The air screamed as the blade cut horizontally through the sky. The slash was heavy, wrapped in the dark sheen of Armament Haki and the crackling red sparks of Conqueror's Haki. It was a devastating combination that forced the atmosphere to ripple.
Yixiao's expression turned solemn. He realized the weight of the coming blow and did not hold back. He channeled almost all his gravity powers and Armament Haki into his sword, meeting the attack with his Fierce Tiger technique. He thrust his blade upward to intercept the flying slash.
A massive boom echoed across the ocean.
Yixiao caught the edge of the attack, but he quickly realized his strength was not enough to halt its momentum. The force was overwhelming. The impact sent Yixiao's entire body flying backward through the air. Blood coughed from his mouth as the internal damage took hold, leaving him seriously injured. Despite the pain, he remained calm. He used his gravity manipulation to stabilize himself, skidding to a halt in mid-air.
The two combatants stared at each other from a distance, neither moving.
"That technique..." Sengoku's eyes widened in shock.
"There is no doubt about it. That is the sword style of Gol D. Roger. It's the Divine Departure," Vice Admiral Tsuru added, recognizing the legendary move instantly.
Kizaru watched with his usual lazy expression, though his tone was slightly more serious than before. "That's quite a move. He actually learned the swordsmanship of the Pirate King. The threat posed by Carl, the Great Lightning Swordsman, is growing by the day. I really feel like I should get rid of him right now."
Even though Kizaru said those words, he did not move an inch. He knew that killing Carl would be an exhausting and difficult task. With the rest of the Straw Hat crew nearby, it would be a thankless effort. Furthermore, he didn't want to interfere with the ongoing tension between Akainu and Aokiji. Such a distraction would only cause more trouble for the Marines.
Sengoku studied the lingering energy of the attack and shook his head. "It looks very similar to the original, but there are clear differences. It seems Carl understands the theory behind the Divine Departure but has integrated it into his own style. It's not an exact copy, but something entirely his own."
This realization made Sengoku even more uneasy. Roger had been dead for over 20 years. His techniques were never officially passed down to anyone. It was unlikely that even Rayleigh had mastered every aspect of Roger's specific strikes. Carl must have sought advice from Rayleigh and then reconstructed the move through his own genius. Such talent was terrifying to witness.
On the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hat crew was just as stunned. Carl's sudden display of power had taken them all by surprise.
"Is that really the famous technique of the Pirate King?" Tashigi whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.
Law looked on with visible admiration. "It's impressive that he managed to master such a thing. Carl truly is in a league of his own."
Zoro felt a sharp sting of rivalry and urgency. "So that's the Divine Departure. It's incredibly powerful. I need to train even harder. If I don't, the gap between me and Teacher Carl will only get wider. How can I ever become the World's Greatest Swordsman if I fall behind now?"
The rest of the crew finally understood the significance of the move. The realization that Carl was using the techniques of the man who conquered the Grand Line left them in awe.
Luffy, however, simply grinned. He didn't seem surprised at all. "He actually learned the Pirate King's moves! As expected of Mr. Carl!"
To Luffy, it made perfect sense. His teacher had to be this strong. If he weren't, how could the rest of the crew have grown so powerful so quickly? In Luffy's mind, there was nothing strange about Carl mastering the skills of the former Pirate King.
Yixiao had overheard the comments from both the Marines and the pirates using his Observation Haki. A flicker of surprise crossed his face. He realized he had significantly underestimated the young man standing before him.
Carl looked down at the blades in his hands, savoring the lingering sensation of the strike. He smiled to himself. The encounter with the blind swordsman had provided an unexpected breakthrough. Fighting a master like Yixiao had brought him great luck.
He decided there was no reason to continue the battle. Carl calmly sheathed both of his swords.
"Are we stopping already? I haven't finished yet," Yixiao remarked. Even though he spoke of continuing, he made no move to draw his weapon again.
Carl waved his hand dismissively. "No more fighting. I'm injured and need treatment right away. If I wait too long, I might heal naturally, and our doctors won't have anything to do."
The surrounding crowd fell silent. Chopper and Law both felt their tempers flare.
"What kind of nonsense is that? If you keep talking like that, we won't treat you at all!" they shouted in unison.
Carl just shrugged, completely unbothered by their threats. He had achieved his goal for the day and saw no point in risking further exhaustion. He descended from the air and flew back toward the Thousand Sunny. Before he landed, he looked back at Sengoku and shouted toward Yixiao.
"Uncle! You should come over to our ship for treatment too!"
Sengoku immediately intervened. "Why would a pirate be the one to heal him? Yixiao is a man of justice. It's the duty of the Marines to provide him with medical care!"
Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru stepped forward, politely inviting Yixiao onto their vessel. Yixiao did not refuse. He gave a respectful bow to the officers. "I am very grateful for your kindness."
Sengoku, Tsuru, and Kizaru were all very impressed with Yixiao's conduct and strength. They quickly called for their best medical staff to assist him. They viewed him as a future Admiral and weren't about to let such a talent slip away or suffer from untreated wounds.
Back on the Thousand Sunny, Carl's minor internal injuries were already fading. His recovery rate was so fast that Chopper and Law were left speechless. It turned out Carl hadn't been joking earlier; his body really was healing itself at an abnormal pace.
"Mr. Carl, who was that uncle anyway?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.
The whole crew gathered around, curious. Carl had been the one to initiate the greeting, and the strength of the blind man had left a deep impression on everyone.
Carl's expression became serious. "His name is Yixiao. He comes from a humble background, but he possesses a powerful sense of justice. If things go the way I expect, he will definitely become a new Marine Admiral. He's the type of man who will uphold true justice, just like Zephyr did."
"A Marine Admiral?" The Straw Hats shouted, their mouths hanging open.
Tashigi was particularly stunned. The comparison to Zephyr hit her hard. Zephyr was the gold standard for justice in her mind. Hearing Carl give Yixiao such high praise made her realize she needed to keep a close eye on the blind swordsman in the future.
Galdino pushed his glasses up his nose. "If that's true, aren't we just helping a future enemy?"
Jango nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that doesn't seem like it helps us at all. Besides, Mr. Carl, you're a pirate. Why are you rooting for the Marines to get stronger?"
Usopp and Chopper chimed in. "It really sounds like you want him to become an Admiral!"
Carl paused for a second and then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! You noticed, did you? It's true. I really do hope Uncle Yixiao becomes an Admiral. He's a truly righteous person who cares about the common people. It would be a waste of his talents if he didn't join the upper ranks of the Marines. I know it sounds strange coming from a pirate, but pirates are supposed to be free, right? I'm free to say whatever I think is right."
The crew fell silent, unable to find an argument against his logic.
Luffy broke the silence with a wide grin. "That's right! Pirates are free! I agree with Mr. Carl. That uncle is a good guy. He should definitely be an Admiral!"
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