Aokiji's gaze grew more serious. The tone of the man before him, combined with Crocodile's indifferent expression nearby, had already stirred a sense of unease within him.
"Detaining a Marine Admiral… that won't be easy."
On full alert, Aokiji calmly stared at the man across from him.
"As long as Admiral Aokiji stays here peacefully as our guest, we won't cause ourselves unnecessary trouble," Qin Yi said lightly.
At that moment, a squad of Marines rushed over. Upon seeing the scene before them, their expressions changed dramatically.
"Admiral Aokiji! Something major has happened at Sabaody Archipelago, someone killed a Celestial Dragon, and Admiral Akainu's life or death is unknown!"
The shout rang out clearly, causing Aokiji's pupils to contract sharply, and his expression grew even more grim.
He snapped his eyes to Qin Yi, now deadly serious.
"The Qin Nation… it has nothing to do with the incident at Sabaody, right?"
Qin Yi neither confirmed nor denied it, offering no reply.
Crocodile stood silently to the side, but his heart was shaken. He had vaguely heard that this group had other members acting elsewhere. Could it be that one of them was behind such a catastrophic act?
But… that was a Celestial Dragon and Admiral Akainu!
"This is truly surprising… the King of the Qin Nation, Ying Zheng."
Aokiji shifted one foot backward, entering a combat stance. He had realized that the man before him harbored a grand, dangerous ambition. Someone who dared to kill a Celestial Dragon and attack an Admiral, what kind of madman was he?
Replacing Alabasta might have only been the first step. Next would be a storm of upheaval like the world had never seen.
"Does being a Marine mean you represent justice? Is the World Government truly righteous? Aokiji, you're kind by nature, not stubborn. I believe you already have your doubts deep inside. About the Marines, the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons. Everything I plan next is to purge this world, to return it to a normal, uncorrupted path."
"There will no longer be Celestial Dragons above all others, no World Government controlling everything. No more racial discrimination, no more suppression of dreams!"
"This world was meant to be free, Aokiji!"
Qin Yi spread his arms wide and proclaimed loudly.
Aokiji narrowed his eyes, then suddenly leapt forward and disappeared in a flash.
"Your ambition is too great. In your eyes, I see nothing but a raging fire of desire! Right or wrong, I don't know. But at the very least, you do not represent justice!"
With a booming shout carried on the wind, Aokiji reappeared behind Qin Yi in an instant.
In mid-air, he lashed out with a powerful kick.
"Whoom!"
The air twisted violently under the force of the whip-like kick. The slicing wind felt sharp enough to make one's heart tremble. At the same time, Qin Yi, standing with his back to Aokiji, burst into blazing flames, transforming in an instant into a Flame-Man.
Aokiji's long leg cut through the fire, his pupils contracting as he immediately leapt back to widen the distance.
Just as he left the flames, a massive Fire Fist crashed down where he had stood, splitting the earth and setting it ablaze.
"It seems words can no longer bridge our differences."
Qin Yi slowly turned around, the flames dying down and his form returning to normal, as he spoke calmly.
"But it doesn't matter. Once I unify this world, you'll understand the truth."
"To even dream of unifying the entire world… You really are a mad and dangerous man." Aokiji said gravely.
"Mad" referred to the man's ideology. "Dangerous" to his power and methods. Just a brief exchange had already made Aokiji realize, the young King before him was no ordinary figure.
Conflict in Alabasta, a regime change, and then a major incident at Sabaody happening nearly simultaneously, it was like a premeditated move that, without warning, had already split the Marine forces apart.
"Someone capable of defeating Akainu… Along with this guy before me... and Crocodile!"
Aokiji narrowed his eyes, and a grim realization settled in his heart, if he didn't go all out today, he might end up just like Akainu. The nearby Marines tried to rush forward, but Qin's Nation's soldiers had already blocked them at the perimeter.
As Aokiji contemplated the situation, the enemy suddenly charged at him. The speed was like a streak of light, and in an instant, a punch was flying directly at him.
Boom!
The Fire Fist slammed hard into his body, tearing it apart, his form fragmented and shattered.
But in the blink of an eye, Aokiji regenerated, his fist now wrapped in a deep black aura as he counterattacked with force toward Qin Yi.
"Busoshoku (Armament Haki)!" Qin Yi's eyes narrowed, three Tomoe suddenly appeared in his eyes.
The two clashed directly, attacks and blocks traded in rapid succession. Each collision sounded like thunder, sending shockwaves rippling across the ground.
"Soru! (Shave!)"
Aokiji's expression turned intense as he vanished in a flash.
"Geppō (Moonwalk)!"
He darted swiftly around Qin Yi in a blur, and as he leapt into the air, skipping through the sky,
Qin Yi's Sharingan had already copied his Body Technique (Taijutsu) in an instant. The next second, Qin Yi vanished as well.
"Soru!"
Aokiji's pupils shrank in shock, the opponent appeared right in front of him almost instantly, both hands becoming a blur of motion.
"Suiton (Water Release), Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"ROAR!!"
A massive water dragon erupted forward, roaring toward Aokiji as his eyes widened in astonishment. Aokiji retreated several steps, then extended one hand.
"Ice Time!"
An intense cold swept out from him. Frost instantly formed in the air before him, freezing the raging water dragon into an ice sculpture on the spot.
Without pause, Aokiji extended his other hand.
"Ice Blade!"
He used Geppō (Moonwalk) again, stepping through the air as his body flickered above Qin Yi.
"Fire Spear!"
Qin Yi looked up and extended his right hand. A spear formed of fire appeared in a burst, dragons coiled around it, flames roaring.
"Bang!"
The two weapons collided in the blink of an eye. The searing heat of fire clashed against the bone-chilling cold of ice. Steam surged into the sky as the elements battled.
"The Mera-Mera no Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit)... No, that fruit was eaten by Fire Fist Ace! How could you possibly have it?"
Aokiji's tone was cold, and his expression grave.
"In fact, the number of abilities I can use… is far greater than you think."
A smirk formed at the corner of Qin Yi's mouth. Suddenly, a clear bird-like chirping sound rang out from the fire.
"Chidori Stream!"
"Screee!"
In Aokiji's stunned eyes, blue lightning arcs surged through the fire, slamming into his ice blade and coursing through his body.
The electric current paralyzed him instantly. He reacted fast, throwing down the ice blade and retreating dozens of meters.
"Lightning…"
His eyes were filled with deep concern.
"These abilities… are far too strange!"
The flaming dragon spear in Qin Yi's hand vanished. He took a single step, and in an instant, disappeared again.
Without Aokiji realizing it, Qin Yi had already placed a seal on his body.
"So fast!"
Aokiji was alarmed. Instinctively, he crossed his arms in front of him, preparing a defensive stance.
"Busoshoku (Armament Haki), Tekkai (Iron Body)!"
At nearly the same moment, Qin Yi's fist crashed into Aokiji's abdomen.
"Boom!"
A deep, muffled impact echoed outward, and Aokiji's body was immediately blasted backward.
"Rumble Rumble Rumble!"
A thunderous sound followed as Aokiji smashed through over a dozen buildings before finally coming to a stop.
(End of Chapter)
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