up, blade aligned for a rising cut.
The sword trembled.
The flame of sword intent flared wildly—pulsing with violent resonance.
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